The streets of downtown Campbell River will once again light up this winter with CR Live Streets: A Night Out Downtown.
Offering music, comedy, art, poetry, and more, A Night Out Downtown reignites a chilly Campbell River with community connection and nightlife. The 2025 event will take place some time in February.
Last year’s participating businesses included Beach Fire Brewing, Sessions Taproom + Kitchen, Freyja – the croissant story, the Campbell River Art Gallery, Match Eatery, and more. While the lineup for this year has yet to be announced, many of these establishments will likely be offering a cozy place to catch up with friends and family.
Pride and celebration
Sara Lopez Assu, executive director of the Campbell River Art Gallery, said the evening brought pride and celebration, offering a winter alternative to staying home or visiting the ski hill. During A Night Out Downtown last year, the art gallery featured exhibits and a DJ set celebrating queer culture and the 2SLGBTQ+community.
“[It] was a super-welcoming, safe space for folks to come and dance a little bit and enjoy each other’s company and participate in some art making and viewing,” Assu said, adding that the changing demographics in Campbell River are bringing young people back to town who are eager for a bit of nightlife. “It’s great to get those people into our cultural spaces in the evening, give folks something to do that’s not hiking or nature focused, which obviously we are grateful for—but having a vibrant cultural scene is super-important as well.”
While the summer streets of downtown Campbell River are alive with people enjoying food and beverages on patios, exploring the parks and beaches, and visiting from the mainland, the longer winter nights are often quiet—something Lucas Schuller, organizer and member of the Highway 19 Concert Society, said is a common complaint from locals and guests alike.
“I think people were pretty excited [last year] to have things to do, especially with a location-hopping experience,” he said. “That’s not a part of the common experience in Campbell River.”
A downtown buzz
He recalls floating between the venues, peeking into the participating establishments, and seeing usually closed and quiet storefronts like Coho Books lit up with groups of people listening to poetry, music, and comedy. On the streets, groups of friends walked from location to location, chattering among themselves as they made their way to Beach Fire or Match for the later shows.
“It was really cool to see that atmosphere on a long winter night in our town,” Schuller said. “It sort of created a buzz downtown that we don’t get most of the time.” The 2025 event will also feature a passport, encouraging guests to hit every spot on the list.
See you downtown!