1977

North Island Festival of Music is established by piano teachers from Comox Valley and Campbell River.

1978

The first Festival of the North Island Festival of Music, sponsored by Beta Sigma Phi. 204 piano entries performed for adjudicators.

1979

Piano Festival grows to include Dance, Strings, Vocals and Accordions.

1985

The festival becomes truly multi-disciplinary with entries in Dance, Piano, Speech Arts, Strings, Vocal, Brass and Woodwinds and Band.

1990

The performing arts community is thriving and the festival saw over 1000 entries, with Dance numbers equal to the number of Piano entries.

1992

The festival became officially known as the North Island Festival of Performing Arts.

2005

Highest number of entries ever with 1413. Dance and Piano remain on par and Speech Arts makes a strong showing of 247 entries.

2007

NIFPA begins the process of computerization with Online Registration and Website.

2010

Entry numbers remain over 1300 with dance now representing over 50% of the entries.

2012

Music and Speech Arts performances are adjudicated at the Old Church Theatre. Programs are also available online for the first time.

2016

Video adjudication is offered for all dance disciplines.

2017

Online registration system is launched along with the new website.

2020

The festival went to a single discipline festive with only Dance entries.

2023

A contactless payment system was introduced for audience admission by donation.