The Chestico Museum 2012 calendars are now available at the museum. This year, our calendar is dedicated to Port Hood’s mining history.
The calendars cost $12 each and can be purchased at the museum.
If you wish to have a calendar mailed to you, postage and handling is $4 for Canadian orders and $5.00 for American orders. To order by mail, please contact: Joanne Watts, P.O. Box 144, Port Hood, NS, B0E 2W0.
The 2011 Celtic Colours lineup has been announced! The Chestico Museum is pleased to once again be hosting two events.
On Tuesday, October 11th at 2 PM, Storytelling & Afternoon Tea will be held at the museum. Once again, we will feature local storytellers, including Eileen MacDonald and Anne (MacEachen) Beaton. Eileen will speak on coming to Port Hood as an English War Bride and Anne will share her experiences of growing up in a family of twelve. Tea and oatcakes will be served. The cost is $10.
The evening of October 11th, the Chestico Museum show Close to the Floor will be held at 7: 30 PM at Strathspey Place in Mabou. This show is a perennial favourite. Dance is the root of our culture and drives the rhythmic style of music found not only here but also with our Appalachian cousins from the south. We’re in for a special treat as Nic Gareiss, accompanied by Bruce Molsky, shows us some of the moves that we share in common, from Appalachian clogging and flat-footing to American tap to Irish and Cape Breton step-dancing. Andrea Beaton, Tracey Dares MacNeil, Melody Cameron, Amélie Larade & Christopher Poirier will bring the Cape Breton flavour of music and dance to the stage while the April Verch Trio will step in with the distinctive music and step-dancing traditions born of the Ottawa Valley lumber camps.
Ticket prices are $35/$30/$25 and are available through the Celtic Colours site or the Strathspey Place Box Office. Tickets go on sale Monday, July 11th at 10 AM ADT.
Between the Storytelling and Close to the Floor concert, you will find a delicious roast beef dinner in Port Hood at St. Peter’s Parish Hall beginning at 4 PM. The meal is sponsored by the Port Hood Knights of Columbus. The cost is $15 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under. The meal is served until 6:30 PM.
We look forward to seeing you this year during Celtic Colours!
The Chestico Museum and Historical Society has organized a weekend of activities to honour coal miners and our coal mining history.
Port Hood is celebrating the 225th anniversary of its founding in 2011, and coal mining has been vital to our history.
Weekend events will run from July 21 to July 24.
Schedule of Events:
Thursday, July 21:
Coal Miners Ceilidh & Heritage Tea at the Chestico Museum
7:00 pm Audio Visual Presentation on Mining Disasters
8:00 pm Ceilidh featuring Lynn Chisholm & Dunks MacDonald, Dara Smith-MacDonald, and Hristiana Iotzova (Bulgarian fiddler) & Mae (Dan Martin) MacDonald Obladen.
Friday, July 22:
6:30 pm Day Park Board Walk: Walking Tour
Charlie MacDonald to tell of Port Hood Mining History
Meet at the museum following the tour for refreshments.
Saturday, July 23:
3:30 pm Official Dedication of Miners Memorial Monument at Day Park
4:30-6:30 Roast Beef Dinner at St. Peter’s Parish Hall
7:30 pm Men of the Deeps Concert at Strathspey Place – contact the Strathspey Place Box Office for tickets.
Sunday, July 24:
11:15 am Official Blessing of the Bulgarian Miners tombstone in St. Peter’s
Catholic Cemetery
Do you have Nova Scotia roots?
Would you like to win a trip to Nova Scotia?
If so, you will be interested in the Council of Nova Scotia Archives “Discover Your Nova Scotia Roots” contest!
All you need to do is enter your family name and say why you believe you have Nova Scotia Roots.
The grand prize includes a trip for 2 to Nova Scotia, 5 nights’ accomodation and 6 day car rental and a private session with Nova Scotia genealogist Terry Punch.
For more information or to enter the contest, vist the contest page.
The contest closing date is November 30, 2010.
Good Luck!
On Tuesday, October 12th the Chestico Museum hosted Storytelling and Afternoon Tea at the museum. The event was part of Celtic Colours Cultural Experiences series.
We were very fortunate to have three very talented local storytellers on hand for the afternoon. First up was well known Cape Breton stepdancer, Mary Janet MacDonald who movingly told the story of “Momma” – Maggie Ann Beaton – the woman who raised her. Accompanied by Dawn Beaton, Maggie Ann’s granddaughter, Mary Janet performed a song she wrote about Momma. She even gave us a few steps at the end!
Next we heard from local historian and active Historical Society member, John Gillies, who regaled us with tales of the women of Port Hood Island.
Barbara Cameron Gillis, who grew up on Port Hood Island, rounded out the session with her stories of life on Port Hood Island. Barbara also performed a beautiful song she wrote about her life on the Island.
Chestico Museum and Historical Society President, Anne Beaton, was our host and did a wonderful job of introducing our storytellers. She also announced this year’s winner of the Chestico Tartan Blanket – Hugh Beaton of Pictou. Hugh’s mother was a native of Port Hood.
We had a large crowd in attendance who certainly enjoyed the afternoon!
You can view some photos of the day on our Facebook page.
