Little Local - Feb 5

New to Little Local? Subscribe here.

Good morning Vic Crew! A bug has been working its way through our house this week, but this sunshine is a welcome mood booster! We squeezed in a Mt. Washington weekend just before the bug hit. No fresh snow and very wet, but the kids loved their lessons and the bunny hill runs.

January felt a little quieter on the events front, but February is already looking much fuller. Read on!

Things to do in Victoria this February ✨

With special exhibits, Family Day weekend fun, and early signs of spring, here are a few activities you’ll want to get on the calendar this month.

📸 Photographer of the Year at the Royal BC Museum 
This stunning nature photography exhibit at the RBCM opens tomorrow and is well worth a visit (one of my favourites!), especially for animal-loving kids.

🎉 Family Day Weekend Events
Next weekend brings lots of free and low-cost activities across Greater Victoria. Langford in particular has a packed lineup including Magic, Songs and Storytime at Westshore Town Centre, street hockey, scavenger hunts, free Play Zone access, YMCA swimming, family yoga, and more!

Many local rec centres are also open on holiday Monday with free public swims and skates.

Scroll down to our What’s Happening section for even more Family Day events!

✈️ BC Aviation Museum Open Cockpit Day (Feb 15/16)
Kids can sit inside select aircraft and explore the controls at our local Aviation Museum!

🧱 Sidney Museum & the LEGO Exhibit
An incredible exhibit of LEGO displays and scavenger hunts make this a fun out for the whole family. Easy to combine with the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea and a trip to Glass Beach.

☕ Hot Chocolate Festival (Feb 1–23)
Local cafés and shops are serving up creative feature hot chocolates all month long. Perfect for a weekend treat or after-school outing. Try a few and let the kids pick their favourite!

🌙 Victoria at Dusk (Feb 13–15)
An evening light and art experience downtown with illuminated installations and interactive displays. It’s free, stroller-friendly, and works well as an after-dinner family walk. Dress warm and let the kids explore the glowing exhibits.

🌸 Early Signs of Spring to Watch For
February is a great month for slow nature walks with kids. You’ll start to spot cherry blossoms, early camellias, snowdrops, and crocuses popping up.

Name, neighbourhood, family crew:
Sarah Gray. View Royal / Thetis Vale. Hamish (husband) and Coco (daughter, 4).

What do you do (for work, passion, or both)?
I'm in communications and business development. I love helping brands and leaders find their voice and creating new connections across people and industries. Eventually, I’d like to have a small fleet of dogs and some bees, but that “doesn’t support our mortgage” right now.

Any recent parenting wins (or fails) you’d be willing to share?:
We recently got these chore lists and use a point system so Coco can “earn” screen time. We picked the tasks together (achieving her buy-in and also condemning ourselves to daily dance parties). She loves the independence she gets from not having to ask what to do next and a sense of accomplishment from checking things off.

Favourite family-friendly spot in Victoria? 
We go to Primp & Polish to get our nails painted together for a treat. It has a pink butterfly chair and they're so lovely with kids!

Do you have a go-to park, trail, or rainy day activity?
We love looking for sea glass in James Bay and watching all the ocean ongoings (seals, eagles, seaplanes) and we often walk the lower trail at Thetis. It's perfect for little legs (not too far and just enough of a challenge). Also highly recommend the park at Juan de Fuca rec centre with the huge purple dinosaur. Coco calls him Sparkle Joe.

Your favourite coffee shop
The Nest is opening up down our street. It’s very exciting to have a local coffee shop so easily accessible.

Your kid’s favourite meal (made at home)
Coco loves butter chicken with rice and peas (we put plain Greek yogurt into the sauce so it’s not as spicy) and shepherd’s pie. They’re both easy to make in big batches and put in her lunch, so we have them each about once a week.

Kids book on repeat at your house
Almost every night we read "The Girl and the Dinosaur" by Hollie Hughes and "I Loathe You" by David Slonim. We'll also take anything from the Harry Maclary or Pig the Pug series.

Favourite purchase under $100 with kids in mind
The Crayola Colour Chemistry Lab Set (~$30) was so worth it. We spent a whole afternoon mixing colours, creating glow worms, and making a volcano explode (about 40 times!).

Want to spread the good word about your business, or just want to say hi to thousands of local Victoria families?

🧹 Root & Rise Cleaning: Looking for a friendly, reliable, and detail-oriented cleaner? Root & Rise offers family-friendly, eco-conscious home cleaning using non-toxic products that are safe for kids, pets, and everyday life. Tell Wade I sent you!

🦷 Wheely Clean: Skip the dentist office because Wheely Clean’s mobile hygiene vans come to you! They’re fantastic with kids, now offer teeth whitening, and make family dental care stress-free. Book your visit online!

Upcoming

💌 Wild in Love: Valentine’s Day Card Making
Friday, Feb 6 – Sunday, Feb 8 | 12–3pm
Love is in the air at the Royal BC Museum! Stop by the card-making station and create a heartfelt Valentine for someone special, with all supplies provided. Included in admission. [Info]

🎨 Youth Art Workshop: Valentine’s Day Cards
Friday, Feb 6 | 6:45–8:45pm
A fun, hands-on workshop at Gordon Head Rec Centre where participants (10-17y) will make Valentine’s Day puffy slime to take home and design their own handmade cards. Music, sweet treats, and all materials included. [Register]

🦋 Discover the Rainforest: Butterfly Gardens Mobile Workshop
Saturday, Feb 7 | 1–2 pm
Get up close with nature as the Victoria Butterfly Gardens brings insects, a tortoise, butterfly wing microscopes, feathers, and more to Crystal Pool. Hands-on learning for all ages (kids under 10 must be with an adult). A few spots left! [Register]

🎭 Family Fun Day at Kaleidoscope Theatre
Sunday, Feb 8 | 10am–1pm
A playful drop-in day of theatre-inspired fun for the whole family. Expect creative activities, movement, and imagination-led play in a welcoming studio space. [Info]

🎉 Family Day Fun Weekend with the City of Langford
Feb 13–16
Celebrate Family Day weekend with multiple days of free and low-cost activities, events, and community fun hosted across Langford. [Info]

🏀 Love to Play Day with Panorama Rec
Saturday, Feb 14 | 10am–12pm
A free family fun morning at the Sport Box in Centennial Park with inflatable fun, glitter tattoos, drop-in sports, and heart-themed crafts. All activities take place under the new covered sports box, rain or shine, just come ready to play. [Info]

🎻 Discover Strings!
Saturday, Feb 14 | 1–2:30 pm
Kids ages 6–11 can try violin, viola, and cello in this free, hands-on drop-in session with music instructors from the Victoria Conservatory of Music. A fun, low-pressure way to explore string instruments over the Family Day weekend in Langford. [Info]

✈️ Open Cockpit Day
Sunday, Feb 15 & Monday, Feb 16
Kids can climb inside real aircraft and explore the cockpit during this popular hands-on event at the BC Aviation Museum. [Info]

🌲 Family Fun in the Park
Saturday, Feb 14 & Sunday, Feb 15 | 10am–2pm
Celebrate Family Day weekend at Francis/King Regional Park with drop-in crafts, storytelling, and nature activities. Free, all ages, and stroller-friendly. [Info]

🎼 Dan Brown’s Wild Symphony
Saturday, March 7 | 3pm
Maestro Mouse leads a playful orchestral adventure inspired by the animal kingdom in this kid-friendly concert by the Victoria Symphony. A wonderful first symphony experience for young music lovers. [Info]

🐾 Gabby’s Dollhouse Live!
Saturday, March 14 | 4pm
A colourful, music-filled live show featuring Gabby, Pandy Paws, and friends on a magical adventure to save the rainbow. Perfect for preschoolers and young fans. [Info]

Ongoing

🧱 20th Annual LEGO® Brick Exhibit at the Sidney Museum
Now – April 6
Marvel at incredible LEGO creations built by local and regional builders, with detailed displays that will impress kids and adults alike. A classic family favourite that’s easy to pair with a day in Sidney. [Info]

🍽️ Dine Around Victoria
Now – Feb 8
There are a few more days to enjoy Victoria’s favourite foodie festival with special prix-fixe menus and tasting experiences at restaurants around town. There are a few family-friendly spots… or go without the kiddos for date night ;) [Info]

☕ Hot Chocolate Festival
Now – 28
Sip your way through February with creative, cozy hot chocolates served up by local cafés and shops. [Info]

Hope you enjoyed this issue of Little Local! Please reply with any feedback and suggestions :)

P.S. Would you like to get your business in front of thousands of local Victoria families? Email us at [email protected].

Final Note: I do my best to keep everything accurate, but I am only human so the odd mistake might sneak in! If you catch one, feel free to let me know. And some links may be affiliate links (I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you), but every product is something I genuinely love or comes recommended by someone I trust.