Organizers of the Salt Spring Apple Festival say that Sunday’s event is “a chance to visit Apple Heaven while still here on Earth.”
If you ate an apple a day, it would take almost a year to sample each of the 350 varieties of organic apples found at the festival. To help you remember, or find a particular variety, the apples are laid out alphabetically.
Salt Spring Island’s history of growing apples dates back to 1860, when the first orchards were planted. Up until the 1920s, the island’s growers put apples on the tables of most homes in British Columbia.
While the Okanagan has surpassed the island in the total volume of the fruit, Salt Spring is much more diverse in its offerings.
“With more than 350 varieties to choose from, there’s all sorts of choice — and we’re sure you’ll find one you like,” said Harry Burton, one of the organizers of the event.
The event, in its 16th year, features activities at Fulford Hall as well as a self-guided tour of 14 orchards, wineries and even a cheese maker. Along with a variety of apples to sample, many of the orchards have teamed up with local chefs to offer locally-sourced lunches for people taking part in the tour.
While new varieties, such as Ambrosia, are crowdpleasers, many of the heritage varieties, some from the 1600s, are still popular.
“Old varieties, such as the Gravenstein, are still winning for their taste,” said Burton, owner of Apple Luscious Organic Orchard.
A panel of experts will be available at the festival to identify mystery apples (bring two apples and an idea of when they ripen). The Apple Pie Ladies will also be on hand selling slices, and beekeepers will advise on orchard beekeeping.
There will be three face painters, clowns and a story-teller roaming the Apple Trail.
The best place to start the tour is Fulford Hall, 2591 Fulford-Ganges Rd., at the south end of the island, about one kilometre from the Fulford Ferry.
Admission to the hall is $5. Hall admission and a self-guided tour of 18 locations is $10 for adults, $5 for students and free for children.
Programs, including a map, are available at the Fulford Hall or at the Ganges Tourist Info Centre at north end of the island.
Celebrate B.C.’s craft-beer industry
Great beers await beer aficionados at Stein and Dine, an event to celebrate B.C. Craft Beer Month, which stars today.
British Columbia is the birthplace of craft beer in Canada, with the opening of the first craft brewery in 1982. From those first pints, the community has grown to close to 100 breweries throughout the province. Craft breweries are independently owned and are limited to less than 160,000 hectolitres of beer a year.
October was first proclaimed as B.C. Craft Beer Month in 2011.
Local celebrations kick off tomorrow, with Stein and Dine, a traditional Oktoberfest-style event. Premium ales and lagers on tap at the event range from Germanic staples to classic west coast styles.
Entertainment includes live accordion music and Oktoberfest dancers.
Admission is $45, which includes three drink tickets, one food ticket and a 12 oz. glass stein. Additional drink tickets are $5.25. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Victoria Public Market (at the Hudson), 1701 Douglas St.
For information, go to steinanddine.com. For more on the provincial craft beer industry, go to bccraftbeermonth.com.
Dedicate your weekend to bling at Island jewelry fest
Discover the newest trends in beads and jewelry, see the latest offerings and attend classes to learn how to create your own at the Vancouver Island Bead and Jewellery Show, Saturday and Sunday.
The annual show is described by organizers as the ultimate west coast bling fling for jewelry makers, jewelry lovers and everyone in between.
The show features locally handcrafted artisan jewelry and well as beads, gems, crystals, unique finds, chains and more offered by jewelry-making suppliers.
Some vendors will offer free demos as well as make ’n’ takes.
The public can register for classes on wire wrapping, jewelry photography, metalwork, mixed metal clay, bead weaving, silversmithing and more. There will also be an on-site café.
Single day tickets cost $8 and weekend tickets are $10 for adults (cash only at door), free for children under 16 when accompanied by an adult. The event runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the main hall of the Saanich Fairgrounds, 1528 Stellys Cross Rd. For tickets and to register for classes, go to vibjs.ca.
Run or walk to help fight breast cancer
Lace up your pink shoelaces on Sunday and join the fight against breast cancer at the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure.
You can walk or run in either a one- or five-kilometre event, joining hundreds of thousands of Canadians in more than 60 communities across the country. Funds raised go toward breast cancer research, education and advocacy initiatives.
Last year, fundraisers like the Run for the Cure helped raise $25 million for breast cancer research. The work is paying off, with breast-cancer mortality rates dropping by 44 per cent since their peak in the mid-1980s.
“Breast cancer [affects] almost every Canadian at some point in their lives. This year alone, an estimated 25,000 Canadian women and more than 200 men will be diagnosed,” said Jane Parsons, executive director of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
“We encourage Canadians to start or join a team in the CIBC Run for the Cure, participate in fundraising activities and support friends or colleagues through a donation. Every individual can make a difference. We’re all in this together.”
Strollers and muzzled dogs on a leash are welcome. In-line skates, bicycles, scooters and skateboards are not allowed.
If it is too far to travel to a community hosting an event, you can register to take part in a virtual run (found on the website) and walk or run in your own community at the same time as everyone else.
Registration is $40 in Parking Lot Four (beside Centennial Stadium) at the University of Victoria and runs 7 to 9 a.m. with opening ceremonies at 8:30 and a warm-up at 8:50 a.m. The 9 a.m. start is preceded by a Survivor Parade at 8:55 a.m. Awards and closing ceremonies take place at 10 a.m. in the parking lot. To register, or support a friend, go online at cibcrunforthecure.com.
A toy and hobby fair for serious players
If Robin of the 1960s Batman TV series was still around, he might say “Holy Smokes Batman, that’s us!” after seeing their images in comics, figurines, collectibles and more at Victoria’s Ultimate Hobby and Toy Fair on Sunday.
The show features vendors with tables of new and old collectible toys, dolls, Barbies, comics, lunch boxes, diecast vehicles and trains, Lego, models and action figures from Batman, Superman, GI Joe, Star Wars, Transformers and more. There are sure to be latest in video games as well as vinyl records.
Special guests include characters from Heroes Inc. and Star Wars’ 501st Legion. VicLug (Victoria’s Lego Users Group), ACBC Kids Bike Club, Kydo Klownz and Danger by Design face painting will entertain attendees.
You can play fun games by donation, with proceeds going to the B.C. Children’s Hospital.
Attendees in costumes are eligible for extra door prizes.
Admission is $5 for adults, free for children from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Early bird admission (8 to 9 a.m.) is $15. The event is at Pearkes Recreation Centre, 3100 Tillicum Rd. Details at ultimatetoyfair.com.
Learn a little, dance a lot
Canadian Celtic trio Tiller’s Folly is coming to Colwood for a special concert sponsored by the West Shore Arts Council on Saturday.
This dynamic, award-winning trio will be singing tales of ghosts, battles, bootleggers, fur traders, gold rushes and unrequited love.
Made up of singer-songwriter Bruce Coughlin, fiddler Nolan Murray and bassist Laurence Knight, the group is well-known for its high-energy, acoustic-roots music with a historic bent.
Tickets are $28. The concert starts at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Advent, 510 Mt. View Ave., Colwood.
Tickets are available at Westside Instaprint, Tom Lee Music, the West Shore Arts Council office or westshorearts.org.
