It’s the final weekend before the all-encompassing Christmas holiday. Get out and enjoy the city!

Here is our list of seventeen things to do from Friday, December 15 to Friday, Sunday, December 17.

Multi-day weekend events

Festival of Trees at the Bay Centre

• What: Over 80 trees light up the second and third floors of The Bay Centre to help raise money for the BC Children’s Hospital! You can vote for your favourite and donate at the polling stations around the mall. Victoria Buzz even has a tree down there!
• Where: The Bay Centre, 1150 Douglas St.
• When: Everyday from until January 2nd during mall hours
• Cost: Free to look at – Vote by donation!

OneTree Exhibit

• What: For over a century a gnarly old walnut tree watched over St. Charles Street in Oak Bay, observing the St. Charles Manor and overseeing its transition from a beautiful heritage home to an elderly care facility. When it was discovered it was no longer safe, it was decided the fate of this tree would not be firewood, but a demonstration of human creativity. Over 60 pieces of art worth over $100,000 were created, including 9 musical instruments, 23 pieces of furniture, 11 sculptures, and more. Art, an appreciation for the natural world, and fine local craftsmanship are all on display with the oneTree project.
• Where: Robert Bateman Centre, 470 Belleville Street.
• When: All weekend, 10am – 5pm.
• Cost: $10 adults, $8.50 for students/seniors

Horse Drawn Carriages in Downtown Victoria

• What: Ride in a horse-drawn trolley while you take in the holiday sights within our beautiful city! Two carriages will circulate in a preset route downtown and you can get on and get off at one of the 4 stops!
• Where: Downtown Victoria
• When: Saturday, December 16th from 12pm – 2:30pm
  Sunday, December 17th from 12pm – 2:30pm
• Cost: Free!

National Wildlife Photographer of the Year

• What: It’s time to get off of Instagram and embrace the top photographs of the year in person! The 2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year will showcase 100 of the most stunning images taken from around our beautiful globe. From the inspiring to the gruesome, and the adorable to the elegant, these photos are guaranteed to get you pondering about the expanse of life beyond our little Vancouver Island rock.
• Where: Royal BC Museum, 675 Belleville Street.
• When: All weekend, 10am – 5pm.
• Cost: Standard museum admission.

Fashion Machine 100

• What: Fashion Machine 100 is a live performance event by Theatre SKAM that features 100 local children and youth remaking select audience members’ outfits in under one hour. During the performance, the audience moves about the space, observing each team of children at work, listening to pop music and viewing multimedia projections of the kids at work, along with prerecorded messages for the audience. The show is part installation, part performance, and all fun!
• Where: Royal BC Museum, 675 Belleville Street.
• When: Saturday and Sunday, 7pm – 9pm.
• Cost: $10 per person, $30 per family.

Holiday “Pop Up” Market

• What: A quaint Bastion Square market with many of the artisans on site. Browse through some of Victoria’s best handmade products and potential gifts!
• Where: Bastion Square
• When: Friday, 2-8pm. Saturday and Sunday, 12-4:30pm.
• Cost: Free!

Friday, December 15th

Peninsula Panthers vs. Comox Valley Glacier Kings 

• What: Newly minted captain Ty Hermsen will play his first home game with that distinction, as the Peninsula Panthers look to earn a valuable two points.
• Where: Panorama Recreation Centre, 1885 Forest Park Drive.
• When: Puck drop is 7:30pm!
• Cost: $9 for adults.

Tidings: Allison Crowe with Céline Sawchuk

• What: Canada’s amazing Allison Crowe (vocals, piano, & guitar), pairs with exquisite cellist/vocalist Celine Sawchuk to bring “Tidings” – stirring together traditional Christmas and holiday favourites from English, French and German repertoire, with a blend of rock, jazz, folk, roots, and soul. Music for the season & all-time.
• Where: Mary Winspear Centre, 2243 Beacon Ave W.
• When: 7:30pm start.
• Cost: Tickets are $24-$29.

Saturday, December 16th

Victoria Royals vs. Vancouver Giants

• What: The Victoria Royals host their final game before the holidays in a matchup against their division rivals, the Vancouver Giants. The Royals have seen success against BC Division opponents this season, posting a record of 10-3-0-0. In those 13 games, Victoria has outscored divisional teams 61-39.
• Where: Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, 1925 Blanshard St.
• When: Puck drop is 7:05pm.
• Cost: Tickets start at $18.50.

Free Family Fun Cookie Decorating

• What: Bring your kids down to the Market to decorate their very own Gingerbread Man! Cookies, icing, and candies will all be provided for free, and we will be accepting donations to CFAX Santas Anonymous!
• Where: Victoria Public Market, 1701 Douglas St.
• When: 12pm – 3pm.
• Cost: Free!

Singcinema Wizard of Oz

• What: Click your heels, count to three & begin the journey! Tin Man, Scarecrows, Lions & Dorothies unite! Sing your tender heart out at The Vic Theatre! Experience the original Wizard of Oz on the big screen in magical special effects –better than any computer effects– and singalong without missing a word thanks to the revolutionary technology of subtitles! This will be the only all-ages screening!
• Where: The Vic Theatre, 808 Douglas St.
• When: 2pm.
• Cost: $20.00.

Sunday, December 17th

7th Annual Yuletide Blues Show

• What: Cap off your weekend in style with the 7th Annual Yuletide Blues Show! Featuring Bill Johnson and His Blues Band, Deb Rhymer Band, Curl, The Blue Hearts, and The Lazy Mike Mallon Band. Bring 2 pieces of non-perishable food items for the Mustard Seed Foodbank!
• Where: Upstairs Cabaret, 15 Bastion Square
• When: 7pm – 10pm.
• Cost: $15 & two nonperishable food items.

Helmcken House Old Fashioned Christmas

• What: Step through the doors of the oldest house in British Columbia still on its original site and experience what Christmas would have been like in Victoria over one hundred years ago. Decorations, music and first-hand accounts will take you back to Christmas past.
• Where: Helmcken House, 638 Douglas St.
• When: 12pm – 4pm.
• Cost: Standard museum admission.

Copper Owl Last Minute Christmas Party & Market

• What: This is always a fun and festive event for (19+) friends and family to do some last minute shopping and enjoy a seasonal cocktail or local brew. Once again there will be a diverse lineup of vendors including unique locally made gifts, jewelry, fibre arts, arts and crafts, rare vinyl records, and more! The fine folks at the Copper Owl will be serving up holiday cheer in the form of seasonal cocktails (including hot toddies and rum & eggnog) and delicious local brews.
• Where: The Copper Owl, 1900 Douglas St.
• When: 12 – 6pm.
• Cost: $2, or a nonperishable food item.

Santa Go Round Colwood Firefighters

• What: Santa and his elves will travel around Colwood by fire truck and be dishing out candy canes for kids. Crews will be accepting donations on behalf of the Goldstream Food Bank and the Westshore Hamper Fund. There’s no set time for Santa to be in a certain area, so listen for sirens and get to the main road!
• Where: Colwood neighbourhoods
• When: 9am – 3pm.
• Cost: Free

The Pancake Party

• What: Are you sick of the traditional holiday season? Sick of expressing yourself through itchy, tacky holiday sweaters? Need relief from the relentless commercial tide of the holiday music? If so, then OK, DOPE Productions The Pancake Party is the perfect event for you! Join Wise Child, Lakelse and Peter Gardner (Hawk and Steel/Honey Rose) for a night of music and free pancakes among the wax at Victoria’s one and only Vinyl Envy.
• Where: Vinyl Envy, 1717 Quadra Street.
• When: 7:30pm – 10pm.
• Cost: $10, pancakes included!

Christmas Lights Ride

• What: The most popular ride of the year! Decorate your bike and take in some of Victoria’s best Christmas lights – and create a beautiful spectacle in the process. If you’re anywhere between the age of 6-90, the pace will be just right for you. Since it’s a night ride, front and rear lights are required! And of course, helmets are a must as well.
• When: 5:30pm – 7:30pm.
• Where: Oaklands Community Centre, 1-2827 Belmont Ave
• Cost: By donation, $5 suggested.