A foodie’s dream at two festivals in Saanich
Watch Zucchini racing, eat strawberries and ice cream and sample locally-produced foods and spirits at two events in Saanich this weekend.
The District of Saanich has partnered with the Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiative Roundtable to launch the inaugural Savour Saanich Flavour Trails Festival, July 6 to 7.
Flavour Trails, an agriculture and local food celebration program, originated in North Saanich in 2006. The goal of the program is to increase the visibility of locally-produced foods by connecting consumers to local growers and producers.
“Agriculture is a valued part of our community and connecting to our local food sources is more important than ever before,“ said Dean Murdock, mayor of Saanich.
The self-guided tour will include nine stops featuring tours, demonstrations, tastings and farm experiences, cideries and breweries and more, July 6.
Featured properties include Country Bee honey Farm, Galey Farm, Haliburton Organic Community Farm, Junction Orchard and Cidery, Macaloney’s Island Distillery and Twa Dogs Brewery, Madrona Organic Farm, Ocean View Estates, Rockrose Farm and Sun Wing Greenhouse.
The event continues on July 7, with a Farm and Maker market at the Saanich Strawberry Festival.
The festival, which celebrates its 57th year, is a popular family fun day, featuring strawberries and ice cream for $2 a serving. Tickets for the tasty treat will be available starting at 11 a.m. Buy your tickets early, as they tend to sell out quickly. Dessert will be served between 2 and 4 p.m.
There are plenty of other family-friendly activities to enjoy as well, including live music, bouncy castles, information displays, arts and crafts stations.
Parking at the event will be at a premium, even with the overflow area open. Organizers have put on a free shuttle between Saanich Commonwealth Place and the main parking lot between noon and 4 p.m. ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Transit riders can take a bus to the Royal Oak Transit exchange and catch the shuttle to the event from Saanich Commonwealth Place.
Admission is free. It runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 7 at Beaver Beach, Elk Lake Park. The event is cash only and there will be no ATMs on the property.
For more information, including a map, go to .
A celebration of Hispanic culture
Celebrate Hispanic culture and heritage through food, dance and music at the Hispanic Picnic, at Beckwith Park, July 6.
This is the second year of the community event, hosted by the Vancouver Island Hispanic Network Society. last year’s event saw about 450 people who experienced the vibrancy and traditions of Hispanic culture through traditional music and dance performances.
Mariachi Sin frontera and Latin Vibes are two of the bands performing at the event, accompanied by dancers in traditional dresses.
“There will be authentic Columbian, Mexican, Peruvian and Latino cuisine prepared by local restaurants,” said Jade Hernandez, chair of the Vancouver Island Hispanic Network Society.
She said that there would be volleyball, soccer and carnival games for both adults and children, with the younger set able to participate in a traditional piñata event.
Admission is free but registration is required. The event runs 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 6 at Beckwith Park, 857 Beckwith Ave.
For more information, or to register, go to
Dancing, food and culture at Festival of India
Watch a Thiruvathira dance (a unique dance performed by women in Kerala) by more than 100 performers, eat free authentic Indian cuisine and see cultural exhibits at the Festival of India, in Beckwith Park, July 7.
The event is hosted by the Victoria Hindu Parishad and Cultural Centre.
You can sample free Indian snacks, see the colourful fabrics worn at a cultural fashion show and watch performers demonstrating folk, classical and Bollywood dances.
There will be a crafts table, photo booth, sari tying, a Bollywood flash mob, kids activity tent and various food stalls.
A henna artist will be on hand demonstrating mehendi (henna) tattoos.
The event is free to attend and all the activities are free as well. The event runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 7 at Beckwith Park, 857 Beckwith Ave.
For more information, go to Facebook.
