Events

  • Super Hero Fun Aquatic Special Events

    Mar 21, 2025, 12:00 PM

    Bring your family to our Super Hero Aquatic Events! We will have: -Super Splash Diving Board Games -Tactical Target Practise -Lighting Fast Running Mat Play & MORE!
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Blue and White on March 25 for Greek Independence Day

    Mar 25, 2025

    Greek Independence Day, also known as Greek National Day, is celebrated annually on March 25th to commemorate the beginning of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire in 1821.
  • Lions FREE Skate 2024/2025

    Mar 30, 2025, 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.
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Pink, Blue and White March 31, 2025 for International Transgender Day of Visibility

    Mar 31, 2025

    Light Pink: Represents baby girls Light Blue: Represents baby boys White: Represents those who are transitioning, non-binary, or intersex International Transgender Day of Visibility, observed annually on March 31st, is a day dedicated to celebrating transgender and gender-expansive people, their contributions, and raising awareness about the ongoing fight for equality and inclusion.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Purple on April 4, 5 and 6, 2025 for National Dental Hygienists Week

    Apr 4, 2025

    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.
  • Lions FREE Swim 2025

    Apr 5, 2025, 1:00 PM

    The City of Nanaimo Parks & Recreation, Lions Club of Nanaimo, Country Grocer and many other community sponsors are proud to present the Lions Free Swims. Held Saturdays, April 5-June 28, 1-2:30 pm at Nanaimo Aquatic Centre (no sessions on Apr 26, May 17, May 24 & Jun 21).
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Green on April 7, 2025 for Green Shirt Day

    Apr 7, 2025

    This became known as the “Logan Boulet Effect”. On April 7, the anniversary of the day Logan Boulet (defenseman for the Humboldt Broncos hockey team who was injured in the bus crash in Saskatchewan April 6, 2018) became an organ donor, Canadians recognize Green Shirt Day by wearing green and talking about the powerful impact of organ donation. April is also Organ Donation Awareness Month across Canada.
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Green, Grey, Blue, and Red on April 9, 2025 for Vimy Ridge Day

    Apr 9, 2025

    Vimy Ridge Day is a day to commemorate the deaths and casualties of members of the Canadian Corps in the Battle of Vimy Ridge (France), which took place during the First World War in 1917. By April 12, the Canadians had taken all of their objectives, as well as 4,000 prisoners. The Canadians held Vimy Ridge. This victory came at a high cost as 3,598 Canadians lost their lives, and 7,000 were wounded during the four-day battle. April 9, 1917 is still the bloodiest day in Canadian military history. The holiday has been observed annually on 9 April since 2003.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Blue on April 10 for Parkinson's Awareness

    Apr 10, 2025

    April is Parkinson's Disease Awareness month. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder of the nervous system and was originally described based on a set of motor symptoms, namely: tremor while at rest, slowness of movement, and increased muscle tone or rigidity.
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Blue and Green from April 11 - 13, 2025 for the Association of V.I. Coastal Communities Conference

    Apr 11, 2025

    The Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities is a body formed for the purpose of representing in one organization the various municipalities, regional districts and other local governments of Vancouver Island, Sunshine Coast, qathet/Powell River, the North Coast and the Central Coast. Nanaimo and the Regional District of Nanaimo are hosting the conference in 2025.
  • Lions FREE Swim 2025

    Apr 12, 2025, 1:00 PM

    The City of Nanaimo Parks & Recreation, Lions Club of Nanaimo, Country Grocer and many other community sponsors are proud to present the Lions Free Swims. Held Saturdays, April 5-June 28, 1-2:30 pm at Nanaimo Aquatic Centre (no sessions on Apr 26, May 17, May 24 & Jun 21).
  • Earth Day Community Celebration 2025

    Apr 13, 2025, 10:00 AM

    Earth Day 2025 Celebrations • Speakers • Community Booths • Children's Activities • Food Trucks • Free Admission • 10:30 am - Dave Stewart (City of Nanaimo's Home Energy Retrofit Program) • 11:30 am - Hunter Jarratt (Invasive Species Identification and Best Management Practices) • 12:30 pm - Ken Netwig (Why Rainwater Harvesting) • 1:30 pm - Nanaimo Climate Action Hub (Climate Cafe)
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Red and Blue on April 14, 2025 for Emergency Service Dispatchers and 9-1-1 Awareness Week

    Apr 14, 2025

    The week highlights the crucial role every Emergency Service Dispatchers plays in keeping communities, police, fire, and ambulance personnel safe. It is also the opportunity to recognize each emergency communications professional and express collective appreciation for their hard work and unwavering dedication to public safety.
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Blue, Pink and Yellow on April 16, 2025 for Global Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day

    Apr 16, 2025

    Global Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) Awareness Day is to raise awareness about this serious birth defect, where a baby's diaphragm fails to fully form, allowing abdominal organs to enter the chest cavity.
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Red on April 17, 2025 for World Hemophilia Day

    Apr 17, 2025

    On April 17, 2025, the global bleeding disorders community will come together to celebrate World Hemophilia Day. This year’s theme is “Access for all: Women and girls bleed too”. Today, women and girls with bleeding disorders (WGBDs) are still underdiagnosed and underserved. The global bleeding disorders community has the power—and the responsibility—to change this. Through recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and care, the quality of life of women and girls will improve, and the bleeding disorders community will become stronger.
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Yellow, Green, Pink, Orange, Blue, and Purple from April 18 - 21, 2025 for Easter

    Apr 18, 2025

    Easter is a religious Christian holiday observed around the world to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the spiritual leader of Christianity—and to Christians, the son of God. But with some aspects of the holiday rooted in pagan and Jewish traditions, the origin of Easter dates back to centuries before Christ was even born.
  • Lions FREE Swim 2025

    Apr 19, 2025, 1:00 PM

    The City of Nanaimo Parks & Recreation, Lions Club of Nanaimo, Country Grocer and many other community sponsors are proud to present the Lions Free Swims. Held Saturdays, April 5-June 28, 1-2:30 pm at Nanaimo Aquatic Centre (no sessions on Apr 26, May 17, May 24 & Jun 21).
  • Bastion Lighting Colour Green on April 24, 2025 for Canadian Fertility Awareness Week (CFAW)

    Apr 24, 2025

    To raise awareness about fertility and its impact on more than 1 in 6 people living in Canada. The event aims to educate the public about the causes and treatment options for fertility and the emotional, physical, and financial toll that it can take on those affected by it. In addition to raising awareness, CFAW also aims as a catalyst for increased advocacy for more universal and equitable access to fertility care throughout Canada.
  • Lions FREE Swim 2025

    May 3, 2025, 1:00 PM

    The City of Nanaimo Parks & Recreation, Lions Club of Nanaimo, Country Grocer and many other community sponsors are proud to present the Lions Free Swims. Held Saturdays, April 5-June 28, 1-2:30 pm at Nanaimo Aquatic Centre (no sessions on Apr 26, May 17, May 24 & Jun 21).
  • Bastion Lighting Colours Red and White on May 5, 2025 for the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands

    May 5, 2025

    Veterans Affairs Canada and their partners will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. From the fall of 1944 to the spring of 1945, Canadian soldiers played a pivotal role in liberating the Netherlands town by town. Their perseverance paved the road to liberation and the eventual surrender of the remaining German forces.

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 26, 2025

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