Learn about moss on a family forest walk
Take a guided walk to see some of the 700 types of moss found in British Columbia at Magnificent Moss, an all-ages program offered by CRD Parks at Francis/King Regional Park on Sunday, Jan. 28.
“Vancouver Island is home to the most diverse collection of moss in the province,” said Emma Jane Vignola, a CRD Parks naturalist.
During the family-friendly afternoon walk in the forest, participants will learn more about this primitive plant. Moss is a bryophyte and considered primitive because it lacks roots and cannot pull water and nutrients from the ground.
Moss thrives in the wet temperate rainforest that covers Vancouver Island but is so common that some types can be found in backyards or the side of the roadway.
Participants will learn how to identify different types moss and learn how important it is to the ecosystem.
“We will also explain how lichen are different than moss,” said Vignola.
Moss is also home to microscopic animals known as Tardigrades, colloquially referred to as moss piglets or water bears.
The event is wheelchair accessible. The trail is 800 metres in length, consisting of boardwalk and compact surfaces. There is a slight incline.
The event is free to join. It runs 1:30 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28 (it repeats 10 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 25). Meet at the Francis/King Nature Centre, off Munn Road.
For more information, go to www.crd.bc.ca/parks
Creative play and exploration for kids
Take your children out for some creative play at various venues this weekend — and throughout the year.
Families with preschoolers age five and under are invited to bring their children for a morning of play with puzzles, dressup, building blocks, ride-on toys crafts and more, at Esquimalt Neighbourhood House every Friday.
Parents and guardians are asked to dress their children for mess and outside play.
The event is free to join. It runs 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 25 in the Family Centre of Esquimalt Neighbourhood House, 511 Constance Ave. One sign-up slot per family. There are 10 spots available every week.
For more information, or to sign up, go to enh.bc.ca/events/craft-play.
The Sooke branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library is hosting a Crafts for Kids event at the library every Saturday.
Children three to 12 years old are invited to a free drop-in crafts event.
The event runs 11 a.m. to noon every Saturday (repeating indefinitely), beginning Jan. 27, in the multipurpose room of the Sooke branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library, 6671 Wadams Way, Sooke.
For more information, go to virl.bc.ca/event/craftsforkids-sooke/2024-01-27.
The library is also hosting STEAM Tinker Sundays throughout 2024.
The event, suitable for school-aged children and their families, is an afternoon tinkering and activities relating to science, technology, engineering, arts and math.
This is a drop-in event that runs 2 to 4 p.m. every Sunday (until Dec. 29) the Sooke branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library.
For more information, go to virl.bc.ca/event/tinker/2024-01-28.
Sign up for free classes during Dance Days
Slip on your dancing shoes and discover new ways of moving your body by signing up for an array of free dance classes during Dance Victoria’s Dance Days, a 10-day celebration of dance, at various venues, Jan. 26 to Feb. 4.
A community collaboration for the past 14 years, Dance Days promotes the appreciation of diverse and accessible dance forms, joyful movement and connection.
The event offers more than 60 free classes and workshops offered by more than 20 participating dance studios.
This is your chance to learn modern dance, ballet, lyrical dance, flamenco, sass and heels, hip hop, ballroom, West African, swing, tap, dance gymnastics, yoga, English Morris, English Country, movement exploration, barre fusion, improvisation, groove, dance for older folks, aerial arts, salsa, roller (with roller skates), salsa and more.
The first event to kick off the celebration is a Family Dance at the MoonDance Dynamic Arts School where children one to five years old are invited to attend with their caregivers.
The event runs 10 to 10:45 a.m. Friday, Jan. 26 at the Dance Victoria Studios, 111-2750 Quadra St.
At the Dance for Older Folks class, offered by Seda Dance, instructor Kathy Lang will show 55+ participants how anybody with dance in their hearts can dance with their bodies. The class starts on the floor and progresses to pathway dances across the floor.
The event runs 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1 at Seda Dance, 1525 Begbie St.
For more information, including a calendar of classes, go to dancevictoria.com/dance-days-calendar.
Dance Days includes a free presentation of Borrowed Time, a special presentation that brings together professional and local older adult dancers to explore strength and vulnerability through different phases of our lives.
The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 27 at Dance Victoria Studios, 111-2750 Quadra St.
The festival concludes with a Compagnie Hervé KOUBI‘s presentation of The Barbarian Nights at the Royal Theatre. Tickets start at $31. There are two performances, at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2 and 3 at the Royal Theatre, 805 Broughton St.
For more information, go to dancevictoria.com/event/dance-days-2024.
