Celebrating the sounds, stories, and visuals that shape our community. 🇨🇦 We are deeply honoured to host “Rhythm and Remembrance,” a month-long solo exhibit by the talented Happy Amarkah. In celebration of Black History Month, Happy has curated a powerful collection of personal works reflecting his unique perspectives, feelings, and artistry. 🎤 Hosted by: We are thrilled to have Paul DB Watkins (@thevinylprofessor) as our emcee for the evening. Also known as DJ Techné, Paul is a Professor, Writer, Sound Artist, and Vinyl Aficionado who brings a deep rhythmic soul to this celebration. Join us for the Opening Reception: 🗓️ Sunday, Feb 2nd ⏰ 6:30 PM Can’t make the opening? The exhibit will be on display for free, self-guided viewings for the entire month of February. 📍 Lobby Hours: 11 AM – 4 PM | Monday to Friday Artist Statement Rhythm and Remembrance Echoes from the Past, Power of the Present My artistic practice is deeply rooted in lived experience. My own, and those shared with and inherited from others. These experiences form the foundation of both my identity and my work, shaping how I understand history, culture, and belonging. As a person of color, I draw heavily from Black culture and African-related histories, engaging with them not only as subjects of study, but as living forces that continue to inform the present. The works in Rhythm and Remembrance explore how memory moves. It explores how it is carried through generations in stories, images, objects, and sound. Rhythm, both literal and symbolic, acts as a connective thread throughout the exhibition, reflecting the ways Black history has been preserved through music, ritual, and creative expression when traditional records failed or were denied. Remembrance, in turn, becomes an act of resistance, honoring voices and experiences that have too often been overlooked or erased. Versatility is central to my artistic approach. I work across a range of materials and mediums, selecting each intentionally to best communicate the emotional and historical weight of the subject at hand. Extensive research, careful investigation, and the use of photographic references inform the creation process, allowing each piece to exist as both a personal reflection and  broader cultural inquiry. The resulting works move fluidly between hyper-realism, abstraction, and conceptual expression, mirroring the complexity and multiplicity of Black identity and history. For me, art is a cathartic and necessary practice. It is a space for reflection, questioning, and dialogue. It functions as a form of self-examination, much like a conversation with a counsellor/therapist, while also inviting viewers into that exchange. When audiences engage with the work, their responses complete the process, transforming individual expression into collective understanding. Through Rhythm and Remembrance, I aim not only to look back, but to affirm the enduring power, presence, and humanity of Black lives today.

Draemus is an Inter-Dimensional Alien who offers a unique Alternative/Electronic experience from other worlds and dimensions. When visiting earth Draemus performs live music from Edmonton, AB. Draemus is known in Edmonton for strange live performances, unique music and social media entertainment. Line up:DraemusCavatacaShanahanCarl Longstaff

Bring a friend or a date to learn basic screenprinting techniques and create your own patches. Into Valentines? Not into Valentines? Whatever way you spin it, we are getting crafty with heart designs. Leave with a patch to repair your heart or your jeans! Price includes one cocktail and all art materials. Additional drinks can be purchased for $5. Participants must be 19+ Facilitator: Nic Cooper

A thrilling evening filled with the rhythm, passion and joy of Cuban music! Join Artistic Director Cosette Justo Valdés and her amazing guests for an evening of virtuosity and fun! Romantic arias from Cuban operettas, Cuban jazz standards and more will make this evening the perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day! CONDUCTOR: Cosette Justo Valdés GUEST ARTISTS: Milagros de Los Angeles Soto, soprano Mayquel González, trumpet   Mayquel González’s performance is generously underwritten by Mary Magrega Harold López-Nussa, piano Ruy López-Nussa, drums Yandy Martínez González, double bass Roberto Vizcaino Jr., Cuban percussion Miguel Valdés, trumpet, Cuban percussion Phil Dwyer, saxophones

⭐ Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Nanaimo. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Classical Romance at St. Andrew's United Church under the gentle glow of candlelight.

Get ready for Nanaimo’s sweetest seasoned improv team… Phat Ask! Join Brendan, Kenneth, and Haydn (with the chance for different special guest performers) for a monthly night of live improv comedy. You can expect a variety of Date Night themed games that will turn audience suggestions into hilarious scenes on the spot. By the end or our show, we can almost guarantee you will be a Phat Ask lover! Due to the nature of improv comedy, there may be mature (and some immature) content that could be inappropriate for younger audience members.

Sweet Tooth Burlesque Revues "LOVE" Show, Last set will include Gorelesque! That's right this year they will be adding a Gorelesque element again to their shocking annual LOVE show! This show has a moderate to extreme amount of violence and blood and is for all of their freakishly fun loving fans to experience a shocking evening of Sweet Tooth Burlesque Revue.

This 90 minute show will feature some of Vancouver Island's best & brightest comedians in the cozy Attic at Black Rabbit Kitchen. The second show of 2026 is going to set the tone with a line-up of favourites and fresh faces! Best of both worlds! Host Brett McCrindle is eager to showcase his amazing comedian friends in a weird and inclusive show that will leave the audience beaming and ready to seize the weekend!