Denman Island, BC

DenmanIsland is a hotbed of bellydancers! By my estimate, almost every family on the island is involved in bellydancing: either they dance, have danced, or want to dance, or someone they love dances. And then there are the photographers taking pictures and seamstresses sewing costumes.... It's become an integral part of the community life.

Denman is the home of Cafe Arabesque: an excellent annual bellydance performace. Dancers and viewers come from all over to participate in this show of highest calibre.

Besides bellydancing, Denman also is renowned for its artists, and its gardens, as well as its natural beauty.

Denman artists and craftspeople offer their fine wares on the annual Pottery Tour and the Christmas Craft Faire. The Denman Craft Faire, with its excellent reputation, draws people from far and wide .

There is an annual Home and Garden Tour as well, showcasing many of the finest gardens on the West Coast.

And many artists have their studios open to the public. The Denman Island Craft Shop co-op sells arts and crafts by many islanders.

DenmanIsland.com has a directory of artists, vendors, B&Bs, and more. It also showcases local artists and businesses, and has information on Concerts Denman, local parks, the Home & Garden Tour, and more.

More stuff on Denman can be found here, too.

Denman Island is renowned for its environmental committment. We are working hard to purchase land that is at risk for extensive logging and some that has been recently clearcut for forest rejuvenation. Denman Island Conservancy is the main force behind this, and they're doing an amazing job. Denman Community Forest Cooperative is another group working to save the forests.

People always ask what there is to do, living on a small rural island. My answer: pretty much what there is to do in a city, only less often. We have world-class concerts thanks to DIACS, incredible bands for dances thanks to DIRCS, movie nights playing big hits in Hollywood and Foreign films, and art shows. There are lots of things to get involved in, like local politics, spinning and weaving, life drawing, gardening, and much more. And thanks to our terrific Community School, we regularly have fascinating classes on computers, art, gardening, martial arts, and so much more. There is a local theatre group, and one or two choirs. There are campy theme parties on a quite regular basis, including the famous Martini Lounge. We have regular gatherings, like the Blackberry Faire in the fall, and the Community Christmas Dinner. Lots of volunteer opportunities, and weekly sports like volleyball, soccer, badminton, etc. There are various classes in yoga, tai chi, and of course bellydance!

When all else fails, one can relax at home with Denman Island Chocolate. Who needs anything more?! (If you haven't tried it, you really should...but I warn you: it will probably spoil you for any other chocolate!)

And once a year there is the prestigious Denman Sings music camp, featuring renowned teachers and choir directors. It's a fabulous experience, and a lot of fun. Every second year we perform an opera (a scaled down version). While it's undoubtedly amateur performance, it is impressively well-done. For me and many islanders and off-islanders, it's a highlight of the year.

Denman Sings is just one of the many events that draws people onto the island. Part of island life is commuting into town for groceries and other necessities, and Denmaners are very aware of what a big deal it is to get onto the ferry and go "off island." So it impresses me that Denman offers numerous events every year that are so incredible people actually commute onto the island!