MacBouch Host 1st Jam Session for 2011

Just received this memo from Greg Silvers, and I thought I would pass it along to all music lovers who enjoy Open Jam Sessions. If you are planning to be in St. Peter's on New Years Day, stop in at MacBouch Restaurant and Beverage Room for an afternoon of enjoyment. Greg is looking for your input as well on times and dates for future sessions throughout the winter months. His contact information can be found at the bottom of the message, lets help get these sessions up and running.

Hello Kitchen Rackets Fans:
You are invited to our first open jam session of the New Year 2011:


Saturday January 1, 3 pm - 5 pm
at the MacBouch Restaurant and Tavern
Grenville St., St. Peter's


All are welcome. No cover charge. Meet all kinds of players and singers, for all kinds of music.
This is an accoustic jam, but if you need an amp for a keyboard or bass guitar please bring it along.
We are looking forward to seeing the old gang and any newbies who want to join in.
We are also hoping to set up regular jams at the MacBouch over the winter. We'll be wanting your opinion on dates and times for regular sessions.


Please pass the word along, and feel free to forward this email to anyone you know who might be interested in coming out on New Year's Day!


For further information please contact:
Greg Silver
Tel: 902 535 3990
Cel: 902 631 5050
gsilver@cdg.ns.ca

Tourism in Richmond County

Christmas is over and New Years Celebrations are just around the corner, so I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the very best in 2011. As we look forward to the new year and all it has to offer, we should look back at the past year and be thankful. In Richmond our tourism season was excellent'. With the grim outlook that hovered over the minds of tourism operators as the season began, we managed to come out of the season having seen visitors in numbers that were not expected. Operators that I spoke to who had been expecting a decline in their numbers actually saw an increase, which I am happy to say reflects business around the entire Island.
The comments we received from visitors as to why they came to Cape Breton continue to give us hopes that the tourism industry will continue to grow in the area. Numbers at the Visitor Center were as expected, and althought we saw a change in why the visitors were stopping in at the center, they were still overjoyed to have our service center available to meet with their needs. In previous years, the center saw many tourists looking for help with obtaining reservations during their stay on the island and as they travelled onto the mainland of Nova Scotia; this year we saw more visitors who although they booked ahead some using the on line service and some using travel agents they used the services of the Visitor Center to change reservations. Some because they wanted to stay and take in activities longer in a certain area others because they had not realized just how big an area they would be covering in their travel and the reservations they had were just not fitting in their time frame. We were only to happy to assist them with their changes and also to advise the visitors as to what festivals and activities they could take in while in the area that they had not been aware of on line. We had only the best comments as to the quality of service offered by the visitor Centres around Cape Breton Island and the mainland of our beautiful Province and what a value they were to the traveler. We were very proud to be able to offer this service and look forward to being able to assist them in the year ahead.
The communities around Richmond did a remarkable job of offering everything from community breakfasts to lobster suppers, from variety concerts to Scotish country dance lessons as well as weekly Ceilidhs and surf lessons, which gave the visitors to our area a real taste of the local charm and culture and entertainment for which we have to offer. And it is only with the help of local volunteers, community leaders and Municipality Departments and our very hard working Tourism Associations that we as a county are able to offer the visitor this sought after experience.
The Celtic Colours International Music Festival had another successful year and was strong attendance by visitors and locals alike at all festival events and concerts. Again this year Richmond was proud to host 3 of the concerts for Celtic Colours, and at the Visitor's Center we were happy to hear only rave reviews of the performances offered by our very popular entertainers giving all indications that these visitors will be returning for next years events as well.
A great way to start the New Year off is to attend the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch # 43 New Years Levee. The Branch organizers extend an invitation to you to attend the viewing of the Memorial Veterans Wall and to partake in refreshments and entertainment from 2 to 5pm, everyone is welcome.

Until next week, to all those who will be out celebrating the incoming year, remember " If you care to be out on the road, take care and make sure to keep everyone's holiday celebration a safe one.

Rock the Night Away at Shindigs

Looking for something fun to do now that the big day is passed. Well here is an event that might just fit the bill. The boys of Fine Lookin’ Mary are back for their Boxing Day Bash at Shindig’s Pub in Port Hawkesbury. Sandy Ehler, Joel Morais, Lenny Pettipas, and their new bandmate James Cameron is all set to rock it out on Granville Street on December 26, starting at 10:00pm.

Yes, Fine Lookin Mary returns to the stage in the reunion event of the year. Everything you loved about Fine Lookin Mary is back and by all reports better than ever. Shindigs has siezed the opportunity to bring in the gang for their awesome Boxing Day Bash! This very talented group made up of Sandy Ehler on guitar & vocals Joel Morais on bass & vocals, Lenny Pettipas on drums & vocals and James Cameron on guitar & vocals is back and ready to rock the night away. James Cameron is new to the band but his tone and energy are sure to meet with everyones approval. So come on out for a fun evening on Sunday, December 26,to Shindigs at 510 Granville Street, Port Hawkesbury. Advance tickets $6.00.

VIEW OF RICHMOND

With the colder weather approaching, those who enjoy the great outdoors will be looking for activities that are available in the local area. Richmond has some great hiking and all terrain trails located throughout the county where locals and visitors can go to enjoy the fresh air and get lots of exercise. In St. Peter's walking trails can be found in the Battery Provincial Park as well as the Old Railway Bed Trail that runs along the Bay bordering the Village of St. Peter's as far as River Tillard. Hikers can enjoy the fresh air as well as great scenery. On the beautifulI Acadien island of Isle Madame those who enjoy hiking can take in some great exercise, as they hike any one of the trails that make up the Cape Auguet Eco Trail.
Cape Breton also has an excellent ski resort located in our area. Ski Ben Eoin is located in Ben Eoin just 45 minutes from St. Peter's and only 20 minutes from Sydney. The Ski Resort offers great programs of instruction for skiing. This year they are offering a great beginners childern's ski program, as well as a school program which is designed to expose school age children to an outdoor lifestyle that promotes physical fitness. The Ski Resort also offers great snowboarding and cross country ski programs for sportsmen of all levels from beginners to advanced. For information on the Ski Resort and the list of programs which begin on January 8th call 1-902-828- 2222.
For those who enjoy skating Richmond has the answer for a great skating location. The Richmond Arena is a great spot to go and skate no matter what the weather is outdoors. The arena offers a Parent/Tot Skate Program, Student Skate Program and Family Skate Program as well, what a great activity for the whole family to take in. For more information on these programs call 1-902-266-2400 and ask for Shannon Diggdon.
Now with all this information of outdoor activities being mentioned, this might give the Christmas shopper some ideas as to what to get the outdoorsmen on your Christmas list, skates, skis, hiking boots and season passes are all great gift options.

TOURISM IN RICHMOND COUNTY

This past week was busy throughout Richmond with holiday activities taking place, which included the EREC Christmas Concert where visitors and family alike were entertained. The students performance was exceptional with instrumentals and vocals performed to perfection. The budding stars of the elementary school shone as they sang, danced and acted out skits and the classic Christmas story of the Nativity. Definitely an evening which took a lot of hard work on the part of the students and factulty and proved what talent is in the County. I was very pleased and proud to have been in the audience as my granddaughter performed with her class. If you did not have the opportunity to attend the Tuesday performances, I have put up some photos and clips of the concert on my blog, if you would like to check it out go to tourismspotlight.blogspot.com. You might like to take the opportunity to vote for your favourite Christmas tune as well. If you would like to make a comment on the blog, please do.

With only 9 shopping days left to Christmas, if you are still racking your brain as to what to get for the folks on your Christmas list, I have a couple of ideas to pass along. Ski Ben Eoin is scheduled to open for the season on December 17th, weather and temperatures permitting. We are all keeping our fingers crossed for a little coolertemperatures, so we can take to the slopes. A season pass would make a perfect gift for those who enjoy outdoor activities. The ski resort are also offering childrens classes starting Jan 8 and 9th, where your child 3-5 years can enroll for 8 weeks of classes, they can chose either Saturday morning from 10am to 12pm or from 1-3pm or Sunday morning from 10am to 12pm or after noon class from 1-3pm. If you would like more information on this class or others call 1-902-828-2222.
Another great outdoor gift idea might be a golf pass from the Dundee Resort and Golf Club. What golfer wouldn't like to open a gift which held a summer full of enjoyment for him or her on one of the best golf courses in Cape Breton.

With the Richmond Arena open for the season a new pair of skates would make the perfect gift for someone on your gift list. The arena offers family skating on Sunday afternoons and what a great form of excercise and a fun event that the en family can enjoy together.

Until next week, have fun getting ready for Christmas!!

Bruschettea anyone?

With the holidays approaching I thought I would share this recipe with all my followers. I received this recipe from my friends Rhoda and Jean Pierre of the Bras d'Or Lakes Inn in St. Peter's. And if you have ever had the priviledge of eating at their restaurant you will know the recipe will be a hit with your guests over the holidays.

If you are still looking for the perfect gift for someone who deserves something extra special on Christmas morning, I would definitely recommomend a gift certificate from the Bras d'Or Lakes Inn in St. Peter's. It is sure to be a hit at Christmas or for any occassion during the year?

Great for
Holiday Entertaining

Bruschetta
Prepare the Tomato Mix in Advance
Top your mini toast and broil
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12



Ingredients
Tomato Mix
3 cups of Plum Tomatoes (Seeded and Diced)
2 minced Garlic Cloves
1/4 cup diced Onion
1/4 tsp. Tabasco Sauce
1 tsp. Worchestershire Sauce
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano
Salt and Pepper to Taste
For Best Results
Combine Tomato Mix ingredients in a glass bowl
Stir & cover with plastic wrap
Place in Fridge for 12 hrs allowing flavours to developIngredients
Mini Toast
12 slices of Baguette Loaf about 1 inch thick
1 Clove of Garlic cut in half
Swiss Cheese
1 tsp finely chopped fresh Basil
Top with Tomato Mix
Directions
Bruschetta

Heat Tomato mix on medium heat in a skillet
Toast baguette slices under broiler
Rub warm mini toast with fresh Garlic
Spoon warm Tomato Mix on Mini Toast
Top with Swiss Cheese
Broil until Swiss Cheese melts
Garnish with Basil

Company Coming
Dress-up Bruschetta with thinly sliced Smoked Salmon
Try this for the Kids
Top Tomato Mix with Mozzarella Cheese and thinly sliced Pepperoni

EREC Evening Christmas Concert

Tuesday night Concert was every bit as good or event better than the 12:30pm warm up concert at EREC's Elementary School. The stars of the elementary shone as the cast for each performance were dressed in their finery, hair done to perfection and shoes all shined up and voices like angles. The song and verse that were performed in French and Englished showed just how hard students and faculty worked to make the evening a success.

Tourism In Richmond County

If you have not been keeping track of the number of days left until the big day, let me fill you in, there are only 16 days left. It is surprising how fast the holiday season sneaks up on a person. If you are like me and still trying to figure out what to get for those members of your family and friends that are hard to buy for, I may have a few ideas for you. Gift certificates from the great restaurants we have in Richmond, always make a great gift, who doesn't enjoy a chance to eat out and get away from cooking. Another idea that always seems to please members of my family, are a gift item from Glad Tidings our Christmas Shoppe, the beautiful variety of Christmas items that makes a heirloom that families will treasure for years to come. Another stop I make during my Christmas shopping is at Mac's Celtic Shop. I can always find an item there for those who enjoy the Celtic flair, from ties to jewellry. Of course some members on my gift list always enjoying receiving a Christmas floral centerpiece or flower arrangement from Lynn's Flowers. Hope some of these gift ideas can help with your last minute shopping.
There are still lots of festive activities taking place around the county to gets us in the holiday spirit. On Saturday December 11th, The Old Fashoned Carol Sing will take place at 7:30pm at the lovely Little Church in Point Tupper. This is the perfect place to come dressed in warm seasonal clothing and join in the singing, hear stories, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and traditional apple cider and some delicious cookies, and be prepaired for the possibility of a visit from jolly Old St. Nick himself.
The Lakeside Community Centre will be joining in the Christmas Spirit as they hold their annual Christmas concert on December 12th, at 2pm. Guests will be in for an afternoon of traditional Christmas music and at intermission a delicious lunch will be served.

To help make everyone's Christmas more merry this year, you may want to consider bring a gift item of a toy for a child (marked for a girl or boy) aged up to 16 years, to Mac's Celtic Shop in St. Peter's. The gifts will be collected until December 17th, and placed under the Community Christmas tree at the store, gifts will be distributed in time for Christmas.

Until next week, have fun getting ready for the holidays.

Joyeux Noel at the Christmas Concert part 1

The Afternoon Performance

EREC 2010 Christmas Concert

I just had the most enjoyable afternoon being entertained by the students of the East Richmond Education Centre. Students from grade Primary to grade 8 entertained parents and grandparents with instrumental and traditional Christmas songs and drama including a beautiful rendition of the nativity. The teachers and music department at the elementry school did a marvelous job preparing the kids for their songs and verses, both in English, French and Mi'kmaq.

More Entertainment From the Tree Lighting Concert

Sword Dance From the Tree Lighting Ceremony

Fiddling From the Tree Lighting Concert

Entertainment From the Tree Lighting Concert

St. Peter's Celebrates Following Tree Lighting Ceremony

St. Peter's townfolk turnout for Christmas concert

St. Peter's Pre-school studnets entertain

Highland Dance Troupe perform

Folks got into the festive spirit at the Christmas concert held following the Official Tree Lighting in St. Peter's on Friday night. The St. Peter's Fire Hall was packed as folks came to take in the annual Christmas Tree Concert. The crowd was entertained by locals including students of the St. Peter's Pre-school and the young Highland Dance Troupe under instructors Jenifer Landry and McKayla Mathews. Representitives of Nova Scotia Power were on hand for the Christmas Light Exchange Program. The program had a lot of people take the opportunity to exchange the old fashioned lights for LED lights. At the concert there was quite a bit of excitement as kids were treated to hot chocolate and candy canes as well as a special appearance by Santa Claus, who spent some time with the tiny tots.

The CEP/SCEP Kids Christmas Party

I remember as a child the feeling of excitment and the fun it was to go with my parents to visit Santa and make sure he knew all the items that were on my list. On December 5th, although he is getting very busy with all the last minute preperations for the big night, Santa Claus will be making a special stop at this years CEP/SCEP Kids Christmas Party to visit with the children. The party is being held at the Port Hawkesbury Fire Hall from 2-4pm. Kids are invited to come to the Fire Hall for a party with free hot dogs and pop and to meet the jolly old gent and tell him what they want for Christmas.

Tis the Season 4

Tis the Season 4 with Cape Breton's favorite entertainers Bette MacDonald, Maynard Morrison & Ralph Dillon is raring to go with a hysterical take on the holiday season. It's a new year and a new show with your favourite funny people, Wayne Tomko, Mary Morrison, Martin MacKinnon & Father Gillis!
Showtime at the Strathspey Place in Mabou is 7:30pm tonight and at the SAERC Auditorium at 7:30pm tomorrow, December 4th. The Port Hawkesbury show is sold out! There are some tickets still available for the mabou performance. Tickets are available at the Strathspey Place box office by phone at 902-945-5300 from 1pm-4pm.

View of Richmond

The holiday season is quickly approaching and one of my favorite events to visit is the Community Tree lighting ceremony. This weekend there are a few taking place. On December 3rd the official Tree Lighting Ceremony in St. Peter's will take place at 6pm at the corner of the Foodland Grocery parking lot on Grenville Street. Following the ceremony, the festivities will move to the St. Peter's Fire Hall at 22 Toulouse St, where the children will receive treats and there will be local entertainment for all those in attendance. Also on hand at the event will be representatives of the Nova Scotia Power Commission, who again this year will be doing the Christmas Light Exchange Program. You can exchange 2 sets of your old style lights for a new set of LED lights.

On December 4th, the Official Christmas Tree lighting will take place in L'Ardoise. The ceremony will take place following the four o'clock Mass at the Holy Gaurdian Angel Catholic Church. There will be hot chocolate served. Everyone is welcome.

Noel Isle Madame Community Christmas will take place on Saturday, December 4th at Lenoir Landing at the Arichat Waterfront. This event, with Christmas activities for the children, will take place from 3-6pm. At 3pm, there will be face painting, at 3:15pm the Kidd Brothers Christmas Show. At 3:30pm there will be hot chocolate, apple cider, cake and cookies and at 4pm have your child's photo taken with Santa Claus. There will be pizza and hot dogs at 4:30pm and musical entertainment featuring local church choirs starting at 5pm and the Official Tree lighting will take place at 5:30pm. Representatives from Nova Scotia Power will be on hand to for the Christmas Light Exchange Program. Food items or gift donations to the Isle Madame Food Bank will be graciously accepted.

On December 5th, The Strait Area Community Curling Club is sponsoring a Holiday Tour and Tea from 2-5pm. Tickets are $15.00 and visitors can visit the historic Church of St. David's. Decorated in Victorian period, you can enjoy the St. Joesph's Children's Choir and the Inverness County Gaelic Choir. The tour will also include six other Port Hawkesbury properties which will be decked out in holiday finery. The Tea will be held at the Curling Club and there will be live entertainment to make it all the more festive. For more information on tickets call 625-0609, 625-0576 or 625-0257.

East Coast Airways Takes to Cape Breton's Sky

Potential Good news for the tourism industry. East Coast Airways officially launched in Sydney yesterday. The regional carrier will fly passengers to and from Halifax three times daily year round. It’s first flight out of J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydeny Airport was on Monday. With competitive pricing it is an additional travel route for visitors coming to Cape Breton.
Each flight is estimated to take between 50 to 55 minutes. The airline also offers direct flights to Halifax from Yarmouth, Saint John, and Charlottetown. The carrier will service the Maritimes with about 20 flights a day using five 19-passenger airplanes.

Christmas Parade Set for December 4th

North Sydney is setting the stage for the Christmas season with its Annual Nightime Christmas Parade. Saturday's parade is a joint venture between the North Sydney Volunteer Fire Department, Bartown Community Festival Society and Cape Breton Regional Municipality Recreation Department. The parade will begin at 6:30pm with the line up of floats on Blowers Street and continue up Pierce to Regent Street and to Commercial Street and will reach its conclusion at the Fire Station, where the official tree lighting ceremong will take place following the parade.
The organizers of the parade invite everyone to come out to the Fire Station for hot chocolate and treats with jolly old St. Nick following the tree lighting ceremony. During the festivities awards will be presented for the best decorated floats. Canada Post will also be on hand at the event to make a special mail pickup for all the letters children have for Santa.

Holiday Tour and Tea

During the holiday season I love to take in the Holiday Tours, and on December 5th The Strait Area community Curling club is sponsoring just such an event. The Holiday Tour includes a visit to the Historic Church of Saint David's decked out in the Victorian Period. While at the Church, guests will be entertained with the delightful sounds of St. Joseph's Children's Choir and at 3pm the Inverness County Gaelic Choir will perform seasonal favourites. The tour will also include tours of six other Port Hawkesbury homes trimmed for the Christmas season. Guests will view art and meet the artisans, see wonderful collections of paintings, turnings, wooden ships and Santas etc. Visitors will enjoy a wonderful Tea and goodies as well there will be live entertainment provided by the Strait Area Curling Club to round out the festivities. Tickets are $15.00 and they can be obrained at the Lotto Booth at the Port Hawkesbury Centre and at the Civic Centre Box Office or by calling 625-0609, 625-0576 or 625-0257. The homes that will be open for the tour are 317 Prince Street, 25 Philpott Street, 213 Philpott Street, 419 Bernard sTreet and 62 Oak Crescent, as well as Saint David's Church. I would definitely recommend taking in this festive activity to get you into the Christmas spirit, hope to see you there.

Family Square Dance Tonight

An Evening of Fine Craft, Music, & Martinis

Workshop for Christmas Centrepieces

The Richmond County Recreation Department is offering a Christmas Centrepiece Workshop to be held from 5:30pm until 9:30pm on December 2nd, in Room 120 of the Richmond Academy in Louisdale. The instructor for the workshop will be Thea Rensen and the fee is $10.00. On this evening participants will get a broad range of ideas for making centrepieces, not only a traditional Centrepiece. The Deadline to register is November 26th. To register call 1-902-226-2400.

Tourism in Richmond County

Christmas is still 30 days away and the Christmas events are in full swing already. This past weekend St. Peter's celebrated the 25th Annual Festival of Trees, which again was a tremendous success. The participation by community groups and citizens was great, the trees were beautiful, the music excellent, the dancing adorable, and the turn out exceptional. This event is always a fun kickoff to the holiday season.

The Glad Tidings Christmas Shoppe Open House will be open for its third and final weekend, on November 27th and 28th from 9-5pm. The entire house is decked out for the holiday season. It is definitely a great place to stop by and get some exceptional ideas as to how to decorate your home for the holidays, from bathroom to kitchen Marion MacLeod-Stone can show you how. Marion does a marvelous job of revitilizing the Christmas Spirit in us all, and the admission of a silver collection is donated to the local food bank. The open house has been seeing visitors from all over Cape Breton and the mainland.

And the activities continue, on November 27th, the West Arichat CWL will be holding a Christmas Bazaar at the Janvrin's Island Community Center, starting at 10am. There will be a bake sale, craft table, rose tree and straw games and a new to you table. Soup, roll, dessert and coffee or tea will be served from 11:30am to 1pm. And the highlight of the event, at 1pm there will be a visit from Santa for all the children followed by a 2pm merchandise bingo. On the 27th, the Friends of Leona will hold a bake sale at the St. Peter's Home Hardware Store starting at 10am. This is the perfect place to stock up on some baked items for Christmas. The Committee of Stewards of West Bay Pastoral Charge will be hosting a Christmas Tea and Sale, including a bake table, craft sale and an auction, at the St. Georges Channel Hall on November 27th, from 2-4pm. On November 28th, there will be a Christmas Merchandise and Toy Bingo held at the Lakeside Community Centre in Sampsonville starting at 2pm. There will also be tickets on a homemade Christmas Quilt. Also on the 28th will be the Annual Christmas Bazaar at the Louisdale Parish Hall. Doors open at 11:30am. There will be craft tables and a bake sale with proceeds going to the Strait Richmond Hospital. A Roast Turkey dinner will be served starting at 11:30am. There will a merchandise bingo held at 2pm.

On a different note, on November 8th the members of the Cape Breton Chapter of the Canadian Federation of University Women met for a luncheon at A MacDonald Country Inn in St. Peter's. This was the first time the organization has met in our area. The Canadian Federation of University Women is a volunteer, non profit, self funded, non partisan, non governmental organization which seeks to improve education for women for peace, and to support programs to improve the enviroment.

Lots of great holiday activities happening in Richmond so come on out and enjoy the fun.

Festival of Trees a Success

The 2010 Festival of Trees in St. Peter's had another successful year with an attendance of approximately 600. The Community support for the festival was again high with 35 trees being entered in this years competition. The results of the visitor voting are as follows: Best Tree in the Youth under 10 years of age division went to Kendra and Kaitlyn Burke, Best Tree in the Youth 11 years old and up went to Jessie Sutherland, Best Tree in the Youth Organization went to the St. Peter's Day Care, Best Tree for Commercial/Retail went to St. Peter's Home Hardware and the Best Tree for Community Organization went to Dorothy's Pets in Need, congratulations to all partipicants and to the winners. The winners of the Festival ticket draws were: For the Lobster prize donated by Cape Breton Canso Realty-Jolene Manegre, for the Jean Quilt donated by Mrs Claus-Gladys Bona, and for the Ginger Bread House donated by Eva and Douglas Landry the winner was Karen Sampson. Congratulations to all the winners. A lot of hard work goes into organizating a festival such as this and it is only with the support of the community that the festival continues to be so successful. Congratulations to all the organizers and volunteers who work so hard and to the community for coming out to take part.

2010 Festival of the Trees

Some of beautiful trees on display at the Festival of Trees

Rory McIntosh and his entry in the 10 years and under division

More of the trees from the Youth division


It was a busy day in St. Peter's yesterday with the opening events taking place for the 15th Annual Festival of Trees. I made a stop in at the Lions Hall and was greeted by Chairperson of the festival, Ann Marie Sampson and Anne Digout who were definitely in the Christmas Spirit as they passed out the voting score sheets for the trees and collected the silver collection admission which will be donated to the local foodbank.
I arrived around 1pm and there were already lots of visitors mulling around viewing the entrees in the festival and checking out the items up for grabs for the silent auction,. With my score sheet in hand I carefully checked out the beautifully decorated Christmas in all 5 catagories. It was not an easy task to pick one tree out from each group as participants did an excellent job decorating their trees.
I also stopped to check out the New to You ornament table manned by Eva Landry and Kathlene Boudreau, and then moved on to visit Santa's Corner. It was nice to see so many children busily creating Christmas crafts with the help of some of Santa's Elves. Gregory Owens was on hand to play some traditional Christmas music to set the stage for an afternoon of activities.
A concert took place as part of the festivities following the 6pm official lighting of the Festival of Trees, and Mrs Claus was on hand to read the Christmas classic "The Night Before Christmas" to the children. The festival events will continue today starting at 12pm and running until 2pm, with the voting for best trees continuing and Santa and Mrs Claus stopping in to visit. At 2pm, the festival committee will make the presentation of awards for best trees and also award prizes to the successful bidders in the Silent Auction. Yes, I would definitely recommend a stop at the St. Peter's Lions Hall if you are in St. Peter's to get you in the holiday spitit. With Santa making a stop and the fine dusting of snow on the ground, it definitely feels as if Christmas is in the air.

Video from Glad Tidings Open House

Still More Pictures from Glad Tidings Christmas Shoppe

More Pictures from Glad Tidings Christmas Shoppe

Pictures from Glad Tidings Christmas Shoppe

Christmas Trees of Glad Tidings

The Magic of Christmas

Glad Tidings in St. Peter's
One of the beautiful Decorative Santas at Glad Tidings
Lynda Moffatt of the IWK, Nancy Clannon and Butch Martin from Glad Tidings


The Glad Tiding's Christmas Shoppe's Christmas Open House drew many visitors to the St. Peter's area on Saturday. I dropped in to pay a call and see if Santa was at home, but I must have just missed him. It makes me feel like a child again as I walk through the beautifully decorated rooms all decked out for Christmas. It was difficult to decide which of the Christmas trees was my favorite, I narrowed it down to three, there was the beautiful traditional tree in the living room and the more whimsical tree in Marion's daughter's room, and the very different wine tree in the showroom. They were all so gorgeous.

I loved the beautifully hung garland around the mantles and the traditional centerpieces on the tables, and buffets, and the display of Christmas ornaments along the ceiling ledges add such a warm touch to the bedrooms. I can just imagine a child snuggling down to wait for Santa on Christmas Eve and waking on Christmas morning, the decorative life size Sants standing by the tree, the nutcracker and snowman soldier standing by the window, what magical moment that would be, talk about visions of sugar plums, definitely a childs dream come through.

And the variety of Christmas ornaments on hand just takes my breath away; The beautiful victorian carollors, the nativity scenes, the angels and the beautiful selection of Santas and Mrs Claus, the musicial sking rings and delicate candle holders. And the wide selection of ornaments for on the tree, from the traditional, to the delicate, to whimsical. And the color selections are perfect for the folks who are not just doing the red, green and gold mottif, but wanting to creat their own style of tree, you can hang pink, silver, mauve tree balls and bangles, frogs to angels, flowers to bows, Santas of traditional stance to a motorcycle Santa, with souvenir decorations for your first child, grandchild or first year of marriage. Marion MacLeod-Stone, owner of Glad Tidings, has it all.

This year Glad Tidings donated the silver collection admission to two great causes. The open house ran for three weekends with the first and third weekend funds raised going to the local foodbank with funds raised during the second weekend going to the IWK Childrens Hospital. Lynda Moffatt from the IWK was on hand at the open house to witness the Christmas Spirit first hand.

Marion's Annual Christmas Open House definitely sets the spirit for the Christmas season in St. Peter's.

NOËL ISLE MADAME

NOËL ISLE MADAME COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS
Saturday December 4th ~ Samedi le 4 décembre 2010
LENOIR LANDING ~ Arichat Waterfront
3 pm -6:00 pm / 15h - 18h
Free Event / Gratuit
Join us for a special celebration as we begin the holiday season !
Venez vous joindre à nous pour célébrer la saison de Noël !
3:00 ~ Face Painting, Christmas coloring & children’s activities / Peinture sur visage, coloriage de Noël & activités pour enfants
3:15 ~ Kidd Brothers Christmas Show
3:30~ Hot chocolate, apple cider, cake and cookies / Chocolat chaud, cidre de pommes, et petits gâteaux
4:00 ~ Santa Claus with treats / Père Noël avec des friandises
Free photo with Santa—Photo gratuit avec le Père Noël
4:30 ~ Pizza & hot dogs
5:00 ~ Musical Entertainment featuring local church choirs—Dressed in beautiful outfits
5:30 ~ Christmas tree lighting / illumination de l’arbre de Noël

FOOD ITEMS OR GIFT DONATIONS TO THE ISLE MADAME FOOD BANK WILL BE GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTED!!!

Nova Scotia Power LED Holiday Lighting Exchange Program...participants may exchange two sets of old inefficient holiday lights for one new set of energy efficient LED holiday lights (visit: www.nspower.ca/energysavings)

Le Noir Forge Museum will be open— Richard Boudreau—Blacksmith will be operating the forge for all to view.

This event is hosted by Development Isle Madame Association
and sponsored by / parrainé par:
St. Joseph’s Credit Union, AFL Tank Manufacturing Ltd., Centre La Picasse, Corner Bridge Store & Bakery Jeantie’s Mini Mart, The Island Nest, Boudreau’s Fuels, Charles Forest Co-op, Dooley’s Pharmacy, Municipality of Richmond, Samson Enterprises Wilson’s Gas Stop, Samson’s Plumbing & Heating, Premium Group, Bluewave Energy, Clearwater Management Services, C.H. Boudreau Funeral Home, Branch 150 Royal Canadian Legion & Auxiliary, Isle Madame Historical Society, Stephens Home Centre / Rona, École Beau-Port, Richmond County Literacy, Petit De Grat Beautification West Arichat Village Circle, Acadiaville Community Centre, ECCU-North Isle Branch, Mr. T’s Pizzeria, Enterprise Cape Breton Corp., Rocky Bay Irish Club, Isle Madame Hardware, Isle Madame Tourism & Trade, NuStar Terminals, Michel P. Samson MLA, Dr. Lawrence MacNeil MD, Little Anse Social Action Centre.

View of Richmond

Richmond County is alive with the Christmas Spirit as can be seen with the number of holiday events being held. Glad Tidings Christmas Shoppe's is holding it's 16th Annual Christmas Open House. A visit to this beautifully decorated home, with every room decked out in holiday flare, is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit. Owner, Marion MacLeod-Stone, is the perfect person to ask if you have any questions on how to decorate a room for the festive season. The Open House will run from 9am until 5 pm for the next two weekends, November 21st and 22nd and 27th and 28th. This annual events draws visitors from all around Nova Scotia, and also aids a very worthy cause. The admission of a silver collection which Marion donates to the local food bank.

Another holiday favorite is the 15th Annual Festival of Trees which will be held at the St. Peter's Lions Hall on Saturday November 21 from 9am to 9pm and on November 22nd from noon until 2pm. The Village On The Canal Association presents two fun filled days with a display of beautifully decorated Christmas Trees. The public can enter and decorate their own personalized Christmas tree for which visitors will have the opportunity to vote for best tree in a series of five catagories. Visitors will also enjoy music, cookies and crafts and a Maritme Marionettes Puppet Theatre, the official Christmas Tree lighting ceremony and Mrs. Claus's reading of The Night Before Christmas and of course the highlight of the two days, a visit from Santa. For a full list of scheduled times and events and to enter your Tree go to www.visitstpeters.com and click on Festival of Trees.

The Richmond County Early Childhood Education Association's 11th Annual Christmas Holiday Bonanza will be held at the D'Escousse Civic Improvement Centre in D'Escousse on Saturday November 21st, from 10am until 3pm. The event will feature a crafters market, a bake sale, live entertainment from Highway 206, an auction, a meal, and a visit from Santa scheduled for 11:30am. From 6-8pm there will be a merchandise bingo and lunch.

And on November 21st a Jamboree will be held at the Riverdale Community Center in Lower River from 2-5pm and a variety concert and lunch at the Lakeside Community Center in Sampsonville starting at 2pm. If you enjoy holiday activites, your Christmas destination is Richmond County.

Tourism in Richmond County

Destination Richmond Tourism Coordinator Charlene Marshall attended "The Edge of the Wedge" at the Gros Morne Instutite for Sustainable Tourism in Newfoundland from October 29th to November 2nd. Marshall attended the training session along with fellow members of the Destination Cape Breton's Product and Development Committee, which included Mary Tulle CEO of Destination Cape Breton Association, Jennifer McIntyre from the Product Development Department of Nova Scotia Tourism, Jeff Stanley from the Municipality of the County of Richmond, Cathy MacKenzie from ECBC, Lester Marchand from the Fortress of Louisbourg, Nona MacDermit the Economic Development Officer for Victoria County, and Donna MacDonald representive from Inverness. The group attended workshops and took in tourism presentations on experiential tourism product development planning, which will help them better understand the process of making visitors an active part of the tourism experience and not merely passive observers. As a development body, they will now be able to apply incorporate these techniques into their development program in Cape Breton.

The Christmas season is quickly approaching and Richmond County definitely has lots of activities to draw visitors to the area. Just this past weekend we had the priemere of Glad Tidings Christmas Shoppe's 16th Annual Christmas Open House. What a great way to get in the Christmas spirit. I know after visiting the open house I went home and put on some Christmas music and dug out my Christmas decorations. The Christmas Open House will run from 9am until 5 pm for the next two weekends, November 21st and 22nd and 27th and 28th. This annual events draws visitors from all around Nova Scotia, and also aids a very worthy cause. The admission is a silver collection which Marion MacLeod-Stone owner of Glad Tidings donates to the local food bank.

Another annual Christmas event will also take place this weekend. The 15th Annual Festival of Trees will be held at the St. Peter's Lions Hall on Saturday November 21 from 9am to 9pm and on November 22nd from noon until 2pm. The Village On The Canal Association presents two fun filled days with a display of beautifully decorated Christmas Trees. The public can enter and decorate their own personalized Christmas tree for which visitors will have the opportunity to vote for best tree in a series of different catagories. Visitors will also enjoy music, cookies and crafts and a Maritme Marionettes Puppet Theatre and of course the highlight of the two days, a visit from Santa. For a full list of scheduled events and to enter your Tree go to
www.visitstpeters.com and click on Festival of Trees.

The Richmond County Early Childhood Education Association's 11th Annual Christmas Holiday Bonanza will be held at the D'Escousse Civic Improvement Centre in D'Escousse on Saturday November 21st, from 10am until 3pm. The event will feature a crafters market, a bake sale, live entertainment from Highway 206, an auction, a meal, and a visit from Santa scheduled for 11:30am. From 6-8pm there will be a merchandise bingo and lunch.

There is lots of entertainment taking place around Richmond as well on November 21st with a Jamboree being held at the Riverdale Community Center in Lower River from 2-5pm and a variety concert and lunch at the Lakeside Community Center in Sampsonville starting at 2pm.

There will be a Christmas merchandise bingo held at the Johnstown Parish Hall on November 21st starting at 2pm. Until next week, I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy some of these great events.

VOCA's 15th Annual Festival of Trees

The 15th Annual Festival of Trees will be held at the St. Peter's Lions Hall on Saturday November 21 from 9am to 9pm and on November 22nd from noon until 2pm. The Village On The Canal Association (VOCA) presents two fun filled days with a variety of activities planned. The festivities will begin at 9am on Saturday with a homemade pancake breakfast with Santa and Mrs Claus. There will be a picture session from 9am to 10:30am for the children with Santa at a cost of $5.00. The Lakeside Senior's Club will have lunch items on sale on site throughout the day. From 12pm from 4pm, children are welcome to stop by Santa's Corner and write a letter to Santa, make crafts, and participate in a colouring contest.

This year there will be an added feature as the festival welcomes the Maritme Marionettes Puppet Theatre. The theatre group have been invited to perform “The Bremen Town Musicians”, which will take place from 10:30am until 11:30am. This is a delightful folktale of an aging donkey who follows his dream to become a musician. The children will follow his journey on the road to Bremen town. Along the way the donkey befriends a dog, a cat and a rooster who, like the donkey, are no longer needed as farm animals. The children will enjoy the antics as the group form a comical quartet and forge a bond that will last forever.

Of course, being that it is the Festival of Trees, the public is invited to enter and decorate their own personalized Christmas tree, which visitors will have the opportunity to vote for in a series of five catagories: Commercial/Retail, Youth Group, Organization, Child/Children, and Shining Star (for all other entries). The winners of last years competition were for Chidren's catagory - Kaitlin & Kendra Burke, for Youth Organization-St. Peter's Playschool, for Business/Retail - FEM Decor and for Organization-Canadian Cancer Society. Entry fee is a non-perishable food item for the food bank and a decoration from the tree or item of choice donated to the silent auction.

Throughout the day there will be activities such as a “new to you” ornament exchange, viewing of and voting for the trees, and participation in the silent auction. The official Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place at 6pm. Following the tree lighting, at Santa's Workshop, Mrs. Claus will treat the audience with a reading of the beloved classic, “The Night Before Christmas”.
The evening continues with a concert from 6:30-8:30pm, featuring an excellent variety of music,showcasing local talent from the surrounding area. One on my favorite portions of last years entertainment was the highland dance troop of Jenifer Mombourquette. Their performance was delightful. Jenifer does such a marvelous job with her young students, and I am looking forward to this years event. The evening will end with hot mulled cider and Christmas treats for all to enjoy. Admission to the Festival is a silver collection.

On Sunday November 21st, the viewing and voting for the trees continues and Sunshine Sue will entertain the children with interactive fun and face painting from 12-2pm. The little ones will have the opportunity to have their picture taken with Santa and there will be more excellent entertainment from 1-2pm. At 2pm the voting for trees and the silent auction will be completed and the awarding of presentations and auction prizes will follow.
Last year the festival had thirty eight trees entered, including the annual food bank tree. Over 270 people attended the event, raising approximately $1,250 for the local food bank through a voluntary silver collection.

To enter your Tree for this years festival go to www.visitstpeters.com and click on Festival of Trees or email festivaloftrees@visitstpeters.com.

Christmas Magic in St. Peter's

The 15th Annual Christmas Open House sets the stage for the Christmas season. This is an event that I love to attend. Last year I took my granddaughter to the open house and she just loved it. Glad Tidings Christmas Shoppe's owner Marion MacLeod Stone goes all out to make sure visitors have a wonderful experience. The entire house is decked out in the most beautiful trimmings, the living room with the traditional Nativity setting and Santa standing by the chimney, to the most beautifuly decorated trees spread throughout the house including one in the master bedroom. I think my granddaughter's favorite was the large tree with the Christmas train running around the base. This actually might have tied with Marion's daughter's room with Santa standing behind the bed and the nutcrackers which are a giant hit with her. The lovely swags over the side table and around the fireplace mantle added a formal touch to the dining room and centerpieces were gorgeous. From bathrooms to kitchen this home is exemplifies the warmth, charm, and magic of Christmas. The open house will run for the next three weekends, November 13th and 14th, the 20th and 21st, and the 27th and 28th, from 9am until 5pm with a silver collection as admission. It is also a great fundraiser as Marion donates the silver collection to the local food bank. I would definitely say that at this time of the year a visit to Glad Tidings Open House is a must do for the holiday season, I am sure you will agree.

Tourism in Richmond County

Destination Richmond Tourism Coordinator Charlene Marshall attended "The Edge of the Wedge" at the Gros Morne Instutite for Sustainable Tourism in Newfoundland from October 29th to November 2nd. Marshall attended the training session along with fellow members of the Destination Cape Breton's Product and Development Committee, which included Mary Tulle CEO of Destination Cape Breton Association, Jennifer McIntyre from the Product Development Department of Nova Scotia Tourism, Jeff Stanley from the Municipality of the County of Richmond, Cathy MacKenzie from ECBC, Lester Marchand from the Fortress of Louisbourg, Nona MacDermit the Economic Development Officer for Victoria County, and Donna MacDonald representive from Inverness. The group attended workshops and took in tourism presentations on Experiential Tourism product development planning, which will help them better understand the process of making visitors an active part of the tourism experience and not merely passive observers. As a development body, they will now be able to apply incorporate these techniques into their development program in Cape Breton.

August tourism stats released by the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture & Heritage show growth in Provincial tourism numbers, with 1,481,300 visitors in the first eight months of the year, up two per cent compared to the same time last year. In August, the number of visitors increased by two per cent compared to the same time in 2009. Road travel to Nova Scotia increased two per cent in August and is up by four per cent in the first eight months of this year. Air travel increased by two per cent in the month but is down two per cent for the year. Cruise ship visitors are up. Halifax saw a 33 per cent increase to the end of August and Cape Breton saw a 15 per cent increase so far this year. Tourism statistics vary within each region of the province. Detailed results can be found on the Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage website.

More accolades for Cape Breton. Louisbourg Seafoods received International acclaim as they captured a three star award for its crab product and a one star superior taste prize for it's shrimp at the Superior Taste Awards which took place in Brussels Belgium. 12 of Europe's leading chef and beverage experts made up the judging committee. The products were judged on their own merits in their respective categories on visual aspect, aroma, taste and texture. Judges give three stars for those products with a 90 per cent or more of total marks, two stars for those with 80-90 per cent marks and one star for those with 70-80 per cent. Louisbourg Seafoods were very pleased with their outcome as they were only one of five Canadian companies to win awards in 2010. This will definitely bring international attention to the Louisbourg company and hopefully bring a tourism spinoff to our side of the Island. Congratulations.

Wedding Destination Cape Breton

If you are planning your wedding in the near future and are looking for a beautiful setting that would be perfect for your special day, check out these locations along the Cape Breton Heritage Coast. First ask what are you looking for in a setting for this wondrous occasion. Something different from the norm to set your day apart from all other couples? Some place that will offer your guests something to do in the days leading up to and after the ceremony? Well we have some of the best wedding destinations that are sure to meet your needs.
For a totally unique wedding setting, you might like to consider the Fortress of Louisbourg where your family and friends can witness you exchange those special vows in the beautiful historic chapel. Or an outdoor ceremony might be more of what your have in mind, well the Fortress can also meet the bill as the bride and groom exchange their vows in front of the Grand Gate. What a place to start the first day of your life together. Have your guests dine on 18th century fare in thi perfect setting for a fairy tale wedding. Yours guests, if staying in the area for a few days would have the opportunity to take a tour of the Fortress, visit one of the oldest lighthouses on Cape Breton, do some hiking or kayaking, or take in one of Louisbourg's most popular events the Beggars Banquet, or entertainment at the Louisbourg Playhouse.

Another perfect setting on the Cape Breton Heritage Coast to be considered is the Bras d'Or Lakes Inn. Exchange your vows on the wharf overlooking the Bras d'Or Lakes. Guests will experience a fabulous reception with the most delicious courses prepared by chefs that are some of the best in all Nova Scotia. The Inn is the perfect location to have your guests party the night away in the Sessions Lounge on the lower level. The Inn also offers room discounts for your guests. While your guests are in the area they can enjoy a visit to the local tourist attractions such as the Nicholas Denys Museum, the Wallace MacAskill House Museum or the Wild Life Museum or our National Historic Site the St. Peter's Canal. There are hiking trails to explore, the Point Michaud Beach to visit where you can swim, surf or beach comb or do some birding. The St. Peter's area also offers some boating opportunities for your guests.

If you are planning to exchange your vows with your special someone while visiting the beautiful Acadien Island of Isle Madame, you should definitely check out the beautiful L'Auberge Acadienne Inn. This would be a spectacular location to host your reception and offer your guests accommodation either in the charming Inn or motel. The island also offers the beautiful Our Ladies of Assumption Cathedral as a possibility for the setting of your ceremony. While on Isle Madame your guests can enjoy some excellent hiking on the Cape Auguet Eco Trail, enjoy the beautiful Pondville Beach for swimming, beach combing or birding. There are also opportunities for diving.

The Dundee Resort and Golf Club is always a very popular destination for weddings. This beautiful resort on the beautiful Bras d'Or Lakes offers a ideal setting for your special day. Couples can decide whether to exchange their vows on the deck with a beautiful view of the Bras d'Or Lakes or in a more formal setting in the Resort. The efficient staff will do their best to accommodate your every need, from your rehearsal dinner, to wedding reception,to your dance. The Dundee Resort and Golf Club offer lots of activities for your guests to enjoy such as golfing, swimming in the indoor or outdoor pool, and a recreation program that can offer activities for the whole family. The resort also offers nightly entertainment in the MacRae's dinning room during the week and at Chanters Pub on Friday and Saturday evenings for the visitors enjoyment.

These are a few of our wedding destinations, I hope you will find the perfect spot for your special day.

Lamp Light Service Held in Loch Lomond

A Lamp Light Worship Service will take place on November 7th, at the Calvin Presbyterian Church in Loch Lomond starting at 7pm. Guest choir will be from the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Barra Head. A tea and lunch will be served following the service. There will be a silver collection taken.

Canada Achieves #1 Ranking in Global Survey

I have just read an interesting story and would like to share it with you.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/101105/business/cda_s_branding_gold

Having a strong brand is important in drawing tourists from abroad.I know that our local tourism association, the Destination Cape Breton Association, is working hard on improving the Cape Breton brand. Positive word of mouth based on dynamic experiences are the best way to promote an area.And that is why it is important that we all strive to help the visitor obtain the best experience possible while in Cape Breton. Just lately Destination Cape Breton Association's Product Development Committee attended a experiential tourism seminar "The Edge of The Wedge" held at the Gros Morne Institute for Experiential Tourism in Newfoundland. They now have to use their insights to craft the best development plan possible for the Cape Breton Brand.

View of Richmond

Ian Green, the former Partnership Coordinator for Destination Richmond Tourism Association and now the Chair and Co-Founder of Theatre on the Hill Performing Arts Association in Victoria County is still seeking great things for tourism in Cape Breton. The theatre association has a submission into the Aviva Community Fund, which will award funding to worth while projects by on line voting. Their proposal, Stage Struck - Reaching for the Stars, could enhance theatrical education for the community in hopes of building a stronger tourism attraction if they win. Just so you can get a better feel for what the objective of the Theatre on the Hill project entails, I have included this quote from Theatre on The Hill proposal. "The challenge for Theatre on the Hill over the past eleven years is to find the resources to bring professional educators in the performing arts to our remote rural communities North of Smokey. We believe we need to encourage this to give exposure to young and old alike in theatre, dance, music and singing . This funding would allow us to pay the going rate to educators as well as their housing and transportation to the event.
Both youth and adult will gain from this project. Engaging adolescents is important to us as the resources are minimal for our youth here with no indoor pool, gym or hockey rink, craft centre, music lessons, etc for their afterschool time. Experiences young people in urban centres can take for granted. In addition elements of creative aging are as important for the same reasons. Keep minds and bodies active as we age adds to the overall health of our community. Our audiences have an important mix of seniors who would like the opportunity to be involved in the arts. Both these groups will benefit in terms of mental and physical health and general well-being because of the activities involved with the performing arts. It also brings them together to work on an intergenerational project.
Its other outcomes will be;
To serve artists and the community by: Encouraging excellence in the showing, teaching and making of art. *Exploring the boundaries of art and culture. *Helping develop community-generated arts and cultural programs.* Co-marketing for businesses and institutions that support the arts".
Aviva Community Fund's promotion covers the whole of Canada and they will be distributing a million dollars into communities. Lets get together and help support this Cape Breton Community's venture. To help go to www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf8538 and place your vote by noon today.

Fundraiser for Local Clinic

Dessert Cafe and Silent Auction in support of the Dr. W B Kingston Memorial Clinic will take place November 5th. from 6-10pm at Louis's Cosy Corner Restaurant in St. Peter's. Admission is $5.00 which includes a dessert sampling and coffee. There are approximately 20 prizes up for grabs with items ranging from jewellery to sports memoribilia. Viewing starts at 6pm with the bidding starting at 7pm. Come out and support a great cause and get competitive, it is always fun to keep the bids rising.

Live at 5 features St. Peter's Canal

Just a reminder to everyone to tune in to Live at 5 tomorrow night (Monday) to catch the segment on the St. Peter's Canal.

Help a Cape Breton Community

Ian Green, the former Partnership Coordinator for Destination Richmond Tourism Association and now the Chair and Co-Founder of Theatre on the Hill Performing Arts Association in Victoria County is still seeking great things for tourism in Cape Breton. Their association has a submission into the Aviva Community Fund,which will award funding to worth while projects by online voting. Their proposal, Stage Struck - Reaching for the Stars, could enhance theatrical education for the community in hopes of building a stronger tourism attraction if they win. Just so you can get a better feel for what the objective of the Theatre on the Hill project entails, I have included this quote from Theatre on The Hill proposal.

"The challenge for Theatre on the Hill over the past eleven years is to find the resources to bring professional educators in the performing arts to our remote rural communities North of Smokey. We believe we need to encourage this to give exposure to young and old alike in theatre, dance, music and singing . This funding would allow us to pay the going rate to educators as well as their housing and transportation to the event.
Both youth and adult will gain from this project. Engaging adolescents is important to us as the resources are minimal for our youth here with no indoor pool, gym or hockey rick, craft centre, music lessons, etc for their afterschool time. Experiences young people in urban centres can take for granted. In addition elements of creative ageing are as important for the same reasons. Keep minds and bodies active as we age adds to the overall health of our community. Our audiences have an important mix of seniors who would like the opportunity to be involved in the arts. Both these groups will benefit in terms of mental and physical health and general well-being because of the activities involved with the performing arts. It also brings them together to work on an intergenerational project.
Its other outcomes will be;
To serve artists and the community by: Encouraging excellence in the showing, teaching and making of art. *Exploring the boundaries of art and culture. *Helping develop community-generated arts and cultural programs.* Co-marketing for businesses and institutions that support the arts".
Aviva Community Fund's promotion covers the whole of Canada and they will be distributing $1m into communities. Lets get together and help support this Cape Breton Community's venture. To help go to
www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf8538 and place your vote.

Fall Fair in Lower River

This is a perfect day for a Fall Fair, a little nippy and unfortunately we are still having some rain. It is great to have some indoor activities to take part in and a great way to start celebrating Halloween. Lower River Inhabitance is hosting its annual Fall Fair at the Riverdale Community Center. Festivities started at 10am with a brunch. This was followed with a Cake Walk and Fudge & Bake sale and games for the young and young at heart. A costume parade started 12:15pm with prizes, followed at 1:30 by a Merchandise Bingo which will run until 3:30pm, so folks can get home in time to meet the little ghosts and goblins. Wishing all the little folks a Happy Halloween.

St. Peter's Canal on Live at Five Monday

I was just watching Blue Bloods on ATV and happened to catch an interesting advertisment for Live At 5 for Monday. They said they were going to do a feature on the St. Peter's Canal and its history. Exciting to see a local tourism attraction featured on TV and hopefully this will increase the visibility of an important historic site.

And More Canine Visitors to St. Peter's

More Canine Visitors to the St. Peter's VIC