Hi friends!
From the community: art at a North Shore gallery, pay what you can. Then the best part: you get there by boat.
It's going to rain all weekend, so every pick below has a roof.
The Weather: 🌧️ Rain, all three days. Friday is wet and windy, with a high of 13°C. Saturday brings periods of rain and a high of 11°C, then wind after dark. Pack a dry layer for movie night. Sunday is rain and wind, with a high of 12°C. Hoods beat umbrellas this weekend, and spare socks in the bag save the day.
Friday, 4–8 PM: 🎨 Free First Friday at the Art Gallery. Details are in Tuesday's issue.
Saturday or Sunday: ⛴️ Art at The Polygon, with a SeaBus ride
Saturday, 10 AM or 1 PM: 🎄 Free holiday crafts at Michaels on Broadway
Saturday, 6 PM: 🍿 Toy Story 5 for $2 at UBC
Sunday, 12–3 PM: 🧶 Yarn art at Kids Market
🏆 Option 1: The Main Event
The Gist: Kids First runs the first Saturday and Sunday of every month at The Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver. Children make an art project inspired by what's on the walls.
Why It Wins: Your kitchen table stays clean, and you pay what you can. It's billed for ages 5 to 12. The reader who sent it in has brought their children since age 3. Odds are the 12-minute boat ride is what they talk about on Monday. ⛴️
📍 Where: The Polygon Gallery, 101 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver. About 45 minutes from King Edward by transit.
⏰ When: Saturday and Sunday, 10 AM–3 PM. Walk-ins welcome all day.
👶 Ages: Any age. The projects are geared to 5 to 12. An adult stays; it's not a drop-off.
🚽 Potty: Easy. Accessible washrooms on the ground floor, and baby changing on both floors.
💸 Cost: Suggested donation $10 a child or $20 a family. Transit is free for 12 and under, and $2.85 per adult each way on Compass.
The Move: RSVP for 10:15. Catch the Canada Line at King Edward by 9:20, then the 9:46 SeaBus. The gallery is a 10-minute walk east of the SeaBus, so hoods up. Backpacks go in the free lockers. Lunch at Lonsdale Quay Market on the way back, and take the boat home by 1, before the tired hour.
🪶 Option 2: The "Low Drag" Play
The Gist: Michaels runs two free holiday craft sessions on Saturday, with projects designed by Hallmark. In the morning, a 3D paper ornament with a glitter edge. In the afternoon, a holiday card made with masking tape and scraped paint.
Why It Wins: It's free, and it's one stop up the Canada Line from King Edward. Each session runs two hours, a real chunk of a wet Saturday. The glitter stays at Michaels. You leave with a December decoration and a card that's ready to mail.
📍 Where: Michaels, 665 W Broadway, a short walk west of Broadway–City Hall Station
👶 Ages: Listed for 6 and up. Beginner level.
🚽 Potty: Micheals has customer’s washroom.
💸 Cost: Free. The holiday aisle on the way out is another matter.
The Move: There's no sign-up on the event page, so treat it as first come. Get there right at 10, or call the store first at (604) 638-2523. Doing both? Fill the noon gap with lunch on Broadway, then come back for cards at 1.
🎪 Option 3: The Wildcard
The Gist: The Old Barn Community Centre at UBC is screening Toy Story 5 on Saturday night. It's $2 a person. Chairs are provided, and blankets and pillows are welcome.
Why It Wins: Two dollars for this summer's Pixar movie, with popcorn on sale. Bring the blankets and pillows and get cozy. The movie runs 102 minutes, so it's over before 8. That's close to bedtime, not past it.
📍 Where: Old Barn Community Centre, 6308 Thunderbird Blvd, on the UBC campus. About 20 minutes' drive from King Edward.
⏰ When: Saturday. Doors at 5:30 PM, movie at 6.
👶 Ages: All ages. Rated G in Canada. An adult has to stay. At 102 minutes, it's a long sit for under-4s.
🚽 Potty: Easy. It's a community centre.
💸 Cost: $2 a person. Popcorn, snacks and drinks are extra, cash or card.
The Move: Arrive at 5:30 when the doors open and claim your spot. Saturday night is windy and wet, so carry the pillows in a big bag. Feed everyone early, or let popcorn be dinner. It's Saturday.
🧶 Also Worth Knowing: Yarn Art at Kids Market
On Sunday from 12 to 3 PM, Kids Market on Granville Island runs a free make-and-take. Children wrap and weave colourful yarn around a paper plate, then take it home. It's free while supplies last, so earlier is better. A good pick for anyone too young for Michaels.
📍 Where: Kids Market, 1496 Cartwright St, Granville Island
🚽 Potty: Easy. There's an elevator and an accessible washroom.
💸 Cost: Free. Granville Island parking is not.
Got a friend whose little one points at every boat, bus and train? Forward this to them. Their Saturday morning is sorted.
We’ve got this!
Saba Yazdani
The Cambie Memo
