Festival Site Updates
August 25, 2020
Post Falls, Idaho Feast site
We are pleased to report that we have secured a Feast site in the northwestern U.S. The site is located in Post Falls, Idaho. Please review the flyer/document for a more detailed description.
We are giving those who were registered for Victoria first opportunity to register for the Post Falls, Idaho, site. If you would like to register for Post Falls, Idaho, please email your name and the number of family members in your current registration to registration@cogwa.org by this Friday, Aug. 28.
Please note: We only have room for 70 registrants. If we still have space after Friday, we will open up the site to others over this coming weekend. If you have any questions, please contact Jon Pinelli at jon.pinelli@cogwa.org.
July 30, 2020
Feast changes
Due to the inability of Americans to cross the Canadian border until at least late Aug. (which could likely be extended into Oct.), and the 14-day quarantine for international travelers to the province of British Columbia, the Church feels the need to cancel Victoria as a site for 2020. We need this time to plan for an alternative site in the northwest region of the U.S. Those members from Western Canada will have the option of attending a local satellite site.
We know that many of you may be holding housing reservations that required deposits. We also realize that we are fast approaching the 60-day window that would allow you to cancel those housing reservations and receive a full refund. Therefore we wanted to make you aware of Victoria’s cancellation as a Feast site for 2020. More information about site alternatives for those who were registered for Victoria will be shared with the brethren in the next week or two.
Thank you all for your patience during this challenging time.
July 10, 2020
COVID-19 updates
Greetings Victoria Feast site registered attendees,
We last wrote to you with an update on June 10 concerning the Feast in Victoria. At that time, we spoke of the U.S.-Canadian border lockdown, as well as the British Columbia provincial 14-day quarantine for international travelers. As of July 8, these restrictions still are in place. The current border lockdown is scheduled to expire on July 21. At this time, no indication has been given as to whether that lockdown will expire or be extended. In addition, British Columbia has given no indication as to if and when the 14-day quarantine will be lifted.
British Columbia’s phased-in COVID 19 restart program has started. It currently allows for group meetings of 50 people or less. This current phase of the phase-in plan is scheduled to continue through September. As previously mentioned, if on-site seating is limited in the Mary Winspear Centre at the time of the Feast, our attendees might only be able to attend services once every two or three days. (This may happen with a few of our U.S. sites as well.)
While we had hoped for better news at this point, we are updating you, as promised, with regards to the latest news on the current situation. We continue to closely monitor the situation and will make necessary decisions and communicate with all of you concerning the Victoria Feast site by sometime after July 21, and no later than the first week of August. In the meantime, should you have any questions, feel free to contact the Victoria Feast coordinator, Jon Pinelli, at jon.pinelli@cogwa.org.
Thank you all for your patience during this challenging time.
June 10, 2020
COVID-19 updates
Greetings Victoria Feast site registered attendees,
This has been a challenging year for all of us concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. It has made planning for this year’s Feast of Tabernacles an unparalleled challenge due to dealing with pandemic protocols. In the case of our Feast site in Victoria, British Columbia, they are the protocols of another country—Canada.
As of this writing, the U.S.-Canadian border is on lockdown—open only to essential travel. This border closure is scheduled either to expire or to be extended on June 21. In addition, the province of British Columbia has a mandatory 14-day quarantine in effect for travelers coming across the border into the province. While the Feast is still a little less than four months away, it is still uncertain as to when the border closing will be lifted and if/when British Columbia will lift its 14-day quarantine order.
It should be noted that British Columbia has begun a phased-in “restart” program for the province. That plan started June 1. The plan’s phases for group meetings are highly restrictive. It allows for meetings of up to 50 people from June through September. While it is possible that the province could increase the number allowed for meetings, it is something we do not know at this time. If on-site seating is limited in the Mary Winspear facility at the time of the Feast, our attendees might only be able to attend services once every two or three days. (This may happen with a few of our U.S. sites as well.)
We wanted all of you to be aware of the current circumstances. We are closely monitoring the situation and will make necessary decisions and communicate with all of you concerning the Victoria Feast site by July 8. In the meantime, should you have any questions, feel free to contact the Victoria Feast coordinator, Jon Pinelli, at jon.pinelli@cogwa.org.
Thank you all for your patience during this challenging time.
Site Description
In 2020 the Feast site for the Pacific Northwest will return to Victoria, British Columbia. In previous years, it has proved to be a popular site.
We will be holding our services at the Mary Winspear Centre in nearby Sidney, a short 20-minute drive from downtown Victoria, the provincial capital. The center seats up to 700 people comfortably, and there are a number of housing establishments within four blocks of it.
The climate in Victoria is considered cool Mediterranean. That means that during the Feast you can expect daytime highs in the 60s, with lows in the 40s. There is always a chance of showers in the fall, so bring a rain jacket.
A variety of activities are in abundance in the Victoria area. We will once again have whale-watching tours, which were most enjoyable in previous years. Victoria also has a number of historic sites. Visit world-renowned Butchart Gardens, which has existed for over 100 years and is visited by over a million people annually. Travel to downtown Victoria and enjoy high tea at the Empress Hotel. Rich in history, the buildings in the downtown have a distinct English flair.
Victoria is home to a number of unique shops and boutiques, in addition to plenty of big box stores. Americans coming to Canada will also enjoy a favorable exchange rate. The U.S. dollar is currently worth $1.31 in Canadian dollars.
Victoria also has a variety of food options for all budgets—from elegant steakhouses to casual English pubs to ethnic cuisine.
If you have never been to Victoria, we encourage you to spend this Feast with your brethren north of the border. You won’t be disappointed!
Fragrance-controlled room available: No.
Tax rate for accommodations: 13 percent.
Closest airport: Victoria (YYJ), 2 miles.
Jon Pinelli