Information for Guests

Your graduate is responsible for requesting tickets for their guests. Each graduate is guaranteed three tickets and can request to be put on a wait-list for up to three more tickets. The extra tickets are given out only if they are available; we do not guarantee that all requests for extra tickets will be accommodated. Tickets are not available for sale from the Port Theatre.

The Port Theatre is located at 125 Front Street, Nanaimo, BC.  Pay parking is available underneath the Port Theatre or in the parking complex on Wharf Street. As parking is limited, please make sure that you arrive early to ensure you get a spot.

The main doors to the Port Theatre will open one hour prior to your ceremony.  The house doors will open 30 minutes prior to the ceremony; guests must be seated at least five minutes before the ceremony begins.  Seating is general and first-come, first-served.  If you or another guest is in a wheelchair or requires special seating arrangements, please email convocation@viu.ca to make these arrangements.

The Convocation ceremony is usually two hours long with no intermission.  We respectfully ask that you remain seated in the theatre for the duration of the ceremony. Photography is certainly permitted - this is a special day!

Hotel Rooms for Out of Town Visitors

For the convenience of any out of town guests attending convocation, we have block reserved some hotel rooms in Nanaimo for June 4 & 5, 2012. The rooms are at the government rate and can be reserved by contacting the hotel before May 28, 2012 and quoting "VIU Convocation". Please be aware that there are limited rooms reserved at this rate.

The Inn at Long Lake

The Grand Hotel

For more information on visiting Nanaimo, BC, please see the Tourism Nanaimo website.