Welcome to The Hub Nanaimo, your weekly insider guide to the best of community arts and culture. Did a friend forward this email to you? Subscribe to this newsletter.

This week you can catch a Malaspina Theatre adaptation of George Orwell’s book, Animal Farm. 

“The play explores themes of totalitarianism, the corrupting nature of power and the cyclical nature of political revolutions,” states a press release from the theatre company. “The animals’ struggle for freedom and equality parallels historical events, making Animal Farm a timeless and thought-provoking work.”

I have to admit that while I have read many of Orwell’s other books, Homage to Catalonia being my favourite, I have not read Animal Farm and am looking forward to watching this live-theatre adaptation.

As always, there are a ton of other concerts, movie screenings, art shows and community events happening in Nanaimo that I have curated for you below.

Watch for our special Remembrance Day newsletter on Monday, Nov. 11 which will have ceremonies and events for communities from Courtenay to Mill Bay. 

Thank you for reading,

Mick Sweetman

🖊️ What you said ⌨️

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“Makes information easy to find on events that I otherwise would not know about.”

— From our newsletter survey

🔎 Watch for 🔍

Thursday, Nov. 6 to Saturday Nov. 15, various times: Malaspina Theatre presents George Orwell’s Animal Farm at the Malapsina Theatre. Tickets cost $10 or are free for VIU students and staff with ID.

Know of an event you think should be shared? 

Send Mick an email.

🎵 Listen 🎤

Thursday, Nov. 6, 8 p.m.: One Man Army, Last Year's Wishes and Dolly Desire will play an all-ages psychedelic indie rock, punk and pop show at The Vault Café. Tickets cost $10. 

Friday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m.: Blackthrone Ascension, No Living Witness and Mutual Trauma will play a death metal show at The Terminal. Tickets cost $15.

Friday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m.: The Boom Booms and Daniel Wesley will rock The Queen’s. Tickets cost $50 in advance or $55 at the door. 

Friday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m.: Autonomous Apes, The Helletones, End Of Thread and Tick will play an all-ages rock and punk show at The Globe Live Studio. Tickets cost $15. 

Friday, Nov. 7, 9 p.m.: Son de Metal will bring their Son/Rock fusion sound to the Nanaimo Bar. Cover at the door. 

Friday, Nov. 7, 9 p.m.: The Teighan Couch quartet will play scat and swing jazz at The Vault Café. Tickets cost $20. 

Friday, Nov. 7, 9 p.m.: Valdy and The Big Mess will play a fundraiser for a new organ at St. Andrews United Church at St. Andrews United Church. Tickets cost $35.

Saturday, Nov. 8, 7 p.m.:  Sundiver, Worrywart, Scratch Patch and Junkmail will play an all-ages punk show at The Globe Live Studio. Tickets cost $15. 

Saturday, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.: Comedians Katie-Ellen Humphries, Nina Wilder and Brett McCrindle will perform at Sweet Spot Lounge. Tickets cost $25 in advance or $30 at the door. 

Saturday, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.: The Vancouver Island Symphony will perform selections of your favorite operas in Bella Italia. Tickets cost $39.50 or $28.50 for students. 

Saturday, Nov. 8, 9 p.m.: The Palace Band will play vintage swing with a modern twist at The Vault Café. Tickets cost $15.

Sunday, Nov. 9, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.: Fans of Monty Python and Mr. Bean will enjoy O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy playing at The Port Theatre. Tickets cost $54 for adults or $44 for students. 

Sunday, Nov. 9, 3 p.m.: The Malaspina Choir presents the opera Dido and Aeneas at St. Andrews United Church. Tickets cost $30.  

Sunday, Nov. 9, 3 p.m.: Lazy Mike and the Argyle Jets will headline the Sunday Blues Jam at The Queens. 

Tuesday, Nov. 11, 8 p.m.: The Lightfoot Band will perform Gordon Lightfoot's music at The Port Theatre. Tickets cost $59. 

Wednesday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m.: Ben Caplan will play his iconic brand of modern folk at The Queen’s with special guest Suzie Ungerleider. Tickets cost $20 in advance or $25 at the door. 

Wednesday, Nov. 12, 9 p.m.: Dani-Rae Clark will play Nashville country at The Vault Café. Tickets cost $15.

🎭 View 🖼️

Thursday, Nov. 6, 5 p.m.: Meet local artists carol weaver and Maia Levine at the opening reception for the stone bone crone art show at the Gabriola Island Library. 

Friday, Nov. 7, noon.: Take a lunchtime tour of the Commercial St. exhibit at the Nanaimo Art Gallery. Tickets cost $5. 

Friday, Nov. 7, 6 p.m.: Vancouver Island University’s 18th annual Urban Issues Film Festival will take place in Building 356, Room 109 at the VIU Nanaimo campus. Admission is free.

⛹️ Meet 🎲

Friday, Nov. 7 and Saturday, Nov. 8, 10 a.m.: The Nanaimo Pottery Co-op is having its annual Fall Pottery Sale at the Country Club Centre. The sale runs until 8 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday. 

Friday, Nov. 7 to Sunday, Nov. 9.: The Once Upon a Craft Fair will be held at the Beban Park Social Centre this weekend. Entry is $5. 

Friday, Nov. 7, 7 p.m.: The Nanaimo Clippers hockey club takes on the Cowichan Capitals at Frank Crane Arena. Tickets cost $22 in advance, $20 for seniors and $12 for children between six and 12 years of age.  

Saturday, Nov. 8, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: A Christmas Market featuring local upcycled products and handmade crafts will be held at St. Andrews United Church. The Mending Maven will give free mending advice and hand out fabric and sewing supplies for a donation to the St. Andrews Church Fund. 

Saturday, Nov. 8, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: The Volunteer Nanaimo Craft Market will be held at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. 

Saturday, Nov. 8, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: The Navy League of Canada and the Sea Cadets are holding a board games day with Board and Ready Games at the Cadet Training Hall (750 5th St.). Tickets cost $10 per person or $25 for a family. 

Sunday, Nov. 9, 1 p.m.: Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear from The War on Cars podcast will talk about their upcoming book, Life After Cars, at The Vancouver Island Conference Centre. Admission is free. 

Sunday, Nov. 9, 1 p.m.: Make a tiny garden full of whimsy and wonder at the Nanaimo Art Gallery. Tickets cost $5 or are free for members.

Thursday, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m.: Sapphic Games Night at The Vault Café

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