Gluten-Free Events Calendar
If it’s gluten free and happening in Victoria, Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands, you’ll find it listed here! From tastings to contests, farmer’s markets to food trucks – this is your calendar to Gluten-Free Paradise! Join Victoria’s Gluten-Free Foodies and add a new restaurant – and possibly a new gluten-free friend – to your repertoire!
University & College Students – enjoy 10% off EVERY DAY with provision of student ID card.
- Some restrictions apply. No discount on sale items.
Click Here for Pepper’s Foods ONLINE STORE
Gluten-Free Products ONLINE!
A bustling market just steps away from the University of Victoria and one of the largest playgrounds in Victoria, shop at Pepper’s Foods for a picnic, a barbecue or the gluten-free foods you need to sustain you week in and week out! A long-time supporter of the Canadian Celiac Association’s Annual Picnic, Pepper’s Foods is the very ‘heart’ of Cadboro Bay!
3829 Cadboro Bay Road • 250-477-6513 • info@peppers-foods.com
SEE Pepper’s Foods Gluten-Free Flyer!
Follow Pepper’s Foods
- Facebook • Twitter • Instagram
- Peppers-foods.com/inside-peppers
- Pepper’s Foods Delivery • email delivery@peppers-foods.com • email pickup@peppers-foods.com
- Peppers-foods.com
- Pepper’s Gluten-Free Product List
- Pepper’s Foods’ Complete Flyer
- 10% Senior’s discount Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Pepper’s has received Surfrider Vancouver Island Ocean Friendly Business in 2022 for actively stewarding local beaches and waterways by reducing unnecessary single-use plastic waste and Gold Award as a Vancouver Island Green Business in 2022.
Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers Awards 2022
- Award for Achieving 60 years of Independent Excellence
- 2022 Award of Merit
- Bronze Award in the Small Surface Category for Canada
- Gold for the BC/Yukon Regional Award in the Small Surface Category
The annual awards recognize youth leadership and promote achievements of Vancouver Island family businesses and their contributions to their communities. Pepper’s Food Store, helmed by second-generation owner Cory Davits, was founded in 1962 and has grown to be a full-service grocer.
- “Our goal is to maintain the small community-store feeling while providing all the services of the larger chain store,” said Davits.
What’s New at Pepper’s Foods!
“Any time a local vendor or distributor approaches us with a local product, we’re all ears and open to carrying their product.” Scott Zaichkowsky, Assistant Grocery Manager
Gyro Park & Beach at Cadboro Bay
The legendary home of the “Cadborosaurus” sea serpent, Cadboro Bay is a partially protected bay with the kind of long, sandy beaches that make for sublime summer swimming, strolling and boating. The park has a replica of the Cadborosaurus creature, said to be a relative of the Loch Ness Monster. Caddy, as it is known, usually allows itself to be seen once or twice a year. Cadboro Bay’s beaches are well-equipped for family outings with picnic facilities, public washrooms and a children’s playground. Pack a snack from Pepper’s and enjoy!
Pepper’s Foods Wins Independent Grocer Award! Click for more information
• Tuesday – Departure Bay 12 – 6pm
• Wednesday – Departure Bay 11:30 – 5pm
• Thursday – Springford Farm 11 – 5pm
• Friday – Spectrum School in Victoria 5:30 – 8:30pm
• Saturday, Park Avenue Farm, Nanaimo 10am – 2pm
• Sunday – Holden Lake Farm 11am – 5pm
• Monday – Cowichan Sportsplex 4:30 – 7:30
A taste of New Zealand in the heart of Vancouver Island!
Jamie has switched to ORGANIC fruit, taking her soft serve flavours to a whole new level!
Mix your favourites – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, mixed berries, banana, mango or pineapple – with ice cream or vegan soft serve made with coconut and cashew ‘milk.’ Served in a gluten-free, vegan waffle cone. No added colours, flavours or sugar.
NEW! Pre-order ‘Pints-to-Go’ via https://mizu-real-fruit-ice-cream.square.site!
Payment in advance by e-Transfer, Square or Cash.Book the Mizu Trailer for your special event! Contact Jamie at Mizurealfruiticecream@gmail.com • 1-250-319-5212 • Instagram
Mizu’s Real Fruit Ice Cream trailer is often at Nanaimo’s Departure Bay Beach, but please confirm today’s location via Mizu’s Facebook Page or Instagram Account for daily locations and times!
For years, Jamie Lynn has been obsessed with owning her own ice cream trailer. Lucky for us, she made her dreams – and ours – come true! Catch her before she flies away to chase another dream – obtaining her pilots’s license!
Jamie and her husband Vinny, a heavy-duty mechanic by trade, built the ice cream trailer from scratch, then decorated it with images ofd beautiful berries. You can’t miss it at Departure Bay Beach in Nanaimo or at a host of special events. Look for the line up!
The Soft Serve – You Choose!
- Gluten-free, 100% Canadian, vanilla ice cream soft serve is made with premium ingredients by Island Farms.
- Gluten-free, vegan, vanilla soft serve is made with coconut oil and Nora’s Creamy Cashew Milk.
- Mizu dedicates a scooper, an auger and freezer for vegan, dairy-free soft serve.
- Choose your favourite fruit. Mizu is happy to offer combos or mixes!
- Enjoy your soft serve in a gluten-friendly cone, a gluten cone, or in a bowl!
- NEW! Pints of Mizu are now available for purchase! Enjoy strawberry, strawberry-banana, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry & mixed berry!
Coming soon! Special flavours like Hokey Pokey Toffee in a pint, special orders & pre-ordering.
The Cones!
- ‘Unique Cake (gluten) Waffle Cones’ and ‘Gluten-Friendly Waffle Cones’ are dairy-free, egg-free and ‘vegan-friendly.’
- Made in a facility in Metro Vancouver that has been making waffle cones since 1982.
- Gluten-friendly cones are made with documented to be gluten-free rice flour, arrowroot, soy lecithin, canola oil & cellulose.
- Shared equipment is blown off and thoroughly scrubbed between gluten and gluten-friendly production.
- Packaging is colour-coded to clearly identify gluten & gluten-friendly cones.
The Trailer!
- On the trailer, gluten-friendly cones are stored in a LOCKED dedicated cupboard, separate from gluten cones.
- When you make your dietary needs known upon ordering, staff will wash their hands and put on clean gloves before handling the cone.
- Choose your fruit flavour, mixed with ice cream or vegan soft serve.
Why Mizu!
- Named after Jamie & Vinny’s beloved Belgian Malinois!
- Got a pup? Ask for Mizu’s ‘Pet-Friendly Dog Scoop’ made with a Sugar-Free Cake Cone, scoop of ice cream and a dog treat on top!
- 50% of Mizu’s ‘Pet-Friendly Dog Scoop’ sales are donated to Sooke’s Raincoast Dog Rescue.
What is the New Zealand connection?
- Mizu’s Little Gem Mixer has made New Zealand famous for its soft serve! Components are easy to remove and completely washable. What’s not to love!
Find the ‘VIP’ Food Truck most often at Maffeo Sutton Park, Nanaimo but please, check The Celiac Scene’s Event Page or follow their Facebook & Instagram accounts for any given day’s location.
Food Truck Fridays are Back this Summer at Maffeo Sutton Park!
- Mark your calendars! April 19 • May 17 • June 28 • July 19 • August 23
- Van Isle Poutinerie will be the only 100% gluten-free food truck there!
Click on image to enlarge
Van Isle Poutinerie (VIP) 100% Gluten-Free French Fry Food Truck! Also 100% tree-nut, peanut, seafood & shellfish free! Dairy-free and vegan options, too!
Danielle & Ashley have made our poutine dreams come true! They have committed to providing gluten-free, vegetarian & vegan customers with their right to delicious classic poutines + poutines with a twist! VIP will not compromise on their integrity and quality of what they serve! Full stop!
See Sample Menu or scroll down to view. Dips, sauces, floats & drinks also on offer. Almost anything can be adapted to dairy-free, vegetarian or vegan. Their VIP food truck is tree-nut and peanut-free.
Van Isle Poutinerie loves special events so look for them at Summer by the Sea Street Market in Parksville, Commercial Night Market in Nanaimo & Ladysmith Days down at Transfer Beach Park.
Take advantage of the ‘beeper’ they offer so that you can enjoy the event while they get your order ready. Wherever they are, know that they are there to serve you – safely and deliciously!
Book Van Isle Poutinerie for YOUR private event!
The VEGCHEESE Connection!
Van Isle Poutinerie’s chosen line of gluten-free, vegan cheese melts, bubbles & broils like ‘real’ cheese!
In fact, their cheese has become so popular that VIP is now selling ‘VEGCHEESE’ – on its own – right from their food truck!
Now available at MB Mart (Nanaimo.) Coming to Pomme Natural Market (Coquitlam) Saturday, September 2nd!
- Pre-orders available! Contact vanislepoutinerie@gmail.com to preorder for pick up from the food truck.
- VEGCHEESE sales tables will be coming soon to Farmer’s Markets near you!
- Also available in bulk sizes for retailers or restaurants! Contact vanislepoutinerie@gmail.com
- Follow VEGCHEESE on Instagram & Facebook
VEGCHEESE is made with organic ingredients and manufactured in a dedicated vegan, nut-free, seed-free & gluten-free facility.
Click on image to learn more
Looking for the perfect cheese for your vegan poutine? These dairy free cheese curds melt beautifully yet still hold their curd-like shape in your favourite dish. Please note…they don’t squeak.
Contact vanislepoutinerie@gmail.com to preorder for pick up from the food truck.
Click on image to learn more
Italian Black Truffle 200 gr $14.99
A rich, bold and aromatic cheese made with 100% pure Italian black truffles and 0% mushrooms. Enjoy on a warm baguette or mixed into risotto for a deeply flavourful dish. Semi-soft.
Contact vanislepoutinerie@gmail.com to preorder for pick up from the food truck.
Click on image to learn more
A creamy, herb and garlic cheese. Perfect on a cheese platter, sliced and spread on a bagel or added to your favourite pasta for a rich and savoury sauce. Semi-firm
Contact vanislepoutinerie@gmail.com to preorder for pick up from the food truck
Click on image to learn more
Fresh Mozzarella 200 gr $12.99
A mild, smooth and incredibly versatile cheese. Slice and serve on crackers, in a caprese salad or melted on a pizza. Semi-firm
Contact vanislepoutinerie@gmail.com to preorder for pick up from the food truck
About Danielle!
“I’ve been working in restaurants for almost 20 years now. Food has been a big passion of mine most of my life. As a person who lives with food sensitivities and hearing from diners how hard it is for them to find safe – and tasty – gluten free food, I am became very aware of the challenges that many diners face.”
“My mom took me to a food truck festival in Edmonton when I was a kid and I was so hooked on the idea. I have friends from elementary school who say they remember me talking about having my own truck one day. My husband nurtured that dream and was instrumental in making my it come true.”
“My business partner Ashley jumped on board to get the ball rolling and by early September 2022, we decided to go for it! We purchased a truck just two weeks later and had our launch just a month after that, in what may have been the snowiest December on record!”
“We are over the moon to see how warmly we have been received, not only by people with food sensitivities, vegans and vegetarians, but by the food truck community who often sends their customers our way for the food they need. A big thanks to everyone!”
Click on image to enlarge
University & College Students – enjoy 10% off EVERY DAY with provision of student ID card.
- Some restrictions apply. No discount on sale items.
Click Here for Pepper’s Foods ONLINE STORE
Gluten-Free Products ONLINE!
A bustling market just steps away from the University of Victoria and one of the largest playgrounds in Victoria, shop at Pepper’s Foods for a picnic, a barbecue or the gluten-free foods you need to sustain you week in and week out! A long-time supporter of the Canadian Celiac Association’s Annual Picnic, Pepper’s Foods is the very ‘heart’ of Cadboro Bay!
3829 Cadboro Bay Road • 250-477-6513 • info@peppers-foods.com
SEE Pepper’s Foods Gluten-Free Flyer!
Follow Pepper’s Foods
- Facebook • Twitter • Instagram
- Peppers-foods.com/inside-peppers
- Pepper’s Foods Delivery • email delivery@peppers-foods.com • email pickup@peppers-foods.com
- Peppers-foods.com
- Pepper’s Gluten-Free Product List
- Pepper’s Foods’ Complete Flyer
- 10% Senior’s discount Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Pepper’s has received Surfrider Vancouver Island Ocean Friendly Business in 2022 for actively stewarding local beaches and waterways by reducing unnecessary single-use plastic waste and Gold Award as a Vancouver Island Green Business in 2022.
Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers Awards 2022
- Award for Achieving 60 years of Independent Excellence
- 2022 Award of Merit
- Bronze Award in the Small Surface Category for Canada
- Gold for the BC/Yukon Regional Award in the Small Surface Category
The annual awards recognize youth leadership and promote achievements of Vancouver Island family businesses and their contributions to their communities. Pepper’s Food Store, helmed by second-generation owner Cory Davits, was founded in 1962 and has grown to be a full-service grocer.
- “Our goal is to maintain the small community-store feeling while providing all the services of the larger chain store,” said Davits.
What’s New at Pepper’s Foods!
“Any time a local vendor or distributor approaches us with a local product, we’re all ears and open to carrying their product.” Scott Zaichkowsky, Assistant Grocery Manager
Gyro Park & Beach at Cadboro Bay
The legendary home of the “Cadborosaurus” sea serpent, Cadboro Bay is a partially protected bay with the kind of long, sandy beaches that make for sublime summer swimming, strolling and boating. The park has a replica of the Cadborosaurus creature, said to be a relative of the Loch Ness Monster. Caddy, as it is known, usually allows itself to be seen once or twice a year. Cadboro Bay’s beaches are well-equipped for family outings with picnic facilities, public washrooms and a children’s playground. Pack a snack from Pepper’s and enjoy!
Pepper’s Foods Wins Independent Grocer Award! Click for more information
• Tuesday – Departure Bay 12 – 6pm
• Wednesday – Departure Bay 11:30 – 5pm
• Thursday – Springford Farm 11 – 5pm
• Friday – Spectrum School in Victoria 5:30 – 8:30pm
• Saturday, Park Avenue Farm, Nanaimo 10am – 2pm
• Sunday – Holden Lake Farm 11am – 5pm
• Monday – Cowichan Sportsplex 4:30 – 7:30
A taste of New Zealand in the heart of Vancouver Island!
Jamie has switched to ORGANIC fruit, taking her soft serve flavours to a whole new level!
Mix your favourites – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, mixed berries, banana, mango or pineapple – with ice cream or vegan soft serve made with coconut and cashew ‘milk.’ Served in a gluten-free, vegan waffle cone. No added colours, flavours or sugar.
NEW! Pre-order ‘Pints-to-Go’ via https://mizu-real-fruit-ice-cream.square.site!
Payment in advance by e-Transfer, Square or Cash.Book the Mizu Trailer for your special event! Contact Jamie at Mizurealfruiticecream@gmail.com • 1-250-319-5212 • Instagram
Mizu’s Real Fruit Ice Cream trailer is often at Nanaimo’s Departure Bay Beach, but please confirm today’s location via Mizu’s Facebook Page or Instagram Account for daily locations and times!
For years, Jamie Lynn has been obsessed with owning her own ice cream trailer. Lucky for us, she made her dreams – and ours – come true! Catch her before she flies away to chase another dream – obtaining her pilots’s license!
Jamie and her husband Vinny, a heavy-duty mechanic by trade, built the ice cream trailer from scratch, then decorated it with images ofd beautiful berries. You can’t miss it at Departure Bay Beach in Nanaimo or at a host of special events. Look for the line up!
The Soft Serve – You Choose!
- Gluten-free, 100% Canadian, vanilla ice cream soft serve is made with premium ingredients by Island Farms.
- Gluten-free, vegan, vanilla soft serve is made with coconut oil and Nora’s Creamy Cashew Milk.
- Mizu dedicates a scooper, an auger and freezer for vegan, dairy-free soft serve.
- Choose your favourite fruit. Mizu is happy to offer combos or mixes!
- Enjoy your soft serve in a gluten-friendly cone, a gluten cone, or in a bowl!
- NEW! Pints of Mizu are now available for purchase! Enjoy strawberry, strawberry-banana, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry & mixed berry!
Coming soon! Special flavours like Hokey Pokey Toffee in a pint, special orders & pre-ordering.
The Cones!
- ‘Unique Cake (gluten) Waffle Cones’ and ‘Gluten-Friendly Waffle Cones’ are dairy-free, egg-free and ‘vegan-friendly.’
- Made in a facility in Metro Vancouver that has been making waffle cones since 1982.
- Gluten-friendly cones are made with documented to be gluten-free rice flour, arrowroot, soy lecithin, canola oil & cellulose.
- Shared equipment is blown off and thoroughly scrubbed between gluten and gluten-friendly production.
- Packaging is colour-coded to clearly identify gluten & gluten-friendly cones.
The Trailer!
- On the trailer, gluten-friendly cones are stored in a LOCKED dedicated cupboard, separate from gluten cones.
- When you make your dietary needs known upon ordering, staff will wash their hands and put on clean gloves before handling the cone.
- Choose your fruit flavour, mixed with ice cream or vegan soft serve.
Why Mizu!
- Named after Jamie & Vinny’s beloved Belgian Malinois!
- Got a pup? Ask for Mizu’s ‘Pet-Friendly Dog Scoop’ made with a Sugar-Free Cake Cone, scoop of ice cream and a dog treat on top!
- 50% of Mizu’s ‘Pet-Friendly Dog Scoop’ sales are donated to Sooke’s Raincoast Dog Rescue.
What is the New Zealand connection?
- Mizu’s Little Gem Mixer has made New Zealand famous for its soft serve! Components are easy to remove and completely washable. What’s not to love!
