The end of July is always a big blur to me. With three family birthdays within a week of each other (including our daughter’s and mine), there’s a whole lot of caking, singing and party action.
I want to throw a whole whack of creativity into it all..or wish there was someone around town who specialized in party planning for weary mommies, depending on how far away in the day I am from a nap.
But, I do LOVE birthdays and am totally looking forward to the next few days as we gear up for someone’s third birthday bash.
There will be lots of sharing of our prep work on site. So, check in daily to see how I’m holding up and the count (which should number in the thousands by tomorrow) of how many times the tiny person has asked for birthday cake.
Here’s a bit of what is happening around town:
- If you’ve got a creative kid who loves working with paper and preserving memories, get them registered now for Kids Summer Camp week at Scrap Book Central at 13th Street and Cliffe Avenue in Courtenay. With a different project every day and in-store demo’s at the store, this is fun. The classes run from 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 11-15 and you need to register in advance. Sign up for the whole week, or one day at a time. The cost is $10 a day or $45 for the week.
- St. Peter’s Church in Comox is having their annual Vacation Bible School from 9 a.m. to Noon July 28- Aug. 1. Registration is free. The theme this year is The Amazon Rainforest. Each day, children ages 4 to 11 will learn about the rainforest, hear Bible stories, take part in wild games and sports, sing, eat great snacks and do some neat crafts. For more information, call Debbie at 250-339-9186 or Rosanne at 250-339-6416.
- Summer Art School for children and youth continues throughout July and August at the Comox Valley Art Gallery in downtown Courtenay.
For complete listings and info click HERE. Look for exciting classes like:
For Children:
“Drawing Exploration of Materials” with Grace Wolff
“Mixed Media Collage” with Jenja McIntyre
“Introduction to North West Coast First Nations Art Forms” with John Powell and
“Painting Skills for Kids” with Teresa Knight
For Teens:
“Drawing Fantasy Characters” with Clive Powsey!
“Let’s Paint” with Teresa Knight
For Teens and Adults:
“Preparing your Portfolio” with Elizabeth Russell
“Is it Art?!? Art Making and Art Meaning” with Anh Le
For more information or to register please contact Olivia Harvey at 250-338-6211 or email: summer@comoxvalleyartgallery.com
- A public dedication of the new Kids Don’t Float Program display board will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday (July 24) at Comox Marina. As part of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary Pacific Region’s push to keep kids safe in the water, this display board will house lifejackets for kiddos that can be signed out for use and then returned FREE of charge. What a fantastic program that allows parents in all income brackets to keep their children safe while on the water. Way to go Unit 60 Comox of the CCGAPR and everyone in the community who has worked to get this program up and running!
- The Courtenay Rodeo and Dance will be held this weekend (July 26 and 27) at the Courtenay Fair Grounds. Lots of action and fun. Call 250-337-5937 for more information.
- Berry U-Pick is in full swing. If you are looking for a low-key family time where berries are fun, but getting a big haul isn’t the priority, be sure to drop by Blue Haven Farms at Anderton and Idiens Way in Comox. They have great berries, awesome ice cream and a super family-friendly atmosphere for the picking “experience.” Plus, the big berry patch is expected to open this week. Big yum.
- If you are looking for some serious nature fun to do with the kids, check out the FREE Jerry’s Rangers program, all about exploring and learning about local nature, at 2 p.m. any day of the week out at Miracle Beach Nature House in Black Creek. There are also some really great evening programs (7:30 p.m.) for older kiddos that are most definitely worth checking out.
- The Strathcona Wilderness Institute is hosting family activity and walk programs all Summer up at Paradise Meadows near Mt. Washington. This Saturday, families can learn about all of the different leaves in the area and make a gift of leaves. The program for youths ages 7 to 12 runs from 1 to 3 p.m., with the group meeting at the information hut at the Paradise Meadows trail head.
