Festival Fun
Workshops, presentations, food and drinks. It's all here!
Find your waypoints to all the festival fun. There's something for every member of your crew.
​PLEASE NOTE
Most activities require registration due to limited space/slots.
Registration information and costs will be detailed in our ticketing system.
For the dates/times for each activity, check our schedule.
Storytelling & Presentations
Edu-tainment with Eric Bartlett
Eric is a retired carpenter/cabinetmaker/teacher and corporate trainer who volunteered for over 15 years at the Quaco Museum. He turns the often complex history of the Golden Age of Sale into entertaining lectures and stories, in his words “edutaining”
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1) Women in the Golden Age of Sail. “What do you never find on board a ship in the golden age of sail -WOMEN.” Eric will present historical facts that will dispel this long-perpetuated myth with dramatic and often funny true stories of what these remarkable women encountered on board these wooden sailing vessels. Come and hear what life was like for “Nelson’s women” and Captain’s wives on the “hen frigates.”
2) Scurvy, Beer and Sailors. Brewing and seafaring are mainstays of ancient human endeavours. Learn about the scourge of scurvy on war, trade and immigration (Mayflower) in the Age of Sail. Did it cure scurvy? What did Captain Cook find out on his voyages? Eric will give the answers to these questions in an interesting history of Scurvy, Beer and Sailors.
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Walk n' Talks with David Goss
Join local author, folklorist and storyteller David Goss as he takes you on one of THREE interactive walking tours around the village!
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1) The Ghost of John and his Bay of Fundy Ghost Stories from the Saxby Gale to Today, 2) A Cemetery Speaks. Stories the stones tell through their symbolism and epitaphs and 3) The Best of Fundy Folklore sea stories, treasure tales.
Sing Along with Seán Dagher
​1) Assassin's Creed. Quebec's Seán Dagher has sung shanties throughout the world. He's widely known for his video series, Shanty of the Week, and his recordings with the Assassin's Creed video game series, including Black Flag. Seán will discuss his role in the making of the videos and will perform a number of the shanties. Participants will be STRONGLY encouraged to sing along!
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2) Singing Sea Shanties. This show consists of shanties and other nautically-themed songs sung by Seán and accompanied by the audience, by Seán's bouzouki, and by his "Canned Crew". After a song to get things started, there
is a very short introduction to the world of shanties. Then, the audience is taught the refrains and choruses of each song and is invited to sing along. The songs progress in complexity, demonstrating the different types of sea shanties and explaining the types of work they accompany. These are interspersed with a few sea-themed ballads, accompanied by Seán's Irish bouzouki. The whole event brings everyone together for a community experience of singing and hollering. No previous shanty-singing experience is necessary. Bad singers are welcome, even necessary!
Shipbuilding in St. Martins with Rob Moran
A lifelong resident of St. Martins, Robert Moran currently resides on the outskirts of the Village with his wife Tami. He is a seventh-generation Moran to live in the area and is a direct descendant of Mathias Moran, one of the original land grantees of Quaco in 1784. His ancestors are credited with having constructed the first square-rigged ship, the ‘Waterloo’ in 1815 and producing the greatest tonnage of wooden sailing vessels ever to launch from the shores of St. Martins during the Golden Age of Sail.
Rob is proud of his heritage and the proud father of two sons, Matthew and Anthony. He is a past president of the Quaco Historical and Library Society (currently vice-president) and a published author. Along with the help of many friends and acquaintances, Rob spear-headed the campaign to raise funds to repatriate the original figurehead from the ship, ‘Prince Victor’ back to St. Martins in August 2016.
Rob’s presentation will look at the shipbuilding families of St. Martins and surrounding areas, and what was involved in the construction of the various types of vessels launched from St. Martins during the 1800’s and early 1900’s.
Food & Drink
Rum & Whiskey Tastings
Join whiskey and rum enthusiast Graham MacKenney, Atlantic Rum Connection, as he presents a variety of rums and whiskeys from around the Atlantic Provinces in one of two tasting events.
Legion Breakfast
Enjoy a hearty breakfast (Sunday between 9am and 11am) while supporting the St. Martins Legion, Branch 63. The Legion folks will handle admission at the door.
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The menu includes scrambled eggs, sausage, homefries, and toast.
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Beverages include tea, coffee, and juice.
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Cost is $15.00 ($8.00 for children 12 & under).
Seafood Chowder & Shanties
Join us Friday at The Caves Restaurant at one of two seatings (4pm and 6pm) for a delicious Seafood Chowder Supper. Live entertainment too, of course!
For those who don't want chowder, we will be offering 4pc chicken strips and fries with drink and cookie; or Minestrone soup (with free refills), biscuit, drink and cookie.
Beer Tastings
We'll be hosting two beer tastings in the Amphitheatre with the fine folks at Gridiron Brewing. Enjoy a curated flight of 4 Gridiron Brewing Beers and discussion with the brewmaster. Cheers! (for Music Pass Holders only)
The Privateers Marque Shanty Pub
Our pub on Friday Night at the Legion will feature New Brunswick's, A Dram and A Draw. Don't forget your dancing shoes!
For the Family
Sea Glass Workshop
Join Salisha as she walks you through step by step to design & make your very own sea glass jewellery. All materials will be provided; however, you are free to bring one or more of your own special pieces of sea glass to add to your design.
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Salisha Tatton, sea glass artist and owner of Salisha’s Sea Gems~ With Love from the East Coast, is a Saint John native, with an absolute love for all things coastal. She grew up scouring over the rocks along the coastline of the Bay of Fundy to find pretty shells, glass and stones and has been making sea glass and ocean inspired jewellery since 2016. Salisha currently resides just outside of Moncton, New Brunswick and has sea glass jewellery in 4 different locations around the province as well as an online Etsy shop. Her designs have been worn at New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, and Miss Teen North America pageant. Her jewelry designs have also been featured in articles with the Weather Network and worn by East Coast Mermaid.
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*FOR ALL AGES (Children may require parent assistance)
Music with Mr Mark
When Mark Cameron isn't being a responsible adult in his new surroundings of New Brunswick, he's up to his usual wild and crazy stage antics before clusters of young people and their families as Mr. Mark! Actually, this boy trapped in a man's body has been bringing song and laughter to festivals, schools, libraries and daycares across Canada since 2002.
Armed with a truckload of instruments, and a truckload of enthusiasm, his shows are a delightful romp through family life. Whether you're singing the praises of Macaroni and Cheese or bouncing to the beat of the Bucketheads ?...... you'll wind up wigglin' and gigglin' and wanting more..... Mr Mark !!
Celtic Dance Workshop with Paige LeClair
Join Paige LeClair, director of Celtic Roots Dance Academy for a family-fun Celtic dance workshop! Jigs and reels will fill the air as we dance and clap along to lively fiddle tunes while learning this upbeat traditional dance style! This workshop is open to all ages, no experience necessary!
Paige began dancing at the age of three, where she found her love for step dancing and all things Celtic. Originally from Prince Edward Island, she has competed and performed at various events, fundraisers and concerts across the Maritimes and Ontario. In recent years, Paige has performed with the College of Piping and Celtic Performing Arts of Canada in their seasonal production of Highland Storm, where she was a principal dancer, fiddler, vocalist and dance captain. Her most notable performance was for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their visit to Prince Edward Island in 2011. Some of her other accomplishments in the performing arts include performing with the PEI Music Awards, PEI Shellfish Festival, 2 CMBG Petawawa Pipes And Drums, 5th CDSB Gagetown Pipes and Drums, and the NB Country Music Showcase.
Meet the Mermaid Princess
Join us for a meet and greet with the Mermaid Princess. Enjoy a song, storybook and have your photo taken. Don’t forget your camera!