Plenty of informative and fun events are happening across the province for BC Culture Days. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

culture time

BC Culture Days captures local spirit and traditions

Sep 24, 2023 | 5:18 AM

NANAIMO — An annual national celebration of all things arts and culture is happening all across Canada this week.

BC Culture Days runs from Sept. 22 to Oct. 15, where thousands of arts and culture events are happening across the province, free of charge.

Locally, the Nanaimo Museum (100 Museum Way) will have free admission from Oct. 3-7, with their usual admission by donation after those days.

Their current featured exhibit on display is stem ‘al’u ‘u’ ni xe’xe: What is Sacred?, which highlights a selection of artists from Snuneymuxw and other First Nations of the mid-Island region, curated by Eliot White-Hill.

They will also be opening a new art exhibit on Oct. 3, featuring local artist Justina Bartlett called The Essence of Water, which features “unique, vibrant oil paint capturing the essence of water in all its power.”

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The Museum will also be putting up their Halloween decorations starting that week.

The Nanaimo Art Gallery (150 Commercial St.) will be holding a free finger-weaving class on Sunday, Oct. 1. starting at 1 p.m., where people can join their Indigenous Engagement Coordinator to learn the art of Métis finger weaving.

The City of Parksville is doing a number of unique art experiences throughout Culture Days, through the McMillan Art Centre.

Events include an art banner crawl from Sept. 24 to Oct. 16, where participants will go on a treasure hunt of sorts around town looking for eight new banners, with maps provided by the arts centre.

In honour of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, residents are encouraged to create a bedazzled bra in celebration of someone affected by breast cancer, which will be displayed at the Parksville Civic and Technology Centre. Bras can be submitted to the McMillan Arts Centre by Sept. 28, at 2 p.m.

There is also a Ukrainian Culture Fest scheduled for Sept. 25 at the Parksville Community and Culture Centre (132 Jensen Ave. East).

A record 3.8 million Canadians, about 10 per cent of the total population, participated in events for the 2022 edition of Culture Days, making it the most attended in its 14-year history.

You can find a full list of all the activities here at the Culture Days website.

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