Welcome the new year at a traditional levee, or take advantage of a free swim or skate.

At Government House, B.C. Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon hosts the annual New Year’s Day levee with music and refreshments.

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The word levee is derived from “lever” — “to rise” in French. The annual event has its origins in the early Canadian practice of paying respects to the government representative and receiving news on the first day of the year.

The first recorded levee in Canada was held in 1646, and the tradition has continued with successive governors general and lieutenant-governors.

Victoria-area residents have a wide range of options for New Year’s Day:

• Guichon will welcome British Columbians to Government House on Monday for the traditional (and well attended) annual New Year’s Day Levee. Visitors can stop by to socialize and enjoy refreshments and live music.

Guests are encouraged to arrive early to avoid a long lineup to meet Guichon. The levee is free to attend, but food contributions or donations to support local food banks are encouraged and accepted at the door.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to noon at Government House, 1401 Rockland Ave.

• The public is invited to HMCS Malahat, which hosts a levee on behalf of local ships and naval shore establishments.

Despite its name, HMCS Malahat is not a ship, but a naval reserve training recruitment centre in James Bay — and one of the largest reserve divisions in the Royal Canadian Navy.

Visitors can enjoy light fare and meet some of the nearly 130 naval reservists from Greater Victoria. The event runs from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday at 20 Huron St.

• Meet the mayor and members of the City of Victoria council at city hall, but pack your swim gear, as the city’s Crystal Pool and Fitness Centre throws open its doors for a free swim.

The event at Victoria City Hall runs from 10 a.m. to noon, and will be catered by chef David Roger with Songhees Seafood and Steam. Metapop Ensemble will perform pop/rock music.

The free swim is set for 1 to 4 p.m. at 2275 Quadra St. In previous years, more than 500 people have dived into this event.

• Esquimalt has hosted a formal levee since 1947, with an opportunity to meet the mayor and council from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the atrium of the Esquimalt Recreation Centre, 527 Fraser St.

Families can also choose to swim or skate, with free skating offered at the Archie Browning Sports Centre from 1 to 2:50 p.m., and free swimming at the Esquimalt Recreation Centre between 1 and 3 p.m.

• The public is invited to join Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen and members of the council at a community walk, followed by an informal meet and greet. The walk starts at 12:30 p.m. from the lobby of the Oak Bay Recreation Centre, with coffee and tea served between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. in the upstairs lounge of the recreation centre, 1975 Bee St.

Residents can take in free activities after, including Jazzercise, a fitness-studio orientation, lengths in the pool, a children’s swim or 15-minute free tennis lessons.

The activities are free, but donations for KidSport are gratefully accepted.

• In Saanich, visitors can enjoy a free swim at Commonwealth Pool between 10 a.m. and noon or free skating at Pearkes Recreation Centre between 1 and 3 p.m.

• Sidney Mayor Steve Price and Sidney council will host a tea, with finger sandwiches, cake, tea, coffee and juice. Music will be provided by the Craig Henderson Trio.

The event costs $10 for adults and $5 for children under 10. The event starts at 2 p.m. at the Mary Winspear Centre, 2243 Beacon Ave., Sidney.

Give 2018 an icy, wet welcome at a polar bear swim

Enjoy an invigorating start to the new year by joining other hardy Victorians in one of two polar bear swims on Monday.

• The Peninsula Celebrations Society is inviting daring individuals throughout the region to join the fun for a mad dash and short swim at noon on Monday in Sidney. Meet at the beach access at Lochside Drive, just down from Tulista Park. The event is by donation.

• Take a dip and help out Greater Victoria Scouts at a Polar Bear Swim at Young Lake in Sooke. The swim starts at 2 p.m. at Camp Barnard, 3202 Young Lake Rd.

Funds raised from the event will go toward repairs, maintenance and ongoing development at Camp Barnard. Scouts who brave the chilly water will also receive a badge for their campfire blanket. Participants can warm up after the dip with a cup of hot chocolate.

If you don’t want to swim, bring a canoe or kayak, sponsor someone to take the plunge or sponsor someone not to swim

Get a pledge form online. For details, go to victoriascouts.ca, campbarnard.ca or call Grace Seabrook at 250-592-5747.

Panorama hosts Sidney First Night celebrations

Join a family-friendly celebration to welcome in the new year — including a fireworks display — at Sidney’s First Night New Year’s Eve Celebration at the Panorama Recreation Centre on Sunday.

This is the 12th year of the event, which boasts an activity-filled evening that includes swimming, skating, face painting, inflatable fun, crafts, virtual reality experience and more.

A variety of food trucks will be onsite.

The family event will be topped off with a fireworks display.

Tickets are $16 for adults and seniors, $12 for children and students, $50 for a family (two adults and up to two children) and free for children five and under.

The event runs 4:45 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Panorama Recreation Centre, 1885 Forest Park Dr., North Saanich. For more information, go to crd.bc.ca/panorama/events.

Take the kids to the Aviation Museum

Let your children’s imagination take off as the B.C. Aviation Museum holds its annual Kids Fest, today and Friday at its location near Victoria International Airport.

Children can take part in hands-on experiences, including crafts, games and face painting.

The museum’s collection of aircraft will also be open for all visitors.

The museum is run by the B.C. Aviation Museum Society, a group dedicated to preserving aircraft and aviation artifacts. They collect, restore and display aircraft and artifacts related to the history of aviation in Canada, with emphasis on British Columbia.

Admission is by donation. The museum will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both days at 1910 Norseman Rd., Sidney. For details, go to bcam.net.

Enjoy old music at Christ Church in honour of the new year

See out 2017 at Old Music for a New Year, two special musical events at Christ Church Cathedral, Sunday and Monday.

On Sunday, Donald Hunt, the cathedral’s director of music, performs Olivier Messiaen’s La Nativité du Seigneur (The Birth of the Saviour) in the interval between morning mass and choral evensong.

The meditative, visionary music with its depictions of nine aspects of the birth of Christ will be performed on the cathedral’s Helmuth Wolff organ. In this performance, each movement will be punctuated by a biblical reading from the nativity story.

The performance, just under an hour, starts at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

On Monday, Christ Church Cathedral presents Old Music for a New Year on New Year’s Day, with Christmas and other music from 17th-century Germany and Austria.

The music will be performed by La Modestine, a new baroque instrumental ensemble composed of Marc Destrubé and Linda Melsted, baroque violinists, Natalie Mackie, viola da gamba, and Michael Jarvis, harpsichord and organ.

They will be joined by four young singers: sopranos Rebecca Genge and Emma Hannan, tenor Adam Dyjach and bass Paul Winkelmans.

Donations for this short concert are welcome and go toward the cathedral’s music programs. The performance runs 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Monday at Christ Church Cathedral, 930 Burdett Ave. For more information, go to christchurchcathedral.bc.ca.