Current What's New in Atlantic Canada

Here are just a few of the many New and Exciting things happening in Atlantic Canada…

New Brunswick "Battle of the Blues": The Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival will be celebrating 21 years of music in 2011. For six days each September as the maple leaves begin to change colour, Fredericton, New Brunswick, is transformed from a relaxed and spacious provincial capital into a vibrant musical party. Large in scope but staged on an intimate scale, music fans can experience 23 indoor and outdoor stages, 125 shows featuring more than 350 performers from across the region, Canada and around the world. And to celebrate they are looking for a UK Blues act to take part in the festival next year! 'New Brunswick Battle of the Blues' invites bands or singer/songwriters to enter this competition and successful musicians will be selected to perform at a Battle of the Bands-style heat in January 2011. There will be five heats located around the UK and the regional winners will travel to London for the fi nals to be held on March 29th, 2011. Regional runners up will be put to a public vote and the public choices will also get to perform on the London stage. The winning band or artist will have the opportunity to perform at the International Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in September 2011. www.tourismnewbrunswick.co.uk

New Brunswick UK Website Launched: To speak to the UK market directly, the Province of New Brunswick launched a UK website in November. This website features information, images and video about New Brunswick that is relevant to the UK customer with a focus on wildlife, nature, soft adventure activities, seasons, driving, weather and the proximity to the UK. Sign up to receive an e-newsletter that will provide you with the latest news from this Canadian Maritime Province. www.tourismnewbrunswick.co.uk

New Brunswick / Nova Scotia: The Bay of Fundy Finalist in the New7Wonders of Nature Contest: The Bay of Fundy has won the prestigious nomination to represent Canada in the fi nal stage of the global Offi cial New7Wonders of Nature contest. One of the 28 finalists, the Bay of Fundy has been compared in marine biodiversity to the Amazon Rainforest, known globally for its ecology, geology, tidal energy currents and habitats. It is renowned for having the most extreme tides on the planet at 17 meters (50 feet), five to ten times higher than the rest of the world's tides. The tides of the Bay of Fundy offer a summer feeding ground for half of the world's population of the endangered North Atlantic Right whale, among other species of whales and marine life and countless birds. It is because of this incredible ecosystem that the Bay of Fundy has been selected as a finalist in the New7Wonders of Nature global campaign, the only Canadian site. The seven winners will be based on popular vote. To vote visit www.votemyfundy.com

Newfoundland & Labrador – Titanic 2012 Connections: In April 2012, Newfoundland and Labrador will be remembering history and hosting one of the planet's most recognized events. Wildland Tours is one of the founding partners putting together an April 2012 commemoration of the Titanic disaster off Cape Race, Newfoundland. This dramatic and famous headland was the place where the world's most famous distress signal was received. Cape Race's Marconi operators spread the story of the disaster to the world and worked to coordinate the rescue of the Titanic survivors. In 2012 travelers and residents alike will be invited to participate in a series of exciting and distinctive commemorative events that speak to the dramatic story of Newfoundland and Labrador's Iceberg Alley, the Titanic, and one of history's most compelling examples of grandeur, hubris, and human arrogance. While cruise ships bob at sea over the ocean's Titanic "gravesite" off Newfoundland, we will coordinate the shore-side part of the Titanic commemoration as the technology of 1912 is once again put to use at Cape Race. Messages of hope, commemoration, and remembrance will be received as part of this centennial event. We will also recognize how the messages of Titanic's era resonate today in the fields of marine safety, marine communications, iceberg monitoring, and the entertainment industry. www.wildlands.com

Labrador's "Freedom Road" – Explorers Take Note: It's not the UK's Motorway, or Germany's Autobahn, but the accurately dubbed 'Freedom Road' in Labrador has opened up a whole new corner of North America to adventurous travelers. The perfect 'Circle Tour', you may drive north through Quebec to Labrador, cross this pristine territory east to west on a mainly gravel road, and then southward to the Strait of Belle Isle. From there, take the 90-minute ferry ride to Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula and drive down the spectacular west coast through Gros Morne National Park. A Marine Atlantic ferry will then take you from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia. Or, you may do the trip in the reverse! Either way, this is a magnificent experience, but as the Labrador Highway is remote and without mobile coverage, you're advised to take along a free satellite phone. It's just you and the road – and glorious freedom! http://www.tw.gov.nl.ca/trans_lab_highway/index.html

"Taking Flight" in Newfoundland and Labrador: Taking Flight: An Air Access Strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador is a new five-year Provincial Government strategy designed to enhance Newfoundland and Labrador's air transportation access. This will be achieved by working collaboratively with airports, airlines and other partners in supporting their efforts to attract new flights and spur demand. Newfoundland and Labrador continues to be a hub of tourism visitation, economic activity and a magnet for investment and people, and with growth comes greater demand for transportation access. Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to exploring opportunities that will encourage increased air capacity with more direct and frequent flights in the province, and with a $5M price tag in the first three years of the Strategy, is demonstrating a longterm commitment to providing more people with more choice for air travel to, from and within the Province. Airports in Newfoundland and Labrador are open for business, and the Provincial Government will support and partner with regional airport authorities to actively promote their capabilities, and the province itself, directly to airlines. Taking Flight: An Air Access Strategy for Newfoundland and Labrador can be found at www.business.gov.nl.ca

Living Wharves in Nova Scotia: Learn the Story Behind the Seafood: Nova Scotia's Yarmouth and Acadian Shores tourism region is home to one of Canada's largest fisheries. Living Wharves is designed to tell the story behind the seafood. Over 40 species of fi sh are harvested from our shores, and thousands are employed in the industry. Most people have a "fish story" or two to tell and they want to share it with you.

Join both active and retired fisherman and women at community wharves throughout the region to learn their stories and try your hand at a few fishing skills. Visit the yarmouthandacadianshores.com website for details on the 2011 schedule of events.

Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site is Nova Scotia's First Dark Sky Preserve: The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) has officially designated Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site as a Dark Sky Preserve (DSP). This is Nova Scotia's first DSP. Dark Sky Preserves are designated by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and are established to reduce artificial light glare, increase the visibility of the night sky, and reduce energy consumption to benefit all life on Earth. Kejimkujik is an ideal DSP: in the centre of the Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve, it is part of the largest protected wilderness in the Maritimes. As viewed on light maps of eastern North America, it is found in one of the darkest locations. Kejimkujik also has great visitor facilities that are accessible year round, with various camping opportunities and an outdoor theatre. Kejimkujik has dual designation as a national park and as a national historic site, celebrating a Mi'kmaw cultural landscape. The Kejimkujik DSP will have a strong Mi'kmaw cultural connection that highlights cultural beliefs, legends, and folklore. Kejimkujik will welcome visitors wishing to peer at the milky way, witness the wonder of a meteor shower, glimpse at planets or even, simply, the moon. Interpreters will tell stories, legends and myths about gods, kings, animals and events as told in the patterns of the night or from the folklore of our cultures. Kejimkujik will be offering several programs in 2011 to celebrate this achievement, including star gazing and night sky interpretation programs, including a few from a canoe! www.parkscanada.gc.ca

Prince Edward Island's Cultural Explosion 2011: 2011 is the year of Cultural Explosion. Being the birthplace of Confederation, our soil is enriched with culture. Experience Island culture first hand, walk the street that the Fathers of Confederation strolled, enjoy an evening ceilidh in Orwell, visit Abrams Village for a taste of Acadian culture, or take in an outdoor concert at the Rollo Bay Fiddle Festival. Stay tuned for a year full of cultural events! www.tourismpei.com/pei-arts-culture-heritage

Live Like an Islander: With over 70 Island experiences to choose from – you'll feel like an Islander before you leave. Learn to tong and shuck oysters, own a standardbred racehorse for an evening, uncover some "Seaweed Secrets," or make moonshine (legally!) These are just a few of our "Once in a Lifetime" experiences that also include geocaching, sandcastle sculpting, fishing for lobster and creating a piece of folk art.

Any island is its own unique world. Stories, music, recipes, and skills are preserved and passed down for generations. But here you're welcome to take part, and take home some of our traditions. Islanders are eager to help. In an ever-growing series of activities, you can work side-by-side with chefs, artisans, fishermen, farmers, musicians, and a host of people who defy categorizing, but who love what they do and want to share it with you. www.tourismpei.com/pei-experiences

Prince Edward Island Flavours Trail: Follow the trail in each region for culinary experiences, farmers, fishers, food artisan producers, local markets and restaurants. It will take you to the most unique and exciting culinary attractions on the Island.

You hear "mmmmmm" a lot on Prince Edward Island. It's the sound of people savouring their first bite of lobster supper. Or Malpeque oysters freshly harvested from the bay. Or a PEI potato cooked to perfection. There's a renewed appreciation for local ingredients of late, and that can only mean one thing: seafood, meat and veggies that have taken the shortest possible route from source to plate. Put those ingredients into the hands of award winning chefs, and just imagine the results. Better yet, come taste for yourself. We have the best in fine dining, casual, and family restaurants, as well as an assortment of cuisines that just may surprise you. www.tourismpei.com/pei-culinary-trail