Food & Entertainment

Salt Spring Arts Announces 6th Annual Summer Outdoor Concert Series

Free Weekly Concerts in Centennial Park | Thursdays, July 17 – August 21 | 6–8 PM Our island's non-profit arts council, Salt Spring Arts, is thrilled to announce the performer lineup for the 2025 Summer Outdoor Concert Series (SOCS), returning to Centennial Park every Thursday evening from July 17 to August 21. The much-anticipated annual series invites residents and visitors alike to gather in the heart of Ganges for six evenings of exceptional live music — all free and open to the public. Each concert runs from 6 to 8pm and features a touring headline act supported by a local opener. With a picturesque harbour backdrop and a welcoming all-ages atmosphere, the series promises another unforgettable season of community celebration and musical discovery. The 2025 SOCS lineup includes an exciting blend of established artists and rising talent, spanning genres from flamenco fusion and traditional West African rhythms to indie pop and alt-folk: July 17 – Melón Jiméne…

Gulf Islands Community Radio Station (finally!) about to Go On-Air

I know from experience how valuable community radio is, so I truly admire the determination and perseverance of those who are nearing the end of a 10-year journey to get a Gulf Islands community radio station on the airwaves. Sometime this summer, at least in Ganges and the North End, you will be able to tune into 107.9 on your FM dial and hear local programming on CHIR-FM (pronounced “cheer!”) emitting from an antenna on Mount Belcher. By next winter, thanks in part to a key grant-in-aid that came in last week from the CRD’s Local Community Commission, a repeat transmitter on Mount Bruce should be in place to reach most people in the South End on 102.1 FM. Altogether, about 20,000 residents on SSI, other Gulf Islands (aside from areas blocked by mountains) and parts of east Vancouver Island will be able to hear CHIR-FM on their radios, according to Damian Inwood, president of the Gulf Islands Community Radio Society. In places the radio waves won’t reach, people can st…

The Fritz Cinema Continues to Reel in Audiences

I was so excited last winter to see my first movie at The Fritz. I had been driving past the cinema and its chalkboard listing of upcoming films for years as a visitor, and it seemed impossibly quaint in an era of multiplexes, IMAX and home streaming. So, a couple weeks after moving to SSI, I went by myself to see “Poor Things.” I wasn’t sure where the entrance was and didn’t realize the concession stand would shut down at showtime, yet that all felt part of the homegrown charm, along with the local ads and photos that ran before the previews of upcoming films. But best of all, was the realization that I could regularly see first-rate, first-run movies on the big screen while living on a small island. I was instantly hooked on The Fritz experience and went back the following week for “The Color Purple” and continue to go whenever I can. I often hear grumbles that Salt Spring isn’t what it used to be, that changing demographics have made the island less quirky and uniqu…

Light and Dark at This Year’s Salt Spring Film Festival

Last year was my first Salt Spring Film Festival, and I was impressed by everything–the stellar quality of the films and the whole vibe of eating delicious food from the Intermission Cafe at group tables in the middle of a Social Justice Bazaar. I had just moved to the island, and it felt very welcoming and reassuring that so many people were into documentary films, one of my passions. I was, however, surprised that almost everyone watching the films seemed older than me, and I’m no spring chicken. I wished the films could be seen by a younger, more diverse audience, and thankfully that is something that programming and marketing coordinator Steve Martindale says the Salt Spring Film Festival Society has been striving to do, including with this year’s slate of 43 films–including two Oscar nominees–for the festival happening February 28 to March 2 at GISS. The festival, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, originated as a showcase for films …

Salt Jar Refillery: Your Gateway to Quality Food and Community Connection

Part of Transition Salt Spring’s Lighter Living Series Do you love great food and connecting with others who share your passion for high-quality ingredients? Look no further than Local Salt, Salt Spring Island’s premier source for plastic-free groceries. Located at The Root and stocked with top-notch products, Local Salt empowers islanders to reduce their environmental impact without sacrificing quality. Here’s how it works: -you can shop in store at the Root, 189 Beddis Road - Friday & Saturday (10:00 - 5:00), Sunday (11:00 - 3:00), Tuesday - during the Localsalt Food Hub pickup (2:00 - 6:00), or Online at www.localsalt.ca where you can order SALT JAR refillery items, Salt Spring’s very first zero waste stop, alongside your weekly local salt favourites. Items for pre-order come in a returnable glass mason jar or wrapped in backyard compostable materials if they don’t fit in a jar (i.e. spaghetti, crackers etc.) Just order what you need, refill your existing containers an…

Salt Spring Island Saturday Market Society become the new managers of the Salt Spring Saturday Market

The Salt Spring Island Saturday Market Society (SSISMS) is happy to announce that the Salt Spring Saturday Market will be managed by SSISMS, effective January 1, 2024. This commences an exciting new chapter where the Saturday Market is a community led initiative, steered by a committed group of community members. The nine-member board of directors consists of Salt Spring residents with strong backgrounds in diverse areas who are keen to support this project. SSISMS looks forward to the opening of the market season and to seeing you at the first market of the year on Easter weekend, Saturday March 30. The market philosophies of 'Make It, Bake It, Grow It’ as well as ‘Vendor Produced and Sold’ will remain the same. The regular market season will also remain the same as previous years - operating through to the end of October and with at least two December markets around the holiday season. SSISMS is seeking a Market Coordinator for the 2024 season. Please look for detail…

ASK Salt Spring with Grow Local leaders, Polly Orr and Nick Jones, and Farmland Trust Director, Jon Cooksey

Eighteen joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome local food production advocates. While Grow Local leaders, Polly Orr and Nick Jones, and Farmland Trust Director, Jon Cooksey, led the conversation, the room was filled with other experts as well, including local growers, long-time local farm advocates, and even a local agronomist from the Ministry of Agriculture. After our Territorial Acknowledgement, reminding us that we were regrowing our relationship with the land when we produce and eat local foods, we began a rich conversation among local food enthusiasts. Throughout our two hours together, we explored the reasons that, despite our rich and abundant land, only 4%-6% of what we eat is grown locally. And, then we discussed practical ways that the local percentage of our daily food could increase, with a goal of at least 30% by 2030. While our conversation explored a number of seemingly overwhelming obstacles as well as practical solutions, many of which are in-…

Salt Spring Island non-profits unite for Climate Action Supper

Last Thursday evening, something heartwarming happened on our island. Local non-profits came together at the Salt Spring Public Library for an evening filled with passionate discussions, shared insights, and a determination to tackle climate change head-on. Hosted by Transition Salt Spring as part of their Climate Action Network initiative, the "Food, Friends & Climate Action Supper" brought us all closer to fostering community resilience in the face of looming climate challenges. The night kicked off with a presentation of Transition Salt Spring's new Climate Action Report Card 2023/24, evaluating how we're faring against the goals outlined in the 2021 Climate Action Plan (CAP). We pondered how well we're doing as a community, selecting some of our climate action priorities for the next two years. As the evening unfolded, we chatted about uniting our island's community and how we can combine our expertise and resources to move closer to a climate-smart Salt Spring. …

COVID-19: Capacity limits lifting as two-dose vaccine requirements begin

On Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, full vaccination for everyone born in 2009 or earlier (12+) and presentation of your BC Vaccine Card will be required to access certain events, services and businesses. On Monday, Oct. 25, more people will be able to come together at organized gatherings and events in parts of the province where vaccination rates are high. The provincial health officer order restricting capacity limits to 50% for inside organized events and gatherings will be revised to allow 100% capacity in those settings where the BC Vaccine Card is in place and proof of vaccination status is checked. In addition, the requirement to remain seated at a table in restaurants and pubs will be lifted. Indoor mask requirements remain in effect for all indoor gatherings and events. These changes apply to: indoor sporting events (e.g. hockey or basketball games) indoor concerts, theatre, movie theatres, dance and symphony events indoor organized events: examples are wedd…

Food Business Refresh Program Helps Salt Spring Island Small Business Adapt

Small B.C. food businesses are accessing customized training, coaching, business planning and implementation support through the Food Business Refresh Program, and the results are being served on Salt Spring Island. Culturalive fermented foods is a small business that ferments locally sourced and mostly organic vegetables and herbs to make sauerkraut and kimchi. The products are sold in stores on Vancouver Island and many of the Gulf Islands. For owner Melanie Furman, COVID-19 presented a series of new challenges that forced her business to adapt. “With the arrival of the pandemic, all of a sudden I was juggling parenting as a single mom, home schooling and running my business,” Furman said. “I lost my employee and had to scale back production, which was challenging because as the pandemic unfolded, interest in my fermented products increased as people looked for more local, immune-boosting foods. I just couldn’t keep up with the demand from store owners.” In partnersh…

Farm Stand Tour and Piping Piper

One of the many charms of Salt Spring Island is our network of local farm stands. Most are trust based stands openly offering their goods to visitors and locals alike. In a 'normal' year, these farm stands dot the island and are an experience that many visitors to the island often recount as part of their stories of time spent here. While many cater to visitors, some are also full-time, year-round farm stands for treats, veggies, meat and eggs that also have many of the staples needed for delicious, local meals. This year, in response to the pandemic, farm stand operators banded together to organize a holiday tour to encourage locals to get out for a fun, pandemic friendly shopping experience. Numerous stand operators took the extra initiative to light up their stands offering even more moments of beauty and charm. Our little family bubble hit the road today to visit some of the stands. We came home filled with treats and handfuls of gifts for friends and family. We also …

Last Seeding, Powdery Mildew, Timely Tasks

This week is the last chance to sow frost hardy lettuce, corn salad and arugula in the garden outdoors. If you have cold frames or are sowing in an unheated greenhouse you can get away with waiting another week or two, but given the generally cool season, I would still sow as soon as possible. With the high daytime temperatures forecast for the next few days, be sure to shade new seedbeds so that seeds and seedlings don’t fry. By now, with gaps opening up in the garden where sweet corn, onions, early potatoes, etc. have been harvested, you should be able to find lots of open spots to sow seeds. You can also sow corn salad and lettuce under tomatoes, peppers, pole beans and other crops that will be finished in October—just pull back mulches and scatter the seeds on the soil. Corn salad simply won’t germinate in warm soil, but when it is a bit cooler you will suddenly see the soil covered with seedlings. Powdery mildew, that whitish dusting seen on leaves of squash and other p…

Leaves, Mulch for Winter

This is my annual note to remind you to collect as many leaves as possible now, both to mulch your garden for winter and to stockpile for mulching next summer. Here are some notes addressing misconceptions and questions that appear every year at this time: What kind of leaves can be used for mulch? All leaves are usable, but black walnut leaves shouldn’t be used on some plants until the leaves have been well composted first (this breaks down a chemical called juglone in the leaves, which suppresses the growth of some plants). One hardy perennial myth is that maple leaves shouldn't be used (luckily, no one told my garden, which has been heavily mulched with Bigleaf Maple leaves for 18 years). Even oak and Arbutus/Madrone are fine, but they do take longer to break down. Mixing oak leaves with other tree leaves works well for a fluffy winter mulch and I reserve Arbutus leaves for pathways where their toughness is an advantage. Should they be shredded? Not for winter mulching…

Watch: GISS Improv Team Featured in CBC Documentary

Here’s a CBC Canadian Improv Games documentary featuring GISS Improv, the 2019 National Champs. CBC Gem is streaming this amazing documentary series on the Canadian Improv Games hosted by Andrew Phung. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

Win Discounted Tickets to 'Time Piece' with Country Grocer

Here's your chance to win a voucher to purchase a $10 ticket to 'Time Piece', a locally produced thematic rock concert with dialogue while also helping to support Dawn and Cindy, two former Country Grocer employees, each going through challenging times. 'Time Piece' is a thematic rock concert featuring a wide variety of music from artists such as Pink Floyd, Sting, Barenaked Ladies, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Cyndi Lauper, Neil Young and more brought to you by the people who produced “Peter on the Brink” - Disclaimer: there will be a fog machine and loud music! Win a voucher that will get you into the show for just $10 for the Friday, September 13th or Saturday, September 14th performances and while you save on money on your ticket, the proceeds of the savings will go to Dawn and Cindy. We have 50 vouchers to give away for each night. Enter soon before they run out! There are two nights and two ways to get discounted tickets. For the Friday, September 13th show: G…

People Profile: Marialyn and Tom Boekbinder from El Loco Taco

Community People Profiles on the Salt Spring Exchange feature local personalities on our island home. These profiles are short interviews that share with us a little about what each of these folks are thinking about as they go about their lives and work on Salt Spring Island. This profile features Marialyn and Tom Boekbinder from El Loco Taco Marialyn and Tom arrived on Salt Spring Island 5 years ago. Tom is a retired Veterinarian ad after some time got bored. Tom loves to cook and feed people and Marialyn loves working with people and serving them. They purchased the El Loco Taco Mexican food shop last November and have been working hard to learn the business, new for both of them. Making improvements in the menu ingredients, such as fresh meats, smoked on premises and other fresh ingredients. With the addition of the full restaurant, licensed, they hope to make this a place for local to come and eat great food, have a drink and socialize. What brought you to Salt Spr…

Pruning, Grow Lights, #!#@#! Spotted Wing Drosophila and Yams

Well, I don’t know if there will be a winter this year or not, but other than windstorms, there hasn’t been much winter in evidence. As I started to write this, it was sunny and unusually warm outdoors and I suddenly remembered that early warm weather makes trees bloom early….I leaped up and shot out the door to start pruning my trees and grapes.

Pruning: So this is a reminder to get started now on pruning, especially if you have a lot to do. Start with the earliest flowering trees, such as cherries and peaches as they are most likely to burst into bloom soon. Be sure to only prune cherries and peaches on a dry day, frequently sterilizing your pruners as you go to avoid spreading bacterial canker, which is all too common on these trees in the coastal climate. To sterilizer tools, wipe your pruners with rubbing alcohol or soak them in 1 part hydrogen peroxide bleach to 9 parts water and rinse well.

Read more about Pruning, Grow Lights, #*!#*@#! Spotted Wing Drosophila and Yams

First Cold Snap

Just a quick note that the first cold weather of the year is forecast for this week, with night time lows by Wednesday and Thursday forecast to drop well below freezing in some parts of the region. That’s the signal to finish mulching everything if you haven’t done so already. Now is the time to add mulch right up over the tops of carrots, beets and other roots to make sure the shoulders of the roots don’t get nipped by frost. I like to have at least 6 inches of leaves on top of carrots, etc. when really cold weather starts. Tip: When you harvest your root crops this winter, stick in a marker of some kind to show where to start digging next time—with all that mulch on top you can’t tell what has been harvested already. It has been so warm this fall that many things have continued to grow, which is all to the good if some of your cabbages or Brussels sprout plants were rather small at the end of the summer. I keep getting inquiries about garlic that has started to grow: bu…

Last sowing, confusing bugs, splitter alert

There is still time to sow hardy winter lettuce and arugula if you do it this week and now is also the perfect time to sow corn salad for winter salads. Pull back mulches and scatter seeds under tomatoes, squash and other plants that will be finished in October. Corn salad seeds may not germinate until the soil cools down, so don’t worry if they don’t come up immediately; it is extremely hardy and one of the few greens that can grow (slowly) during the winter. If you are sowing winter greens in a coldframe, plastic tunnel or unheated greenhouse, you could also sow Chinese cabbage, leaf mustard and other hardy greens now, because the warmer environments provide a little more growing time. If you can buy starts of spinach, lettuce, Chinese cabbage and other leafy greens you can still transplant those into your garden (on Salt Spring, Chorus Frog Farm stand still has these available). Grow them as quickly as possible in nitrogen-rich soil with plenty of water. Even if plants don’t…

Sowing Sprouts, Irrigation and Pest du Jour

Just a quick note this time, but I couldn’t let another day go by without reminding everyone that it is time to sow seeds of Brussels sprouts and any cabbage varieties that need over 120 days to mature (e.g., January King, Danish Ballhead, Red Langedijker). Getting the timing right for these crops seems to be a perennial problem for many due to conflicting information on seed packets and from nurseries. The long season cabbages really do need the whole summer to develop a good-sized head, but no matter what size they are by fall, they still provide a harvest. Timing of Brussels sprouts, on the other hand, is a trickier because if sown too late (after the first week of June), plants usually don’t have enough growing season left to produce sprouts before winter—and if they don’t form sprouts by the end of October, they aren’t likely to have them at all. Of course you can sow Br. sprouts earlier, but by waiting until now to sow them, you largely avoid …

Tomatoes, Corn, Beans, Peas and Pests du Jour

With the warmth last week and the forecast of another sunny week, you can keep right on planting any and all cool weather crops (peas, lettuce, onions, leeks, all of the cabbage/mustard family, leafy greens, Swiss chard, carrots, beets, turnips, potatoes, etc.). It is still too cool at night in most places to rush warmth-loving plants into the ground, including tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, melons, corn and beans. And don’t push sweet basil outdoors too early, either: it can’t handle cool, wet weather. When tomatoes can go outdoors depends on your garden microclimate and how prepared you are to protect them with cloches, floating row covers or coldframes if it turns cool after you plant. Tomatoes are more robust than the other tender plants listed (and some tomato varieties can take cooler weather than others), but that just means they tolerate it, not that they thrive. If it is too cool for growth the leaves often turn purple from temporary nutrient deficiencies cau…