Victoria Guest Services Network meeting at the Brentwood Inn

Top photo courtesy of the Brentwood Inn.

The Victoria Guest Services Meeting was held at the beautiful Brentwood Inn in Brentwood Bay just north of Victoria. These meetings are held to familiarize people working in the hospitality and tourism business with accommodations and services around greater Victoria. Two presentations highlighted the Ocean Discovery Centre in Sidney and EcoCruising Tours and Charters. Discover the Salish Sea the the Ocean Discovery Centre then take a tour with EcoCruising Tours and Charters. A great way to enjoy the Saanich Peninsula while you enjoy your stay at the Brentwood Inn. The have great food, superb accommodations, a wonderful rejuvinating spa, a pool, a marina and some of the best sunsets on the West Coast. To view photos from the meeting and of the Brentwood Inn, click here.

Tea Festival this Weekend - Victoria Mayor Proclaims

The City of Victoria Mayor and Council declared this Saturday, February 12th as Victoria Tea Festival Day in celebration of the festival’s fifth anniversary.
"I am proud to proclaim Saturday, February 12th as Victoria Tea Festival Day in honour of North America's largest public tea exhibition," said Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin. "I encourage Victorians to take part in the festivities at Crystal Garden, and to celebrate Victoria's multi-cultural tea heritage and on-going vibrant tea culture."

After passing the Victoria Tea Festival Day proclamation at Thursday night’s Council meeting, Mayor Dean Fortin raised a cup of tea to toast the Festival with fellow Council members. Mayor and Council were joined in the toast by the Victoria Tea Festival Organizing Committee and Sponsors of the festival in the Council Chamber’s public gallery.

“We’re thrilled to be here on the eve of the fifth Annual Victoria Tea Festival,” noted Organizing Committee Chair, Lisa Stekelenburg. “We have grown from a one day event with a few hundred attendees to a weekend exhibition with over 40 exhibitors that attracts thousands of Victorians and visitors from throughout North America. This is a wonderful success story for our community.”


Weekend passes for this year’s exhibition are available in advance (until closing on February 11) for $20 and at the door for $25. Ticket locations and detailed event information is available at www.victoriateafestival.com



The Victoria Tea Festival is organized entirely by 250 volunteers and the event’s proceeds are donated to Camosun College Child Care Services annually.



The Festival’s major sponsors are: Silk Road, Murchie’s Tea & Coffee, The Fairmont Empress, Serious Coffee, Times Colonist, CHEK News, Ocean 98.5.



For more information visit: www.victoriateafestival.com

Spring has Sprung in Victoria - predictions are right

This tree is not laden with blossoms but they are starting to come out. The snow-drops are coming out of the ground as are the tulips. Buds are starting open. I must admit that I have seen blossoms in late December and often in the middle of January, so these are not really that early, even though they have been out for about ten days. I hesitate to post our weather conditions because I have seen what it has been like across Canada and in the USA. We again feel really lucky to live here. We did get snow for a short while. It was however short lived. The second snowfall, I did not even bother to shovel. I let the liquid sunshine take it away. This does not mean that we could not have another downturn in the weather, but all forecasts are for an early spring, so we hope these early signs will bring it on! Spring is in the air!