Greetings Creekers!
It will be the start of Thanksgiving weekend by the time you read this and many of you will be experiencing the love/hate of planning a turkey dinner. It’s all about the timing and as the time management department of my brain does not work well, I try to avoid it by getting invited out. Someone else gets to worry about the turkey and I get to make the side dishes I love. The local produce stands are at their best now, overflowing with a fall harvest bounty of squashes, tomatoes and greens so don’t forget to stop in on your way to the supermarket. Many of us are getting away from eating meat and this lovely produce can be used to for delicious vegetarian options to the traditional turkey dinner.
If you have visiting family to entertain the following activities could entice them from under your feet and out of the house.
Quality Garden Supply in Gibsons will be celebrating the weekend with their 22nd Annual Fall Fair on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Along with local artisans selling their wares, there will be activities for kids and Thanksgiving baking for sale. While you are in Gibsons, you could check out the family clothing swap at the Community Centre from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. In Sechelt, there is a flea market taking place at the Seniors Centre on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the Sechelt Farmers Market will be open. Thanksgiving is apple time and the local cideries will be welcoming people for tastings. Most have kid friendly areas and a food truck so this can be a great way to pass some time.
Friday evening is Irish Pub night at the Roberts Creek Legion and if you are looking for a family event don’t miss the first in a Laser Light Show Series at the Roberts Creek Hall on Saturday night. Your family can choose from a selection of snacks, cozy up with blankets and pillows, and enjoy a light show featuring Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Tickets are $20, $15 for youth and seniors and the family combo (up to five) is a bargain for $50. Tickets at ticket tailor.com.
You could also send your family out for a fall walk and there are great places to go, right here in the Creek. Cliff Gilker Park, the Health Trail and other B&K trails along with beach walks from Henderson north or Camp Byng south to Bonniebrook are all good rain or shine options. The campfire ban has been lifted and sharing food and drink around a fall beach fire is a favourite activity of mine.
So with Thanksgiving weekend taken care of let’s look forward to some coming events. Next week’s Thursday Night Jazz at the Legion will feature Control Group and on Saturday Oct.13, it’s the John Prine Tribute Night and gala fundraiser. The Legion is still looking for participants, so if you have a John Prine song you would like to perform go to Roberts Creek legion.com to get on the list and if not come out and celebrate this wonderful song writer.
On Oct. 18, local writer Heather Conn will be reading from No Letter in Your Pocket and showing a short video by Velcrow Ripper about this book on the subject of healing from family trauma. This will be at the Gibsons Library from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
So I often find myself writing about opportunities to be an audience but what if you would like to be involved in a performing group? The Sunshine Coast Community Orchestra Association offers this opportunity in the Coast Concert Band and Coast Symphony Orchestra, something a lot of people seem to be unaware of. They both rehearse in Roberts Creek, at the Highland Centre, the band on Saturday mornings and the orchestra on Friday evenings. Two accomplished and renowned Vancouver conductors lead these groups. The band is always looking for new musicians to join up. The orchestra is currently in need of percussion and intermediate to advanced level brass players and strings are always welcome. So, if you have an instrument in your closet, smarten up your chops and come out and join us. It’s not intimidating and it’s a great way to meet new people, not mention good for your brain!
That’s all for now folks! Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend and please write to me: [email protected].