Vancouver Island Exhibition (VIEX)

The Vancouver Island Exhibition — VIEX for short — is Nanaimo's big country fair, a three-day celebration of agriculture, entertainment and family fun held each September at Beban Park. Presented by the Vancouver Island Exhibition Association, it is a mid-Island tradition that brings the whole region together as summer turns to fall, blending the timeless appeal of a farm fair with the rides, shows and stage acts of a full-scale exhibition.

There is a remarkable amount packed into the fairgrounds. Agricultural exhibits and livestock keep the fair's farming roots front and centre, while a midway of rides and games brings the lights and thrills, and the mainstage hosts concerts and live entertainment across the weekend. Crowd-pleasing attractions round out the bill — the ever-popular SuperDogs, a lumberjack show demonstrating timber-sports skills, food trucks and fair favourites, and family entertainment spread across the grounds. It is a genuine all-ages day out: little ones love the animals, rides and dogs, while grown-ups enjoy the exhibits, music and that unmistakable fair atmosphere.

Held at Beban Park in the heart of Nanaimo, the Harbour City and transport hub of the mid-Island, VIEX is easy to reach from anywhere on the east coast of the Island or by ferry from the mainland. Make a day of it and explore Nanaimo's waterfront, Old City Quarter and dining scene while you are in town. Bring the family, cash for the midway and concessions, and plan to spend the day taking in one of the mid-Island's best-loved annual events.