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- Wednesday - November 19 - The brewery that feels like home
Wednesday - November 19 - The brewery that feels like home
Plus, an updated holiday events listings.
William Johnson
November 19, 2025
⛅ High 10 °C
Good morning!
Today’s issue features a big one: our profile of Field House Brewing, marking 10 years of shaping beer, culture, and community in Abbotsford and beyond. It follows last week’s look at the Abbotsford Shotokan Karate Dojo—another local institution celebrating a milestone. We’d love to spotlight more organizations marking anniversaries or big moments, so please keep sending your tips.
And if we haven’t responded to your email yet, thank you for your patience. We’re getting a wave of messages from across the Valley—ideas, suggestions, story recommendations—which we truly appreciate. We’re working through them all.
Lastly, we’ve updated our holiday events list and are still accepting submissions, so if there’s something festive happening in your community, let us know.
– William
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Traffic & Weather
🌤 Local forecast: Langley | Chilliwack | Abbotsford | Hope | Mission
🚘 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google, and find DriveBC’s latest updates.
🛣 Click here for links to road cameras across the Fraser Valley, including those for the Coquihalla, Highway 7, Hope-Princeton, Fraser Canyon, and Highway 1 in Langley and Abbotsford.
News
Field House at 10: How Abbotsford’s little brewery became a big company made of small things
For ten years, Field House Brewing has been one of the Fraser Valley’s most loved gathering places — the kind of spot where you shake off the rain, pull up to the wood-burning fireplace, and instantly feel at home. But behind those cozy scenes, something much bigger has been taking shape.
What started as a flooded garage on Railway Street has grown into a multi-beverage craft collective with national ambitions. Founder Josh Vanderheide walked us through Field House’s decade-long journey, the philosophy that shaped it, and how they plan to stay rooted in Abbotsford even as they expand across Canada.
It’s a story about design, community, risk, and a bold new chapter for a Valley original.
Need to Know
💔 Chibueze Nwokocha, president of Igbo Amaka Kamloops Society, died in a rollover crash on the Coquihalla Highway on November 10, leaving behind his wife and two young children. [CFJC Today]
📖 UBC Dietetics students and Fraser Health solicited recipe submissions from Chilliwack residents by November 23 for a free community ebook celebrating local food stories. [Chilliwack Progress]
🎁 London Drugs' Willowbrook location is hosting its annual Stocking Stuffers for Seniors program from now until December 8, expecting to support over 22,000 seniors across Western Canada. [Langley Advance Times]
🏘️ Indigenous-led housing projects across B.C. received over $29 million in funding, including projects in Chilliwack, Cranbrook, Fort Nelson, Smithers, and Vernon. [Chilliwack Progress]
⚖️ Chanchal Badwal, 49, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on November 14 in the 2023 death of Imtiaz Hussain, with sentencing to be scheduled November 20. [Mission City Record]
♻️ Abbotsford Mission Recycling program scheduled a community open house for November 22 before closing at year's end, with 62 employees losing their jobs. [Mission City Record]
🚨 Chilliwack RCMP are seeking a white pickup truck that struck a 21-year-old woman walking her dog at McSwan and Rexford drives around 6:40 AM on November 14 before fleeing. [CTV News]
🚓 An on-duty Abbotsford police officer suffered minor injuries in a hit-and-run on 264 Street in Langley on November 15, with two occupants fleeing a white GMC Canyon on foot. [CTV News]
🏒 Hope Icebreakers won 6-5 over Lake Cowichan Appollos on November 14, with Dylan Tonks scoring a hat-trick including the winning goal with under two minutes left. [Hope Standard]
🎨 Vancouver-based Native Northwest won a copyright lawsuit against Harrison's Sasquatch Gifts and Souvenirs for selling T-shirts featuring designs nearly identical to Coast Salish artist Dr. Francis Horne Sr.'s work. [Hope Standard]
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In the Valley
Updated weekly:
Your guide to Fraser Valley holiday events
Holiday magic is happening all across the Fraser Valley this season. From tree lighting ceremonies and festive markets to concerts, parades, and family-friendly celebrations, there's no shortage of ways to embrace the spirit of the season. We've just updated this list with even more events—check out the new additions and keep sending us your community happenings to include!
Community journalism needs the entire community for it to succeed.
As part of a membership, you get our special weekend roundup of all the things you might’ve missed each week!
🗓 Things to do
Holiday Market: A festive shopping event on Thursday, November 20 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Hofstede's Country Barn (45796 Luckakuck Way) features 10% off storewide, local vendors, samples, and giveaways.
Warren Miller Ski Movie Night: A screening of Warren Miller's SNO-CIETY on Friday, November 21 at 7:00 PM at Smugglers Trail features world-class athletes skiing from California to Scotland, co-hosted by Coastal Riders with food and craft brews available.
Winter Jubilee: Abbotsford's annual holiday festival on Saturday, November 22 from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM in Downtown features the city's only tree lighting ceremony, vendor market, live performances, cookie decorating, face painting, and pictures with Santa.
That’s it!
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