Butchart Gardens to kick off holiday season with light-up on Sunday
Christmas comes to Brentwood Bay this weekend with a light-up ceremony officially kickstarting the holiday season at The Butchart Gardens.
The light-up takes place Sunday at 5 p.m. and is included with admission to the national historic site. Due to demand, guests are advised to reserve timed-entrance tickets, which are available in 15-minute intervals between 3 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Admission sales end at 9 p.m., but the site remains open for viewing until 10 p.m. Rides on the popular Rose Carousel are free of charge Sunday, during the inaugural light-up.
The Magic of Christmas runs from Dec. 1–Jan. 6, offering everything from colourful light displays to live performances from traditional carollers and festive brass groups. Throughout the season, guests will be able to follow along with a scavenger hunt-style activity sheet outlining The Twelve Days of Christmas, elements of which are installed throughout the grounds.
Also in effect throughout The Magic of Christmas is the popular snowflake exchange, during which children 12 and under can exchange a homemade snowflake (on white paper) for a cup of hot chocolate.
Details: butchartgardens.com.
Vote for your favourite festive stall at free event
The horse stalls at the Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association are decorated in seasonal themes for a free event set for Saturday at the Saanichton site.
The ninth annual Deck the Stalls event features 12 volunteer-decorated stalls, all of which are competing in a friendly fan-vote contest. Guests are permitted to interact and take photos with the horses, which provide year-round therapeutic horseback riding and related equine-assisted activities for those with diverse abilities.
The registered charity and non-profit organization is providing holiday treats and beverages at the event, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association is located at 6917 Veyaness Rd. More information is available at vtra.ca.
Learn about ancient burial practices at Royal B.C. Museum
Necrogeography — the study of of human burial practices — is the focus of a unique pop-up exhibit between Camosun College and the Royal B.C. Museum.
Beyond Stonehenge is set for the Royal B.C. Museum on Saturday, with students in the college’s anthropology of death class ready to engage patrons through through discussions and interactive booths. The exhibit is free and open to the public, and runs from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.
The afternoon pop-up explores burial traditions, landscapes of the dead, and mortality and is part of a bigger Stonehenge exhibit currently in progress at the museum. Stonehenge features more than 400 ancient artifacts that relate to the unique stone monument located in Salisbury, England, and runs until Jan. 5, 2025.
The Royal BC Museum is at 675 Belleville St. For details, visit royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.
Free exhibition features work of 22 local artists
An exhibition featuring more than 20 local artists winds down Sunday at the Gage Gallery in Bastion Square.
22 in 24 is a showcase for the Gage Gallery collective, which includes 22 artists whose work includes paint, fibre, paper, recycled materials, sculpture, and digital media. The exhibit runs from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission to the gallery is free.
The departure of 22 in 24 makes way for Birds!, an incoming exhibit (Dec. 3-23) of driftwood, wire and paper by local artist Tanya Bub.
Gage Gallery is at 19 Bastion Sq. Details at gagegallery.ca.
