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WHAT’S ON IN ATLANTIC CANADA IN 2008?

May 6, 2008 on 9:45 am | In Adventure Travel, Alberta, Beachbooker, British Columbia, Cabinweb, Canada, Cruise Boats, Dine Drink, East Coast, Festivals, Hotels, Labrador, Manitoba, Museums, NWT, New Brunswick, New England, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Outdoors, PEI, Performing Arts, Quebec, Rail Tours, Relais Chateaux, Road Trips, Sailing, Saskatchewan, Shopping, Spa Resorts, Sports Travel, Toronto, Webbandstand, Yukon |

A SUMMER-LONG NON-STOP PARTY RIGHT NEXT DOOR

 

Celebrate Heroes & History; Ceilidhs & Kitchen Parties and Mussels & Lobster

 

ATLANTIC CANADA,– This summer, history will come alive, literary heroines and heroes will be celebrated and plenty of Celtic fiddling, Scottish step dancing and some of the world’s most pristine seafood will be on display in Atlantic Canada. Fancy a taste of Irish, Scottish, English or French (Acadian) culture without crossing the pond? The four provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are less than two hours away from most East Coast gateways. Maxxim Vacations offers many value-added packages starting as low as $725 for a six-night land package,* or $1265 with airfare

 

www.maxximvacations.com

 

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND – ANNE’S 100TH AND PLENTY OF SEAFOOD

 

This year Prince Edward Island is commemorating the 100th anniversary of “Anne of Green Gables.” For over a century, Lucy Maud Montgomery’s spunky heroine has charmed millions, and to celebrate, the island is hosting a year-long series of ceilidhs, or kitchen parties, concerts, picnics, barn dances and firelight story-telling sessions. Come June, this welcoming island in Atlantic Canada will be a non-stop, open-air festival for the whole family with historical re-enactments, theatrical performances, parades and a country fair (July 3-6). Homemade ice cream and raspberry cordial will be in plentiful supply.

www.anne2008.ca

Billed as the “biggest kitchen party in Atlantic Canada,” the 13th annual PEI International Shellfish Festival in Charlottetown will be the place for seafood lovers September 19-21. Chowder cook-offs, oyster shucking contests and a chef’s challenge are on the menu along with plenty of mussels and other delicious seafood.

www.peishellfish.com

 

And a few days later, the entire 2,000 square miles of Prince Edward Island will be Chef Michael’s kitchen. From September 30 to October 10, “Fall Flavours,” a new island-wide food festival with more than 100 culinary events, will take place with native son Michael Smith, one of Canada’s leading chefs, hosting a gala dinner and cooking classes. Visitors can learn about wine and cheese pairing, how to pickle and preserve or opt for a more hands-on experience – digging clams, catching lobsters, harvesting oysters, or even picking the island’s famed potatoes, Visit this link.

 

NOVA SCOTIA – LOYALISTS, LOBSTERS AND LOUISBOURG’S 250TH

 

Fancy reliving the life of an 18th century soldier – skirmishing in the hot sun, sleeping on the hard ground, with music, dancing and tall tales till dawn? Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are throwing a year-long celebration for the 225th anniversary of the United Empire Loyalists landing. After the Revolutionary War, 3000 Loyalists fled to Shelburne, Nova Scotia, while others continued on to New Brunswick. The population quickly swelled to 10,000, making Shelburne the fourth largest city in North America, while nearby Birchtown became Canada’s first free black settlement. In July, the city is hosting three weekends of boat races, tall ship tours, treasure hunts, concerts and fireworks. The re-enactment – featuring 500 costumed characters – kicks off on July 17, and visitors who don’t want to play soldier can get in the spirit at the annual provincial Town Crier Competition or attend the Loyalist Garden Party, complete with a pageant of 18th century dress.

 

http://www.loyalistlanding2008.org

 From June to August, Nova Scotia will also commemorate the 250th anniversary of Louisbourg’s second siege. The Fortress of Louisbourg will host a series of encampments – with North America’s first nighttime siege re-enactment – and military displays (July 25-27), complete with fireworks, parades, chowder cook-offs, street dances, concerts and quilt displays. www.louisbourg2008.com/index.asp

 

Did someone say lobster? Lobsterpalooza promises 35 days of “feasts and fun” including lobster suppers, whale watching tours and Gaelic music. www.lobsterpalooza.ca

 

Albert Bigelow Paine’s tale of a canoe journey through the wilds of Nova Scotia, Tent Dwellers, marks its 100th anniversary this year. From May through October, there will be a “public paddle” day, an outdoor arts festival and a recreation of the original journey. At the Canoe Festival (August 15-17), visitors can learn canoe building, paddling, fly-fishing, wilderness preparation, basket making and more.

 

NEW BRUNSWICK – LOYALISTS AND LOBSTERS, ACADIAN STYLE

 

Since 1949, the self-proclaimed “lobster capital of the world” has hosted the Shediac Lobster Festival (July 2-6) with parades, entertainment and feasting on this delicious crustacean. The Loyalist Heritage Festival (July 14-18) will offer activities for the whole family including organized walks, visits to historic houses, parades, re-enactments and artistic performances.

 Known as one of North America’s top festivals, the Acadian Festival (August 1-15) draws 100,000 spectators to see some 200 artists perform – concerts, theater, dance performances – and comes with the blessing of the fishing fleet by the local Catholic clergy. There’s plenty of Acadian food and drink capped off by the Tintamarre, a massive – and very loud – street celebration with fireworks on August 15, Acadia Day.

 

www.festivalacadien.ca

 

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR – MUSIC, MAGIC AND A REGATTA

 

St. John’s Time in Newfoundland’s capital is an 11-day, non-stop party. This lively celebration kicks off with the George Street Festival (July 31-August 5). Streets are closed, pubs throw open their doors and bands rock into the night. Celebrated since 1826, the Royal St. John’s Regatta, one of North America’s oldest continuing sporting events, is a series of rowing events on Quidi Vidi Lake – cheered on by 50,000 many garbed in outlandish dress. From August 8 to 10, the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival features singers, dancers, storytellers and musicians performing traditional Newfoundland music, Celtic tunes handed down through the centuries and modern rock. At the Buskers Festival visitors can see up to 30 shows a day watching jugglers, acrobats and magicians on four stages.

 

www.stjohnstime.ca

 

Maxxim Vacations offers packages to all four provinces. A six-day/five-night “St. John’s Time” package starts at US$1186 per person ($1209 CAD), double occupancy and includes hotel accommodations in a 4 ½ -star hotel, roundtrip airfare from New York, a midsize car rental with unlimited mileage, city tour and entrance to the Johnson Geo Center and The Rooms, the province’s museum and leading art gallery. Taxes are not included.

 

Call 1-800-567-6666 or go to www.maxximvacations.com.

 

The Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership (ACTP) is a nine member pan-Atlantic partnership comprised of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the four Atlantic Canada Tourism Industry Associations and the four departments responsible for tourism for the provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

 

Go to www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca (1-800-561-0123), www.novascotia.com  (1-800-565-0000),

www.newfoundlandlabrador.com  (1-800-563-NFLD) and for Prince Edward Island, go to www.gentleisland.com  (1-800-463-4PEI).

 

Maxxim Vacation’s “Nova Scotia Sampler” features stays in Halifax, Lunenberg and the Western Shore and Baddeck with six nights’ accommodation at select hotels, country inns and B&B’s, seven-day midsize rental car with unlimited mileage, admission to the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, Pier 21 National Historic Site and the Alexander Graham Bell Museum. The land-only package starts at $725 per person, double occupancy and covers: 4½ -star Canada Select accommodations, or $823 with deluxe accommodations. The price is $1265 with airfare, or $1363 for the deluxe package with airfare and taxes are extra.