Photo: Jaymes Veitch

The 7th annual Harvey Sayles Fishing Derby will be held on Family Day.

Although Family Day isn't a national holiday, it's a time for loved ones to become closer to one another. Originally implemented to fall between New Year’s Day and Good Friday, the celebration was created to provide workers and families another day off.

Celebrated on the third or second Monday of February every year, the day got its start in Alberta in 1990 and was established in B.C. in 2013.

The day is celebrated by New Brunswick, Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia, with other provinces also recognizing the day as a statutory holiday but for alternative celebrations.

Manitoba celebrates Louis Riel Day, Nova Scotia and Yukon celebrate Heritage Day, and Prince Edward Island celebrates Islander Day. Despite the remaining provinces not celebrating the day, it is typically acknowledged throughout the country.

So, if you’ve got the day off here are a few Family Day events happening throughout the West Kootenay that you can attend with your family and friends.

Kootenay Family Day events:

Nelson

There will be a free swim from 1 - 5 p.m. and a free skate event from 2 - 3:15 p.m. and 3:30 - 4:45 p.m. at the Nelson and District Community Complex.

Castlegar

The Castlegar and District Community Complex will also host a free swim from 1 - 5 p.m. and a free skate from 2 - 3:15 p.m. and another from 3:30 - 4:45 p.m.

Kaslo

Kaslo's Winter in the Forest event is back and will be held at the Kaslo airport. The free Family Day event will include soups, hot dogs, drinks, sledding, ski rentals, forest hikes, snow carving and a snow mound for kids.

Trail

The Royal Theatre in Trail will be screening, Paddington in Peru: Lost in the Jungle, from Feb.14 to Feb 20 beginning at 7 p.m. each night

Creston

The seventh annual Harvey Sayles Fishing Derby will be held on Mawson Lake from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets are $30 and no fishing licenses are required to participate.The tournament is catch-and-release and the winner with the longest fish will win a $1,000 prize.

The event grounds will have hot chocolate, hamburgers, chilli and other varieties of food and drinks supplied by the Creston Lions Club.

The Creston and District Community Complex will also be offering a free family swim from 1 - 5 p.m., and a free skate from 1 - 3 p.m. and 3:15 - 5 p.m.