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 year is kicking off with some news from the city about its arts and culture programs and while the first week of January is traditionally a slower one, we have some unique community events to highlight for you in today’s newsletter. 

First off, the City of Nanaimo is looking for performers for its annual Concerts in the Park series. The series runs from May through August, “bringing parks and open spaces to life and showcasing a range of musical genres."

Local bands and musicians have until Sunday, Feb. 8 to apply to be part of the series. 

The City of Nanaimo is also seeking volunteers for its Art in Public Spaces Working Group. Selected members will help advance the city’s public arts program and you have until Sunday, Jan. 25 to apply. 

And last but not least, The City of Nanaimo has named Jennavieve Strub as its 2026-2028 Youth Poet Laureate. Strub is a student at Vancouver Island University with a dual focus on psychology and creative writing. She hopes to organize youth poetry clubs, accessible all-aged poetry nights and collaborate with visual and performing artists on projects.

Now on to our selected event listings.

Cheers,

Mick Sweetman

🖊️ What you said ⌨️

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“Full coverage of events for everyone!”

— Kari Fetherston, from our newsletter survey

🔎 Watch for 🔍

Saturday, Jan. 10, 1 p.m.: Fountain pen collectors and enthusiasts will gather at the Nanaimo Harbourfront Library for a meeting of the Nanaimo Pen Club.

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

Let us know by sending Mick an email.

🎵 Listen 🎤

Thursday, Jan. 8, 9 p.m.: Nanaimo’s hottest funk, soul and R&B band The Deadly Nightshades plays at The Vault Cafe. Tickets cost $15. 

Friday, Jan. 9, 6:30 p.m.: Mean Bikini, Quit It!, Die Job and Red Lenses will play an all-ages punk show at The Globe Live Studio. Tickets cost $20. 

Friday, Jan. 9, 8:30 p.m.: Zonnis and Dogwood Bloom will play folk music at The Vault Cafe. Tickets cost $15. 

Saturday, Jan. 10, 6:30 p.m.: Barn Dance with Fidelium at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 256. Tickets cost $20 or $10 for youth from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

Saturday, Jan. 10, 7 p.m.: HOG, Smash TV, The Nexxt and Cursed Words play at The Globe Live Studio. Tickets cost $20. 

Saturday, Jan. 10, 9 p.m.: Teighan Couch will play a jazz show with David Santana, Kosma Bushelkin and Graham Villette at The Vault Cafe. Tickets cost $20. 

Sunday, Jan 11, 3 p.m: Kelly Fawcett will headline the Sunday Blues Jam at The Queen’s. Tickets cost $10 or free for blues jammers. 

Monday, Jan. 12 and Tuesday, Jan. 13: The NDSS Musical Theatre class presents Frozen JR. at The Port Theatre. Tickets cost $25 or $15 for children 12 and under. 

Wednesday, Jan. 14, 7:30 p.m.: The Snowed in Comedy Tour arrives at The Port Theatre with Dan Quinn, Paul Myrehaug, Pete Zeblacher and Erica Sigurdson. Tickets cost $64.

🎭 View 🖼️

Friday, Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m.: Be inspired by the magic of live storytelling performed on stage with Stories on Friday - Anything’s Possible! at the Unitarian Hall of Nanaimo. Tickets cost $10.

Tuesday, Jan. 13, 6:30 p.m.: The Nanaimo Art Gallery will screenThe Stand documenting the Haida’s stand against logging on Lyell Island in 1985 as part of its Indigenous film series. Tickets are free. You can read a Q&A with the director on our website.

⛹️ Meet 🎲

Friday, Jan. 9, 12:30 p.m.: A prose and poetry open mic will be held at the Gabriola Island Library.

Friday, Jan. 9, 6 p.m.: The VIU Mariners basketball teams take on rivals, the Columbia Bible College Bearcats, at the VIU Gym. The women’s game is at 6 p.m. and the men’s game is at 8 p.m. Free for VIU students. 

Friday, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.: The Nanaimo Clippers hockey team takes on the Powell River Kings at Frank Crane Arena. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $20 for seniors or $12 for children aged 6-12. 

Saturday, Jan. 10, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Trading card show at Dover Bay Secondary School. Admission is free. 

Saturday, Jan. 10, 1 p.m.: The VIU Mariners basketball teams take on rivals, the Columbia Bible College Bearcats, at the VIU Gym. The women’s game is at 1 p.m. and the men’s game is at 3 p.m. Free for VIU students. 

Saturday, Jan. 10, 7 p.m.: The Nanaimo Clippers hockey team takes on the Victoria Grizzlies at Frank Crane Arena. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $20 for seniors or $12 for children aged 6-12. 

Saturday, Jan. 10, 7:15 p.m.:The VIU Mariners hockey team takes on the UVIC Vikes at the Nanaimo Ice Centre. Tickets are $7 for students and $12 for adults.

Sunday, Jan. 11, 3 p.m: Make popsicle stick structures at The Nanaimo Art Gallery’s Art Lab Sunday. Tickets cost $5 or are free for members.

Tuesday, Jan. 13, 1 p.m.: Homeschool students between Kindergarten and Grade 12 can paint Super Self-Portraits at the Nanaimo Art Gallery. Tickets cost $10. 

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