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.

There is a lot happening in Nanaimo this weekend from a literature festival in solidarity with Palestinians to all-ages punk and metal shows, dance performances and comedy shows by diverse artists. 

Spooky season is also around the corner, and I’m interested in researching the haunted ghost stories and horror of the Hub City, as well as the most ghoulish halloween displays. If you have a suggestion on something I should include, either as an upcoming event listing or a part of Nanaimo’s horror history, please reply to this email. 

Thank you for reading,

Mick Sweetman

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"Excellent articles and list of events I wouldn't have known about!"

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🔎 Watch for 🔍

Saturday, Oct. 11, noon: The second annual Watermelon Seeds Festival of Literature will feature award-winning poets, playwrights and journalists “reading in solidarity with the Palestinian people in a time of genocide” at Vancouver Island University’s Gustafson Theatre (B355, room 203). Admission is free and open to the public.

Know of an event you think should be shared? 

Send Mick an email.

🎵 Listen 🎤

Thursday, Oct. 9, 6 p.m.: Crown Of Madness, Nameless King, Omniesia, and Decryptor will play an all-ages metal show at The Globe Live Studio. Tickets cost $15. 

Friday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m.: Tick and One Man Army will play an all-ages indie alternative rock show at The Globe Live Studio. Tickets cost $10.

Friday, Oct. 10, 9 p.m.: Peach & Quiet and The Lost Projectors will play a night of folk, roots, indie and mystified traditional sounds at The Vault Cafe. Tickets cost $15. 

Saturday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m.: Occultivators Of Doom, composed of members from legendary Canadian punk and hardcore bands such as SNFU, The Unwanted and Burden, will play an all ages show with Razorvoice and Out Alive at The Globe Live Studio. Tickets cost $20. 

Saturday, Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m.: The Hungry for Laughs Comedy Tour featuring comedians Alex Mackenzie, Chris Griffin, Brittany Lyseng, and Sunee Dhaliwal will help raise money for local charities at The Port Theatre. Tickets cost $59.95 or $49.95 for students and seniors. 

Saturday, Oct. 11, 8 p.m.:  Jared Nathan, a “comedian with ‘special needs based out of Toronto, who is now one of North America’s rising comics attributed to his numerous appearances on the world famous Kill Tony Show” will be performing live inside The Green Olive. Tickets cost $25. 

Sunday, Oct. 12, 2:30 p.m.: Join Wendy Donawa and Tina Biello, former Poet Laureate of Nanaimo, for an afternoon of poetry at the Harbourfront Library. 

Thursday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m.: Yukon Blonde will play with Janky Bungag  at The Queen’s. Tickets cost $30. 

🎭 View 🖼️

Thursday, Oct. 9 and Friday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. Crimson Coast Dance opens their season with Confession Publique. Directed and choreographed by Mélanie Demers and brought to life on stage by Angélique Willkie with Marie Jourdenais’ participation, this thought provoking show will grip your sensibilities as it weaves together music, theatre, spoken word and dance in a powerful reflection on humanity’s yearning for validation and the complex interplay of power and vulnerability. Tickets cost $41.50 or $28.50 for students and seniors. 

Friday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m.: Stories on Friday - Teller Favourites is at the Unitarian Hall with live storytelling on stage. Tickets cost $10 at the door. 

Wednesday, Oct. 15, 6 p.m.: Investigating War Crimes in Gaza by Al Jazeera Investigations will be screened at Vancouver Island University, Building 200, Room 203 by the VIU Muslim Women’s Club and For Palestine Vancouver Island. Admission is free.

Wednesday, Oct. 15, 6:30 p.m.: Curator Aimee Greenaway explores the stories behind the people who supported one of the most infamous cult leaders in Canadian history in a presentation on Brother XII’s Followers at the Nanaimo Museum. Tickets cost $10.

⛹️ Meet 🎲

Thursday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m.: Michael Kaehn will present the history of Island Tug & Barge Co. Ltd., marking the 100th anniversary of its founding in 1925, at Bowen Complex Activity Room 1 for the Nanaimo Historical Society.

Friday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m.: The Nanaimo Clippers take on the Salmon Arm Silverbacks at Frank Crane Arena. Advance tickets are $22 or $20 for seniors and $12 for children aged six to 12. 

Saturday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m to 4 p.m: Shop for witchy spell therapies and products, broomsticks, crystals, pendulums and enjoy tarot readings and more at the 2025 Cedar Bewitched Market at the Cedar Community Hall. Admission is free. 

Sunday, Oct. 12, 1 p.m.: Arrange beads and buttons into intricate patterns and shapes to build a textured piece full of color and depth at Art Lab Sunday in the Nanaimo Art Gallery. Free for members, $5 for non-members. 

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