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.

I wouldn’t call myself a film buff or cinephile, but I do appreciate independent films and the organizations, theatres and people who help screen them in our community. 

This Sunday marks the fall season for the Nanaimo International Film Screening Society, which I covered last year when it first started showing international and independent films at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. 

This once-a-month movie event is one of the few ways to see international films in Nanaimo. The screenings I have attended have been packed and all of the films were excellent. 

I’ll be at the screening on Sunday with a colleague from The Discourse, so please come by and say hello and stay for the show. 

Mick Sweetman

🖊️ What you said ⌨️

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Coverage of what's happening.”

—  Merrick Anderson, from our newsletter survey

🔎 Watch for 🔍

Sunday, Sept. 7: The Nanaimo International Film Screening Society returns for its second season on Sunday, Sept. 7 with two popular independent films, Blue Sky Jo (La Petite et le Vieux) and There's Still Tomorrow (C'è ancora domani) at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre’s Shaw Auditorium in the afternoon and evening. Individual Tickets cost $15 or $10 for people under 25 years of age, or you can buy a season pass for $105. 

Got the inside scoop of an event you think should be shared? 

Let us know by sending Mick an email.

🎵 Listen 🎤

Thursday, Sept. 4, 9 p.m.: Lip Forest and Teenage Tiger will play at The Vault Cafe. Tickets cost $10 at the door. 

Friday, Sept. 5, 6:30 p.m.: Petunia and The Vipers play “good music” at The Queen’s. Tickets cost $20. 

Friday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m.: Dolly Desire, Tick and One Man Army will play at The Globe Live Studio. Tickets cost $10.

Friday, Sept. 5, 9:30 p.m.: Dirty Harriet and Lost Octave will play a mix of hard rock originals and covers at the Nanaimo Bar. Tickets cost $10 at the door. 

Saturday, Sept. 6, 5:30 p.m.: The Graham Villette Quintet will play at The Lighthouse Bistro as part of the Nanaimo Jazz Festival. Tickets cost $25

Saturday, Sept. 6, 6:30 p.m.: Blues-rock band The Raven Lunatics will play at The Queen’s. Tickets cost $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

🎭 View 🖼️

Thursday, Sept. 4, 5 p.m.: Join Germaine Koh in a playful art installation, League Nanaimo, on Thursday nights as she turns the Nanaimo Art Gallery into an experimental arena where visitors are welcome to jump, throw, dance, run and touch — all actions that are usually frowned upon in art museums. The theme this week is “Faceoff.”

Friday, Sept. 5, noon: Register yourself or bring a group for a lunchtime tour of the Nanaimo Art Gallery’s current exhibition, League Nanaimo. Tickets cost $5 or are free for members.

Sunday, Sept. 7, 1 p.m. & 7 p.m.: French-language film Blue Sky Jo (La Petite et le Vieux) will be shown at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre’s Shaw Auditorium by the Nanaimo International Film Screening Society. Tickets cost $15 or $10 for people under 25 years of age.

Sunday, Sept. 7, 4 p.m.: Italian box office sensation There's Still Tomorrow (C'è ancora domani) will be shown at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre’s Shaw Auditorium by the Nanaimo International Film Screening Society. Tickets cost $15 or $10 for people under 25 years of age.

⛹️ Meet 🎲

Wednesday, Sept. 3, 6 p.m.: The Nanaimo South End Community Association presents Bocce in the Park at Deverill Park with hot dogs and drinks. 

Saturday, Sept. 6, noon to 8 p.m.: The Strait Curbside Food Truck Festival is at the Nanaimo North Town Centre.

Saturday, Sept. 6, 12:30 p.m.: VIU Mariner Soccer teams will take on the Douglas College Royals at Q'unq'inuqwstuxw Stadium (NDSS Turf). The women’s game starts at 12:30 p.m. and the men play at 3 p.m.. Admission is free. 

Saturday, Sept. 6, 2 p.m.: Victoria novelist, poet, and librettist Marilyn Bowering will speak about her search for a myth-shrouded Scottish poet in More Richly in Earth: a poet’s search for Mary MacLeod. Heather Menzies (author of Reclaiming the Commons for the Common Good) joins Marilyn for a conversation about shared land, memory and identity in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Gabriola Commons at the Gabriola Island Library.

Sunday, Sept. 7, 12:30 p.m.: VIU Mariner Soccer teams will take on the Douglas College Royals at Q'unq'inuqwstuxw Stadium (NDSS Turf). The women’s game starts at 12:30 p.m. and the men play at 3 p.m. Admission is free. 

Sunday, Sept. 7, 1 p.m.:  Explore the many ways to use yarn to make cute animal faces in Art Lab Sunday at the Nanaimo Art Gallery. Free for members, $5 for non-members. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 

Monday, Sept. 8, 5:30 p.m.: Got a script that needs feedback? Looking to connect with local filmmakers? Want to sharpen your skills in a fun, creative space? Join Cinecentral Filmmakers Society for a script session at the Harbourfront Library. 

Tuesday, Sept. 9, 1:30 p.m.: Join the VIU Seed Library and Nanaimo Foodshare at their 945 Park Avenue farm for a hands-on seed saving workshop.

Tuesday, Sept. 9 to Saturday, Sept. 13: The Nanaimo 2025 55+ BC Games brings together people from across B.C. for an unforgettable multi-sport event. Whether you’re in it for the competition, camaraderie, or just the thrill of participation, now’s the time to get involved!

What did you think of this newsletter?

⭐    ⭐⭐    ⭐⭐⭐    ⭐⭐⭐⭐    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Like what you're reading?

Community news keeps us connected. We can't do this without you.