Those who managed to get through a 鈥渄ry February鈥� don鈥檛 have to wait long to shake off their alcohol-free status 鈥� Victoria Beer Week kicks off on Friday.
The nine-day event, which might be the ideal tonic for those who used the shortest month to cleanse and detoxify after an indulgent Christmas and New Year, will again celebrate all things craft beer.
It鈥檚 the sixth year for the beer-soaked festival, which offers a chance for neophytes and experts to try a wide variety of new brews, along with education and advice on beer and brewing.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 grown since probably the third year, but we have tried to come up with new events and new ideas every year,鈥� said Beer Week director Joe Wiebe.
Wiebe said growth has been limited by their venues, most of them small to medium-sized joints that can take no more than a few hundred people.
Many venues and events, such as Beer School, cater to groups as small as 20.
This year, Beer School has been expanded to several events over nine days, offering everything from beginner classes on beer styles all the way to beer-geek-ville, where visitors will explore the world of cellars and beer for those interested in beers that can age well.
Also new this year are Drink Your Hops and Eat 鈥橢m Too, March 8 at the Victoria Public Market, where a range of hoppy beers will be paired with hop-infused food prepared by the market鈥檚 vendors, and Jones Beer-B-Que, to be held March 3 outside at Jones Bar-B-Que on Cook Street, featuring the classic pairing of craft beer and grilled food.
Fan Favourites will also be back.
Kicking things off will be Lift Off! at the Public Market on Friday. That event, which tends to sell out every year, will feature 15 new beers from breweries around B.C. that have never been served before.
Wrapping up nine days of Dionysian delight will once again be the Saturday Night Casks at the Public Market on March 9.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 always very popular, where people can sample some unique cask-conditioned beers,鈥� said Wiebe, noting there will be 25 on offer that night.
Tickets for Victoria Beer Week are still available at ticketrocket.co. They are also available in person at Ticket Rocket (1050 Meares St.) or by phone at 250-590-6291.
Women of all ages catered for at weekend Expo
Women鈥檚 health and wellness will take centre stage at Pearkes Recreation Centre this weekend.
The Victoria鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Expo runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The two-day event will offer seminars on improving fitness with a kettle-bell workout, yoga, online dating safety, feminine energy, female hormone balancing and how to stop being tired and improve your sense of well-being. Blogger, activist and plus-size model Michelle Rogers, 21, will share the story of her tough childhood and how she learned to love herself through Instagram.
There will also be speakers dispensing the latest information on skin and laser treatments, moon medicine (about our connection to the moon), nutrition, compression stockings, minerals, pelvic-floor exercises and a healing women鈥檚 circle.
More than 100 exhibitors will feature products, services and a place to connect for women of all ages. Tickets can be purchased online. It is cash only for admission at the door. An adult day pass is $8. A day pass for seniors and students is $6. A weekend pass for adults is $12 and $9 for seniors and students.
The first 100 people through the door each day will receive free goodie bags.
Hundreds of orchids on display
Orchid-lovers will be dazzled by hundreds of colourful specimens on display Saturday and Sunday at Our Lady of Fatima Hall, 4635 Elk Lake Dr.
Every year, about 800 visitors attend the Victoria Orchid Society鈥檚 spring show to marvel at the shapes, colours and sizes of the exotic-looking plants.
The show runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and admission is $7.
Members of orchid societies on 91原创 Island and the Lower Mainland are bringing their orchids for display and judging, said Barbara Davies, show chairwoman. 鈥淓ach group will have set up a display table for their members.鈥�
This year鈥檚 theme is 鈥渨orld-wide beauties,鈥� Davies said. Orchids are found pretty much everywhere in the world, other than Antarctica. B.C. has several types of orchid, including lady鈥檚 slipper.
Orchids can be found in hot climates and in cooler mountainous areas. 鈥淭hey grow in the Himalayas, they grown in the Andes, they grow in various places in Australia,鈥� Davies said.
Some orchids are fairly easy to grow while others can be 鈥渇inicky,鈥� she said.
Experts will be on hand and lectures will run on Sunday between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Commercial growers will bring plants and materials for sale as well.
Authors offer advice to parents in Langford conference speeches
Bestselling authors Alyson Schafer and Ann Douglas headline the 12th annual 91原创 Island Parenting Conference in Langford Saturday.
The theme of this year鈥檚 conference is 鈥淐hange: It鈥檚 Here to Stay鈥� and offers parents a chance to connect with peers and learn from experts.
Schafer is the author of three parenting books: Breaking the Good Mom Myth; Honey, I Wrecked the Kids; and Ain鈥檛 Misbehavin鈥�. In her keynote address, Schafer will discuss effective disciplinary techniques and talk about the 鈥渇our misbehaviour dances鈥� that parents do with their children and how to get out of them.
Douglas is the weekend parenting columnist for CBC Radio and the author of The Mother of All Toddler Books and two other volumes in the Mother of All book series.
Douglas will talk about 鈥淧arenting Through The Storm鈥� and share some of her 鈥渉ard-won wisdom about thriving as a family while weathering one of life鈥檚 many storms.鈥�
Other conference topics include: Positive Parenting; Sexual Health, Cannabis Use and Youth; Internet Safety; Work-Life Balance; and Brain Health and Wellness.
The sessions run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Belmont Secondary School, 3041 Langford Lake Rd.
The conference鈥檚 website at states that registration is now closed, but anyone seeking information can email [email protected].
Singles meet on their way to the top
There are no ropes, no harnesses and no married couples at the Singles Bouldering Date at Boulder House Climbing on Sunday morning.
New and experienced climbers are invited to challenge themselves to a morning of exercise and fun with other singles from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Bouldering is a form of rock climbing on short walls that don鈥檛 require ropes or harnesses to be used. Climbing routes are sometimes referred to as problems requiring creative solutions to reach the top.
Participants are asked to wear comfortable clothes. Climbing shoes will be provided.
The event will have exclusive use of Boulder House Climbing at 2829 Quesnel St., between Douglas and Blanshard streets above Hillside Avenue in Victoria.
Participants are asked to sign up by Saturday.
French speakers get together on first Thursday
Here鈥檚 a chance to socialize in French for free.
Join the Soci茅t茅 francophone de Victoria for Les Beaux Jeudis 鈥� French happy hour 鈥� held on the first Thursday of every month from
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 2-1218 Langley St. The next meeting is scheduled for March 7.
All are welcome, from French speakers to learners and francophiles. There鈥檚 no need to be perfectly bilingual.
More details of Les Beaux Jeudis can be found on .
