Heading to the Islands this month? Here are some cool and delicious things going on across the Salish Sea. The round-up comes to us from the Islandist, Scout’s new sister publication covering the food and culture of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Did we miss something? Keep us in the loop via @TheIslandist on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
TOFINO | Catch a surf flick, art show and tons of awesome wave riding action during the Queen of the Peak surfing festival and competition. The three-day-long female-powered event wraps up with a dance party at The Hatch. Find out more.
SALT SPRING | Spend a day at Bullock Lake organic vegetable and flower farm by signing up for their Wreaths and Hangings Workshop on October 12th. Tickets here. Make the most of your trip by loading up on fresh produce from the Bullock Lake pop-up Farmstand, then filling up your belly with some inspired pizza from the kitchen (recent toppings have included Jowl & Kimchi and Zucchini & Garlic).
UKEE | Eager to take on a more active stance against climate change? Learn more about how to regenerate the oceans while eating some of Ukee Dogs’ yummy tacos on Oct. 2. Four rad guest speakers will be talking about how their projects – The Den, Protect Our Winters and Changing Tides Foundation – are making changes for the better. That’s plenty of great reasons to attend this month’s meet-up. Find out more.
VEGGIE FEAST | Chef Rob Cassels and the crew at Saveur are partnering with Mason Street Farm to create a special five course vegetarian dinner on October 2nd using ingredients sourced from the Fernwood farm. Each course will be paired with wine from a Vancouver Island winery. Tickets and details here.
TIKI | Looking for some transportive fun far away from Victorias’s autumnal wane? Got a Hawaiian shirt that doesn’t get worn nearly enough? There’s a Tiki pop-up going down at the Copper Owl on Oct. 22nd. Check it out.
ART SHOW | We recently chatted with Victoria-based artist Andrea Soos as the details were coming together for the upcoming POTLUCK art show at the Northern Quarter. The exhibition of collaborative paintings is launching with an evening reception on October 2nd and will be hanging on the restaurant’s walls until November 2nd. Get some backstory by reading our Islandist interview with Andrea here. Find out more.
POP-UP | The team at Oak Bay’s Sunday’s Child can put on a tight little pop-up dinner situation. Block out October 2nd on your calendar and follow their Instagram feed for more details about the Southern Comfort feast.
MUSHROOM WALK | Interested in taking your love of nature beyond the occasional walk-in-the-forest level? Learn about mushroom identification by attending one of two “Fabulous Fungi” guided walks through the Francis/King Regional Park, led by a special guest naturalist. Find out more.
GET ORIENTED | This 90-minute workshop is your chance to learn all about the incredible history, science and responsibility of seed growing and saving while also hooking yourself up with the skills to do both and a lifetime pass to the Victoria Seed Bank’s ever-changing library of 200+ local seeds. The session is free but pre-registration is required. Do that here.
BOOK LAUNCH | Looking to grow your home library? Pop by Munro’s for a mid-month reading with local historian and mapmaker Michael Layland, coinciding with the publication of his latest book titled In Nature’s Realm. Beautiful botanical illustrations provide a companion to the author’s writing on the Island’s flora and fauna. Find out more.
MAKE | More hours of darkness mean more opportunities for candlelit occasions. “The Starlite Soap Studio Soy Candle workshop includes some fun facts about candle making, a great choice of colours and scents to choose from, and all the helpful hints and hacks required to produce your own beautiful soy-wax candles! You will leave the workshop with a pack of your own tealights, two tin container travel candles, and two classy glass-jar candles, suitable for your own home decor, or for gifting to friends and family.” Learn how to make your own candles by signing up here.
FILM | Screening as part of the Victoria Film Festival, Sometimes. Always. Never. is the story of a retired tailor on the search for his missing son that’s full of amazingness including awkward family drama, dark British wit and lots of Scrabble. (But really, they had us at Bill Nighy.) Find out more.
GET JUICED | For its 10th iteration, hospitality industry-centric Bar Venner is popping up in Chinatown for a one-night marathon of extraordinary food and natural wines. Tickets here.
BIG GIG | October’s big gig is a night of homegrown Canadian rock n’ roll. Matt Mays plays the McPherson Playhouse with opener Skye Wallace (as part of his Howl at the Night Tour). Tickets here.
PLAN AHEAD | A good show in a dark bar is a great ways to escape the winter weather for a couple of hours. On November 9th there are two: Lightning Dust and Louise Burns are both playing shows in Victoria. Tickets for both are ridiculously cheap (under $15!).