Nanaimo harbor was the scene of a bathtub race extravaganza at the first race in 1967. As the City of Nanaimo's "Centennial Event" that year, close to 200 tubbers (in every type of craft imaginable) entered the fun competition and amazingly, 47 completed the 36 mile course to Vancouver's Fisherman's Cove across the straits of Georgia. Now the "Great RACE" finishes at Departure Bay in Nanaimo covering a very grueling course that leaves Nanaimo harbor circles Entrance Island and then up to and around Winchelsea Island and then back to Departure Bay in Nanaimo. In the early days it was indeed a challenge to just get past the starting line in the choppy confusion caused by an extra 785 small and large observation and escort boat in Nanaimo harbor. From the confusion of a first time bathtub race 39 years ago, the Nanaimo to Nanaimo "Great" INTERNATIONAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BATHTUB RACE & 4 day Nanaimo Marine Festival has evolved. Where once a select band of tubers were the highlight they now share the spotlight with many other land and water events which are interesting and often spectacular to watch.
This years Nanaimo Marine Festival's salute is to the "40th anniversary of the “Great” INTERNATIONAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BATHTUB RACE. The salute will also be the theme for the city wide "Spirit of Tubbing" competition sponsored by the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce as well as the theme for the "SAIL PAST on WHEELS FUN PARADE" held on the Saturday of Bathtub Weekend. The "Spirit of Tubbing" competition encourages the entire business community to get in the "Bathtub Spirit" by decorating their business in the Marine Festival theme and having their staff dress in the "Official” Bathtub Race T-shirts. Judging takes place mid-month and awards for different sized businesses are handed out during the Marine Festival week and proudly displayed."
The various events through out the city in July
culminate with the KICK OFF on Thursday, July 20th
with the opening of the LNBS Marine Festival Food
Fair, Kiddies Harborside Playdock, Kiddies Karnival,
"Tim Hortons" Marine Festival Entertainment
Stage and the Avalon Cinemas & Thrifty Foods,
Children's programs at Maffeo Sutton and Swy-a-lana
Lagoon parks adjacent to the Nanaimo Harbor. Also
for your enjoyment are the many informative static
displays WATERWISE Boat Safety Team plus many others.
Also on Friday a NEW addition to the schedule of
events a 2 day Crafts show along the harbour walkway
in the Boat Basin and McGregor Park joining the
already popular Farmer Market which also runs for
2 days in the Harbourfront Pioneer Plaza overlooking
the Boast Basin. On Saturday, July 22nd at 10:30
AM the annual Sail Past on Wheels Fun Parade sponsored
by Woodgrove Centre, takes place through the Old
City Quarter and the City Center followed by the
A-Channel "Land Tubbers" race co sponsored
by the Daybreak Rotary Club with Corporate teams
battling for the coveted A-Channel Championship
trophy along with the finals of the LNBS World Championship
Waiters Race sponsored jointly by the PEPSI BOTTLING
GROUP AND KOKANEE. Also down at the waterfront the
Marine Festival Food Fair, the Kiddies Harborside
Playdock, the Pet Parade, Tim Horton's Marine Festival
Entertainment Stage, the Kiddies Karnival along
with the Avalon Cinemas & Thrifty Foods, children's
programs plus many other static displays along with
the Hornets 'Rugby Club's Bavarian Garden &
Bikini Contest held beside the Civic Arena and various
events in the harbor.
In the evening Vancouver Islands premier fireworks
display the spectacular "Quality Foods"
Festival of Lights & Music fireworks display
takes place in the Nanaimo harbor at 10:00 PM. The
"Great" RACE day starts off with the Canadian
Scottish "Pancake Breakfast" adjacent
to the Civic Arena at 7:00 AM sponsored by Quality
Foods. Then join the thousands of excited spectators
as the 39th annual "Great" INTERNATIONAL
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BATHTUB RACE starting at 11:00
AM sharp in Nanaimo harbor for the approximate 1
½ hour challenge in the straits of Georgia
to the "PEPSI FINISH LINE" at Departure
Bay. A shuttle bus service to both the START &
FINISH lines sponsored by Nanaimo Regional Transit
& Island Farm Dairies is available at all regular
bus stops. After the tubs leave the excitement continues
both on land and in the water with the Marine Festival
Food Fair, the Kiddies Karnival, Harborside Playdock,
Avalon Cinemas & Thrifty Food Children's programs.
If you prefer (and remember you can do both) you
can join us at the always spectacular "PEPSI
FINISH LINE" at Departure Bay beach and watch
the finish of the "Great" RACE and enjoy
the many food and refreshment booths manned by Community
minded Companies including the Nanaimo Hornets Rugby
Football Clubs "Bavarian Garden" all with
their time donated and the proceeds going back to
the Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub Society for next years
Marine Festival.
Four full days of fun and activities for the young,
old and in-between, family oriented and held in
NANAIMO , the Sun-Porch of Canada, the Jewel of
the West and the Bathtub Racing Capital of the World,
during the always (well almost always) sunny month
of July. So come join us July 20th to July 23rd
, 2006 and take in the World's Cleanest Sport, Bathtub
Racing and the 39th running of the "Great"
INTERNATIONAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BATHTUB RACE &
Nanaimo Marine Festival and another bonus most of
the events and activities are FREE.
