Chemainus Festival Of Murals Society - Chemainus, British Columbia

Emma C.

Nous y avions fait une stop sur la route entre Nanaimo et victoria, cela vaut le détour, le bourg de la ville est aussi très mignon.

JJ

Charming little town full of art, history, and good vibes

Chemainus was definitely worth the detour during our island trip. We happened to arrive while a live music concert was happening, which brought a great energy to the town. Even without the music, the vibe here is calm, relaxed, and perfect for a leisurely stroll.

The highlight is without a doubt the incredible murals—each one telling a piece of the town’s rich history and heritage. Walking around and discovering them felt like a mini outdoor art gallery experience. The town itself is lovely, full of character, and the locals are exceptionally friendly.

If you’re exploring Vancouver Island, Chemainus is a peaceful and culturally rich stop that’s well worth a visit.

Sally M.

What a beautiful little town. We called in as we saw a sign on the highway about the murals. We are so pleased that we stopped. There is so much more to Chemainus than the murals. A very helpful gentleman at the info centre gave us a rundown of the town and a brief historical overview.
The quaint shops are really gorgeous, and there are beautiful animal topiaries throughout the town. A backdrop of enormous trees makes it a very picturesque spot to call in. Topped off with a coffee and cake at The Willow St Cafe.👍😁🍰🍪☕️

D F.

Great little museum and walkable area to explore the historic town of Chemainus and see the murals

Nissan P.

Nice little charming town to visit. Murals were very detailed and beautiful, depicting the history of the town. There was a free concert happening later during the day at 2pm.

Ni Z.

Chemainus 開埠以來居民一直依靠林木業謀生，1980 年代初期林木業開始衰落，鎮內商人急謀對策，請來多位畫家於各建築物牆上大顯身手，憑著首屆 5 幅壁畫即拿下振興舊鎮經濟的國際大獎。對華人更有意義的是，這 5 幅壁畫中包括一張栩栩如生的 Hong Hing 華人商店，再一次反映華人在 BC 省各城鎮發展中之貢獻

第二天行程中最后一站 我们趁着橘色的天空浏览着一处处大型社区壁画 小镇的商业区非常小 但非常可爱 从建筑到内饰都非常精致

Harvey I.

The whole city is art-oriented, and this festival is the greatest symbol. Just walking through the alleys of the town gives you so much joy that you don’t want to leave.

The walking signs on the ground could be confusing, i think that’s because they are partly re-done and in the process, but you can use that as a clear sign to make sure you don’t miss any of the paintings.

Lois K.

Love this idea. Happy to support the initiative by buying the $5 map. The physical map is easier to use than the online map, because it doesn't annoyingly reset your location and zoom out each time you click a link. Making it hard to locate the next stop. That said, the online site has much more thorough descriptions for the majority of the murals. Using the two tools together was ideal. Hubby guided with the physical map. I read descriptions.
On the downside. We walked the whole thing, no problem, except it was a heatwave. We took in a two hour musical at the theatre just to cool off and reset. Also, a few of the murals are in disrepair or badly faded. Please buy the map to help them fund restorations! The walk will take you by many wonderful shops, but beware, most of them close at 4pm, so plan accordingly. Lastly the murals are not in any historical order. I would have valued a map that walked us through the murals in chronological order (to be clear, in the order of historical events that occurred, not the order of when murals were painted).
Overall, we enjoyed getting to know Chemainus better through this creative art and history initiative.