The Town of Parrsboro is about a 15-minute drive from the Beach House, and I always make sure to have a leisurely walk there whenever I am at the Beach House or at my cabin in Fox River. So, come walk with me to some of my favorite destinations on Main Street, Parrsboro, Nova Scotia.

May 2004

Our first stop is the Ship's Company Theatre on the harbour. Ships Company has made an enormous contribution to cultural life not only in the Parrsboro area, but also throughout Nova Scotia. Scott Burke, the former artistic director, recently moved to Theatre New Brunswick, and Pamela Halstead, an eminent member of Canada's theatre community, is the Company's new artistic director.

Everyone who supports Ships Company is looking forward to the opening of the theatre's new facility in July. I hope that you too will have a chance to see it this summer.

2003 Ground-Breaking Ceremony for Ship's Company New Facility

Scott Burke reads greetings and congratulations from Prime Minister Jean Chretien for Ship's Company's new facility.

Sod-turning proved to be an arduous exercise for some!

Have a look at www.shipscompany.com for up to date information about the Company's 2004 season. The first show, the World Premiere of Parrsboro Boxing Club, is the perfect piece to open the new theatre. Parrsboro Boxing Club, based on the novel by Bruce Graham, tells a very personal story of the journey of Duff Martin. Parrsboro Boxing Club was written and directed by Ship's Company former artistic producer, Scott Burke.

Our next stop is the Stowaway Restaurant - just 2 minutes up the street from the Ship's Company Theatre. The Stowaway has a beautiful view of the Parrsboro Harbour, so be sure to ask for a window table. You'll want to visit their bakery for the town's best homemade rolls and bread and the most delicious cookies and squares try the peanut butter & coloured marshmallow squares for a very special and very decadent never-to-be forgotten treat!

Sweet Brier Boutique is an absolutely lovely shop, which is as stylish as any downtown Halifax or Toronto shop. Sweet Brier has loads of choices for gifts and home items. Be sure to visit the enclosed backyard simply splendid on a sunny day!

Walking on, there are lots of old and interesting buildings to look at along the way.

Destination Gallery , on the left, is a new Canadian art gallery. The owner has used antiques and old furniture in intriguing ways have a look at what she's done with old sewing machine stands and wooden ironing boards. Look carefully between Destination Gallery and Kiss the Sky Kites (on your right) and see a sweet tiny house created by Kiss the Sky and Destination Gallery. And, look forward to enjoying the wind on the beach with your very own new kite from Kiss the Sky Kites.

Before we go back to the beach, let's join these people and have coffee and a delicious homemade sandwich at John's Café . We can sit outside on a nice day and watch everyone else walk up and down Main Street Parrsboro.

Town Camping

Kerwin and Anne Davison live in Rockcliffe Estates, but they love excursions in the bus which Kerwin converted to a customized recreation vehicle. Last summer, they parked the bus in town to enjoy camping right on Main Street. Isn't it great to be so creative and to find opportunities to enjoy life in your own special way!

Congress medial Acadian 2004

Congrès mondial acadien 2004 will be held throughout Nova Scotia from July 31st to August 15 2004 and it is hoped that this international gathering of Acadians and their friends will bring together over 250,000 participants during the 16-day event.

The third of it's kind, Congrès mondial acadien was previously held in Louisiana in 1999 and in New Brunswick in 1994. This year's event is particularly special since it celebrates the 400th anniversaries of the arrival of the French to North America (1604) and the return to the birthplace of Acadia since Acadians settled in Nova Scotia before the deportation.

Family reunions are the basis of Congrès mondial acadien 2004. To date, 95 families are organizing a reunion during the event, ranging in size from 200 to 7,000 participants per family. In total, 65,000 family members are expected to participate in reunions.

www.cma2004.com has all the information, including the list of names of families, which are organizing their reunions.

Glooscap Trail Website

GlooscapTrail.com has loads of information about attractions, adventures, destinations and a photo gallery. It also has Tales From the Trails , for those of you who like to read about local history and culture.

The Hatfield Centre, the conference and retreat arm of The Beach House on Hatfield Road, is developing nicely. Some of the recent events held at the Hatfield Centre include Ship's Company Theatre's Board and staff retreat in February 2004, and the local cancer support group's 2-day retreat scheduled in May.

We are exploring the possibility of holding an arts-related workshop at The Hatfield Centre in conjunction with Joe and Ruth Fitzpatrick of worldscape so, watch the next issue of The Coast News for details.

Isn't Joe's work beautiful?

Worldscape workshops are customized for people who love travel, landscape painting, good companionship, good food, beautiful landscapes and comfortable accommodations. Painting workshops are taught by University of Kentucky Emeritus Professor of Art Joseph Fitzpatrick and include participants as varied as the locales visited.

See Our New Page on Beach House web site

We've introduced a new page on The Beach House on Hatfield Road web site.  The page has links to travel web sites, including vacation property directories, and search engines.
Have a look at it and let me know what you think.

Unique Wood Products

Unique Wood Products - handcrafted in Nova Scotia by Nova Scotians.  Have a look at all the beautiful wood products Vito Forgione and his team make - cedar mailboxes, lawn ornaments, lawn lighthouse ornaments, birdfeeder houses, and much more.

Vito's shop and store are located in East Chester, on Nova Scotia's Lighthouse Trail.  Vito can be reached at Products@unique-wood-Products.com or by phone at 902-275-2002.

Want Ads

Need Someone to Move Furniture From Toronto to Fox River, Nova Scotia: Liz Yorke needs someone to move some furniture from Yonge/Eglinton in Toronto to Fox River; contact Liz at liz@lizyorke.com or 416-481-4096 for details.

The Hatfield Centre Conference Centre & Retreat: Hold your next AGM, planning session, retreat or workshop at this unique coastal setting; captivate your clients, colleagues and stakeholders by providing an opportunity for colleagues to enjoy themselves & rejuvenate; treat your corporate visitors to Nova Scotia to a quality experience in this enchanting setting; visit www.hatfieldcentre.com for ideas or contact Liz Yorke at liz@lizyorke.com or at 416-481-4096.