Whether you’ve been here a season or you’ve joined the elusive 30-year club, most locals know the anxiety that can come with being a newcomer to Whistler.
But thanks to the Whistler Community Services Society (WCSS), the transition to the resort lifestyle will go a little bit smoother after Welcome Week, with a number of social events and activities planned to get newcomers started on the right foot.
The week kicks off on Monday, Nov. 17 at Fire Hall No. 1 in the village with a $3 pancake breakfast hosted by the Rotary Club of Whistler Millennium. Runs from 10 a.m. to noon. All proceeds support Whistler Welcome events.
This is followed by a complimentary yoga class at 1:30 p.m. at Yama Yoga. The free classes also run at the same time on Nov. 18 and 19.
In the evening, there will be a free Games Night at the Whistler Public Library from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, get set for another thrilling ski season with a screening of Matchstick Productions’ Days of My Youth, a new film examining every skier’s lifelong affinity for the sport. Filmed at some of the sweetest snow spots around the globe, including Pemberton, Revelstoke, Crested Butte, Colo., and more. Doors open at the Rainbow Theatre in the Whistler Conference Centre at 7 p.m.
The following day, the conference centre will host the Whistler Volunteer Fair and Business Expo, giving local businesses and non-profits the chance to showcase their products, services and volunteer opportunities to the resort’s newest residents. Runs from 3 to 5:30 p.m. in the foyer.
The biggest day of Welcome Week continues at 5 p.m. with the Jill Ackhurst Community Welcome Dinner. This is a night where seasonal workers and long-time residents sit down with resort newbies and talk to them about the ins and outs of Whistler life. It’s also one of the best deals you’ll find all year, with some of the resort’s top chefs cooking up a delicious meal for only $5. Tickets are available in advance at the Visitors Information Centre or by emailing davin@mywcss.org.
Work off that meal on Thursday, Nov. 20 at the LUNA Lounge in the basement of Millennium Place from 7 to 10 p.m., where you’ll find free snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, a skate mini-ramp, pool, ping pong and beats by DJ Lon.
The Whistler Public Library is the place to be Friday, Nov. 21, for Bad Taste Bingo from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Welcome Week winds down on Saturday, Nov. 22, with a women’s self-defence workshop presented by the Sea to Sky Women’s Health Network and the library, from 3 to 5 p.m. Call Whistler Women’s Centre at 604-962-8711 to register.
For more information, visit www.mywcss.org/pages/whistler-welcome-week.
