The Gabriola Theatre Festival is dependent on volunteers for its success. A Festival Committee, that operates as a sub-committee of the Gabriola Arts Council, oversees the planning and operation of the Festival.
Volunteer members of this Committee for the 2010 Theatre Festival are:
Festival Chair Kathy Ramsey
Festival Coordinator Jim Wilson-Storey
Business Administration Coordinator Anne Drozd
Main Stage Coordinator Leslie Parrott
Special Events Coordinator Lisa Dowding Carter
Promotions Coordinator Margy Gilmour
Logistics Coordinator Doug McKnight
Community Outreach Coordinator David Soy
Over the last ten years, the Gabriola Arts Council has sponsored, promoted, and delivered a broad range of arts events. So in 2008, when it was suggested to the Council that Gabriola should have a theatre festival, the resounding response was “Why not, what took you so long?”. Thus, the Gabriola Theatre Festival was born.
It’s hard to convey the incredible energy that was evident during our first Festival weekend in 2009. In just one year, the Gabriola Theatre Festival went from being an unknown newcomer in the festival community, to becoming a recognized member of the theatre festival circuit, here in BC and beyond.
The 2010 Gabriola Theatre Festival will build on last year’s success by delivering a truly bold, inclusive and innovative arts event that brings together a jam packed theatre program, StreetArt (a two day celebration of Gabriola’s visual artists), exciting children’s workshops, an outdoor stage bristling with highly talented young and not-so-young musicians, dancers and entertainers and, of course, the return of the world famous Lion’s Pancake Breakfast.
Whether you are an island resident, or one of the thousands of visitors to our Isle of the Arts, we invite you to come out to enjoy the incredible feast of entertainment and to celebrate the arts on Gabriola.
To contact us, please call (250) 247-7363 or send an e-mail to:Jim Wilson-Storey
It takes a community to make a Festival... In 2009, more than 100 community members played a role in making our first ever Festival a huge success. We need your help again this year.
David Soy will be setting up Volunteer Teams, please let him know if you have a particular area of interest. You can email him at: David Soy.
A Note on Parking: Please park in the Gabriola Elementary School parking lot or the overflow area at The Commons. Designated parking areas will be clearly indicated, please avoid parking in areas for local business patrons. We appreciate your cooperation.
Gabriola Island is
a 20–minutes ferry ride from Nanaimo, or
20 minutes by float plane from Vancouver Airport's South Terminal.
Nanaimo is
20 minutes by float plane from downtown Vancouver or Vancouver Airport
1.5 to 2 hours from Vancouver by ferry 1.5 hours from Victoria by car
Ferry from Vancouver
BC Ferries run services to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island from Tsawwassen (2 hours) and Horseshoe Bay (1 hour 35 minutes).
There are Greyhound bus services from Victoria and from downtown Vancouver to Nanaimo (via BC Ferries). There is also a Pacific Coach service from Vancouver Airport to Nanaimo.
Once in Nanaimo, drive or take a taxi or the Nanaimo Shuttle to the Gabriola ferry, which runs approximately once an hour, 7 days a week, from 6 am to 11 pm. Sailing time to Gabriola is 20 minutes. Contact BC Ferries for more information.
On arrival on Gabriola Island, follow the traffic up the hill, keep left at the junction by the Post Office, along North Road, and you will see the Folklife Village on your right. The Gabriola Taxi Service is also available.
Float plane from Vancouver
Tofino Air has flights from Vancouver Airport south terminal to Silva Bay on Gabriola Island. From Silva Bay you can take the Gabriola Taxi to The Haven. Tofino Air in Vancouver can arrange the taxi for you.
Harbour Air and West Coast Air offer scheduled flights from downtown Vancouver to Nanaimo, landing a five-minute walk from the Gabriola ferry terminal.
Air connection via Vancouver
Air Canada offers connector flights from Vancouver International Airport to Cassidy Airport, about 20 km south of Nanaimo. From Cassidy Airport a taxi or the Nanaimo Shuttle can take you to the Gabriola Ferry terminal in downtown Nanaimo.
A heartfelt thank you to the dedicated volunteers who contribute so much to the Festival and without whom we just couldn’t pull this off.
Thank you to all the Gabriola businesses who got behind our first festival in 2009 and continued to support us in 2010.
Our generous funders made it possible to expand our Festival in its second year. Thank you for your support.
And, finally, thank you to our generous audiences...your enthusiasm in 2009 convinced us that this Festival is a welcome addition to Gabriola Island’s cultural scene...”if there’s no audience, there just ain’t no show.” We hope you enjoy the 2010 lineup!
We would also like to thank all the photographers who have given permission to use their photo images for this year's Festival Program and Website. Copyrighted materials that appear on this website were made available to Gabriola Theatre Festival by the associated performers for use solely in a non-profit manner. If you feel that use is not appropriate, please email us at so that we can quickly correct the problem.
Cover Image, Program and Website: 2010, Dmytro Konstantynov. Image from Bigstock.com
Tents: Margy Gilmour
Two Kids on Stage: Richard Pullano
Two Clowns: Margy Gilmour
