Mark your calendars for Family Arts Festival 2026!
On Monday, February 16, Cedar Hill Recreation and Arts Centre will open its doors for the Family Arts Festival. This fun-filled family event is a celebration of imagination, creativity and discovery. Kids of all ages will explore a wide variety of activities led by Arts Centre staff and guest instructors from the region’s arts and culture community, as well as watch and listen to an array of live performances.
When: Monday, February 16, 2026, 11.00 am - 3.00 pm
Where: Cedar Hill Arts and Recreation Centre, 3220 Cedar Hill Road
How much: Admission and all art activities are FREE!
Hot food and snacks will be available for purchase from the Cridge's Second Chance Cafe in the Arts Centre.
The Venue / How to Get Here / Maps
Activities for All Ages
Entertainment and Music
Accessibility
Contact
The Venue / How to Get Here / Maps
The Cedar Hill Arts and Recreation Centre is located at 3220 Cedar Hill Road. Most event activities take place inside the building, and one event activity, the story walk, is outside the building on the trail.
Contruction: Please note that the main entrance of the Arts and Rec Centre is currently under construction! There will be two alternate ways to get into the building.
- If you are facing the main entrance, there is a smaller door to the immediate LEFT of the main entrance. This is the entrance closest to the info table (where you can get your Activity Passport and an event map) and Cafe.
- If you are facing the main entrance, turn to your RIGHT and follow the signs as they lead you around the side of the building. This door is closest to the ceramics studio and dance studio.
There are plenty of ways to get here! Please consider using alternate transportation, such as biking or busing as the parking lots will be very full.
Bike Parking: The Centre has covered bike parking near the main entrance.
BC Transit: The closest bus stops to the event are stop numbers 100557 (southbound) and 100563 (northbound) on Cedar Hill Rd, serviced by Route 24. Nearby stops include 100548 (westbound) and 100541 (eastbound) on Finlayson, which are serviced by Route 8. Click the BC Transit link to find specific routing from your destination point.
Vehicle Parking: Parking will be very tight and historically the lots at Cedar Hill fill up quickly. Please be patient if you choose to drive to the event. The main parking lot is found at 3220 Cedar Hill Road, at the Recreaton Centre. An overflow lot can be accessed off of Finlayson, and there is additionally another overflow lot at Doncaster School (1525 Rowan St), just a short 1 km walk away.
Event map: In production - check back later!
Building entrance map: In production - check back later!
Parking map: In production - check back later!
Activities for All Ages
Throughout the building there will be lots of fun, free activities happening. Make sure to get an activity passport and an event map when you enter the building. Check out the activity listings below and where they can be found.
Mosaic of Personalities (in Art 1)
Draw on a pre-painted face and contribute to a collaborative wall bursting with creativity!
Spring Pop Ups (in Art 1)
Create a charming self-standing paper artwork — choose a bunny, chick, flower, or design your own — to welcome the arrival of spring.
The Atlas of Imaginary Places (in Art 2)
Imgine, write and draw your own story world with Story Studio! Use your five senses to create a fun and immersive setting for a story - whether it's a forest of tomatoes, a sky ship, or a city from the future. Led by Story Studio.
Piece Makers (in Art 2)
Explore colour and pattern as you create a mini quilt - no stitching needed. New this year is the option to add a stick-on cork piece to make a coaster! Led by the Victoria Quilters Guild.
Nature Scavenger Hunt and Journaling (in the Gallery)
Explore the art, sketch your favourite details, and finish your journal page with wax-resist and watercolour.
Victoria Symphony's Instrument Petting Zoo (in the Activity Room)
Toot a trumpet! Visit a violin! Cuddle a cello! Victoria Symphony's Instrument Petting Zoo offers children and adults of all ages the chance to try out real musical instruments in a relaxed, fun environment. Led by Victoria Symphony, and sponsored by Long & McQuade.
Hands On Activities with First Robotics (in the Multipurpose Room)
Watch and play with LEGO robots, and try making your own with the Demo FIRST LEGO League (K - gr. 8) and the Demo FIRST Tech Challenge (gr. 7 - 12). This hands-on activity showcases building, mechanics, teamwork and more. Note that robots and LEGO materials cannot be taken home. Led by First Robotics.
Self-Guided Story Walk (outside)
Take a walk, read a story & enjoy the outdoors! This self-directed StoryWalk® invites you to wander the path as you follow Awasis and the World-Famous Bannock, a charming story celebrating curiosity, culture, and the joy of sharing food and stories. Supported by the Greater Victoria Public Library.
Weaving Wall (in the Café)
Contribute to a large wall weaving wall. This self-directed activity is a great way to play with patterns, fabrics, and community creativity.
Clay Handbuilding (in the Ceramics Studio)
Build clay figurines by hand and add them to an imaginative community forest display. At the end of the event, photos will be taken of the display and posted here for everyone to see. Maybe squirrels and elk will roam through trees, perhaps there will be robots playing with unicorns, or turtles eating toast by a river. Check out the images of last year's creature creations!
Clay must remain in the Ceramics Studio and cannot be taken home. Thank you for your understanding.
Activity Passport Details
When you first arrive to the event, head to the Info Booth near the main entrance and the cafe to pick up your activity passport. Take this around to each activity booth that you try and get a stamp from the facilitator. When you've finished, bring it back to the Info Booth where you can enter to win one of two 10x Recreation Drop in Passes! So long as you have at least one stamp on your passport, you are eligible to win. One passport per person, and there is no purchase necessary to participate in the draw.
Entertainment and Music
In the gym, we have an amazing line up of live music and entertainment for all ages! Stay tuned for details on which performers, entertainers and musicians will be featured.
Accessibility
Getting here: Please see the notes in the venue / how to get here section for information on parking, buses, and bikes, and check out the maps in the 'how to get here' section for information on drop off zones. The main parking lot has several accessible parking spaces near the main entrance.
Surface conditions and grade: The majority of this event takes place inside Cedar Hill Arts and Recreation Centre. The surface is hard, flat, and level. The Story Walk outside the building is on a packed gravel pathway that is relatively flat.
Wheelchair access: All art rooms and activity rooms are wheelchair accessible.
Washrooms: There are accessible washrooms inside the building. One washroom is located near the gymnasium and the other near the dance studio.
Sensory Impacts / Noise: This event will have live, amplified music throughout the day in the gym, with 30 minute intervals of no noise while we reset the performance area in between acts. For the most part, this noise is contained to the gymnasium area. In the rest of the event space is expected to be a high sensory zone, due to increased noise levels, crowding, flourescent lights, and many different hands-on activities happening concurrently. For example, there are multiple activities happening in both Art 1 and Art 2. The Story Walk would be a good lower sensory activity as it is outdoors with natural light, more space and lower volume.
Food and beverage: Food will be available at the Second Chance Cafe near the main entrance of the facility. Staff are verifying whether vegetarian/vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options will be available.
Weather: This event is primarily indoors, and will run rain or shine.
Dogs / Service Animals: Service animals are welcome inside the building! Pets must be left at home, please.
Contact
If you have questions about this event, please email events@saanich.ca or call 250.475.5558
(Photo from the 2024 event of children doing stamp art)