UPCOMING EVENTS

Explore Nanaimo's event offerings.

Our bustling harbor city offers a vibrant array of events downtown, catering to a diverse range of ages and interests. To ensure you and your family don’t miss out, remember to regularly visit our calendar for the latest updates on upcoming events.

Featured Event

Winterfest 2024

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EXPLORE THE DIRECTORY

downtown.nanaimo

The heart of the harbour city 💙
Traditional territory of the Coast Salish Peoples.

Downtown P A R K I N G 🅿️ 🚙 Free temporar

Downtown P A R K I N G 🅿️ 🚙

Free temporary 2-hour street parking on Commercial Street (south of Wharf St.), Front Street, Chapel Street, Church Street, Bastion Street, Anchor Way and Cameron Road. Street parking downtown is free evenings after 5 p.m. and all day on weekends.

Free temporary 2-hour parking (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) on Levels 2 and 3 of the Bastion parkade is available for visitors of downtown Nanaimo. Parking on all levels of the Bastion Street Parkade is free during evenings and on weekends without time limits.

Support our downtown Nanaimo ❤️

You are invited! Join us January 22nd from 5-9pm i

You are invited! Join us January 22nd from 5-9pm in Maffeo Sutton Park for ✨Luminous Paths: Nanaimo’s 150 & Beyond✨, a FREE, month-long winter art festival is a celebration of light, art, land and community!

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience your community in a new way with temporary light-based art installations, performances by local musicians and roving LED entertainers, food trucks, interactive booths and activities, a display of commemorative Nanaimo 150 merchandise, and even an opportunity to tour the HMCS Nanaimo (on select dates)! Art installations will be on display until Monday, February 17, 2025, when a closing event will take place in Maffeo Sutton Park from 4 - 8pm.✨

This festival marks the 150th anniversary since the City of Nanaimo’s very first Council meeting, and is funded (in part) by the Government of Canada, through the Canadian Heritage Building Communities through Arts and Heritage grant. ✨

Downtown Nanaimo may be under construction, but yo

Downtown Nanaimo may be under construction, but your favorite local businesses are still OPEN and need your support! A little detour is worth it to support the businesses that make our community shine. Let’s show them some love during this time!

With all the construction going on, downtown Nanai

With all the construction going on, downtown Nanaimo needs your support! While the area transforms, our local businesses are here, working hard to bring you the products and services you love.

By shopping, dining, and exploring downtown, you’re helping our community thrive through the changes. Let’s come together and show some love to our incredible local shops and restaurants. Your support makes all the difference!

NEW January coffee and tea flights @ironworkscafea

NEW January coffee and tea flights @ironworkscafeandcreperie ✨☕️

Coffee Flights:
- Pumpkin Mallow Macchiato
- Hazelnut Praline Latte
- Honey Almond Milk Flat White
- Smarties Mocha

Tea Flights:
- Maple Chai
- Vanilla Black Tea
- Peppermint London Fog
- Cranberry Sweet Tea

Start the new year off by exploring your creativit

Start the new year off by exploring your creativity! Sign up for a class at the @nanaimoceramicarts and learn a new skill! 🎨

From City of Nanaimo: “Heads up, Nanaimo! From J

From City of Nanaimo: “Heads up, Nanaimo! From Jan 2 to late February, the intersection of Bastion St. and Commercial St. will be closed to vehicle traffic as drilling and subsurface grouting work take place to fill the voids beneath the surface. Please detour around the intersection.

Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times, and businesses remain open as usual. Free 2-Hr parking is available on downtown streets and on levels 2 & 3 of the Bastion Street Parkade for the duration of the project. Thanks for your patience!”

To learn more check out: https://ow.ly/pgKl50Uy6l4

Cheers to an incredible 2024, Nanaimo! 🎉 Than

Cheers to an incredible 2024, Nanaimo! 🎉

Thank you for shopping local, supporting downtown businesses, and helping us build a supportive community. Every visit, purchase, and moment shared downtown made this year unforgettable.

Here’s to growing together in 2025! 💫#DowntownNanaimo

Thursday, December 19th is the last evening of Win

Thursday, December 19th is the last evening of Winterfest! Join us for live music, food trucks and @travelbar.vanisle 🎄Shop and support from our local downtown merchants who will be open until 8pm. We hope to see you there! ✨

A huge thank you to everyone with participated in

A huge thank you to everyone with participated in our Fill the Caboose Food Drive! Here’s some behind the scenes of collecting food boxes from businesses! A special shout out to SVI Rail Link for letting us decorate their truck and chauffeuring us around Downtown Nanaimo and @oldcityquarter 💫

This was an amazing partnership between @loavesandfishesfoodbank , @oldcityquarter @island_corridor_foundation , SVI Island Rail and @downtown.nanaimo to help make a BIG difference in the lives of people right here in our community.

We raised $6750 cash and collected truckloads of food to support @loavesandfishesfoodbank

Thank you to everyone who participated! ❤️✨

Stop by @whitesailsbrewing this Sunday, December 1

Stop by @whitesailsbrewing this Sunday, December 15th for SELFIES WITH SANTA 🎅

On Sunday, December 15th, they’re partnering with the Nanaimo Professional Firefighters Charitable Society @nanaimofirefighters) for SELFIES WITH SANTA!

Santa will be taking time out of his busy holiday schedule to help raise funds for the NPFCS charitable work around Nanaimo.

Photos are by donation, and we’ll have our Brewery elves here to help take photos if needed! We’ll have specials on hot drinks for the kiddos (and adults), cold brews and great holiday vibes

Sunday, December 15th
12:00pm - Santa arrives on the Fire Truck
12:15-3:00pm - Selfies with Santa!

Join us December 12th & 19th for WINTERFEST 🎄En

Join us December 12th & 19th for WINTERFEST 🎄Enjoy late night shopping on Commercial Street, Live Music, Food trucks and @travelbar.vanisle in the Diana Krall Plaza from 5pm-8pm. Parkades near by: Bastion Street Parkade, Harbour Front Parkade, VICC Parkade. Join us for a festive night while supporting our local downtown shops, we hope to see you there!

Find the hidden Golden Caboose and enter to WIN a

Find the hidden Golden Caboose and enter to WIN a PRIZE ✨

Check out the beautiful window displays throughout downtown Nanaimo and the @oldcityquarter - spot the hidden Golden Caboose, take a photo of it and upload it online to be entered to win a PRIZE (valued at $500)

Plus, vote for your favourite window display and that business could win a cash prize!

https://downtownnanaimo.ca/window-decorating-contest/

Click the link for more information or check out our Winterfest Highlight.

SANTA IS COMING TO TOWN 🎅 Santa will be landin

SANTA IS COMING TO TOWN 🎅

Santa will be landing at the Nanaimo Harbour at 10:30am and then will be in his workshop from 11am-4pm located at 78 Wharf St!

We had SO much fun last night at our first evening

We had SO much fun last night at our first evening of Winterfest! We even spotted Mr. & Mrs. Clause under some mistletoe 🎅🤶 We hope to see you December 12th & 19th for more wonderful Winterfest evenings! 🎄✨

FILL THE CABOOSE 🚂 We’re partnering with @ol

FILL THE CABOOSE 🚂

We’re partnering with @oldcityquarter ,
@loavesandfishesfoodbank , @island_corridor_foundation , and SVI Island Rail to help make a BIG difference in the lives of people right here in our community.

Island Corridor Foundation in Nanaimo has challenged Port Alberni to a Caboose off, who can fill a train caboose with more food for those in needfood the fullest - are you up to the challenge Nanaimo?

We’re collecting all kinds of non-perishable food - the kinds of things that stay fresh for a while but are also packed with nutrients!

We’ve set up donation spots all around town, so you can drop off your food at one of these places: @alchemybeautynanaimo @casino_nanaimo @flyingfishnanaimo @gabrielscafe @guavaapparel @lucky.cloud.shop @nanaimoartgallery RBC @artzistuffnanaimo @quintessentialfashion

You can drop off your goodies daily between Saturday
November 23 - December 13 (12 noon on the 13th).

Just in time for some festive downtown shopping an

Just in time for some festive downtown shopping and dining, parking is now free on levels 2 and 3 of the Bastion Street Parkade for up to two hours at a time, Monday to Friday during the day (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Parking on all levels of the Bastion Street Parkade remains free during evenings and on weekends.

Parkade access is off of Skinner Street as well as Terminal Ave. While motor vehicle traffic is being detoured around the Commercial Street project area, Commercial Street remains open and fully accessible to pedestrians, and it’s extremely close to the Bastion Street Parkade!

This is in addition to the free street parking that was designated in October on Commercial Street (south of Wharf St.), Front Street, Chapel Street, Church Street, Bastion Street, Anchor Way and Cameron Road.

https://ow.ly/beGK50UjxEo

Mark your calendars! Santa Claus is flying into N

Mark your calendars! Santa Claus is flying into Nanaimo’s harbour on December 7th! 🎅

Sip Into December with @ironworkscafeandcreperie F

Sip Into December with @ironworkscafeandcreperie Festive Tea & Coffee Flights! ✨🎄

This month, they’re brewing up holiday cheer with their December Tea & Coffee Flights! Explore a cozy
mix of seasonal favorites and discover your new go-to holiday drink.

Coffee Flights ☕️
1. Candy Cane Latte
2. Cinnamon Eggnog Latte
3. Gingerbread Maple Latte
4. Salted Caramel Mocha

Tea Latte 🫖
1. Apple Cider Chai
2. Christmas Tea
3. India Fog
4. Candy Cane Tea

Take a stroll down Commercial Street to see some a

Take a stroll down Commercial Street to see some amazing window displays! Then go online to vote for your favourite, one business will win a cash prize! While you’re looking... do you see the Golden Caboose? If you find the Golden Caboose, take a photo and upload it online for a chance to win a prize!

https://downtownnanaimo.ca/window-decorating-contest/

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