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 May long weekend, I’m looking forward to seeing some of the 60 bands and performers who will take over venues on Victoria Crescent for Sunk City, Nanaimo’s three-day underground music and arts festival.

I attended two years ago and it featured a wide variety of independent music from musicians and artists in Nanaimo and beyond and I had an absolute blast there. If you are interested, you can read my story about the festival this year below.

If I wasn’t going to Sunk City, I would consider taking the ferry over to Gabriola Island for MAY'd on Gabriola — a self-guided tour of 40 open studios and pop-up markets. 

Also, Pride season is upon us with Pizza in the Park for Pride at Maffeo Sutton Park on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. if you want to grab a slice and meet some of the volunteers with the Nanaimo Pride Society. Keep an eye out for The Discourse’s Pride Guide in the next few weeks. It’ll include Pride events in the Comox Valley, Nanaimo and Cowichan Valley.

If none of these events grab your attention, we have our full events listings below for you to pursue. 

Have a great long weekend!

Mick Sweetman

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🎵 Listen 🎤

Thursday, May 14 

• 6 p.m.: Heavy Airship: The Led Zeppelin experience at The Queen's. Tickets cost $20 in advance or $25 at the door.
  

Friday, May 15 

• 6 p.m.: Sunk City Music and Arts Festival 2026 at various venues on Victoria Crescent. Tickets cost $40 to $115.

• 6:30 p.m.: Misfits Tribute (Soundrain) with Ironhead at The Globe Live Studio. Tickets cost $10.

• 7 p.m.: Nanaimo Blues Festival fundraiser and silent auction at The Queen's. Tickets cost $25 or $20 for Blues Society members. 

• 7:30 p.m.: The Nanaimo Rock Choir at Generations Church. Tickets cost $23.

• 9:30 p.m.: Mr. Snap at The Nanaimo Bar. Tickets cost $10.

• 10 p.m.: Tony Hawk's Underground Frequencies at LevelTwo Nightclub. Tickets cost $5 in advance or $10 at the door. 
  

Saturday, May 16 

• 1 p.m.: Sunk City Music and Arts Festival 2026 at various venues on Victoria Crescent. Tickets cost $40 to $115.

• 6:30 p.m.: Garret T. Willie at The Queen's. Tickets cost $25 in advance, $30 at the door.

• 7:30 p.m.: John Gogo Coal & Wood Show at The Hall at St. Andrew's United Church. Tickets cost $28.50.

• 8:30 p.m.:  David Gogo Group at Simonholt Restaurant. Tickets cost $25.
  

Sunday, May 17

• 1 p.m.: Sunk City Music and Arts Festival 2026 at various venues on Victoria Crescent. Tickets cost $40 to $115

Tuesday, May 19 

• 6 p.m.: Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music) with Dannyboy (The Corps), Morgan Aston Farrel, Ry Patrick Haint and Summer Hilborn will play an all ages show at The Globe Live Studio. Tickets cost $35 in advance or $40 at the door.
  

🎭 View 🖼️

Saturday, May 16 

• 10 a.m.: MAY'd on Gabriola a self-guided tour of 40 open studios and pop-up markets on Gabriola Island.

• 4:30 p.m.: 2026 Island Fantasy Ball at Beban Park Social Centre. Tickets cost $45 to $125. 

Tuesday, May 19 

• 6:30 p.m.: Unsettling the Lens Indigenous Film Series: Nechako: It will be a big river again at Nanaimo Art Gallery. Admission is free.
  

Thursday, May 21 

• 7 p.m.: Quiet The Sirens documentary screening at Malaspina Theatre. Tickets cost $25.
  

⛹️ Meet 🎲

Saturday, May 16 

• 8:30 a.m.: One Table, One Nanaimo: Free Pancake Breakfast at Maffeo Sutton Park. 

• 2:30 p.m.: Teen Advisory Group meeting at Nanaimo North Library.

• 4 p.m.: International Food Festival at Hornets Rugby Clubhouse. Tickets cost $20.
  

Monday, May 18 

• 7 p.m.: Collage Club Drop-In at Nanaimo Art Gallery. Admission is free but $5 donations are appreciated.
  

Wednesday, May 20 

• 3 p.m.: Nanaimo Farmers' Market - Island Roots at Beban Park. Admission is free.

• 6 p.m.: Nanaimo Dry Grad Planning Meeting at Wellington Secondary School. 
  

Thursday, May 21 

• 5:30 p.m.: Pizza in the Park for Pride at Maffeo Sutton Park. 
  

Saturday, May 16 

• 3:30 p.m.: Shelf Care Teen Book Club at Nanaimo North Library.
  

Tuesday, May 19 

• 10 a.m.: Knitting Group at Nanaimo North LIbrary. 
  

Sunday, May 17 

• 2 p.m.: Sunday Board Game Group at Nanaimo North Library. 
  

Thursday, May 21 

• Noon: Book signing with Chuck Durrett, cohousing pioneer, on Neuro-Inclusive Community Design at Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community. 

• 5:45 p.m.: Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club at Nanaimo Harbourfront Library.
  

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