Sidney is embracing the holiday spirit with a series of upcoming festivities designed to enhance the warmth and charm of the tiny town.
The Sidney Business Improvement Area Society (Sidney BIA) is collaborating with its members to bring Yuletide joy to visitors and locals alike with lights, trees, carriage tours, carols and opportunities to meet Santa Claus himself. The theme for this year’s festivities is ‘A Seaside Christmas.’
“Year-round Sidney is beautiful,” says Sidney BIA executive director Morgan Shaw in a news release. “But the holidays seem to highlight Sidney as a truly unique and inviting place to enjoy.”
“The Sidney BIA may spearhead Christmas in Sidney, but it wouldn’t be possible without the creative ideas and commitment of the entire community,” she adds. “We are grateful to everyone for bringing a little holiday magic to Sidney again this year!”
READ ALSO: Sidney Sparkles Christmas Parade lights up Beacon Avenue
Kick off your ‘seaside Christmas’ with the Sidney Merchants’ Open House. The annual event wraps all sorts of holiday excitement into one evening, with shopping, food, carriage rides, photo booths and visits with Santa. This year’s Open House also includes a ‘Winter Wonderland’ experience in Garden Court with the Farmer’s Daughter farmhouse and artisan cheesemaker, a brass band ensemble and a number of Instagram-worthy Christmas-y installations. The Sidney Merchants’ Open House is on Nov. 23 from 4 to 8 p.m.
Enjoy a breakfast with old St Nick’ at the Peninsula Celebration Society’s annual Breakfast with Santa event. Breakfast is served by the Sidney Lion’s club for $7 per adult and $5 for children under 12-years-old. Breakfast with Santa is on Nov. 30 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Kick off December with the Sidney Sparkles Christmas Parade and Sail on Dec. 1 from 5 to 6 p.m. The route starts along Resthaven Drive and turn onto Beacon Avenue before heading right on Second Street and ending at Ocean Avenue. But the festivities don’t end with the parade – once it concludes, head to the Sidney waterfront near Beacon Park to catch the Lighted Boat Parade. For more information visit peninsulacelebrations.ca.
READ ALSO: Sidney Museum kicks it up a notch with Christmas toy exhibit
From Nov. 26 to Jan. 5 visitors can tour the lights and decor on the Mary Winspear Centre’s Christmas trees and vote for their favourite tree. Bring a new unwrapped tour or food item to donate to the Peninsula Santa’s Helpers toy drive or Sidney Lions Food Bank. Visit marywinspear.ca for more information.
The Sidney Museum gets in the holiday spirit too. For the entire month of December the museum will feature a Toys ‘N’ Teddies exhibit, displaying toys from the 1970s to the 1990s, offering a “walk down memory lane” for adults and a “time machine for children” to check out the toys their parents once enjoyed. According to the Sidney BIA, the museum will have Teddy bears playing amongst the museum displays. Visit sidneymuseum.ca for more information.
In Sidney, the weekends leading up to Christmas come with a flurry of seasonal activities. Enjoy the sweet hymns of holiday carollers as they serenade the streets of Sidney every Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. between Nov. 30 and Dec. 22.
READ ALSO: Linden Singers bring sounds of Christmas to Sidney streets
Book a horse and carriage tour for $40 through downtown Sidney streets. Up to six people can enjoy the fuel-free rides through town. Call 250-880-0456 to book a carriage experience.
Don’t forget to tour the lights! Between Nov. 23 and Dec. 23, residents and visitors can grab a cup of warmth and tour downtown Sidney to check out the holiday window displays, then cast their vote for the best display at SidneyBIA.ca. Sidney’s seasonal spirit also rewards local shoppers. Enter to win over $2,500 worth of prizes when you shop at local stores between Nov. 23 and Dec. 23 and fill out in-store ballots. Winners are drawn Dec. 22.
For more information on Sidney’s upcoming holiday events, visit sidneybia.ca.
