There'll be ice skating opportunities at McLaren Arena in Penticton today and tomorrow.
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December 27, 2013 - 9:25 AM
FEW, FUN EVENTS BEFORE THE END OF 2013
PENTICTON - Time to burn off some of Christmas's candy-coated calories with skating and other events this weekend.
Getting outside shouldn't be too hard with only cloudy conditions. Unfortunately rain and wet flurries will arrive in the late afternoon along with a high of 3 Celsius. It will be much drier on Saturday with cloudy conditions and a high of 2 C. Sunday's sky-dressing will also be cloudy with a 30 per cent chance of flurries and a low of -3 C.
It might be cold but this won't mean ice covering Okanagan and Skaha lakes. For that there is the McLaren Arena which is open to the public on Friday from 2 to 3:45 p.m. and 6:30 to 8 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday it will be open from 2 to 4 p.m.
There might not be a lot to do between Christmas and New Year's Eve but the Penticton Public Library is still open, Friday to Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Tickets tend to sell out quickly for New Year's Eve events so don't delay as there'll be plenty to do on 2013's final day. Transportation has been taken care of as B.C. Transit and the City of Penticton are getting into the holiday spirit with free rides on New Year's Eve from 6:50 p.m. until 3 a.m. The night route will see extended hours and a party loop will be added to service the malls, downtown Penticton, both lakes and the Penticton Community Centre.
The Penticton Lakeside Resort will have activities at the Hooded Merganser Bar and Grill with live music from Gord McLaren, champagne and fireworks. Call 250-487-4663 for reservations or visit the website. The resort's Bufflehead Pasta and Tapas Room will have a chef-inspired menu and DJ Billy Retro. Tickets are $50 per person and reservations can be made at 250-493-9768. For more info visit the site.
The resort will also open its grand ballroom for a larger affair with music by Papa Wheely and DJ Tyrone. There'll be a deluxe dinner buffet, champagne, party favours and fireworks. Tickets run at $54 per person and for more information or reservations call 250-493-9772. The resort's Barking Parrot Bar will have no cover charge on Dec. 31. For more info on the Parrot call 250-439-9753 or visit the site.
New Year's Eve at the Vanilla Pod at Poplar Grove Winery will be quite something with its commanding view of the valley. Live music will come from the Steve Jones Band and there'll be a late night snack, bubbly and party favours for the New Year's Eve countdown. Reservation tickets are $25 per person and there is no entertainment charge if tables are reserved for dinner between 5 and 7 p.m. The Pod can be found at 452 Middle Bench Rd. N. For more information check out the winery's site or call for reservations at 250-494-8222.
The Barley Mill at 2460 Skaha Lake Rd. will have Brian Highley providing the music and staff providing the party for New Year's Eve. There'll be a four-course plated dinner at $35 per guest including a dessert buffet and champagne toast. Advance reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 250-493-8000 or emailing kori@barleymillpub.com. More data can be found at the Barley Mill site.
Kick off the New Year with the second annual New Year's Eve Dinner at the Penticton Soccer Club with live music by Fluxx. Doors at the Sportsplex center at 550 Eckhardt Ave. W. open at 6 p.m. and dinner is at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person and pay for dinner, wine on each table, party favours and champagne at midnight. There will be lots of door prizes and an extra raffle with a $1,000 travel voucher for use anywhere. For more information or tickets call Dale at 250-490-6840.
To contact a reporter for this story, to send photos or videos, email Shannon Quesnel at squesnel@infotelnews.ca, call 250-488-3065, send tweets to @shannonquesnel1 or @InfoNewsPentict.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013