5 fun things to do on P.E.I. this Labour Day weekend
Sara Fraser | CBC News | Posted: September 2, 2017 11:00 AM | Last Updated: September 2, 2017
Take in bowling with turnips, a fire truck pull and Sunday mass on a wharf
This Labour Day weekend is a long one for many Islanders — so between the back-to-school shopping, try to squeeze in some of the fun events still happening as summer begins to wind down on P.E.I.
Here are a few suggestions, starting with Saturday morning right through Monday evening.
1. Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition & Acadian Festival
Close out the summer with one of the best agricultural fairs on the Island.
Saturday, admission is $8 or $3 for university/college students (preschoolers = free). Enjoy the provincial Holstein show (dairy cows), a petting farm, and strong woman competition. There are lots of contests, including potato peeling, rubber-boot throwing, lobster eating, knitting and a cook-off.
At 2 p.m., Lennie Gallant performs, and at 4:30 there's a lobster supper at the Village Musical Acadien. At 10 p.m. dance to Réveil if you're 19 and over, for $15 per person.
Sunday's admission is $12 and $4 for students. A horse show starts at 9 a.m., and there's a parade of fishing boats and mass at the Abram-Village wharf at 9:30. There's a parade at 1 p.m., and a fiddle and step-dancing show at 2:30.
Sunday's contests include a four-wheeler pull, fishing line casting, turnip bowling and a lumberjack competition.
More on the event's Facebook page.
2. Go barefoot
Saturday Sept. 2 is your last chance to see the Neil Simon comedy Barefoot in the Park at the charming little Watermark Theatre in North Rustico, starring Leah Pritchard and Gracie Finley.
There's a matinee at 1:30 p.m. and the final show at 7:30 p.m.
The play runs in repertory with Mrs. Warren's Profession and the two plays were so popular the theatre added an extra week to the end of its season, its 10th.
Tickets are $10 to $35 and can be found here.
3. Port Cities and Tomato/Tomato at Indian River
There are only a few weeks left to enjoy music in the beautiful St. Mary's church in Indian River, P.E.I.
Sunday Sept. 3 at 3 p.m., hear two bands: Tomato/Tomato and Port Cities.
Saint John bluegrass band Tomato/Tomato are a husband and wife duo (John and Lisa McLaggan) who've been enthusiastically touring Canada, the U.S. and Australia this summer. They have two albums, So It Goes and I Go Where You Go.
Halifax-based Port Cities is the trio of Breagh MacKinnon, Carleton Stone and Dylan Guthro, who all had successful solo careers first, but decided they had great chemistry after meeting at Gordie Sampson's songwriting camp in Cape Breton, N.S., a few years ago.
The band's sound is roots rock, "folk-inspired melodies and luscious harmonies," according to its website.
More on the event's Facebook page. Tickets are $20 to $32 and can be purchased here.
- Port Cities features 3 friends with great vocal blend
- Saint John's Tomato/Tomato make 'whirlwind' trip to Austalian Music Week
4. Fire truck pull
Who can pull a 16,000-kilogram fire truck 30 metres the fastest?
A dozen teams of eight people — mostly firefighters — will face off this Sunday, Sept. 3 at the Sobeys Stratford parking lot in the Island Fire Truck Pull.
Hosted by the East River and Cross Roads Fire Departments, the event will raise awareness and funds for muscular dystrophy.
More info on the event's Facebook page.
5. Go wild at The Guild
The Guild Gone Wild Monday Sept. 4 will be "an evening of music, comedy and a celebration of all the wonderful talent being showcased at the Guild this summer," according to the venue's Facebook page.
Like Confederation Centre's annual Maud Whitmore concert, Guild staff and performers from Anne and Gilbert, Atlantic Blue, Charlottetown Burlesque, Madagascar, Popalopalots, Seussical and more will perform a song, dance or sketch comedy.
This year proceeds from Guild Gone Wild will go into a scholarship fund for students in the upcoming Guild Music Theatre School, beginning Sept. 15.
The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $20 — find them here.
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