Events

  • Lions FREE Skate 2023-2024

    Mar 24, 2024, 12:00 PM

    The City of Nanaimo Parks & Recreation, Lions Club of Nanaimo, Save-On-Foods and many other community sponsors are proud to present the Lions Free Skates. Held Sunday's at Frank Crane Arena from 12-1:30 pm. (On Clipper game days held 11 am-12:30 pm on Dec 3 & Mar 10).
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Purple: International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness on March 26

    Mar 26, 2024

    Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. Epilepsy is a brain disease where nerve cells don’t signal properly, which causes seizures. Seizures are uncontrolled bursts of electrical activities that change sensations, behaviors, awareness and muscle movements. Although epilepsy can’t be cured, many treatment options are available. Up to 70% of people with epilepsy can manage the disease with medications.
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Yellow, Green, Pink, Orange, Blue and Purple: Easter from              March 29 -  31

    Mar 29, 2024

    Easter is the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion, which is marked on Good Friday. Canadians commonly refer to Easter as the period from Good Friday through Easter Monday. Traditional events such as Easter egg hunts, parades, festivals and church services, are a various of ways that people mark this holiday around this country.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Red: 100th Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force Centennial on April 1

    Apr 1, 2024

    April 1, 2024 marks 100 years of service for the RCAF as an independent military element. The Centennial is a unique opportunity to celebrate this milestone with all Canadians. The RCAF has a physical presence in Nanaimo through 808 (Thunderbird) Wing, Royal Canadian Air Force Association, which connects current and former RCAF members who reside in the Nanaimo community. 205 (Collishaw) Air Cadet Squadron also resides in Nanaimo.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Purple: National Dental Hygienists Week from April 4 - 8

    Apr 4, 2024

    The month of April is Oral Health Month and an important part of this celebration is National Dental Hygienists Week™, celebrated annually April 4-10. Focusing on the importance of maintaining good oral health practices and helping Canadians understand the role and importance of the dental hygiene profession, this annual event is organized by the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association (CDHA).
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Green: Green Shirt Day on April 7

    Apr 7, 2024

    Logan Boulet was a Humboldt Broncos defenseman who passed away (April 7, 2018) from his injuries in the bus crash of April 6, 2018. Logan had registered as an organ donor and had spoken to his parents about his wishes. His generous act saved six lives and inspired nearly 150,000 new donor registrations across Canada. Green Shirt Day is to honour, remember and recognize all the victims and families of that fatal crash and to continue Logan's legancy by for Canadians to register as organ donors.
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Green Grey, Blue and Red: Vimy Ridge Day on April 9

    Apr 9, 2024

    Throughout Canada, in each and every year, the ninth day of April is known as “Vimy Ridge Day”. Vimy Ridge Day remembers Canadians who fought in the battle of Vimy Ridge during World War I. The battle of Vimy Ridge, which was part of the larger battle of Arras in northern France, began on Easter Monday, which was April 9, in 1917. About 30,000 Canadians fought at Vimy Ridge and claimed victory. However, this victory came at a high cost. The Canadians suffered about 11,000 casualties. Of these, nearly 3,600 Canadians were killed. The Canadian National Vimy Memorial sits on a hill on land granted to Canada in northern France. This monument is inscribed with the names of 11,285 Canadian soldiers who were listed as missing or presumed dead in France. It stands as a tribute to all who served their country in battle and risked or gave their lives in the war.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Blue: World Parkinson's Day on April 11

    Apr 11, 2024

    The first World Parkinson's Day (WPD) was held in April 1997. It was set up by the European Parkinson’s Disease Association (now known as Parkinson’s Europe) and co-sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO). The date commemorates the birthday of Dr James Parkinson. Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system and the parts of the body controlled by the nerves. Symptoms start slowly. The first symptom may be a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder may also cause stiffness or slowing of movement. There is no cure but medications can and do provide significant improvement to symptoms.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Red: World Hemophilia Day on April 17

    Apr 17, 2024

    World Hemophilia Day, an annual observance that raises awareness of hemophilia and other bleeding disorders by World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) to honour its founder Frank Schnabel's birthday. The day will also emphasize the importance of proper hemophilia care and treatment.
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Blue, Pink and Yellow: Global Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) Awareness Day on April 19

    Apr 19, 2024

    CDH occurs when the diaphragm fails to fully form during pregnancy, allowing organs to migrate from the abdominal cavity into the chest cavity and thereby inhibiting lung growth. CDH strikes 1 in every 2500 babies. The overall survival rate is 50% while the cause is unknown.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Blue: World Wish Day on April 29

    Apr 29, 2024

    Every year on April 29th, Make-A-Wish celebrates World Wish Day. This marks the anniversary of the wish that inspired the creation of Make-A-Wish. Make-A-Wish traces its inspiration to Christopher James Greicius, an energetic 7-year-old boy battling leukemia who wished to be a police officer. In 1980, his Phoenix community came together to make his wish come true. Little did Chris know that his wish would create a movement that would transform millions of lives. Little Chris passed away not long after his wish came true. but his legacy lives on. Today, Make-A-Wish has granted hundreds of thousands of life-changing wishes to children battling critical illnesses. Wishes that give families hope through dark times, strength to persevere and experiences that forever change their lives.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Green: Mental Health Week from May 6 -7 and 9 -10

    May 6, 2024

    This year’s Mental Health Week will amplify some of the voices and spaces within which mental health exists across Canada, especially at the community level through non-profit agencies and programs.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Teal: World Ovarian Cancer Day on May 8

    May 8, 2024

    World Ovarian Cancer Day — recognized on May 8 each year since 2013 — is an initiative of the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, an organization that is an official Strategic Advocacy Partner of the IGCS and key ally within the International Gynecologic Cancer Advocacy Network to raise awareness in the fight against ovarian cancer.
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Yellow and Green: Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) Awareness on May 11 and 12

    May 11, 2024

    Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Awareness Month (M.C.S) is observed every year throughout May. M.C.S. is a chronic, physical illness that causes people to experience severe reactions when their bodies are exposed to very low levels of toxins or chemicals in food, chemical products, or their immediate environment. Though M.C.S. hasn’t been recognized as an illness, it’s still important to offer support to those forced to live with it, as well as raise more awareness about the illness itself.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Purple: Fibromyalgia Awareness Day on May 13

    May 13, 2024

    Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals. Symptoms often begin after an event, such as physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event. Women are more likely to develop fibromyalgia than are men.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Purple: Global Porphyria Awareness Day on May 18

    May 18, 2024

    Porphyria occurs when the body cannot convert compounds called 'porphyrins' into heme. Porphyria can affect the skin, nervous system, gastrointestinal system or all of these, depending on the specific type. Currently, there is no cure, but medical treatment and lifestyle changes can usually manage the symptoms. Symptoms of acute porphyrias may include: Severe pain in the belly, chest, legs or back. Digestive problems, such as constipation, nausea and vomiting. Muscle pain, tingling, numbness, weakness or paralysis.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Purple: ALS Awareness Month on June 1 and 2

    Jun 1, 2024

    ALS is often called Lou Gehrig's disease after the baseball player who was diagnosed with it. The exact cause of the disease is still not known. A small number of cases are inherited. ALS often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg, trouble swallowing or slurred speech. Eventually ALS affects control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe. There is no cure for this fatal disease.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Blue: Canadian Deafblind Awareness Day on June 3

    Jun 3, 2024

    June, the birth month of Helen Keller, was proclaimed by the Senate of Canada in 2015 as National Deafblind Awareness Month. Each June, people who are Deafblind, service providers, and supporters come together to 'Make a Wave from Coast to Coast', with a passion to make a difference and raise awareness.
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple: Nanaimo Pride from June 4 - 11

    Jun 4, 2024

    To empower, celebrate, promote and create inclusivity, acceptance, and respect among persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities through advocacy, education, cultural activities and events in Nanaimo and surrounding communities.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Lime Green: CDKL5 Awareness Day on June 17

    Jun 17, 2024

    CDKL5 stands for “cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5”. CDKL5 deficiency disorder is a rare developmental epileptic encephalopathy caused by mutations in the CDKL5 gene, and this can manifest in a broad range of clinical symptoms and severity. The hallmarks are early-onset, intractable epilepsy and neurodevelopmental delay impacting cognitive, motor, speech, and visual function. Although rare, the occurrence is believed to be ~1:40,000 -75,000 live births, making it one of the most common forms of genetic epilepsy.

Special Events

The City of Nanaimo hosts special events year round, so check back here often or join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter as we are always adding more!

Hosting a Special Event in a City of Nanaimo Park?

Do you have plans to host an event in one of Nanaimo's Parks?

If you are looking for community events happening in and around Nanaimo, visit www.tourismnanaimo.com and view the events page.

Clubs and Organizations in Nanaimo

The City of Nanaimo is home to several clubs and organizations. From arts, social, sports or community, check out this Clubs and Organization Listing and see how you can get involved! Email parksandrecreation@nanaimo.ca to add your non profit group to this list or to update your organization information.

Bastion Lighting Events

Do you have a cause or organization and would like to have a Bastion lighting event? Visit our Bastion Lighting Requests page to get details on how to qualify and request the Bastion be lit for you!

Last updated: February 17, 2023

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