🚨 Ring in 2026 Safely: Free Bus Service on New Year's Eve!

All BC Transit buses across Greater Victoria are free starting at 6pm on December 31. Leave the car at home and celebrate worry-free!

Click here for the New Year's Eve schedule.

Three unique family experiences we're excited about this week. (Our family often does one of the events we list—this past weekend, we attended the Pinocchio show in Sidney and it was awesome! This week we're doing all three below!)

🐻‍❄️ 1. Polar Bear Dip!

Find a polar bear dip to watch (or one brave parent takes the plunge while the kids cheer!). Bundle up, bring hot chocolate, and make bets on who'll scream the loudest. It's freezing, hilarious, and a perfect way to kick off the new year together!

✨ 2. Vote on the 9 Houses in View Royal's Light Display Contest!

Take a festive driving tour of View Royal's nine dazzling holiday displays and vote for your favourite by January 2. Twinkling lights, creative inflatables, elegant décor—it's the perfect excuse for one last magical holiday adventure before the decorations come down!

🏒 3. Victoria Royals Hockey Game

Catch the Royals take on the Calgary Hitmen on New Year's Day at 2pm (or grab tickets for their weekend games January 3-4 against Tri-City Americans). Nothing beats the energy of live hockey—popcorn, cheering, and quality family time!

Want to watch—or take the plunge yourself? Here are a few spots across Greater Victoria. Exact times for some events listed closer to New Year's Day.

Oak Bay: Willows Beach 12pm

Sidney: Glass Beach 1-2pm

Sooke: Whiffen Spit Park 11:30am

Saanich: Cadboro Bay Beach (TBA/morning)

Victoria: Ogden Point Breakwater (TBA/morning)

Central Saanich: Island View Beach Regional Park (TBA/morning)

Esquimalt: Saxe Point Beach (TBA/morning)

Victoria: Victoria’s First Annual Kwanzaa Bazaar! Dec 31 (Thur) @ KWENCH, 2031 Store St. Suite A, 6pm-1am

+ Lights of Wonder Until Dec 31 @10 Centennial Square

North Saanich: Gingerbread House Challenge Until Dec 31 @Panorama Recreation, 1885 Forest Park Dr

Esquimalt: Christmas Tree Village Until Jan 2 @Esquimalt Rec Centre, 527 Fraser St

View Royal: Light Up View Royal Until Jan 2 – Take the Festive Tour and Vote!

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

Langford: Free Family Skate + Food + Drinks Jan 1 (Thur) Hosted by REMAX. Click the link to reserve a spot @1097 Langford Pkwy 9:45am-11am

North Saanich: Winter Wonderland Public Skating Until Jan 1 @Panorama Rec Centre, 1885 Forest Park Dr 11am-3pm

+ FREE Everyone Welcome Skate Jan 4 (Sun) @Panorama Rec Centre 12:15-1:30pm

Central Saanich: Ice Skating at Butchart Gardens Until Jan 6 @800 Benvenuto Ave, Brentwood Bay

Esquimalt: 2026 BC Men’s & Women’s Curling Championships Until Jan 4 @Archie Browning Centre, 1151 Esquimalt Rd

Victoria: Victoria Royals Hockey (vs Calgary Hitmen) Jan 1 (Thur) @Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena 2pm – The Royals are also playing two weekend home games (Jan 3-4) against the Tri-City Americans

Victoria: Young Future Showcase – Local Film Screening Dec 30 (Tue) @Paul Phillips Hall, 1923 Fernwood Rd 6-11pm

+ The Gift of the Nutcracker Dec 30 (Tue) @Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St 7:30pm

+ NYE at Cafe Malabar: Kerala Tasting Experience Dec 31 (Wed) @407 Swift St.

+ Victoria Edelweiss Club NYE Celebration Dec 31 (Wed) – Hosted by the German Canadian Cultural Society, 108 Niagara St. 6:30pm-12:30am

+  Victoria Symphony New Year’s Day Celebration Jan 1 (Thur) @Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St 2:30pm

+ Blind Dates Live! With Alex Forman Jan 2 (Fri) @The Mint, 1414 Douglas St. 7pm

+ Free Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Day Jan 3 (Sat) @1040 Moss St. 10am-5pm

Saanich: Craft & Connect Dec 31 (Thur) @Luther Court Society Lounge, 1525 Cedar Hill Cross Rd 3-4pm

Sidney: 20^th Annual LEGO Brick Exhibit Until April 26 @Sidney Museum, 2423 Beacon Ave * Want to build, create, and display your creation at the exhibit? If yes, click here.

We've only been around for four months, but we've already shared dozens of local stories with you. Here are the 10 news bites you loved most this year (with the date of each issue included).

And the winner by a landslide? The return of Victoria's legendary pies!

🥧 #1 Greater Victoria's Beloved Pies Rise Again (Dec 2)

📚 #2 UVic Professor Sparks 1,000 Little-Library Movement (Sept 23)

🐦 #3 Snoopy, Bird Legs, and Stained Glass: Greater Victoria's Little Library Awards Get Wonderfully Fun (Dec 9)

🎬 #4 Netflix Filming Across Greater Victoria (Sept 16)

⚓ #5 A Special Delivery at the Inner Harbour (Oct 7)

🎵 #6 Robin Hood Inn on the Gorge to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame (Nov 25)

🐳 #7 When Training Day Becomes Save-a-Whale-Day (Oct 28)

💍 #8 Love in Aisle 5: Couple Celebrates Wedding at Courtenay Costco (Nov 18)

🍄 #9 Watch Out for Dangerous Mushrooms in Oak Bay (Sept 23)

🛞 #10 Giant Tires Invade Vancouver Island Shores! (Nov 4)

Spotted a feel-good story? Hit “reply” to this email (or any newsletter we send) and share what caught your eye. Whether it's heartwarming, quirky, or just plain fun—if it's happening in Greater Victoria, we would love to know about it.

Good news! Contest rules were updated on December 23. As a subscriber, you're automatically entered to win one of 10 autographed hardcover books by New York Times bestselling author and local resident Tilar J. Mazzeo (value: $50 each).

Want better odds? Share the Greater Victoria Scoop and earn 3 bonus entries for every verified referral. Refer 3 friends = 10 total entries!

[Read the full contest rules and details here]