Comox Valley Arts

Courtenay Little Theatre Presents: “The Children” by Lucy Kirkwood
2026-04-15 08:00 - 2026-04-19 17:00 (America/Vancouver) | Sid Williams Theatre, 442 Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2J2, Canada
What do we owe the next generation?
Courtenay Little Theatre presents The Children by Lucy Kirkwood at the Sid Williams Theatre, April 15–19.
Part mystery, part comedy, and part eco-thriller, The Children is witty, gripping, and deeply relevant. Retired nuclear engineers Hazel and Robin are living in a cottage on the coast of England after a disaster at the nearby power station. When their former colleague Rose arrives unexpectedly, an evening of food, drink, and memories takes a surprising turn.
As old secrets surface, the three must confront questions of responsibility, sacrifice, aging, and what they will leave behind.
Directed by Catherine Hannon and featuring Simon Easterman, Erin Malin, and Ruthie Tilston.

Triskaidecadarn! ookoolaydeez postponed to April 10th
2026-04-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Artful the Gallery, 526 Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2C7
Well….it seems the Ookoolaydeez should have been scared of Friday the 13th!

Tara has lost her voice because of laryngitis. We have been crossing our fingers she would be recovered for the originally scheduled March 13th concert, but, sadly, it’s not to be.

We are crestfallen that we won’t be able to entertain you this Friday, BUT **we have rescheduled the concert to Friday, April 10th at 7:30 p.m. at Artful : The Gallery.**

If you can attend on the new date, yay!
If you are unable to attend, I will refund you via e-transfer.
Please let me know which option works for you. Email: ookoolaydeez@gmail.com

Thanks for your understanding, and sorry for any inconvenience this has caused.

The ookoolaydeez are on a mission to light up the world with joy using irresistibly singable tunes, playful wit and exuberant whimsy.
Songbirds Tara Hope and Diana Kolpak serve up a spicy buffet of original songs and poems that take you on an unexpected, hilarious, profound, wild and juicy journey. Among the tasty offerings are: snappy blues, dark lullabies, Shakespearean rap, sweet bluegrass and flirty musings about housework. Harmonies are sophisticated. Instruments include a motley assemblage of ukuleles, a washboard, a toilet plunger, a toy glockenspiel and baby tap shoes…just to name a few.
The ookoolaydeez made their debut at the 2025 Woodstove Festival in November, followed by house concerts and an appearance at the Art is Love is Resistance fundraiser in Cumberland.
Diana studied classical piano and has decades of experience as a theatre performer and director. Tara studied ukulele and guitar and is a prize-winning wearable art creator/performer. Both are poets and published authors. They started writing songs together in the autumn of 2024.
In addition to performing as the ookoolaydeez, Tara and Diana also sing as part of The Happy Gang, an ensemble of six fiddlers, four vocalists, a percussionist, a guitarist and a bass player, who play monthly concerts at several of the Comox Valley’s long term care facilities.

Portraiture in Oils and Acrylics
2026-04-07 10:00 - 12:30 | Comox Valley Sports Centre – Aquarium Room, 3001 Vanier Drive, Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
Do you have some basic skills in drawing faces and some experience with oils or acrylics? This class will help you take the next step towards confidence with creating portraits using photographic reference. We’ll review the basics like proportions, composition, lighting, etc. and then explore more in-depth practice such as underpainting, skin tones, likeness and personal style. I’ll share what tricks I have found useful over the years and we’ll also have a look at how a few of the Masters accomplished their pieces. This short five-week course should get you navigating paint a bit better for your own independant work. Give me a call at (250) 337-5487 if you’d like more information.

CVAG Opening: Pas-à-pas; not intent on arriving
2026-04-04 13:00 - 16:00 | Comox Valley Art Gallery, 580 Duncan Avenue, Courtenay, BC
Pas-à-pas; not intent on arriving is a multidisciplinary meditation on mourning and memory by visual artist SD Holman, with pianist Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa.

The opening celebration takes place Saturday, April 4 at 1:00pm. SD Holman and Paul Wong will share words with the community, Rachel Kiyo Iwaasa will perform Bach’s Goldberg Variations on grand piano, and attendees will have the opportunity to walk a labyrinth installation. Note that opening remarks will take place across the street at the Vancouver Island Regional Library in Courtenay, as the gallery space won’t accommodate seating around the installed works.The event is free, all ages are welcome, and hospitality will be provided. The exhibition runs through May 30.

Wading into Chalk Pastels
2026-04-04 10:30 - 14:00, 2026-03-22 08:00 - 17:00 | Comox Valley Sports Centre – Aquarium Room, 3001 Vanier Drive, Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
Did you know that some of the most accomplished and famous artists in history used chalk pastels for sketching and finished works of art? Chalk pastels can be simple or complicated, portable or cumbersome, heavy-handed or light and airy. They marry well with other mediums and can express fine detail or swaths of raw colour. They are surface-sensitive and layer well when treated with care. Intrigued? Come and find out more and try your hand at a few simple pieces in this 4-day spring workshop that will have you set for some serious summer sketching!

2026 Comox Valley International Film Festival
2026-04-02 19:00 - 2026-04-04 23:00 | Sid Williams Theatre, 442 Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2J2, Canada
The Comox Valley International Film Festival returns April 2–4, 2026 at the Sid Williams Theatre, for a dynamic celebration of storytelling on screen. Showcasing an inspiring mix of local talent and acclaimed international filmmakers, the festival brings together bold features, compelling short film programs, and fresh new voices from around the world.
Audiences can experience four standout feature films, three curated shorts programs, filmmaker conversations, hands-on workshops, and a lively opening gala party. Whether you’re a dedicated film lover or simply looking for an unforgettable cultural weekend, the festival offers an engaging, welcoming atmosphere where global perspectives and community stories share the spotlight.
Join us for three days of discovery, conversation, and cinematic excellence. Tickets and full program details available now.

Trans Day of Visibility
2026-03-31 17:30 - 20:30 | BC

Unglued! Collage Creativity Gateway Workshop
2026-03-22 10:00 - 14:00 | Artful the Gallery, 526 Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2C7
Creating with existing images can lower our inhibitions (which is great for those who want to be creative but don’t consider themselves ‘artists’) providing a playful experience of creating with curiousity and openness to the unexpected…just for fun!
We will use existing images, scissors, gluesticks and our imagination to complete several projects, both independently and collaboratively. All levels welcome and all materials supplied.
Collage is an art as old as paper…which is coming up on 2000 years. Collage is a great ‘gateway’ creative activity – it doesn’t require any technical proficiency beyond using a glue stick…the word collage comes from the french word ‘coller’ – (Koo-Lay) – to glue.
Some of you have created scrapbooks or dream boards, most commonly made by cutting out magazine images and then gluing them to a backing. This workshop uses those same techniques in a collaborative and playful way.
We will make three different collage projects. The first will be a collaborative collage poem, using words. This will become the inspiration for our second project, an individual (and perhaps a little surreal!) landscape. Our final project is called Exquisite Corpse, a collaborative art technique created by the surrealist artists in the 1920’s, where participants add to the composition without seeing the previous contributions. The combined result is often delightful, humorous and unexpected.
Unglued is just for fun, having some creative time with other people, and learning a few techniques that you can use either by yourself, or with your friends and family.
I will have all the materials required, just bring your enthusiasm.
Email: kristinacampbellart@gmail.com to register
$75 workshop fee ($25 bring a friend discount)

Spring Fling and Easter Magic 2026
2026-03-21 11:00 - 14:00 | the Courtenay and District Museum, 207 4th St, Courtenay, BC, COURTENAY, BC, V9N 1G7, Canada
The Courtenay Museum invites you to their annual “Spring Fling and Easter Magic” event on Saturday, March 21st, from 11 am to 2 pm. Admission is by donation.
This will be a fun-filled, action-packed three-hour event.
The ever-popular petting zoo provided by Barnyard Party Animals gives folks a chance to meet ducks, geese, bunnies, chicks, guinea pigs, and hedgehogs.
We have invited a special guest this year, “Magician Donald Dunphy,” who will be performing amazing magic shows. Audience participation is a must. There will be two magic shows, one at 11:45 and the other at 12:45. Each show will be different.
You will have the opportunity to visit with volunteers and a rescue bird from MARS Wildlife Rescue Centre, where you can learn about their amazing wildlife rescues.
A couple of games are planned for the Fling, including a scavenger hunt and guess how many treats contest. People can also enter to win door prizes. Don’t forget to bring your craft skills to make a cute Easter craft to take home with you.
The Elasmosaur mascot will be making an appearance for photo opportunities and handing out delicious chocolate treats.

All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace*
2026-03-21 10:00 - 16:00 | Artful the Gallery, 526 Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2C7
On Saturday, March 21st, Courtenay printmaker Clive Powsey is having a one day pop-up exhibition of hand-drawn, printed and tinted intaglio impressions at Artful : The Gallery on Cumberland Road in Courtenay.
Powsey has used a ‘savage’ rigorous prompt to elicit critique and assessment of hundreds of his prints from the large language model, ChatGPT. Only the highest scoring images will be included in the show, the content of which was decided by AI. Also on hand will be the prompt, an artist statement outlining the metrics of selection, a curator’s statement generated by ChatGPT, and samples of the critiques which are, of course, mindless probabilistic arrangements of words determined by the prompt and the training of the model on vast amounts of art historical and critical writing.
There will also be a folio of rejected images and sample critiques for comparison. The show’s name comes from the title of a 1967 poem by Richard Brautigan*. Beyond any questions that might exist regarding the art imagery, the exhibition asks the question of visitors, ‘How does human judgment and sensibility fare against that of machines?’
Visit the show and decide what you think.

Lecture: Fishes of the Strait of Georgia
2026-03-17 19:00 - 20:00 | the Courtenay and District Museum, 207 4th St, Courtenay, BC, COURTENAY, BC, V9N 1G7, Canada
In a presentation based on their book, Fishes of the Strait of Georgia, authors and marine scientists Dick Beamish and Jeff Marliave will share their observations about some of the 243 species that frequent the strait.
They will be speaking at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, March 17 in the Courtenay and District Museum.
Both authors have spent their professional lives studying the bountiful natural aquarium that is the Strait of Georgia. Marliave has a PhD in Zoology from UBC and was VP of Marine Science at Vancouver Aquarium. Beamish also has a PhD in Zoology; he has received the Order of Canada, the Order of British Columbia and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He was also a member of the International Panel on Climate Change that received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.
Copies of Fishes of the Strait of Georgia (Harbour Publishing) will be available for purchase ($80.00 plus tax) and signing after the talk.
Admission to the lecture is $5 per historical society member; $6 for non-members. Advance tickets are strongly recommended. Doors open at 6:30 PM.
For more information, or to purchase tickets over the phone, call 250-334-0686 ext. 2.
The Courtenay and District Museum is located at 207 Fourth Street in downtown Courtenay.

Comox Valley Songwriters Circle
2026-03-16 19:00 - 21:00, 2026-02-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Artful the Gallery, 526 Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2C7
Each month singer/songwriters gather to share their tunes at Artful : The Gallery. The range of abilities, experience and genres welcomes musicians who appreciate the challenge (and the deadline!) of creating a new song each month.
The circle provides a place to be inspired, seek feedback and to be
able to hear what other creatives are working on. Most musicians bring along their
guitars or ukuleles, although some sing a cappella or use the in-house piano for accompaniment.
Host Ashley Sykes’s love of connecting with other artists provides motivation to write
and perform in the supportive group. The circle does not provide instruction; it provides an opportunity to perform your song, and to be impacted by others doing the same.
Attendance is by donation ($10 or pwyc). The group welcomes newcomers, and the
only criteria is that the songs performed are original.

Poetry Reading and Book Launch
2026-03-07 19:00 - 21:00 | Artful the Gallery, 526 Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2C7
Join host Kelly Madden at Artful : The Gallery for the poetry reading and book launch of Ed Varney and Dan Kirk. Guest poet Kristina Campbell will also join the reading for an entertaining trio of Comox Valley Poets.

Ed Varney was inspired to become a poet during his second year of University and has followed that idea over the past 60 years. Along the way he has learned printing technologies, publishing strategies, book binding skills, graphics and fine arts, arranged exhibitions, edited anthologies, founded small poetry magazines and published over 20 books and chapbooks of his own poetry. Varney reports that poetry continues to engage him and new poems emerge on sheets of paper in his studio. Varney’s latest chapbook is ‘Crossroads’, published by the Poem Factory. It follows the path that thought takes as it expresses itself in words and how those words morph into poetry.

Dan Kirk has spent extended periods of time over the past 20 years reading American poets William Stafford, Robert Bly and Emily Dickenson, Spanish poets Antonio Machado and Juan Ramon Jimenez, Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer and Norwegian poet Olav H. Hauge. They have informed and inspired Kirk’s writing in an ongoing conversation where he has responded to, argued with and extended their words and ideas and brought them into his world. This volume ’Still Talking’ represents a distillation of his ongoing dialogue with these poets and others who evoke a response. Kirk founded and ran the Red Tree Poetry Series and co-produced the first two Cascadia Poetry Festivals in Cumberland, B.C. with Adelia MacWilliam and Ed Varney. Reading in locations around Vancouver Island and Kelowna, Daniel has enjoyed the varied audiences for poetry in these communities.

Kristina Campbell is an artist and therapist who has lived in the Comox Valley since 2017. In 2020, Campbell established Artful : The Gallery to provide a home base for her multi-media art practice which includes painting, poetry and experimental film. Campbell has reached back through her Danish ancestry to bring the Nordic gods to her mythopoetic sensibility as an artist. Campbell’s style is an expression of her belief that using mythological imagery can inspire and lead to the creation of new narratives. Campbell’s fascination with mythology, symbols, memory and dream imagery is a unifying theme throughout her work.

Kelly Madden is a Vancouver Island poet whose writing is raw, unflinching, and deeply rooted in place. She speaks for the overlooked: those lost to the overdose crisis, those unhoused, and the ecosystems we continue to erase. Her work has appeared in numerous publications supported by the League of Canadian Poets, Reckoning, SAPPzine, Island Writer’s Magazine, CV2, The Poet, Drift, Drunk Monkeys and elsewhere. She is currently working on her second collection of poetry.

Artful : The Poets Featuring Landon Norris
2026-03-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Artful the Gallery, 526 Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2C7
Artful : The Poets welcomes Landon Norris as feature poet, with host Diana Kolpak, on March 2, 7-9pm.
Landon Arora Norris is a visual artist, actor, and poet, bringing an abundance of energy and colour to the stage, with vibrant brush strokes and line-work, wordplay, quirky subject matter, and eye-catching composition, leaving the ear a myriad of details to explore and become lost in. Landon mixes her personal experiences, interests in games and pop culture, along with her affinity for literary exploration and play.

Landon earned a BFA in Drawing & Painting from OCAD University, while working steadily as a professional on-screen and voice actor. Her engagement in the artistic world quickly segued into music and poetry, latching onto linguistic intricacies, like anagrams, palindromes, and spoonerisms. She enjoys the carefree exploration involved in abstraction, and cartooning, while having a deep-rooted understanding of realism, light and shadow. With this amalgamation of artistic expression, Landon crosses the lines between free-spirited childlike poetry and highly technical lyricism and flow.

Landon drove out from Toronto to Courtenay four years ago and planted roots on the island rather quickly, enjoying the pace of life, and the immediate connection to nature and the breathtaking outdoors this country is rich with. When she’s not glued to her creation station, playing games of the board or video variety, or out partaking in community events, you’re likely to catch Landon slinging ice cream at Blue Spruce during the weekdays.

Coldest Night of the Year
2026-02-28 08:00 - 17:00 | Native Sons Hall, 360 Cliffe Ave, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2H9, Canada
Coldest Night of the Year is happening again on February 28, 2026. The Coldest Night of the Year is a winterrific family-friendly fundraising walk in support of local charities serving people experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness… because it’s cold out there. We hope you’ll join us!

Register: https://en.cnoy.org/location/comoxvalley#cnoy #coldestnightoftheyear #coldestnight #comoxvalleyNavacord – Formerly Waypoint Insurance Services Inc.

Thank you to our Sponsors:Presenting: Navacord – Formerly Waypoint Insurance Services Inc.Platinum: Mainroad North Island Contracting + Quantum DentalGold: Courtenay Appliances + Coastwood Wellington Altus (Ivan Lee)Bronze: Chan Nowosad Boates + Mike Hamilton Logging, Cascadia ElectricRest Stop Sponsor: Morson Carson Richardson Wealth + YQQ + The Match Eatery + MNPRoute Sponsor: Peninsula Co-op + St George’s United ChurchMedia Sponsors: The Eagle + The Raven, Comox Valley RecordPartners: McDonalds Comox Valley, Plates, ABC Printing

Ramble at the Big Yellow Hall
2026-02-27 19:30 - 22:00 | Merville Hall, 1245 Fenwick Rd, Merville, BC, V0R2M0, Canada
The third installment of the Ramble presented by Highway 19 Concerts and hosted by J. Plank (Jeff Plankenhorn).

Inspired by the late, great Levon Helm’s legendary Midnight Ramble in Woodstock, NY, each Ramble shines a spotlight on three songwriters from emerging and established local talents to show stopping guest headliners, all backed by the One Spot Ramblers, a stellar Vancouver Island house band led by Plank. The Ramble is all about building musical community, and creating unique and unforgettable nights of song and music in our region.

Featuring:Paul Pigat – guitar, vocals & songsSue Decker – guitars, vocals & songsAJ Lontayao – guitar & vocalsMaya McCutcheon – vocalsJ. Plank – musical director, host, guitars and vocalsG. Lee Worden – guitars, keys and vocalsRick May – bassDallas Carrie – drums, vocals

In addition to leading his rockabilly powerhouse trio Cousin Harley, Vancouver’s Paul Pigat has quietly spent a career creating sweet sounds for some of the best artists in the country. Over the years his distinctive guitar playing has graced albums and stages of none other than Jeff Beck, Jackob Dylan, Michael Kaeshammer, Albert Lee, James Burton, Brian Setzer, The Reverend Horton Heat, Neko Case, Jim Byrnes, The Sojourners, Carolyn Mark… and on and on! Blessed with a jazz man’s sheen, a rockabilly heart and a hobo’s soul, there aren’t many genres of music that don’t pull at Pigat’s wayfaring imagination like a magnet. In many ways, it’s a mystery why Paul Pigat isn’t a household name yet. Maybe he’d be a lot easier to pin down if he wasn’t so darn good at so many different things.

Victoria singer-songwriter Sue Decker’s rich and warm voice, distinctive slide guitar playing, and authentic songwriting make for a powerful combination. Ever since learning to play her first guitar chords in a bluegrass jam at the age of thirty-five, Sue has been discovering her truth in song. In 2024 she released her second album “Keeping Time” with producer Steve Dawson which drew comparisons to Ry Cooder and Lucinda Williams.

Still in their teens, multi-instrumentalist AJ Lontayao and vocalist Maya McCutcheon have establishing themselves as tremendous talents to watch in the Campbell River music scene. On guitar and vocals, Lontayao leads the rock band Exit 30, winners of battle of the band accolades all over the Island. Both are regulars at Highway 19’s high school open mic nights and Georgia Strait Jazz Society jams, they also perform as a duo and with their jazz quartet Mood Swings where McCutcheon’s Winehouse-esque pipes are on full display.
J. Plank (Jeff Plankenhorn) is a highly respected musician known for his skill as a slide guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist, both as a solo artist and as a sought-after session musician. After years in the Austin music scene, Plank now calls Campbell River home while he continues to tour across North America and Europe. Lee Worden, Rick May, and Dallas Carrie round out the house band of Island aces.
The Ramble is a family friendly, licensed event.
Kids are free with a paying adult, teens pay what you can at the door.
The Ramble is supported by the Province of BC through the BC Arts Council and BC Live Performance Network.

Tickets: $30.00 Admission (+applicable taxes & fees) Kids are free with a paying adult, teens pay what you can at the door.

Carys Owen "Love Letter to a Bee" Poetry Reading and Book Launch with musical guests Circle Complex
2026-02-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Artful the Gallery, 526 Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2C7
Carys Owen is a poet, educator, community builder and nature-lover who respectfully lives on the unceded territory of the K’omoks people. Her office is on the beach, by the river, in the forest, near a mountain.
For several years she has been sharing her poems at readings, community events and in her first poetry collection – Into the Ordinary. In 2023, Carys helped to create the Downtown Courtenay Poetry Walk. This public art project is now in its fourth year. It pairs poets with businesses resulting in a display of poetry on store front windows during National Poetry Month (April).
Carys’s poetry has been read at conferences and meetings to illustrate the life of various organizations, for example the BC Teacher’s Reading Conference, Lush Valley Food Action Society and CV Rotary Club. She is also very proud to have performed her poetry at Pride in the Park in Courtenay, BC. Carys is a founding member of ‘Artful : The Poets’ who meet once a month to share their poetry at ‘Artful : The Gallery’, Courtenay BC. She also helps to organize ‘Wordsmiths’, a group of poets, writers and singers in Cumberland, BC.
Her new collection of poetry – ‘Love Letter to a Bee’- explores the beauties of the natural world alongside the importance of caring for our environment.She is mindful of creating poems that celebrate the wonders of the natural world with the aim of encouraging connection and hope.

Maureen F. Fitzgerald PHD Book Launch for "Wake the F Up"
2026-02-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Artful the Gallery, 526 Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2C7
Join Author Maureen Fitzgerald PhD as she launches her latest publication, “Wake the F Up – the Essential Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Freedom”. The evening will include a presentation from the author, opportunity to purchase her book and a reception to follow.

Every mystic has said the same thing: We can only end suffering and be truly happy if we wake up. But how do we do this?

In her engaging presentation, Maureen will describe her five-step process to awakening from an egoic-state of consciousness to awake awareness. You will learn how to use your life difficulties for opportunities to realize your True Self and:

 transcend the limits of your egoic mind;
 loosen the limiting beliefs in your shadow; and
 unlock the freedom and peace that is already within you.

Fitzgerald combines Western psychology and Eastern philosophy while referring to the words of the mystics including Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Michael Singer, Loch Kelly, Adyashanti and Osho.

Come and learn how to raise your consciousness and move from a place of darkness and ignorance to a time of abundance and freedom.

As Eckhart Tolle says: “Your main purpose is to awaken. It is as simple as that. You share that purpose with every other person on this planet – because it is the purpose of humanity.”

Lunar New Year Celebration
2026-02-22 15:00 - 17:00 | BC
Multicultural and family friendly celebration. Snacks, stories, traditional crafts, games and more! Come learn about this important celebration observed in over a dozen countries.

Erotic Poetry & Artist Reception for Eros & Psyche Exhibition
2026-02-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Artful the Gallery, 526 Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2C7
Three Comox Valley Poets bring their erotic poetic selves to celebrate the opening of the “Eros & Psyche” exhibition at Artful : The Gallery. The Artist Reception will begin with poetic performances by Liza Hughes, Joanna Finch and Toni Dunne, from 7-8pm. The evening will conclude with the artist reception for the exhibition featuring the artworks of Tessa Nunn, Annette Nieukerk, Joyce Ozier, Tannis Hopkins, Matthew Hildebrandt, Nicky Evans, Gary Dillon and Rosemary Burden.

Stir the Pot at The Courtenay and District Museum
2026-02-21 11:00 - 13:00 | the Courtenay and District Museum, 207 4th St, Courtenay, BC, COURTENAY, BC, V9N 1G7, Canada
The 2026 BC Heritage Week Theme, Stir the Pot, is an open invitation to celebrate food as a form of heritage that is both personal and widely shared.
That means it is time to get your soup recipes ready! The Courtenay Museum is hosting a drop-in recipe sharing table on Saturday, February 21 from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM.
Bring an easy-to-read copy of your favourite French onion or grandma’s minestrone, and the museum will make photocopies for everyone to share and take home.
If you’re unavailable but would still like to contribute, feel free to submit your soup recipes before hand to info@courtenaymuseum.ca and staff will include your printouts. The museum will also be supplying a few complimentary recipes from the archival collection.
The Courtenay and District Museum is located at 207 4th Street in downtown Courtenay.
FMI: 250-334-0686 ext 2.

Comox Valley CRAFT RAVE
2026-02-20 20:00 - 2026-02-21 02:00 | Avenue Bistro, 2064 Comox Ave, Comox, BC, V9M 1P8, Canada
This February, Craft Rave is all about coming together to co-create, fundraise, and support our local community through creativity, connection, PLUR: Peace, Love, Unity, Respect! This special 18+ edition is a fundraiser for Craft Rave and Avenue Bistro and the growing creative ecosystem that supports our goals.

Craft Rave is a space where you can begin, work on, or complete a craft project. Think knitting, collage, painting, drawing, digital art, mixed media, vision boards, and more. Bring something you are already working on or dive into something new when you arrive.

Guest DJs with music ranging across electronic dance genres to keep the creative energy flowing.

DJs: Selayne | FALL ON BEATS | DJ sprouT | Ninjah

Craft demo / Artists / Vendors: PassionStems | Slug Blume UpcyLit

You will also meet our Vibe Guides, who will be there to do Vibe Checks and make sure you have everything you need to feel comfortable, inspired, and supported.

This event is about creative community love in action.

This month’s event is taking place at Avenue Bistro and their full dinner menu will be available including a mocktail and cocktail menu. We’ll have some late night snacks for those of you who stay late with us!

Community Love Jam. Where art meets heart.

Follow our Comox Valley Craft Rave page for updates!

Craft Rave 18+
2026-02-20 01:30 - 02:00 | BC
Community Love Jam @ Avenue Bistro

This February, Craft Rave is all about coming together to co-create, fundraise, and support our local community through creativity, connection, PLUR. Peace, Love, Unity, Respect! This special 18+ edition is a fundraiser for Craft Rave and Avenue Bistro and the growing creative ecosystem that supports our goals.

Craft Rave is a space where you can begin, work on, or complete a craft project. Think knitting, collage, painting, drawing, digital art, mixed media, vision boards, and more. Bring something you are already working on or dive into something new when you arrive.

Guest DJs with music ranging across electronic dance genres to keep the creative energy flowing.

ConfirmedSelayneFALL ON BEATSDJ sprouTNinjah

You will also meet our Vibe Guides, who will be there to do Vibe Checks and make sure you have everything you need to feel comfortable, inspired, and supported.

This event is about creative community love in action.

We will be adding more to this experience soon, including a special mocktail and cocktail menu and curated food and snack offerings, vending opportunities and more. Stay tuned for more details as this event takes shape.

Community Love Jam. Where art meets heart.

Follow our Comox Valley Craft Rave page for updates!

Very Limited Uber Early Presale Tickets $15-$25 includes 1 drink ticket! (Cocktail or Mocktail)

Tier 2 when these sell out! $20

$25 @ The Door

May all relations be honoured and honestly reconciled. May we, as Canadians, continue to fulfill our responsibilities as treaty partners. We are visitors on the lands and territories of the K’ómoks, Qualicum, and Puntlatch peoples.

Friday I'm in Love! A Tribute to The Cure & other New Wave/Goth Favs
2026-02-13 18:30 - 22:30 | Comox Valley Curling Centre, 4835 Headquarters Road, Courtenay, BC, V9J1P2, Canada
12 Vancouver Island original musical acts each playing 12 minute sets of their interpretations of songs by The Cure and other New Wave/Goth/Dark wave/post-punk icons from that amazing 80s musical era.
Including: Amy Muloin & the Alley Flowers, Avro, Bath Slut, Night Mirrors, Pink Plagues, Pranatricks, Rudeboy, Short Circuit, Soft Top, Sonder, Trip Sitters, & Valley Edge Choir.
Plus drag performances by Kara Nedge and Rat King!
CVGBs returns with their third fundraiser tribute show. After sold out events honouring and re-imagining the music of first Nirvana in 2023, then David Bowie in 2024, this coming Friday the 13th of February takes a bit of a detour with the music of the Cure, mixed with the anthems of other New Wave/Goth/Dark wave/post-punk icons from that amazing 80s musical era. The concept is the same: A dozen radically different Vancouver Island original acts will do twelve-minute sets with the intent to play songs they love, but not necessarily as you might expect them to sound. These are not straight cover versions! The musical acts are all donating 100% of their performance funds towards Foundry Comox Valley, a safe space where youth can get free, confidential help and support, without judgement. https://foundrybc.ca/centre/comox-valley/

CV/Arts Member Meeting
2026-02-10 12:00 - 13:00 | Comox Valley Art Gallery, Upstairs, 580 Duncan Avenue, Courtenay, British Columbia, V9N 3M7
As a way of reviving our membership program, CV/Arts will be hosting quarterly membership meetings with the goal of providing more benefits and opportunities for members. These gatherings will offer members a chance to connect directly with one another and with the CV/Arts team, be the first to hear about upcoming programs and opportunities, and receive organizational updates along with broader arts-sector news. These meetings will be open to CV/Arts members only.

Our first meeting will take place on February 10th from 12:00pm – 1:00pm at 580 Duncan Avenue. During this time the CV/Arts team will share information about program planning for 2026.

If you haven’t renewed your membership yet, now is a great time to do so. We’ve recently introduced a sliding-scale membership starting at just $10, helping lower barriers to participation and making it easier for everyone to stay involved. We’re looking forward to building a stronger, more connected arts community together and hope you’ll join us.

RSVP to the meeting HERE.

Artful : The Poets
2026-02-02 19:00 - 21:00 | Artful the Gallery, 526 Cumberland Rd, Courtenay, BC, V9N 2C7
Join host Steven J. Thompson as he welcomes our feature poet Jeremy Loveday. Jeremy’s feature spot will be followed by an open mic. Sign up at the door for the open mic, 5 minutes max per poet, $10 or pwyc.
Jeremy Loveday is a poet, arts educator, and community builder from Victoria, BC, on the territory of the lәk’wәŋәn People. He founded and served as the longtime artistic director of the Victorious Voices youth poetry festival. Jeremy’s dynamic performances earned him the title of Victoria Poetry Slam Grand Champion three times. In 2020, he was honoured with the Zaccheus Jackson Nyce Memorial Award. His work has been published in reputable platforms such as Huffington Post, CV2, Funicular Magazine, National Observer, CBC, Claudia, and Best Canadian Poetry 2023.
Loveday’s performance to celebrate his Book Release:
Maybe the Starling, the debut full-length collection from award-winning poet and dynamic spoken word performer Jeremy Loveday, invites us to explore the intersections of crisis and care, grief and joy—a testament to poetry’s power to ignite change and nurture the human spirit.
In a world marked by inequity and climate crisis, Maybe the Starling is a poetic response to uncertainty, confronting urgent questions while offering both salve and spark. Rooted in a deep love for the land and an abiding wonder for nature’s abundance, these poems illuminate the ways we belong to each other and the world around us.
From mosh pits and Elvis impersonators to the quiet patience of growing food, these poems refuse to turn away from contradiction—they embrace it. Maybe the Starling offers both comfort and challenge, reminding us that poetry is a powerful call to wonder, to witness, and to action.

Opening: Transcendent Thresholds
2026-01-24 13:00 - 17:00 | Comox Valley Art Gallery, 580 Duncan Avenue, Courtenay, BC
CVAG’s convergent program Transcendent Thresholds draws on ways of knowing that understand change as cyclical, porous, and interconnected. Immersive video and sound experiences, sensorial installations, and multi-media artworks trace states of becoming shaped by memory, ritual, and relational ways of knowing. Featuring work by artists Alex Coma, Claudia Medina and Sophia Sanford. Runs through March 14, 2026.

Something to Write Home About
2026-01-17 11:00 - 14:00 | the Courtenay and District Museum, 207 4th St, Courtenay, BC, COURTENAY, BC, V9N 1G7, Canada
The former Post Office building, now home to the Courtenay Museum, turns 100 years old in January 2026.
Celebrate this anniversary by participating in Universal Letter Writing Week on Saturday, January 17 at the museum. Drop in from 11 AM to 2 PM and put pen to paper.
The museum will provide pens, paper, envelopes and Canadian stamps. You take a few moments to express yourself in handwritten words and, before you know it, you’ve got a letter to post!
Letter writing in the old post office is a perfect activity to commemorate the centennial!
