History Of Nanaimo Empire Days Celebrations

 

Crowds line the Commercial St. parade route 2014

The Nanaimo Empire Days 

Celebration Society

For 147 years, the Nanaimo Empire Days Celebration Society brought the community together with one of the city’s most cherished annual traditions. Established to honour Queen Victoria’s birthday, the volunteer-run group organized parades, fireworks, Maypole dances, and the crowning of the May Queen every May long weekend.

The celebration’s roots date back to the 1850s, when local miners took the day off to mark the Queen’s birthday. Over time, it evolved into a major civic event under the guidance of the Society, drawing thousands downtown each year.

It drew world-class marching bands and motorcycle drill teams and the ever-popular Shriners with their entertaining parade route antics. Military marching bands in full regalia added color all along the parade route. The mayor and council were sure to participate as well as other political figures. Of course at the end of the parade seated on a 1957 Chevy convertible in period costume was Queen Victoria herself (of course she was a stand-in)

In recent years, however, the event’s name and colonial associations became a point of controversy. Critics pushed for a name change, and public funding was threatened unless the Society complied. While no objection was raised to the volunteers continuing their work, the demand to alter the name proved a breaking point.

Faced with the loss of support and unwilling to compromise their founding identity, the Society disbanded. A new group attempted to carry on the tradition under the banner of “Heritage Days,” but the event never regained its former momentum or community embrace.

Though now inactive, the Nanaimo Empire Days Celebration Society left a lasting mark on the city’s cultural fabric—celebrating heritage, community, and civic pride across generations.