Are you looking for local Hope and area events to keep you and your family entertained over the coming weeks? Do you have family and friends arriving that will be looking for fun events to take part in? Staff at the Hope Visitor Centre maintain a Calendar of Community events and they are happy to share the following listings for local happenings that are planned for December 16th through to January 2nd.
December 16th - The festively-decorated Canadian Pacific Holiday Train rolls into North Bend at 6:30PM (east of TMS Building – across from CP Bunkhouse). Come out to meet Santa and listen to live performers - featuring Valdy & Tracey Brown- on the special flip-down boxcar stage. The Holiday train travels all the way across Canada raising money and food donations for local food banks. Also in Agassiz on December 17th at 2PM (west of Highway 9, across from Agra Centre on Pioneer Ave).
December 17th – “Drop and Shop” at the Hope Rec Centre from 10AM to 4PM. Need some time to Christmas shop without the kids? We can help! A structured program for kids age 5 to 12. Snacks provided. Cost: $30.00/child. $25.00 each for 2 or more. Call 604-869-2304 for more info and to pre-register.
December 17th - Children’s Christmas Activities at the Hope Rec Centre from 10:30AM to 12:30PM for ages 5 years & up. Theme: No Bake Christmas Goodies. Cost: $10.00/person. Hot chocolate will be served. Call 604-869-2304 for more info and to pre-register.
December 17th – Christmas Event in Yale starts with Christmas music at St John the Divine Church 1 pm- 2 pm followed by Christmas Pageant (the Christmas Story play) and Potluck Supper at Yale & District Community Centre. Events are free! - just bring a donation to the Holly Days Food Bank collection and enough food to share with others at the dinner. Sponsored by YDHS and YDRA . Call 604-863-2381 or 604-863-0001 about pageant/supper event. Call 604-863-2452 about Church event.
December 17th – Merry Christmas Pool Party at the Dan Sharrer’s Aquatic Centre from 6 to 8PM. Come celebrate and play with us! Games, prizes, movies and fun for everyone!
Cost: $3.25/person
December 17th – Christmas Storytime & Craft Program at the Yale Library from 6:30 to 7:30PM. Bring the kids to the library for holiday-themed stories and crafts!
December 17th - Christmas Appreciation Party at Hope Station House at 111 Old Hope Princeton Way. Dinner at 6:00 PM. $10.99 per person for Roast Beef Dinner.
Band: Whiskee Jack. Tickets in advance at The Headliner (at the Hope Motor Hotel) or
Hope Station House Or reserve tickets (“will call” at door) by phone or email: HYPERLINK "mailto:hopestationhouse@gmail.com" hopestationhouse@gmail.com; 604-869-5956 or 604-860-3126. Proceeds to the ongoing Roof Restoration Project. Presented by the Hope Station House Community Arts and Heritage Society.
December 17th & 18th – Hope Performing Arts Community Theatre presents “Mother Goose and The Enchanted Forest” at the Hope Legion Hall at 2PM and 7PM. Children/Youth $5 and Adults $8. Tickets sold in advance at the Hope Arts Gallery; The Art Machine & Pixel Mountain Studio. Donations of non-perishable food and winter clothing will be collected. For more info call 604-869-3400 or email HYPERLINK "mailto:hopearts@telus.net" hopearts@telus.net
December 18th - Christmas Centrepiece Program at the Hope Rec Centre from 1 to 2:30PM for 7 to15 year olds & from 3 to 5PM for 16 years+. Cost: $25.00/person. Call 604-869-2304 for more info and to pre-register.
December 18th - Skate and Photos with Santa at the Hope Arena from 4 to 5:30PM. Come out and enjoy games on the ice with Santa. Afterward give the camera your holiday smile and have a picture with Santa. Cost: Drop In Rate + $2 for photo.
December 18th to 23rd – Christmas Cheer Week at the Hope Library. Celebrate the holidays with displays, gift ideas, music, prizes, and seasonal treats!
December 19th to 23rd – Winter Festival Day Camp at the Hope Rec Centre for ages 6 to 12 from 8:30AM to 5PM daily. Includes a variety of games, crafts, swimming, skating, bowling & much more! Bring a lunch, swimsuit & towel. If possible, bring a helmet and skates as well. $32 per day per child or $128 per week per child. Family rates also available. Call 604-869-2304 to pre-register.
December 20th - Jingle Bell Rock program at the Hope Rec Centre from 9:30 to 11:30AM. A workshop for children to learn fun dance steps to their favourite Christmas music! Learn a little Jazz, Ballet and Modern dance all rolled into one session! For ages 7-12 years. Cost: $5.00/person. Call 604-869-2304 for more info and to pre-register.
December 20th - Book Club Meeting 6:30 to 8PM at the Hope Library to discuss the novel “Inheritance of Loss” by Kiran Desai. Contact Inge at 604-869-9262 for more information.
December 20th - Men's night at the Blue Moose Cafe. If you are a gentleman who is in business, planning to get into business, retired, semi-retired, or maybe new to the community this evening is for you. Doors open at 7PM. No host bar. A great evening of networking and fellowship.
December 21st – Christmas Storytime at the Hope Library from 6:30 to 7PM. Christmas eve is just around the corner! Children are invited to join in the fun of new – and not so new – seasonal stories, songs and poems. Happy holidays!
December 24th –Candlelight and Eucharist Christmas Service at 10PM at Christ Church Anglican. No service on Christmas Day.
December 27th to 30th – Red Cross Babysitting Course at the Hope Rec Centre from 1 to 4PM daily for ages 11 and up. $65/per person. Call 604-869-2304 to pre-register.
December 27th to January 2nd – Winter Festival Day Camp at the Hope Rec Centre for ages 6 to 12 from 8:30AM to 5PM daily. Includes a variety of games, crafts, swimming, skating, bowling & much more! Bring a lunch, swimsuit & towel. If possible, bring a helmet and skates as well. $32 per day per child or $128 per week per child. Family rates also available. Call 604-869-2304 to pre-register.
December 31st – New Year’s Eve. Plan to bring in the new year at a Hope celebration. Contact the Hope Visitor Centre at 604-869-2021 or 1-866-HOPEVIC for details.
December 31st – New Year’s Eve at Joe’s Restaurant & Lounge starts at 6PM with pre-dinner drinks. A 4 course gourmet dinner including champagne for $60 per person includes live entertainment by “No Time Flat”. Reservations are required so call 604-860-0822.
December 31st – New Year’s Eve celebration at Sunshine Valley RV Resort & Cabins (14850 Alpine Blvd at Sunshine Valley, east of Hope on Hwy #3) The party starts at 8PM with finger foods, music & dancing. At 9PM there will be a fireworks display, followed by a balloon drop and champagne at midnight. Tickets are $25 per person. To RSVP or book and RV site or cabin call 604-869-0066.
December 31st - New Years Eve Party at Hope Station House - 111 Old Hope Princeton Way. $35/couple & $17.50 single. Band:Lawrence Pelletier 8:00 PM – 1 AM. Dinner, Dessert Buffet, Midnight snacks. Ballroom Dancing Demo by Johnny et al. Tickets in advance at The Headliner (at the Hope Motor Hotel) or at The Hope Station House Or reserve tickets (“will call” at door) by phone or email: HYPERLINK "mailto:hopestationhouse@gmail.com" hopestationhouse@gmail.com; 604-869-5956 or 604-860-3126. Proceeds to the ongoing Roof Restoration Project. Presented by the Hope Station House Community Arts and Heritage Society.
December 31st – New Year`s Celebration at the Hope Legion Hall (344 Fort St.) featuring live music by Roger Schmidt and his band. Tickets $25 per person – includes entry into draw for a TV. Light snacks and champagne at midnight included. Tickets available at the Legion Lounge or call Al at 604-869-7372.
January 1st, 2012 – New Years Day. If you are looking for a way to clear the NewYears eve fog from your mind, why not join the Polar Plunge into the Fraser River on New Years day. There is an impromptu group of folks that do this each year in Yale. Meet on the Yale waterfront at noon on January 1st and take a dip into the icy waters – no swimming, just a quick dunk in and then out again! A very invigorating way to start 2012!
January 3rd – First day of the 2012 school year for all public schools in Fraser Cascade School District #78.
Nearby Chilliwack also offers a variety of seasonal events over the holiday break. Minter Country Garden at 10015 Young Road is offering Family Fun Days on Saturday, December 17th and Sunday, December 18th with a Candy Cane Scavenger Hunt and visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus. They also offer a fabulous indoor light display from 5 to 8PM through to December 23rd and Indoor Train Rides daily through to December 24th and from December 27th to 31st. They also have Owl Visits planned for December 17th, 18th & 23rd from noon to 4pm where you can interact with a Great Horned Owl and a Barn Owl! Kids Gift Making Sessions take place on December 19th, 20th & 21st from 2 to 3PM where young gardeners will be potting up fragrant narcissus bulbs, decorating a gift bag and creating a pinecone birdfeeder! Ideal for children aged 4-10. Please note there is a $5 cost for materials. Please call 792.6612 to register as space is limited to 18 children. Another program entitled “Mr. Grinch Makes Merry” runs December 20th to 22nd from 6 to 8PM as the Grinch, from the classic Dr. Suess tale, will be stopping by for a few hours in the evening to visit with kids of all ages. And just prior to Christmas Day on December 23rd from 6 to 8PM Santa will visit accompanied by the Sweetwater singers. For more info on these events call 604-792-6612.
The Dickens Animated Christmas Village at Dickens Sweets at 45945 Alexander Avenue in Chilliwack will also be a popular destination for families with young children. Over 100 animated dolls and static displays feature Santa’s workshop, Candy Cane Lane, Santa’s train and a Disney character skating pond. They are open Monday through Saturday from 9:30AM to 4:45PM (closed Dec 25th /26th plus Jan 1st – closing at 3PM on Christmas Eve). Admission is free but you are encouraged to make a donation to the Food Bank or to the Wishing Well for the upkeep of the Christmas Village. Santa will be there in person December 17th plus the 20th through to the 22nd from 1PM to 4PM so bring your own camera for those memorable family photos. For more info contact them at 604-793-1981.
For more event ideas and travel information, contact the Hope Visitor Centre at (604) 869-2021 or drop into our location at 919 Water Avenue. The Visitor Centre is open daily from 10AM to 4PM but will be closed on December 25th, 26th and January 1st.
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Hope and area offers plenty to see and do