Nanaimo's Port Theatre opened on the waterfront in September 1998 with an 800-seat hall, and it is the largest room in a regional arts scene that otherwise runs mostly out of old buildings volunteers rescued. Arts and culture in Nanaimo and the mid island covers the community stages from Ladysmith to Qualicum Beach, the festivals, the regional libraries and the Nanaimo Art Gallery, which turned 50 in 2026. One of those rescued buildings stands on Rosstown Road: the Nanaimo Theatre Group's own 172-seat studio, which grew out of a miner's shack and is named after supporter Ivy Bailey.
Food and drink follow the land. The Vancouver Island wineries list runs south to north, from the Saanich Peninsula and the Cowichan Valley through the breweries of Nanaimo, Parksville and Qualicum Beach to the Comox Valley, and it names only producers whose own current websites confirm they are operating. Gardeners have a calendar too. The Nanaimo Horticultural Society, which first met on December 10, 1946, sells member-grown plants each spring, between the seed swaps of February and March and the cranberry harvest at Yellow Point in autumn.
The malls in Nanaimo are strung along the Island Highway, from Woodgrove Centre, opened in 1981, down to Harewood and University Village. That guide also explains why opening a liquor store in the city will most likely mean a rezoning, and why every cannabis store needs one.
Casinos on Vancouver Island lists the six BCLC venues from Victoria to Campbell River, what each one offers according to its official listing, and where the money goes, including the share of net gaming income a host community typically receives. It does not rank or recommend them.
Two guides deal with the less glamorous side of living here. Yard waste removal around Nanaimo sets out the Church Road and Cedar Road drop-off sites, what the city's Green Cart and the RDN's organics cart take, and which invasive plants must go to the landfill instead. The CODE clinic on Wallace Street offers reduced-cost extractions and fillings, and its guide also covers the other cheap options in the city and when a toothache becomes a reason to go to the emergency department.
All stories in Guides
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Arts and culture guide
Arts and culture in Nanaimo: stages, music, festivals and galleries
Where theatre, music, festivals, galleries and libraries live on mid Vancouver Island, from Ladysmith to Qualicum Beach, with current seasons and dates.
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Community theatre
Bailey Studio Nanaimo: the community theatre on Rosstown Road
The Bailey Studio in Nanaimo grew from a Rosstown Road miner's shack into a 172-seat theatre: its history, a 2011 Barefoot in the Park, and tickets.
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Gaming venue reference
Casinos on Vancouver Island: a guide to the gaming venues and rules
Six BCLC gaming venues operate on Vancouver Island, from Victoria to Campbell River. What each one offers, who regulates them and where the money goes.
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Community dental clinic
CODE clinic Nanaimo: low-cost dental care on Wallace Street and the ER
The CODE clinic on Wallace Street offers reduced-cost extractions and restorative care. Who pays, other cheap options, and when to go to the ER.
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Shopping guide
Malls in Nanaimo: shopping centres, plazas, liquor stores and cannabis
Malls in Nanaimo from Woodgrove Centre to Brooks Landing, how the city zones liquor and cannabis stores, and which bus routes reach each shopping area.
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Garden club and local food
Nanaimo Horticultural Society: the plant sale, seed swaps and markets
The Nanaimo Horticultural Society sells member-grown plants each spring. Where its sale, the seed swaps, local markets and food programs fit in the year.
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Producer guide
Vancouver Island wineries list: wine, cider and beer, area by area
Vancouver Island wineries, cideries and craft breweries grouped by area, from Saanich and Cowichan to Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach and the Comox Valley.
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Waste drop-off guide
Yard waste removal in Nanaimo: Church Road, the carts and the fees
Where yard waste goes around Nanaimo: tipping fees at Church Road and Cedar Road, what the green carts take, and which plants must go to the landfill.
Questions
What is the legal age for casinos and drinking in BC?
It is 19 for both. The provincial government bars anyone under 19 from entering gambling venues and from any form of gambling, lottery tickets and charitable events included. The drinking age has been 19 since April 15, 1970, set by the Age of Majority Act and carried into the Liquor Control and Licensing Act's definition of a minor.
Where does casino money go in British Columbia?
All island casinos run on one model: the provincial Crown corporation BCLC conducts and manages the gambling, a private company runs the building, and the host community takes a share. Under the province's host financial assistance agreements, each municipality, regional district or First Nation hosting a casino typically receives 10 per cent of the net gaming income it generates. First Nations receive seven per cent of BCLC's net income through a revenue sharing partnership.
Are there wineries in Nanaimo?
Nanaimo's own drinks producers are brewers and distillers, among them White Sails Brewing downtown, Wolf Brewing Company on Old Victoria Road and Longwood Brew Pub & Restaurant. The vineyards lie south, on the Saanich Peninsula and in the Cowichan Valley, and north in the Comox Valley, where 40 Knots Winery farms 24 acres of vines.
How much does it cost to drop off yard waste near Nanaimo?
Under the RDN rates in effect from April 1, 2026, a load of yard waste up to 100 kilograms costs an $8 flat fee at the Church Road Transfer Station or the Regional Landfill on Cedar Road. Heavier loads are charged at $60 a tonne. The RDN lists both sites as open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, as of October 2026.
Where can I get low-cost dental care in Nanaimo?
The CODE clinic on Wallace Street, short for Community Outreach Dental Endeavour, is a non-profit run by Connective Support Society. Its work is mainly extractions and restorative procedures such as fillings, at reduced cost, for people who need immediate relief from untreated dental conditions.
Why does opening a liquor store in Nanaimo usually need a rezoning?
British Columbia's liquor licences are issued by the provincial Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch, but the City of Nanaimo controls land use. Its liquor licence page says every liquor retail store requires site-specific zoning, so opening or moving one will most likely mean a rezoning application, judged against council's criteria for licensee retail stores. A grocery or independent wine store that wants to sell wine, cider or sake may need both a rezoning and a provincial wine store licence.