The parade route will remain unchanged this year despite work ongoing along Commercial St., however provincial changes to festival operations have stressed organizers over recent weeks. (Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub Society)

By Alex Rawnsley

sailing on ahead

Nanaimo Bathtub parade ‘almost threatened’ amid new festival safety regulations

Jul 16, 2025 | 3:58 PM

NANAIMO — A late deal with a traffic management company has helped secure a major component of Bathtub weekend.

New provincial safety regulations in the wake of April’s Lapu Lapu Festival car attack in Vancouver have been a major challenge for the Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub Society and their Bathtub race weekend, July 25 to 27, specifically, Saturday’s parade through the downtown.

Society commodore Greg Peacock told NanaimoNewsNOW a quote to meet the new regulations from traffic control company Universal Group came in three times what had been budgeted and posed a serious risk to the event.

“[It] made it extremely difficult, and almost threatened the parade at least. We’re a nonprofit. I didn’t budget for three times the traffic control from the year before or the year before that. But, when I went to Universal Group and said, ‘hey, this is what’s going on, this is what we’re trying to do’, they came back and basically cut their cost in half.”

The deal was possible courtesy of a partnership between the festival and the Tom Harris Community Foundation, who are helping with costs associated with traffic control and event security.

restoring service

'A full court press:' power restoration continues for thousands in Nanaimo & Oceanside

57m ago

storm

Power out for over 15,000 BC Hydro customers across Nanaimo & Oceanside

5h ago

more rain

'High impact' warning as heavy rain returns, causing more flooding concerns in B.C.

7h ago

It means no volunteers will be doing traffic control at this year’s event, which includes a three-day festival at Maffeo Sutton Park, headlined by the Great International World Championship Bathtub Race on Sunday morning, as well as the parade on Saturday, July 26.

A map of the parade route for this year’s Sailpast on Wheels. (Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub Society)

This year’s parade, getting started at 10:30 a.m., will feature a 60 to 80-piece marching band from Victoria, in addition to over 50 different entries.

The route will see floats move from Albert St., along the full length of Commercial St., before turning onto Front St. and ending at Maffeo Sutton Park.

Peacock said they only got word on Tuesday, July 15 from the City of Nanaimo saying they’d be able to stick with their traditional route.

Work on Commercial St. had meant a possible parade route re-do across the Bastion St. bridge instead, similar to the Nanaimo Pride Parade last month.

“The world’s biggest bathtub typically leads the parade…then we always let the fire department and emergency services and all those guys go at the head of the parade. Then, typically, we start injecting things like the marching bands and the Shriners and a number of the other mainstay parade participants.”

Of special focus this year will be the tubbers themselves, with several teams marching in the parade.

Peacock said they’re the heart and soul of the whole festival.

“These guys that work all year to get their tubs going and enter the race, and a lot of them do it at their own cost. We’re going to have a number of bathtub racing teams in the parade…they’ll be interspersed throughout.”

Parade entries are still welcomed, with those interested asked to contact parades@bathtubbing.com.

We’re on Bluesky! Stay up to date on news across central Vancouver Island through Bluesky, by following @NanaimoNewsNOW.bsky.social.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook