It’s officially October and with it comes longer nights, cooler temperatures and spooky season! It’s the perfect time to fill your calendar with fall events and scary celebrations to get out and about! With ghost walks, cocktail parties, Parisian songbirds and Frankenstein in Craigdarroch, Victoria has events to make your October fun and memorable!Â
Fun for the Whole Family
Under Paris Skies
Sun, Oct 17th, 2:00pm
While you’re enjoying all the stunning hiking and beach access you have during your stay near Sidney why not treat yourself to an evening with the moving music of Edith Piaf performed by the incomparable Edie Dapointe at the Mary Winspear theater? Prepare to be transported to the city of love during the roaring 20s with a live band and songs from Edith Piaf and the unique and glamorous Marlene Dietrich. Edie seamlessly transitions from songbird to storyteller to comedienne with incredible costumes, drama and humour.
Galey Farms
call (250) 477-5713
If you are looking for a great way to spend a fall day, Galey Farms is a local favourite in Victoria! With an extensive corn maze, pumpkin patch, miniature train, hay rides, petting farm and farm market this hard working farm is a winner for kids of all ages!
Creating a Winter Herbal Medicine Cabinet
Sat, Oct 23rd, 10:00am – 12:00pm
The weather is getting chilly and with the drop in temperature comes the dreaded flu season. In this event, you’ll learn how to take common kitchen ingredients and medicinal plants to treat and prevent common seasonal illnesses. You’ll leave with a handmade, herbal cough syrup, recipes that you can make yourself to try to keep your immune system strong all winter long.
Cheese and Meat Festival
sales end Oct 16th, event on Nov 27th
Right on the edge of the Upper Harbour in heritage downtown Victoria, this event showcases both international and local artisanal cheese, meats, liquor and so much more. If you love a good charcuterie board and are staying downtown Victoria, this event is just a walk away for you!
Art of the Cocktail
Sat, Oct 30th, 6:00pm – 8:30pm
One of the most anticipated events in Victoria is Art of the Cocktail, the annual fundraiser for the Victoria Film Festival. On this evening, guests don their very best, pop culture themed, cocktail wear to attend an evening to remember! Come and try unique cocktails made by the city’s best mixologists using the very best local and international liquor. During the evening you can try your hand at making your own cocktail, purchase some of your favourite spirits and nibble on the delightful hors d’oeuvres from local restaurants across the city.
Spooky Stuff
Ghostly Walking Tour
all month 7:30pm departure
Victoria is a stunning city full of gardens, beautiful architecture and awe inspiring vistas but just beneath the polished surface lurks a history that is full of shocking stories and ghoulish characters. This hour-long walk is worth the trip whether you are staying in the Cowichan Valley, Sooke or right downtown Victoria and will take you to all the places that are said to be haunted in Victoria’s historic downtown. As you walk, your guide will tell you spooky stories that are all researched by local historians and it’s sure to give you some goosebumps!
Galey Farms by Night
Oct 16th – 17th and 21st – 31st, 6pm – 10pm
By day Galey Farms is an idyllic fall destination for family friendly fun, by night in October, this innocent farm becomes a creepy scene complete with cornfield of horror, ghost train and fortune teller. While this won’t satisfy those looking for a truly frightening experience, it’s a hoot and a half if you’re looking for something fun for the spooky season.
Frankenstein at Craigdarroch
Sat, Oct 16th, 23rd & 30th, 6pm – 7pm or 8pm – 9pmÂ
For a high class eerie event, you can’t go wrong with a live, one-man performance of Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein performed by the talented Jason Stevens. If Stevens’ wildly popular, one-man performance of A Christmas Carol is a litmus test, Frankenstein is going to be a show that you won’t want to miss!
Halloween at Avalon Books & Treasures
Sat, Oct 30th, 12pm – 5pmÂ
Book lovers beware! The quirky Avalon Books and Treasures in Market Square is hosting a spook-tacular Halloween sale on the 30th! Come on down to peruse the great book selection as well as an eclectic array of homeware, jewelry and gifts and stay for a tarot card or palmistry reading or you can even have a medium connect with the ghosts of your past!
Monsters Haunted House
Friday, Oct 8th – Sunday Oct 31st, 11pm
Calling all spooks, ghouls and thrill seekers! Wander through the dark labyrinthian hallways where props and actors charge out of the shadows to scare you silly! This truly terrifying haunted house at the University Heights theater is not for the faint of heart!
