Three unique family experiences we're excited about this week:

1. 🎬 FREE Holiday Movies: The Polar Express & The Grinch – Dec 13-14

Pick your favourite! Saturday morning brings “The Polar Express” at 10 AM or choose Sunday afternoon's screening of “The Grinch” at 2 PM—both FREE at Cineplex Odeon West Shore in Langford. Doors open an hour early, so show up early to guarantee seats (first-come, first-served). Just bring a non-perishable food item for the Goldstream Food Bank. Classic holiday magic, cozy theater vibes, and supporting your community—what's not to love?

2. ⛸️ Skate with Santa & Free Teen Night – Dec 13-14 at City Centre Park

Langford's outdoor rink is a winter wonderland! Parents and little ones can skate with Santa together Sunday 3–4:15 PM (pre-registration recommended) at this beautifully lit rink complete with fire pits, skate rentals, and hot chocolate from City Centre Grille. Teens get their own FREE Saturday night session 8:15–9:30 PM with rentals included and special s'mores pricing (ages 12-18, student ID required). City Centre Park delivers outdoor skating magic for the whole family. [Tip: pre-register and fill out the digital waiver beforehand]

3. 🎨 HARK! The Herald Street Holiday Market – Dec 14 (Sun)

This cozy downtown market (400 Herald Street, 10:30 AM–3:30 PM) features local artisans and handcrafted gifts—with a Kids Zone offering colouring, activities, and treats to keep little ones happily occupied. Add hot chocolate, Christmas music, and easy indoor shopping (behind Value Village), and you've got a genuinely family-friendly market experience.

Psst: Many more family-friendly events are waiting below, including Candy Cane Lane Winter Festival. Don't miss them!

Esquimalt: Esquimalt Farmers Market Dec 11 (Thur) @Esquimalt Recreational Centre 4:30-7pm

Saanich: Craft & Connect Dec 11 (Thur) @Luther Court Society Lounge, 1525 Cedar Hill Cross Rd 3-4pm

Victoria: Winter Indigenous Market Dec 12 (Fri) @Royal BC Museum, 675 Belleville St 10am-4pm

+ Annual Winter Art Market & Social Dec 14 (Sun) @Fernwood Community Centre, 1240 Gladstone Ave 3-5pm

+ HARK! The Herald Street Holiday Market Dec 14 (Sun) @400 Herald Street 10:30am-3:30pm

Sidney: Last Chance Christmas Craft Fair Dec 12-14 (Fri-Sun) @Mary Winspear Centre, Charlie White Theatre, 2243 Beacon Ave

Metchosin: Yuletide Market Series Dec 12-14 (Fri-Sun) @Bilston Creek Farm, 4185 Metchosin Rd

+ Bewitched Yule Market Dec 14 (Sun) @Metchosin Community Hall, 4401 William Head Rd 10am-4pm

Victoria: An Upside Christmas Dec 10 (Wed) @McPherson Playhouse, 3 Centennial Square 7:30pm

+ Holiday Tubas (formerly Tuba Christmas) Dec 13 (Sat) @Market Square, 560 Johnson St 2pm

+ Rock Show: Two Bands (Lost Gold & Facelift) Dec 13 (Sat) @The Coda, 751 View St. 6-8:30pm

Highlands: Gravitation Dec 13 (Sat) @Highlands Music Coffee House Feature, Caleb Pike House, 1589 Millstream Rd 6:30pm

Sidney: Piano Heist: A Very Merry Heistmas! Dec 14 (Sun) @Mary Winspear Centre, Charlie White Theatre, 2243 Beacon Ave

Langford: Teen Winter Skating – Ages 12 to 18 Dec 13 (Sat) @City Centre Park, 1089 Langford Parkway, 8:15-9:30pm (FREE: but SD62 Student ID required for entry to teen-only outdoor ice skating – and fill out the digital liability waiver beforehand!)

+ Outdoor Skating with Santa Dec 14 (Sun) @City Centre Park, 1089 Langford Parkway, 3-4:15pm (pre-registration recommended – also fill out the digital liability waiver beforehand to save time!)

Colwood: FREE Community Skate Dec 13 (Sat) @Juan De Fuca Rec, 1767 Island Hwy (includes free entry/rental/hot cocoa!) 9-11:30am –  Hosted by MLA Darlene Rotchford

North Saanich: FREE Meet the Peninsula Panthers Everyone Welcome Skate Dec 13 (Sat) @Panorama Recreational Arena, 1885 Forest Park Dr 12-1:15pm

Oak Bay: Skate with Santa Dec 14 (Sun) @Oak Bay Rec, 1975 Bee St 1:30-4:15pm

Colwood: Colwood Christmas Light Up 2025 Dec 10 (Wed) @City Hall, 3300 Wishart Rd 6-8pm

Victoria: Mini Grinch Tree Workshop Dec 12 (Fri) @515 Chatham Street 5:30-6:30pm

+ Festival of Trees Until Dec 31 @Bay Centre, 1150 Douglas St

+ Gingerbread Showcase Until Jan 4, 2026 @Hotel Grand Pacific, 463 Belleville St

Langford: FREE: The Polar Express at Cineplex Odeon West Shore Dec 13 (Sat) @900-2945 Jacklin Rd. Showtime 10am (doors open at 9am). Please bring a non-perishable food item to support the Goldstream Food Bank

+ FREE: The Grinch at Cineplex Odeon West Shore Dec 14 (Sun) @900-2945 Jacklin Rd. Showtime 2pm (doors open at 1pm). Please bring a non-perishable food item to support the Goldstream Food Bank

+ Holiday Lego Exhibit Dec 9-21 @Westshore Town Centre, 2945 Jacklin Rd 10am-6pm (Sun-Wed) and 10am-8pm (Thur-Sat)

View Royal: View Royal Firefighters Santa Drive Around Dec 13 (Sat) @View Royal Neighbourhoods between 10am-2pm

Central Saanich: Candy Cane Lane Winter Festival Dec 14 (Sun) @Saanich Fair Grounds,  1528 Stellys Cross Rd (Saanichton)  9:30am-4pm

+ Lights Display at The Butchart Gardens Until Jan 6 @800 Benvenuto Ave, Brentwood Bay 3-9pm

Sooke: Festival of Trees Until Dec 26 @SEAPARC Rec Centre, 2168 Phillips Rd

North Saanich: Gingerbread House Challenge Until Dec 31 @Panorama Recreation, 1885 Forest Park Dr (houses displayed all December)

Greater Victoria just celebrated a milestone—over 1,000 Little Free Neighbourhood Libraries—by handing out ten awards for the quirkiest, most creative book boxes across our region.

The Greater Victoria Placemaking Network launched the first annual LFL Awards with 59 nominations and 200 community votes deciding the winners. The categories? Delightfully specific: Best Upcycled Library (an actual kayak on Yates Street), Most Creative (featuring nearly 100 hand-painted book spines in stained glass), and Best Library with a Bird On It (one perched on thin bird legs in North Saanich).

Since 2017, these charming installations have distributed 132,000+ books and expanded beyond reading to share seeds, puzzles, and art supplies. Winners got miniature plaques—because even the awards match the libraries' adorable scale.

For the full list of winners and photos, click here.

A lesser snow goose arrived at Wild ARC (Animal Rehabilitation Centre) in Metchosin in rough shape—weak, lacking fluids, and carrying pellet gun wounds with one projectile still lodged inside.

The good news? This tough bird is healing beautifully. X-rays showed the pellet had traveled from the neck area down into the body but avoided vital organs, so the rehab team decided leaving it in place was safer than surgery. Blood work revealed lead in the system, but levels are already dropping with care.

Now the goose does daily pool therapy, enjoys a specialized diet, and heals under close monitoring. Wild ARC expects a successful release back to nature within weeks.

This goose's care is funded, but donations help the next animal in urgent need. Donate here and see the Victoria News for more details.