ArtSea Festival at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre Oct 10

ArtSea Festival at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

October 10, 2012

SIDNEY, BC – Celebrate the 3^rd Annual Peninsula ArtSea Festival at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre from October 15^th to 21^th by painting with the fishes!

Teachers with students in grades 5-12 are invited to join us for a special program titled Art in the Aquarium offered from Mon-Thurs at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre during the ArtSea Festival. The idea is to have students explore our Centre and glean inspiration from the vibrant fauna and flora they see around them. They will then be invited to sit down in front of their favorite creature and use watercolors, pastels, and sketching pencils to recreate what they see. It’s a fantastic way to combine an unlikely duo: marine science and art! (Classes MUST pre-book; call 250-665-7511 for more information).

On Friday and Saturday (20^th & 21^st) general admission visitors will have the opportunity to get ArtSea too! Various stations will be set up throughout the Centre all day long for all guests to enjoy. Stations will include crafts and activities, such as “Create a Creature” which challenges visitors to construct a marine animal out of recyclables. Who knew that paper towel rolls could make such life-like replicas of sea cucumbers? Us, that’s who!

In addition to art and activities, local sculptor Fred Dobbs will be joining us at the Centre from noon to 4pm Monday through Friday as our resident artist. Fred will spend his time actively working on his current sculpture, Mother of Pearl, and will also lend his expertise to our budding young artists.

Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre’s Visitor Experience Director, Tina Kelly, has been looking forward to welcoming ArtSea enthusiasts again this year after its huge success in the past. “This is the third time we’ve offered Art in the Aquarium here at the Centre, and I’m always amazed to see the fantastic work that kids can create…and adults too!” says Kelly. “We’re really looking forward to watching the creative process unfold”.

And capping it all off, there will be a ‘Thank You’ event hosted by ArtSea for all of the local artists and businesses who participated and made the Festival possible. The event is by invitation only, and will be held at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre on Wednesday October 17^th from 7pm to 9pm.

ArtSea Festival Events at the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

Date                             Event                                                                            Time

October 15-19              Art in the Aquarium for Students (must pre-book)       10:00 am – 4:00 pm

October 15-20              Resident artist Fred Dobbs                                           Noon – 4:00 pm

October 20-21              ArtSea Arts & Crafts open to all visitors                       10:00 am – 4:00 pm

*October 17                 ArtSea ‘Thank You’ Event (invitation only)                  7:00 – 9:00 pm

Tourism Victoria Open House

Last night we attended the Open House at the new office of Tourism Victoria at #200, 737 Yates Street.  Their new office is amazing.  What a wonderful work space.  I am sure that the staff just loves going to work there.  It is bright, spacious and cheerful.  There are lots of windows with amazing views of downtown.  There is great meeting space and good sized work stations.  There was a trio playing music as we entered and sponsors had food and drinks, showing off their businesses.  The treats were amazing.   It was a great time to meet old friends and new people.   Getting the tourism and business industry together is always worthwhile.  Thanks to Tourism Victoria for a great event.  The turnout was great.  For more pictures of this event go to our Facebook Page.

The Centre of the Universe Victoria BC

The Centre of the Universe -Astronomy interpretive centre and The Plaskett Telescope.

Open your eyes to the skies by visiting the Astronomy Interpretive Centre located about 20 minutes from the city centre on the top of Observatory Hill in Victoria, BC. You will also enjoy telescope tours and presentations in our planetarium and multimedia theatre. During the summer, you may join in public observations with the 1.8-m Plaskett Telescope. In operation since May 6th, 1918, the Plaskett is the centre-piece of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory - a national historic site of Canada. The displays in the Interpretive Centre are amazing as is the size of the machinery the permits the Plasket Telescope to focus in on distant galaxies, planets and stars. If the science bug is in you, this is a great place to visit. There are also tremendous views of the Saanich Peninsula from atop Observatory Hill. Check out our pictures to see what the Centre of the Universe is all about. It is one of the great Victoria area attractions, well worth a visit. For more great pictures go to our Facebook Page.  For more great locations to visit, go to our adventures page.

Devonian Regional Park in Metchosin

Devonian Regional Park is west of Victoria in the municipality of Metchosin. The trail to the beach is a short 10-15 minute walk. The beach is a gravel beach with expansive views over Juan de Fuca Strait. Towards the west is a rocky mound to explore and see even more sights. The scenery is spectacular and it is never very busy. This is a great place for a picnic on a warm sunny day. After our afternoon at Devonian Park we drove further down the road to William Head Prison where you can catch great views of Race Rocks Light Station from the prison parking lot. Enjoy Devonian Park. For more information go to the CRD Parks Web Site.  For more pictures go to our Facebook Page.

Tourism Victoria Open House - Don't Miss It!

New Digs for Tourism Victoria, check it out!

Beacon Hill Park - Don't Miss It

Beacon Hill Park is a wonderful place to visit for all ages.  There is an amazing children’s petting zoo and a great playground off Cook Street for the kids.  The beautiful scenery will amaze you.  Be sure to go to the top of Beacon Hill and look out into Juan de Fuca Strait…it is a great view point.  Below the lookout is covered in daffodils in the spring and spring flowers pop up all over the park.  If you are  on Douglas Street be sure to check out the Terry Fox monument and Mile Zero, one of the most photographed places ever!  Also on Douglas Street is the Beacon Drive Inn, a great place to buy a soft ice cream cone during park visits.  It is immediately across the street from the centre of the park. 

Also off Douglas you can get views of Goodacre Lake.  Just to the right of the lake is a heron rookery where almost 100 heron nests can be found.  It is an amazing place to visit in the spring when all the action takes place.  The Park has an amazing rose garden as well.  You can practice you putting on the putting green just across the street from the entrance to the Petting Zoo.  Have a picnic, stroll the pathways, suck up the scenery, laze away your day, enjoy the flowers and gardens in the park, and don’t miss the ice cream.  There is lots more to see and do.  There is a bandshell that has free concerts in the summer months.  Check out the City of Victoria web site for more info about Beacon Hill Park.For more pictures of Beacon Hill Park, please go to our Facebook Page.