It has been a crazy week of weather for Vancouver Island!
On Wednesday, another winter storm blew in, with heavy snowfall resulting in the suspension of Canada Post deliveries, CRD recycling services and bus routes throughout Thursday.
Then, the winds blew in, causing several BC Ferry sailings on the Swartz Bay/Tsawwassen route to be cancelled on Friday.
Now, as the weather clears, we hope the weather remains calm as we look forward to a relaxing weekend.
Here are 16 things to do in and around Victoria this weekend, January 8th-9th:
Get your tree chipped
Another Christmas season has come and gone.
Depending on when you like to pack up your decorations and take the tree down, you may be trying to figure out where you can get this year’s tree chipped!
Before recycling, don’t forget to remove all screws, nails, lights and ornaments from the tree. These items may be potentially hazardous if passed through chipping equipment.
You can see our list of 22 places to get your tree chipped here.
Skate at Uptown
The Rink at Uptown is ready to invite eager skaters in!
This holiday, guests will be able to skate for $5 per person and $2 skate rentals. Guests can book their 40 minute time spot online for groups of up to 6 people.
Waivers and masks are required in order to participate, so guests are asked to arrive five minutes prior to check-in to sign in and get laced up!
The festive fun is also for a good cause! 50% of proceeds from The Rink will be donated to 1UP Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre, in support of their Christmas Hamper Program.
- Where: Uptown Boulevard, 3440 Saanich Road
- When: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
See a comedy show at Hecklers
After being closed for nearly two years, Hecklers is back to fulfill your comedy needs. Every Saturday night, enjoy a comedian followed by Comedy Here Often?’s The Late show.
- Where: 123 Gorge Road East, Hecklers Bar and Grill
- When: John Beuhler: 7 p.m., Saturday, Comedy Here Often? The Late Show: 10 p.m., Saturday December 4th
- Tickets: $20. Tickets can be purchased online here.
Try a new restaurant that opened in Victoria in 2021
Victoria is well-known for its incredible food, a variety of options, and locally-owned favourites.
Although restaurants around town had a difficult year, we did see locals flocking back to support their favourites as soon as they could.
We even saw some brand new restaurants open their doors, eager to welcome us in!
You can see our list here.
Try Victoria’s first Popeyes Chicken
You can now enjoy the taste of New Orleans with the grand opening of Vancouver Island’s very first Popeyes Louisiana Chicken – and it’s right here in Victoria.
The new location is in Tuscany Village in Saanich, and will bring a whole new world of flavour to the city.
Popeyes Canada hopes to open as many as five more franchises on Vancouver Island, with hopes of having their second location in Nanaimo completed by Christmas.
So stop in for their famous chicken sandwich, spicy chicken, chicken tenders, fried shrimp and more!
Donate to Victoria’s Community Fridge
Victoria’s first Community Fridge has opened in Rock Bay, to assist in ensuring all residents have access to food. Locals can visit, take whatever they need, or donate to help support those in need. Before donating, please look at their list of donation guidelines.
- Where: 2725 Rock Bay Avenue
- When: The Community Fridge is open 24/7
Take a Victoria Food Tour
A Taste of Victoria Food Tours offers rain or shine tours through downtown Victoria, showcasing the best local cuisine the city has to offer.
The Tour begins at Victoria Public Market and includes stops in Fan Tan Alley, Market Square, Bastion Square, Trounce Alley, Government Street and the Inner Harbour, with 6 to 8 local tastings along the route.
Reserve your spot online.
- Where: Tour begins at Victoria Public Market, #6 1701 Douglas Street
- When: Tours depart at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday
- Price: $59.95 per person
Check out Starbuck’s new drink
Starbucks’ new latte, The Pistachio latte, returns by popular demand for a second year, featuring flavours of sweet pistachio and rich brown butter paired with espresso and steamed milk.
The drink can be ordered hot or iced at stores in Canada for a limited time and can be customized with your choice of dairy or non-dairy milk options.
Try Tim Hortons new ‘Timbiebs’
Justin Bieber is helping bring three fresh flavours of Timbits in what both him and Tim Hortons are calling Timbiebs.
The pride of London, Ontario, teased the collaboration two days ago in an Instagram post and had fans wondering what was going on.
Now he’s helping bring three Timbiebs flavours – Chocolate White Fudge, Sour Cream Chocolate Chip, and Birthday Cake Waffle – to stores across North America.
Enjoy an eggnog latte
It’s no secret everyone was disappointed when Starbucks announced their fan favourite eggnog latte would be excluded from their holiday menu this year.
However, this doesn’t mean you will go without this year!
Coffee shops across Victoria are now announcing their very own eggnog lattes and other holiday drink menus. This means you can still live your eggnog latte dreams while supporting local businesses. You can see our list here.
Enjoy a charcuterie night out
Now that we are able to go out and catch up with friends over dinner again, we want it to be special. We want to go all out!
Getting dressed up, ordering a glass of wine and sharing a charcuterie board at a local restaurant can make you feel fancy and sophisticated.
Charcuterie boards give you a little bit of everything, meat, cheeses, pickled sides. It’s the perfect sharing dish to have while you discuss everything you’ve missed with your friends.
You can view our list here!
Check out Victoria’s new British Shop
A brand new shop specializing in British treats has opened in Victoria and we’re buzzing with excitement!
Limey, the British Shop, opened as a single, family-run location in Kelowna. Now, they’re overjoyed as they expand to, in their words “the most British city in all of Canada”.
This fun and funky shop specializes in all things British, from sweets and crisps, to bangers, black pudding and Marmite.
- Location: #101, 515 Chatham Street
- Hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday – 11 a.m to 4 p.m
- Contact: (778) 432-4620
Try one of Victoria’s best crispy chicken sandwiches
Victoria is full of restaurants putting their own creative spin on the crispy chicken sandwich!
Reddit user u/beesmadehoney78 has been on the hunt, asking for the public’s help in finding Victoria’s best fried chicken sandwich.
Click here to see the list!
Try some of Victoria’s best cocktails
Reddit user u/westcoastwanderer has been on the hunt, asking for the public’s recommendations of the best cocktails in the city.
From this list, along with recommendations from industry professionals, we have created a quick guide to some local favourites.
You can see the list here!
Get bubble tea!
What is your go to Bubble Tea order?
Milk tea, fresh fruit tea, or slush? Do you get tapioca pearls or coconut jellies?
The possibilities are endless and, in Victoria, so are the options to get your favourite tea drink.
Not sure where to go? You can view our list of best bubble tea places to satisfy your craving here.
Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Team U8-C2
Ready to clear those pops bottles from the garage? Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Team U8-C2 are hosting a drive-thru bottle drive. Simply load up your bottles and cans in your car trunk, drive through and they’ll grab them with no contact and no sorting. Just drop off and go! The team will also be collecting door-to-door in the Royal Bay area.
- Location: Royal Bay Secondary School Soccer Field parking lot
- Hours: Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
