Category Archives: Events

Free Orchestra Day in Nanaimo

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The Vancouver Island Symphony is offering a free special Community Day where the public is invited to come to The Port Theatre on Saturday February 18, 2012.

Come and check out the Vancouver Island Symphony (VIS) to see what happens during a symphony rehearsal and try all the instruments of the orchestra.

Activities include:

11 am – 12 noon: Musical Instrument Zoo – Come try the instruments of the orchestra!
11:45 am – 12:15 pm: NoteworthyKids Music Club Event – meet Conductor Pierre Simard
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Open Symphony Rehearsal Event

Reserve your Free Ticket through the Port Theatre Ticket Centre or call the theatre at 250-754-0177.

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Nanaimo Celebrates Chinese New Year – Year of the Dragon

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You can welcome in the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Dragon on Saturday, January 21, 2012 with two events in Nanaimo.

At the Nanaimo Museum on Commercial Street, the Nanaimo Chinese Cultural Society and the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society are hosting an event  from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. Admission is by donation.

Starting at 1pm the entertainment includes: an opening lion dance, Guzheng, Tail Ji, calligraphy, Chinese traditional drama – peacock flying to south-east, traditional Chinese songs, traditional Chinese dance – TaoYao and the closing lion dance.

While you’re there, have fun trying some calligraphy, paper arts, and playing mahjong.
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As well, the Nanaimo Art Gallery is celebrating both Robbie Burns Day and Chinese New Year with an event called Gung Hei Haggis or Xin Nian Haggis. This event takes place at the Bowen Auditorium in Bowen Park Saturday, January 21st from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

You can enjoy a Chinese/Scottish buffet and watch a bagpiper procession bring in a haggis. Entertainment will include piping and Highland dancing, a lion dance, Peking opera and Chinese folk dancing.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children and are available at the Nanaimo Art Gallery downtown at 150 Commercial St, and at McLean’s Specialty Foods at 426 Fitzwilliam Street in the Old City Quarter or by calling the Nanaimo Chinese Language and Art Centre at 250-729-9948.

Chinese New Year trivia: the Lunar calendar has a cycle of about 29.5 days and they insert an extra month in once every few years, resulting the Chinese New Year to fall on a different date each year. This is the year of the Dragon which is the mightiest of the signs in the Chinese Zodiac. Dragons symbolize such character traits as dominance and ambition.

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Poets wanted in Nanaimo & Poetry Festival on Gabriola Island

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The mid island is turning to poetry!  The City of Nanaimo is looking for a poet laureate to serve a three year term. A minimum of one original poem is to be produced per year. The deadline to apply is January 31, 2012. For more information email Bob Kuhn at The City of Nanaimo,  bob.kunh(at)nanaimo.ca.

On Gabriola Island, they are kicking off 2012 in a big way – with the 8th Annual Poetry Gabriola Festival! This year’s celebration of literature, spoken word, and music runs from  February 16th to 19th 2012, at the Dragon’s Lodge on Gabriola Island.

The four evening mainstage performances feature artists from across Canada, including six British Columbia poets commissioned to create new works.  This year’s commissioned poets are Susan Musgrave, Gregory Scofield, Barbara Adler, C.R. Avery, Jordan Scott and Tim Lander.

As well as four feature evening presentations, 2012 will offer afternoon events, salons, workshops, school shows, cameo performances, and the return of the hit event, “Knock-Knock, Who’s There?”

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CKGI Gabriola Island Radio making waves

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A belated congratulations to CKGI – Gabriola Co-op Radio 98.7 FM for getting a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community FM radio station on Gabriola Island.

It took 11 years from concept to getting permission to proceed, but Gabriola Radio Society (GRS) got the green light from the CRTC to start a community radio station on Gabriola.

If you would like to support Gabriola Radio you can check out their fundraiser event coming up this January 7, 2012. This event called, “You turn me on – I’m a radio” fundraiser will kick off a year in which the Gabriola Radio Society aims to raise $320,000 to establish a tower, studio, and offices on Gabriola Island.

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Call for submissions: Vancouver Island Short Film Festival

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Calling all film artists, the deadline to enter your short film is February 1, 2012.

It is year number 6 for The Vancouver Island Short Film Festival!

This film festival is extra special because it specifically features short filmmakers from   Vancouver Island. The length of film is maximum 12 minutes including credits.

The Vancouver Island Short Film Festival creates opportunities for local filmmakers to screen their films, network with other film professionals and inspire.

For more information visit the Vancouver Island Short Film Festival website.

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Kids Christmas Workshop at the Nanaimo Museum

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Come to the Nanaimo Museum this Saturday, December 10th from 11 am to 4 pm and experience what Christmas was like a hundred years ago.

Whisper your Christmas wishes to Santa who will be going over his list in the lobby.  Then listen to Anne Royle tell some old Christmas tales (11:30 and 12:30). You can make toys to take home, decorate Christmas sugar cookies and have fun eating them! Sing Christmas carols with Arvon Brunt from 1pm to 3pm and create old fashioned felt stockings to hang above your fireplace.

Free admission, please bring a non-perishable item for the food bank. Everyone is welcome!

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