Nakusp Arts & Culture

In the 1890s, many a hopeful young man, and a few young women, disembarked from a sternwheeler at Nakusp, en route for the rich mines of the Slocan Valley. Since then, this village on the Arrow Lakes has adapted well to a changing economy, supported by forestry and tourism.

The Nakusp area is well endowed with both commercial and undeveloped hot springs. In mid-July, this village pays homage to the music of the ’60s and ’70s with the Nakusp Music Festival, which claims to be the largest classic rock festival in the interior of British Columbia.

GALLERIES & ART CENTRES:

Bonnington Arts Centre
6th Avenue and 4th Street NW
Ph: 1-250-265-4087
Email: AlacNak@columbiacable.net
Numerous cultural events are showcased including musicians, comedians, children shows and theatrical performances. Productions generally take place October to May.

HERITAGE:

Centennial building
Constructed in 1911 as Nakusp’s third school, the building now houses the Nakusp Public Library and Museum. Beginning April 2014, it will also hold the Archives, operated by the Arrow Lakes Historical Society.

Leland Hotel
This hotel was the second to be built by Mr. Rathwell (1892). The hotel graced the street of Slocan Avenue for many years and in 1897 a 3-storey addition was built onto it making it the largest with 50 rooms. Today, the Leland is the oldest operating hotel in British Columbia.

Windsor Hotel
This heritage building (1892) in Trout Lake (55 km N of Nakusp) was built during the silver mining boom. The hotel and a few other buildings survived the community’s floods and fires. It has been restored to reflect the historical period and operates today.

Village of Nakusp
Nakusp’s settlement history began in 1892. It began as a port for conveyance of the Slocan ore. There were no roads, only railways from the Kootenay mining areas where goods had to be shipped by water transport from Nakusp to Revelstoke. Nakusp became a thriving community on this shipping route. Forestry overtook mining as the economic base and the village was incorporated in 1964.