Tourism Nanaimo

"It's Amazing What You can Do Here..."

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Renowned Artists Create Island Magic

Colourful Tibetan prayer flags wave us under a wrought iron arch overgrown with scented honeysuckle and ahead a high yellow shrine pays ritual tribute to an international mélange of cultures. The blue plastic head of a hippopotamus peaks from beneath a nearby pond of lily pads, the fish net on hand meant for kids to catch and release the pond’s resident frogs.
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Festivals

Nanaimo’s fun festivals attract visitors year-round

Back in 1967 Nanaimo’s swashbuckling Mayor Frank Ney donned a pirate’s costume and with a wave of his sword launched the world’s first bathtub race in the city’s Departure Bay harbour. About 200 tubbers entered the zany competition and 47 of them, who weren’t swamped in the choppy swells of confusion caused by almost 800 observation and escort boats, finished the 36-mile course across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver’s Fisherman’s Cove. More than 40 years later, the International World Championship Bathtub Race continues to put Nanaimo on the world’s recreational map.

Now part of a larger Nanaimo Marine Festival, the bathtub race is the highlight event of a full weekend of all-ages fun that includes free musical entertainment, a children’s program, a pet parade, food fair, Bavarian garden, and water sport competitions in Nanaimo’s harbour. Set your sail for the Nanaimo Marine Festival this year from July 25 to 27, 2008.

Nanaimo’s lively francophone community shares French-Canadian culture and kinship with three days of celebrations at the Maple Sugar Festival du Sucre d’Érable. This year’s Maple Sugar Festival recreates the experiences of a traditional Quebecois village and sugar shack at Nanaimo’s Beban Park from February 22 to 24, 2008. Experience the festival’s signature pure maple toffee on snow, carriage rides, community kiosks and the best of East Coast fiddlin’ music as part of a non-stop entertainment line-up.

In the fall, Nanaimo caters to urban sophisticates and Island day-trippers with its annual Shopping Festival running from October 1 through December’s prime Christmas shopping season. Local merchants in the city’s Art District, Old City Quarter, waterfront district, and at the many excellent North city malls pitch in with discounts and specials. Local hotels and B&Bs get into the act with rooms packages that make Island shopping the perfect excuse for a girls’ getaway weekend, complete with a visit to a day spa, dinner and wind-up martinis and music downtown at Katz Martini Lounge.

For Nanaimo’s complete calendar of festivals, concerts, events and special holiday celebrations, go to www.tourismnanaimo.com/calendar

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