By Brian Lawrence
Creston may be a small town, but it’s far from sleepy - even in the fall & winter there’s always something to do, whether it's catching a hockey game, going out for a night at the ballet or theatre, wandering a market in search of holiday goodies or checking out a music concert. Here’s our list of some the best activities and sources of entertainment in the Creston Valley this fall and winter.
Fun For All Ages
Still love the experience of going to catch a flick in a classic movie theatre with your bag of buttery popcorn? So many single-screen theatres have met their demise in recent decades, but Creston’s Tivoli Theatre is alive and well! Constructed in 1938, the art deco Tivoli was one of two downtown theatres (the former Grand Theatre is now home to Pharmasave down the street). However, with recently upgraded seating, sound and screen the theatre easily competes with big city multiplexes while retaining it's iconic character and charm! Open from Tuesday to Sunday with nightly showings at 7:00 PM this is truly a great way to spend an evening in town.
Alternatively, If bowling is more your idea of a fun outing you’re in luck with Romano's Runaway Lanes, which offers eight lanes of five-pin bowling. It’s fun any time, but the excitement is definitely amped up when you book a Cosmic Bowling Party with a group of friends or family!
For some live sports entertainment be sure to catch a home game for the Creston Valley Thunder Cats, who play in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) from October to May. Joining the fans at the Creston and District Community Complex’s John Bucyk Arena, you can’t help but get swept up in the excitement cheering on the home team with the locals. And If you really feeling like indulging in the "small town hockey experience" buy a raffle ticket for the intermission Puck Toss or the Centre Ice Shot on Goal to win a big prize and support the team!
Arts In The Creston Valley - On the Stage or On the Big Screen
Looking for more of a "night at the opera or ballet" experience? For more than 70 years, the Creston Concert Society has brought professional musical and performing arts acts to town, from jazz trios to ballet to regular appearances by the Symphony of the Kootenays. The society usually hosts a half-dozen concerts at the Kootenay River Theatre each year as part of it's annual concert series. To see the list of their next show or where to book tickets, check out their schedule here.
The Kootenay River Theatre is also the usual venue for Footlighters Theatre Society, an award-winning local theatre troupe that has been putting on regular performances in Creston since 1995. While many productions tend toward lighthearted comedies and melodrama, serious drama, musicals and thrillers are also key factors in the group’s success and are guaranteed to pack the house. For more information on upcoming performances, visit their Facebook page.
While the Tivoli Theatre usually shows the latest Hollywood blockbusters it also screens locally made films as well as hosting the Kootenay Film Society’s annual 7th Siding Festival of Film. The festival is a non competitive weekend long event that shows a number of short independent & experimental films submitted by rural film makers from all over the world. This year's 2022 Festival is scheduled for the weekend of Friday, November 18th to Sunday, November 20th. To see the festival schedule or to book tickets visit the Kootenay Film Society's website or Facebook page.
T'is the Season - Holiday Shopping &
The annual Christmas Craft Fair is one of the major kickoffs to the holiday season. Hosted by the Creston Valley Arts Council at the Creston & District Community Complex, the late November fair is a one-stop shop for handmade or artisan/artist-produced works — everything from books to glass art to woodwork to textiles are on display. It’s pretty easy to do all of your Christmas shopping right there!
After October the popular Creston Valley Farmers’ Market also moves indoors to the Creston and District Community Complex where it runs every Saturday from November to December (and then monthly from January to April). More than just a place to find local veggies, meat, honey and wines, it’s also a great way to find handcrafted pottery, soaps, jewelry and more, especially leading up to Christmas, when artisans practically outnumber farmers!
And of course beyond the markets there are also a fantastic collection of local shops, boutiques & artisan studios to explore to find that perfect gift for friends and family (and even yourself!) For some more holiday shopping inspiration check out our recent blog post on Creston's Quaint Artisan and Boutiques or visit our Shops & Artisans section for a full list of places to places to visit in the area.
Finally, for those looking to get into the holiday spirit the Creston Valley is also home to the annual Santa Claus Parade, which has been thrilling families for decades. The parade is where local organizations and businesses deck out floats in their holiday best and cruise down Canyon Street in Creston followed by Santa Claus with his Reindeer and Sleigh. Many businesses along the parade route also decorate their storefronts and stay open late for the evening, which creates a fun and festive buzz downtown for the evening worth checking out. For more details about this year's Santa Claus Parade be sure to visit our event calendar!
Seasonal Nightlife & Entertainment
Several local pubs and bars also provide entertainment and activities to while away those long fall and winter evenings as well. Wild North Brewing Co. is the hotspot on Wednesdays for it's weekly Pub Trivia, while Jimmy’s Pub and Grill & Frisky Whisky Cocktails and Kitchen each regularly host fantastics concerts, performances, karaoke and more! Occasionally you can also catch live acts adding to the ambience over at the Kokanee Pub, Julio's Lounge or the newly re-opened Casey's Community House . Needless to say, between all these venues there is almost always something happening any given night of the week for you to choose from.
Keep Exploring
These are just touch on some of the activities and entertainment you can expect in the Creston Valley this fall & winter. Want to dig deeper? Check out our Arts & Heritage and Entertainment section, visit the Events calendar to see what's coming up or visit our Get Inspired blogs for many more ideas!
Freelance writer Brian Lawrence is a former editor and publisher of the Creston Valley Advance. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and trail running, and acting in and directing productions with Creston's Footlighters Theatre Society.
