Langley residents still have options to enjoy this year’s Family Day, more two years into the pandemic.
Celebrated every year on the third Monday of February, the statutory holiday offers an opportunity to reflect on the importance of spending quality time with the family.
Get crafty with Canadian Museum of Flight’s goody bag
The local flight museum is hosting a two-day Family Day event starting Sunday, Feb. 20. Along with free admission, the museum is offering take-home goody bags for kids and an opportunity for families to participate in a scavenger hunt. The facility would also have photo booths.
Families can enjoy all of the usual displays, and kids get a chance to hop in one of their vintage aircraft.
“We want to inspire young people towards future engineering design and invite them to explore B.C. aviation,” said Bruce Friesen, president of the Canadian Museum of Flight.
The museum has a large facility offering families a chance to enjoy while maintaining social distancing. To book a time slot, people can call 604-532-0035.
Friesen said that advance bookings help his team smooth out the flow of people. Wearing masks will be mandatory inside buildings.
He added that the gift shop at the museum would be stocked up for kids to browse and find their toys.
Family Day activities at the museum of flight will be over two days. On Sunday, Feb. 20, the facility will run from noon to 5 p.m. On Monday, Feb. 21, the facility will open at 10 a.m. and close at 4 p.m.
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Become a detective with Langley libraries
Though local libraries will be closed on Family Day, families can still spend their day out hunting clues Langley Literacy Network’s scavenger hunt.
Parents can download the one-page scavenger hunt guide from the literacy network’s website and hand in the filled sheets the next day. The first 500 children to complete their sheets will win a free book.
“Family Day provides an opportunity to connect. To help build on strengthening relationships, learning, sharing and spending time together,” said Donna Gibson, outreach coordinator.
READ MORE: Langley organization invites family to boost literacy with scavenger hunt
Families can hand over the sheets to any of the Langley libraries.
The scavenger hunt includes simple and engaging tasks like visiting a local park or learning to say ‘hello’ in one of B.C.’s Indigenous languages.
More information on the hunt is available at langleyliteracynetwork.com.
A quarter of a gymnasium all to yourself
Langley City will allow residents to book a portion of the gymnasium for families to run, jump, and play. People can book a free 60-minute time slot for Saturday, Feb. 19 for the gym in the Timms Community Centre.
A maximum of six participants per booking will be allowed. Non-competitive and low-intensity sports activities would be offered like basketball, soccer, badminton, pickleball, and parent and tot, Christine Daum, the recreational supervisor, said.
Families will be required to provide proof of full vaccination, and wearing masks will be mandatory when not actively participating in sport.
Time slots are available between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. with 15 minutes between each booking.
“Langley City Recreation, Culture & Community Services would like to wish everyone a fun and active Family Day. Whether it’s a walk around the Brydon Duck Pond, a bike ride through Penzer Park or shooting hoops at Timms Community Centre, we challenge everyone to get out of the house and try something new,” Daum added.
For more information, people can email the City at events@langleycity.ca or call 604-514-2940.
Become a farmer for a day
Fort Gallery’s farm museum has activities planned for the upcoming Family Day on Monday, Feb. 21. People can help make ropes, pose with tractors, watch demonstrations by local farmers, and participate in a scavenger hunt. The museum will staff will also offer facility tours to those interested.
Horse carriages will be decorated for people to take photos with, and children will be offered balloons.
The museum also has a sawmill and a blacksmith shop, which won’t be operational but decorated for display. The day after Family Day is B.C. Agriculture day. Hence the museum staff is loaded with excitement and lots of learnings to share.
Grace Muller, past president of the local museum, wants people to join in great numbers and reminded everyone of the “strict” COVID protocols the museum follows.
“We just love to see people come,” she added.
B.C. Farm Museum is located at 9131 King St., Fort Langley. More information is available at their website bcfma.com.
Be greenspired at Langley Centennial Museum
Right next door to farm museum is the Centennial Museum, that is bringing an exhibition, called Sharing Sustainable Approaches and Practices. The exhibition will showcase creative pieces made through recycling of items. The organizers want to inspire residents to reduce, reuse, and repurpose household and workplace items.
“We had an amazing response from sustainably-minded community members,” said Lindsay Foreman, curator of Indigenous arts and culture and exhibition lead. Foreman added that 126 pieces from contributors “living across the lands known today as B.C.” were reviewed by the adjudication committee.
The pieces selected for the green art exhibition have been arranged by their primary material to raise awareness about the different types of consumer waste, shared Foreman.
On stage
Performing arts enthusiasts can head to Langley Little Theatre on Sunday, Feb. 20, to enjoy the latest drama, The Best Brothers. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25. For more information, people can call the theatre at 604-534-7469 or go to langleylittletheatre.org.
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