The 6th Annual Music Camp on the Canal Returns to St. Peter's June 2 to June 4th, Register Now For A Great Music Experience!

The 6th Annual Music Camp will take place in St. Peter’s from June 2^nd to June 4^th. Come and join in the Music Camp weekend experience.

Beginning with a Welcome reception & jam session on Friday evening, your weekend includes:

- a Saturday full of workshops (4 x 1.25 hrs each); lunch and supper included.

- a Saturday night All Star Concert featuring our faculty (primo seating for campers).....

- followed by a KitchenRackets jam session with campers and players from the community

- Sunday morning, one more workshop or Band Lab practice.

- Sunday luncheon, followed by the finale Band Lab Showcase (which could include you!). 

There is more throughout the weekend: jam sessions, on-site instrument repairs, close-up encounters with your instructors and fellow players from far and near; local artisans market, an instrument swap & sale, great food - remember 2 lunches and a supper are included.

Amazing selection of workshops - almost 50 to choose from.

Full weekend registration including everything is a bargain at $250. Participants with non-musical partners can bring them along for all the food and fun (and the square dance workshop) for just $120. 

A la carte workshops also available

If you would like to take just one or a few workshops you can sign up 'a la carte' and pay by the workshop at $40 each. You can pick your workshops and pay for them in advance on line. 

 All Star Concert

This annual concert has become recognized as one of the finest showcases of authentic traditional and innovative Celtic style music anywhere on Cape Breton Island, featuring our stellar Music Camp Faculty, and hospitality of the St. Peter's Lions Hall. Tickets can be purchased in advance on line. 

Who should come?

Any amateur musician, at any level of accomplishment, who wants to learn some new stuff, close-up and 1 on 1 with some incredible teachers. We have a Celtic orientation with a world view. Also, you should come if you want to meet and play with like-minded musicians. We have an 'accompanist' program for partners who don't play an instrument. Campers are all ages from grade school students to senior citizens. (You don't have to camp, most people stay at the Inn or local hotel, although there is camping available - and we offer a 'home billet' program - more info TBA in the coming weeks).

 Some other features of the Music Camp Weekend:

Artisans market on site including a used instrument swap and sale (you can bring your own surplus instruments if you want to sell);

On site luthier offering minor repairs, adjustments and instrument assessments;

Close-up encounters with your instructors and fellow players from far and near;

Great food - lunches on Sat and Sun and Saturday evening supper are included. Catered by Bras d'Or Lakes Inn's talented chefs.

To register or to get more information on the Music Camp go to http://www.kitchenrackets.org/music-camp-on-the-canal-2017/

April 28th, the Island Steppers hosts A Night To Remember with Psychic Medium Tracey Fuller at the Island Nest Restaurant in Arichat.

Tracey Fuller, Psychic Medium appearing at "A Night To Remember with Tracey Fuller".

If you enjoy an evening of entertainment, the Trina Samson Dance School will be offering a Night To Remember with Tracey Fuller, Psychic Medium, as part of their fundraising campaign for dancers going off to dance competitions.

For something a little different in the line of entertainment, you will want to mark April 28th on your Calendar as The Island Steppers invite you to join them for an experience with a psychic Medium. This event will take place at the Island Nest Restaurant in Arichat at 7pm. Fuller, originally from Kent, England, now resides in Sydney since 2014, where she uses her gift to bring peace of mind to her clients, by connecting them with loved ones who have passed on. Although she has always had this gift, it is only since 2000 that she has been sharing her gift professionally. If you have ever wanted to connect with someone from the spirit world, this maybe your chance. Come out and witness first hand this amazing ability, Fuller comes highly recommended!  Tickets are $30.00 advance sale and $35.00 at the door. Call for tickets now, by calling 902 631 2563 (Trina), 902-227-8196 (Gail), 902-631- 3828 (Karen) or 902-623-1435 (Kelly).  Get your tickets early as seating is limited.

Amazing Entertainment Comes to LaPicasse with The Crossing Borders Concert -April 24th, Don't Miss This Incredible Combination of Young Talent!!!

Crossing Borders Concert

If you enjoy an evening of great entertainment, with lively music and step dancing, you will definitely want to take in the Crossing Borders Concert at LaPicasse in Petit de Grat on April 24th at 7pm. Admission will be $5.00 per person or $10.00 per family for advance ticket sale or at the door on the night of the concert $7.00 per person or $12.00 per family. For tickets call 902-226-0149.

Centre La Picasse is proud to present the 25 dancers from the Trina Samson Dance School along with the 23 talent musicians from the Young Tradition Touring Group from Vermont and their mentors, coming together for one very special evening of traditional music and dance. Get your tickets early, as you will not want to miss this event.

Joining the Samson Dance School will be the Young Tradition Touring Group from Vermont, made up of a very talented young group of entertainers from the US. We are very lucky that during their tour in Canada, we have been given the opportunity to showcase our neighbouring countries talented young performers, performing along side some of Cape Breton's best Traditional Step dancers, from the Samson Dance School. This will be the US groups only stop in Richmond. Special thanks to LaPicasse and the Municipality of Richmond for their support with the concert.

Trina Samson Dance School Captures Spotlight at the Limelight Dance Competition - Dance and Culture at It's Best!!!!

The Island Steppers

Visitors coming to Cape Breton are interested in many features of Cape Breton and want to see, hear and enjoy them all.  Two things high on their list of things to take in are entertainment and culture. This weekend we were lucky enough to see two of these factors come together at the Limelight Dance Competition in Halifax, where dancers from the 4 Atlantic provinces vied for gold. Cape Breton was represented by the Trina Samson Dance School from Richmond County, and they definitely covered all the bases for both entertainment and culture. Yes, Cape Breton Step dancing is one of our most popular forms of entertainment while also showcasing our culture.

Those who watched the competition were not disappointed and the array of talent from this exceptional dance troop from the younger dancers to the Island Steppers, each performance was lively, unique and impressive. In total the dancers took home 1 Exclusive Gold, 3 Gold, 2 Silver and 2 Bronze, plus recognition awards and 2 entries into the Vault. Quite impressive. Congratulations to all the dancers and to their instructor Trina Hall Samson, who provided the girls with this amazing experience.

Trina Samson and the dancers from the Trina Samson Dance School

Samson is a dedicated dance teacher, who is admired and loved by all her students. She is a very talented choreographer, dancer and seamstress creating most of the costumes herself. Samson wants her dancers, to most of all enjoy the art of dance, it should never be a chore but an enjoyment that the dancers want to share with all those who watch their performances. And Samson encourages this by having her dancers perform at many community events and festivals throughout the year. Through her efforts, the cultural performance of traditional step dancing will be here for locals and visitors for future generations. The dancers next performance will be at the Easter Fun Day Breakfast which starts at 9:30am at the Lions Hall in St. Peter’s on April 14^th.

St. Peter's Pirate Days Back Again for Another Great Event - September 15th to 17th.

The Annual St. Peter’s Pirate Day will be back again this year, with fun for everyone. It is scheduled to take place from September 15^th to September 17^th. Visitors to our fair village can expect to see a slightly different look than what they were expecting, as businesses deck their store fronts out in full Pirate flare. During the two days of celebrations, don’t be surprised to see some unsavory looking characters wondering the village streets, but be assured this is all in fun and a great photo opportunity as well. It might be a good idea to brush up on a little pirate lingo, just to add to the fun.

St. Peter’s has a rich historic past, but some may not realize that we did have some pirates visit our shores in years gone by and plundering of our businesses may not have been just an old mans tale, as recalled in a post by Al Calder who shared a little history about St Peter's.

During Pirate Days this past summer several people mentioned that there were never pirates who actually raided St Peter's. After reading an essay prepared by the late Harvey MacEwen, in 1976 on the Kavanagh family 1777 to 1923, in which MacEwen mentions, "In spite of several raids on his business (Lawrence Kavanagh Jr.) at St. Peter's by New England privateers, in which severe losses were suffered, the Kavanagh business prospered greatly".

After reading this post, I guess it is true to say that we are celebrating a little bit of our own colourful past. I am sure that this years Pirate Days will be a huge success, and I look forward to seeing what organizers of the event have in store for us.

One great idea, the committee has come up with this year to help with the cost of the event is The St. Peter's Pirate Days Treasure Chest, which is a new game of chance. Those who would like to play and to support the St. Peter’s Pirate Days can register a number, which will be yours for the next 52 weeks. Play your number for $2.00 each week, half of the bounty collected each week is the prize payout. For more details on the draw and to register stop in at B&E General Store in St. Peter’s.  Follow Pirate Days on Instagram @stpeterspiratedays and Twitter @Stpeterspirates.