Tod's Nanaimo Infusion — UPDATE Apr 9

Hello, it's Tod. We are 16 days away from the Nanaimo Infusion, and today I wanted to walk you through some of the events that will be happening if you are coming to this. Um, to find the events calendar, because they may update it, uh, later on, it is at tourismnanaimo.com. You go to Experience, and then you'll find it there under Events Calendar. It's a really pretty site, but it's kind of convoluted, so you gotta scroll down. Anyway, it's right here: 25th, 26th, and 27th. So first of all, Friday, let's talk about Friday first of all. The food trucks. And by the way, there are all sorts of things happening, right? Businesses are doing their own things. I'm just talking about the people who have logged events with Tourism Nanaimo, which is like a minority of them. But the food trucks, if you, if you're just like, I don't know what you have in your city, maybe it's like a hot dog stand and a hamburger stand. That is nothing compared to the food trucks we have here. We have like incredible gourmet, eclectic food trucks, and they are going to be Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Maffeo Sutton Park. You're going to hear me say that park name a lot. It is right downtown. It is a 5-minute walk along the waterfront. It's super easy, very accessible, and so on. So food trucks will be there. Also Friday afternoon from 3 to 7, a market. So we have this great— we've got a number of markets, but this is all local. No MLMs, no resellers allowed, all screened, all vetted, and some really, really cool stuff. I have to tell you, please, if the, if the, um, if the hummus guy is there, like, sample some of the hummus. It's incredible. So that is it. If you're a homemade— if you are like watching this and you are in Nanaimo and you want to sell, go to the Tourism Nanaimo site, go to the events calendar, click on this, and you'll get a link to do it. That night also, the Coast Is Queer, which is one of the two main LGBTQIA groups in town, they are having an event at White Sails Brewery, which is again right across the street from Maféo Sutton Park. Can I, can I zoom up on this map? Not easily, no. Okay. Anyway, so that is going to be Friday night. Okay, let's talk about Saturday morning. Saturday morning family photo is happening. Finally, I can say that confirmed now. It is happening at Maffeo Sutton Park again downtown at 10 a.m. It's been a struggle. I'm sorry for not being able to confirm it until now. The city has been insisting on me taking out insurance and becoming liable for it if we want to reserve a spot, which obviously we do. So we don't have a spot reserved, we're just hoping the city doesn't give it away. Otherwise, um, otherwise it would just put me in legal jeopardy to host that. So we're doing it anyway. Uh, it is Saturday at 10 AM, um, big family photo. And, uh, and I— if you are a photographer locally, by the way, stay tuned to the end because I might need your help, uh, as well. So that is happening and it's very simple. It's going to be the MLA, who is the, the local, uh, the provincial representative, will say a few words. I'll say a few words. We'll take a family photo and we will be off to the races. Uh, okay, Saturday at 10 AM also, so that's after you come to the family photo, uh, is, is this. It is a musical instrument zoo. It is put on by the Vancouver Island Symphony, which are phenomenal, by the way. So if you're interested in that, have a look at that. Also, April 26th at 10 a.m., that's a Saturday, there is a Coast Salish drum making workshop going on. Isn't this like a cruise ship? I just realized it's like a cruise ship. These are your excursions. I was going to make a joke about Gopher, but then I would— that would age me. That afternoon there is a book launch for a children's book called Huxley's Adventure that is happening. Where is that happening? At Country Club Center. Vancouver Island Symphony. This is really cool. So they are just by, by chance they're having this, this sort of big event. It's in the evening. It is— they call it Ode to Nature, but it is the full symphony. So if you like that, there's also— I couldn't see it on, on the events calendar, but also this day on the Saturday in the daytime, they have like this big kids event going on as well. So like where kids can play the instruments and things. So if you've got kids of the age, of an age that would be appreciative of that, Go to the Port Theatre website, it's probably your best bet. The 9th Annual Nanaimo Record Show is happening Sunday morning. It is like, it's literally $2, okay, to get in. It's $2. That's 2 Canadian dollars. That's like 20 cents for you guys. So that is happening at Bowen Park, which is really cool. Kids are free, by the way. There is this, there is the Ultimate All-Female Enduro Race, which is happening on the Saturday. Sorry, I'm back a day a little bit. Um, you know, if that interests you. This is a big thing. This— so we, in addition to our group, there's also another big group in town which is this, uh, Canadian Closed DanceSport Championship. So it's like ballroom dancing, right? It's happening the Saturday and the Sunday. Um, there are a ton of people. This is like a national event, so there's a ton of people coming for it. It is their annual championships. Um, and then there's a circus, for God's sakes! What more do you want? Are you not entertained? There's a literal circus that's going to be in town as well. Those are just the things that I found on the website of Tourism Nanaimo. We are so thrilled that you are coming. I cannot tell you. I know I've been radio silent for a little while. I've been under the weather on bed rest for a couple of weeks and then I've been trying to deal with the city on this, on this nonsense. I think I underestimated the enthusiasm level there. But it is— we are ready to go and everyone is so excited. So that is it. Now, locals, I have two requests of you. I need a speaker system of some kind, ideally one that is like battery powered or can run like even— I don't care if it's a bullhorn, honestly, because if we have hundreds of people coming, then we're going to need a way to be heard. It is still unclear to me whether we have the pavilion or not. Apparently we have it right now, but because I didn't buy insurance and get all that stuff together, we don't have it reserved. So the city might give it away. So we may end up just being in front of the Nanaimo sign. We'll just have to figure it out on that day. So that's the first thing is if you know of a sound system, that would be super helpful. The other thing is photographers. Sadly, I have learned that we cannot take a drone photograph. Which would have been cool. And that is because Maféo Sutton Park is right by the harbour, and there are, as I understand it, uh, what are they called again? Oh, laws that we have to follow. Um, but I would like to get a couple of photographers, uh, one, two, ideally two, just so that in case something goes wrong with the first one, we have like a second one. Um, and you should bring a ladder, I would think, as well, because I don't know how many people are coming, right? I mean, it's going to be a few hundred We have about 230 confirmed in the Discord. The Discord is hard for people to use, so I'm assuming 1 out of 3 people who are coming are actually in the Discord and knew about the channel. So that would put our numbers around 600, 700, something like that. I have also, however, heard that a lot of people are, are afraid of going— of Americans are afraid of re-entering the US. Maybe they have green card status, or they have— or they're on a visa or something like that. And so there have been people who have canceled because of that, which is horrifying situation. Not for us, I mean, just for them and for the US. All right, that is it. So if you are a photographer and you're willing to volunteer to come and take a photograph, ideally getting up on a ladder, that would be super helpful. And what was the other thing? Oh yeah, a sound system of some kind. Would be great. And then finally, this is my website. It's kind of the new thing since I started doing this Canadian stuff. It's farandwide.news. I have a weekly newsletter, I do videos, there's a podcast, blah blah blah, all that kind of stuff. Okay, that is it. Thank you so much. We are so excited that you're coming. I hope you will avail yourself of the events, or if not, just hang out in our restaurants and the shops. You will be stunned how cool this city is, I guarantee it. And From what I hear, the weather is going to be good. I know, I know, I know. We're just crossing our fingers, right? Okay, I'll be back, uh, in about a week or so with another update. Um, but thank you, and, uh, I'll see you soon.