Nanaimo bathtub race among events awarded $280K from province

Al White in his bathtub boat for the annual race in Nanaimo on July 21, 2019. (Submitted photo)

More than two dozen festivals and events in the Nanaimo and Oceanside regions of Vancouver Island will receive tens of thousands of dollars in provincial funding over the next year, a pair of B.C. NDP MLAs announced Tuesday.

Twenty-six events, including the Nanaimo Blues Festival and the Great International Bathtub Race, will share approximately $280,000 in grants doled out by the province in 2023.

New Democrat MLAs Sheila Malcolmson and Adam Walker say the funding is part of $30 million in one-time grants the province had promised to cultural events to support tourism and economic recovery in B.C.

"Nanaimo fairs, festivals and events support our small businesses, tourism industry, and local talent," Malcolmson, MLA for Nanaimo, said in a release Tuesday.

"With our new funding supporting all the fantastic community organizers, more neighbours and visitors can take part."

The Nanaimo Blues Festival will receive $39,800 from the province, the Nanaimo Marine Festival and Great International Bathtub Race will be awarded $11,700, and Parksville's Rock the Park concert will be awarded $3,500, according to the province.

A complete list of the B.C. grant recipients is available here.