Little Local - July 9

New to Little Local? Subscribe here.

How’s everyone’s summer going so far?

There’s a spring high tide on Sunday, but if you check the low tide calendar, the mornings look pretty perfect for checking off the “go beachcombing” activity in your Summer Adventure Passport. To help inspire your weekend plans, I’ve rounded up some of our favourite family-friendly beachcombing spots around Greater Victoria.

It’s also Pride weekend in Victoria, with the parade and festival happening on Sunday. We’re looking forward to showing our kiddos a celebration of all the different kinds of love that exist in our world.

And tonight, we’re checking out Sidney Street Market, which happens every Thursday evening throughout the summer. Maybe we’ll see some of you there!

Go Beachcombing!

Looking for a simple summer outing that doesn’t require much planning? Go beachcombing. It also happens to be one of the activities in the Summer Adventure Passport that your kiddos can check off!

Kids can look for smooth stones, driftwood, shells, seaweed, tiny crabs, barnacles, beach glass, and all the little treasures that wash up along the shoreline.

A few of our family’s favourite spots around Greater Victoria for beachcombing:

Devonian Regional Park Beach: After a beautiful forest walk down to the beach, kids can explore the rocky shoreline for beautiful stones, driftwood, shells, and other little treasures.

Island View Beach: Wide open, easy to walk, and perfect for collecting stones, shells, driftwood, and seaweed…plus lots of birds to spot!

McKenzie Bight: A bigger hike down and back for little legs, but the beach here is a treasure trove for sea life, rocky shoreline exploring, and beachcombing.

Glass Beach: Our go-to when sea glass is the mission. Right off the main strip in Sidney, this little beach is a fun spot to search for colourful pieces of worn-smooth glass.

Cattle Point: Best at low tide, especially for older kids who love peeking into tide pools and rocky shoreline nooks. Cattle Point is also our go-to picnic spot.

💡 Tip: check the tide before you go. Low tide is usually when the best exploring happens!

And a gentle reminder for little beachcombers: look closely, take photos, collect only non-living treasures, and leave living creatures where they are.

Passport Prizes!

Summer is so much fun, but let’s be honest, it’s also a lot of work for parents and caregivers to make the magic happen, especially with little ones in tow.

That’s why our Passport prize packages are largely designed for the adults. Of course, the kids will still have plenty to be excited about too.

😎The Cool Parent Package

An ice cream party for 10 kids at Parachute Ice Cream. Yes, this one is technically for the kids. But imagine telling your child they get to invite a group of friends to an ice cream party at one of Victoria’s best ice cream shops. And don’t worry, owner Kevin has promised the adult winner won’t be left out of the fun.

🌹Date Night + Garden Magic

A Part & Parcel gift certificate, plus a beautiful Butchart Gardens gift basket for the whole family. Enjoy a meal at one of Victoria’s best restaurants (YAM Magazine agrees) and bring home a little extra beauty from Butchart Gardens.

🌲Dinner + a Big Adventure

A Ferris’ Oyster & Burger Bar gift certificate, plus family annual passes to Malahat SkyWalk. Enjoy dinner downtown at Ferris’ and try something from their new menu, then keep the adventure going all year with annual passes for the family to Malahat SkyWalk.

How to Enter

Complete at least 10 of the 15 Summer Adventure Passport activities, then email me a photo of your completed passport. Three random winners will be selected at the end of the summer!

🍓 South Island FarmHub: No time for the farmers’ market? South Island FarmHub brings fresh, local groceries from farms and food makers across the region right to your door. Online ordering opens Thursdays at 2pm for the week ahead.

🌱 Sprout Family Health: Most healthcare is built for when something’s wrong. Sprout Family Health is designed to help families stay well, with direct access to a dedicated care team, longer visits, and support by phone, text, or booking when you need it.

This Weekend

🇲🇽 Festival Mexicano
Saturday, July 11 + Sunday, July 12 | 11am–6pm
Celebrate Mexican culture at Ship Point with food, music, dance, cultural programming, and family-friendly fun. [Info]

🔮 Metchosin Summer Witches Market
Saturday, July 11 + Sunday, July 12 | 10am–4pm
Head to Metchosin Community Hall for a free market with local makers, mystical finds, kids crafts, and spell stations. [Info]

🐴 Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association Open House
Saturday, July 11 | 11:30am–2pm
Meet the horses, learn more about Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association’s programs, and enjoy a family-friendly afternoon at the farm. [Info]

🏳️‍🌈 Victoria Pride Parade
Sunday, July 12 | 11am
A big, colourful downtown celebration with floats, music, community groups, and tons of energy. Expect crowds and plan ahead for parking or transit. [Info]

🏳️‍🌈 Victoria Pride Festival
Sunday, July 12 | 11am–6pm
Keep the Pride celebrations going at MacDonald Park with vendors, entertainment, community booths, and kids zones. [Info]

🎹 Pop-up Outdoor Piano Concert: Brooke Maxwell
Saturday, July 11 | 3–4pm
Enjoy a free outdoor piano concert in Estevan Village. An easy, low-key stop for families out and about in Oak Bay. [Info]

Upcoming

🦀 BC CrabFest
Saturday, July 18 | 11am–10pm
A new harbour celebration at Ship Point with food, music, and ocean stories. A fun downtown outing for families who love seafood, music, and the waterfront. [Info]

🎨 Art Gallery Paint-In
Saturday, July 18 | 11am–4pm
Moss Street comes alive outside the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria with local artists, live demos, music, food, and plenty to explore. It’s a colourful, family-friendly summer tradition and a fun way to introduce kids to the local arts scene. [Info]

✈️ Canadian Forces Snowbirds Over Victoria
Tuesday, August 4 | 5pm
The Snowbirds are coming to Victoria for an aerobatic performance over Dallas Road Park. Arrive early to grab a spot, enjoy the waterfront, and pick up dinner from the food trucks. [Info]

Library Summer Drop-Ins

The library has a great lineup of free summer drop-in programs for kids and families, from storytimes and crafts to comics, artifacts, Lego, buttons, and book-themed fun.

Here’s what’s happening over the next week in an easy-to-read format, but check the GVPL website for the full summer lineup.

🌈 Pride Storytime and Rainbow Crafts
Thursday, July 9 | 11am–12pm
Celebrate Pride with stories, songs, and rainbow crafts at Esquimalt Branch. For ages 0–9.

🔘 Button Making
Thursday, July 9 | 11am–12pm
Kids can turn creative ideas into their own buttons at Langford Heritage Branch. For ages 6–9.

🧸 Stuffed Animal Storytime and Sleepover
Friday, July 10 | 1–1:45pm
Bring a favourite stuffy to storytime, then leave it behind for a library sleepover at Juan de Fuca Branch. For ages 2–7.

🧸 Stuffed Animal Storytime and Sleepover
Monday, July 13 | 11am–12pm
Bring a favourite stuffy to storytime, then leave it behind for a library sleepover at Langford Heritage Branch. For ages 2–7.

📦 History Box: Artifact Touch Table
Tuesday, July 14 | 11–1pm + 11:30am–1:30pm
Get up close with artifacts from different periods of Canadian history at Juan de Fuca Branch and Bruce Hutchison Branch. All ages.

📖 Story Buddies: Little Buddies
Thursday, July 16 | 10:30–11am
Little kids can create their own original book with help from a volunteer buddy at Central Saanich Branch. For ages 4–6.

✏️ Comic Workshops
Thursday, July 16 | 10:30–11:30am
Kids can learn to draw comics, develop characters, and tell stories through pictures. For school-aged kids.

Note: These programs are drop-in, but space is limited, so it’s a good idea to arrive early. Adults must stay onsite during children’s programs.

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.