Annapolis Valley Festivals

One of the Great Rides Found at the Exhibition

There are plenty of Annapolis Valley festivals here in the Valley and Bay of Fundy shore, we have lots to celebrate.

According to the Wikipedia Online Encyclopaedia a festival or gala "is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival." The times of celebration help offer a sense of belonging.

The early festivals were times when the older generation shared their stories and knowledge down to the next generation. Community meals or feast provided a means of unity and comradeship in the community.

Festivals were also organized to celebrate the anniversaries or significant events over the years. Modern festivals that focus on cultural or ethnic topics seek to inform people of their traditions and heritage.

Here we hold several Annapolis Valley festivals, we like to celebrate all the good fortune we have. And we do have a lot of things to celebrate. Our festivals go on all year long, although most are in the mid to later summer and fall.

We have big events that are celebrated across the province and we have smaller community events. We hold Annapolis Valley festivals to celebrate the eagles, music, the lighthouses, the mud, special events and the harvest of the sea and the land.

I have devoted this page as a center point to all of these festivals. As there are so many happening in the area I have broke up some into different categories. Follow the links to those categories to see what Annapolis Valley festivals are going on in that category.

For the others I have made a list here with links when possible to other pages that will tell you more about that festival. If I did not have enough information for their own page, (or if I have not wrote it up yet) then I will write a small paragraph about it on this page. When you see one that interest you just click on the heading if it is highlighted and you will find out more information about it.

Community Festivals are very common in the Annapolis Valley, almost every town, village and community has a day when they celebrate their birthday. Some are one day events and others last for a whole week. Most have their own theme and the events reflect this theme. For a list of these great festivals click on the link above.

We have a lot of talent in the valley therefore plenty of our Annapolis Valley Festivals are music festivals. For a list and information about these musical events plus the established theatres that house a lot of them click on the link above.

Even though jam sessions are a musical event displaying lots of local talent I have made a separate page for these. There are so many of them going on throughout the valley and Bay of Fundy shore. To see a list of what ones are going on each week and find out more about them click on the link above.

We hold a lot of community breakfast, lunches and dinners plus teas & socials here in the valley and Bay of Fundy Shore. To learn about the strawberry shortcake lunches to the lobster suppers and all in-between check out these Annapolis Valley festivals by clicking on the link above.

Well sports is a kind of festival, they are special sporting festivals. Here in the valley we hold several various sporting events annually. To see more information on what sports events we have click on the link above.

Arts & Culture are big in the Annapolis Valley. Many Annapolis Valley festivals are art & cultural events from events celebrating our heritage to arts & crafts shows and sales. Click on the link above to see a list of these events.

There are several Winter Carnivals going on every winter in the Annapolis Valley. Some are one day events and others go on for the whole weekend. It has been proven that people can get bored and depressed during the long days of winter. But there is no need to be here in the valley! Check out the list of winter carnivals held here in the Annapolis Valley by clicking on the link above,

There are many Canada Day Celebrations happening throughout the Annapolis Valley every year. We are Canadian and we are proud of it so come celebrate with us for a great time. See a list of what is happening in the valley during Canada Days by following the link above.

Many communities in the Annapolis Valley hold annual harvest festivals or fall fairs. These festivals were first started as a celebration to honour the bounty of the land and the crops it produced. Included in this list is the very well-known and liked Valley Pumpkin Festival. Click on the link to see what these Annapolis Valley festivals are all about.

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Noah Checking Out the Cattle Barns

The Sheffield Mills area is close to the eagle feeding grounds and nesting areas making it one of the great places to visit to view them. During two weekends in January & February the village of Sheffield Mills in Kings County makes a festival of this wondrous event.

The Nova Scotia Winter Ice Wine Festival is an annual festival started in 2007 to celebrate Nova Scotia's Internationally award-winning Ice Wines. It is held after the harvest of the ice wine grapes making this ten day event usually around the first of February. Many valley wineries plan special events for this Annapolis Valley Festival.

Maple Fest in the Annapolis Valley is a time to celebrate the gathering of the sweet maple sap which is evaporated down for the much desired maple syrup. Maple syrup operations open in mid-March until mid-April which is considered Maple Fest time. This is when the operation is in full swing and some producers will open their facilities to visitors.

Oxen Competition in Bear River

Easter Eggstravaganza is an annual event that has been growing every year in the Annapolis Valley. It is one of the first festivals held in the spring after the long winter. Annapolis Royal especially has made this a full weekend of fun events.

Celebrating Magnolias is one of the exciting spring festivals in Annapolis Royal. The magnolia bush and trees are cherished for their showy fragrant flowers that open up early spring, even before their leaves. There are lots of magnolia bushes in Annapolis Royal and they celebrate them through the whole month of May.

The largest and best known of the Annapolis Valley Festivals is the Apple Blossom Festival held each year around the end of May to the first of June. The festival was organized to celebrate and help promote the large apple industry in the Annapolis Valley. Many of the communities up and down the valley participate in this festival by holding events based on a similar theme.

Equestrian Events are Very Popular at the Festivals

Usually held around the first Saturday of July the Annapolis County Recreation Services will hold its Annual Family Fun Day at Raven Haven Family Beachside Park on Sandy Bottom Lake. This Annapolis Valley Festival has become very popular with a very fun-filled afternoon.

Events planned are Carnival Games, a Sandcastle Competition, Face Painting, Beach Volleyball, Baby Bottle Contest, BBQ, Music and Entertainment for all ages. Oh and of course there will be supervised Swimming all day. For more information on this event contact the Annapolis County Recreation Services at 902 532 2334 or visit their website.

Every year about mid-July all the National Parks in Canada celebrate National Parks Day. Usually this means free admission into the parks and plenty of special activities going on in them. We have several National Parks in the Annapolis Valley. You can check on the activities each one has planned by checking on the Parks Canada website.

This annual event held in mid June at the Lookoff Camping Park in Canning is sponsored by KFROG (Kaleigh French Reaching Out Globally). The main purpose of this group is to help young Nova Scotians volunteering and learning in countries around the world. The group was formed in August of 2007 in memory of a young girl, Kaleigh who lost a fight to cancer before she could raise the money to travel to Guyana to volunteer there.

To help raise funds for other young people devoted to helping others and making the world a better place the group holds an annual Family Fun Day event. The day starts off at 7 am with registration for their annual 5 & 10 km Run. This is followed by a Pancake Breakfast and an Awards Ceremony. Then the afternoon is full of Family Games and other activities for the kids like a Bounce Castle and Face Painting. During the day they hold a Silent and Ticket Auction and a Cake & Cupcake Sale. There is Live Entertainment foing on all day plus the Beer Tent. This is all followed by a Memorial Service and Stones Dedication.

The Lookoff Camping Park is located near Canning. To get there follow Route 358 North to Canning, turn left at monument and head up North Mountain.

Every summer the Tupperville School Museum holds its Annual Old Fashion Ice Cream Festival on the last Saturday of July. This annual event will feature fun for the whole family. Besides the many flavours of ice cream served there will be a BBQ, Games and an Auction.

The Shriners Participate in all the
Annapolis Valley Festival Parades

The Annapolis Valley Exhibition is a week long agricultural exhibition held in Lawrencetown, Annapolis County about mid-July. The exhibition is another one of the larger Annapolis Valley Festivals showcasing many aspects of the farming occupation including displays, demonstrations and competitions. It boasts several display buildings; a youth arena; show rings; a riverside stage; a meal hall and the Bill Lynch Shows Fair.

The Digby County Exhibition is held annually starting the last Wednesday of August at the Bear River Exhibition grounds. This is an agricultural Exhibition full of demonstrations, displays and competitions to represent many aspects of the farming community. Check out this great Annapolis Valley Festival.

Wharf Rat Rally in Digby, Nova Scotia

This is a fairly new Annapolis Valley Festival, but one that has caught on big time and is considered an International-Level Bike Rally. It will be held in Digby during the Labour Day weekend and the schedule of events is so full it has overflowed into other surrounding towns.

The Lights Along The Shore Festival is coordinated by Destination Southwest Nova Scotia and celebrates the restoration of our Lighthouse. It is held annually for three days around the middle of September and covers lighthouses along the Lighthouse Route and the Evangeline Trail.

The town of Annapolis Royal celebrates Halloween by becoming a ghost town. Nobody moves out, but a lot moves in, ghost, witches, goblets and goblins that is. This new festival is held over the last two weekends of October with lots of spook-tacular activities going on.

Did I mention that there are a lot of Annapolis Valley Festivals? This is not all of them I am sure, new ones seem to be added all the time.

I also have a Facebook page for the Annapolis Valley that you may find interesting. I up-date this page pretty much daily and try to post about any events I know of going on each week.

I also cover any important news happening in the Annapolis Valley concerning visitors to our area. Every week day I post a daily question about the Annapolis Valley and Bay of Fundy area which is becoming very popular.

Plus I regularly up-load many pictures and old postcards of our area. People, especially ones who have moved away love these as it brings the valley back to them.

You can access my Annapolis Valley Facebook Page by clicking on the Facebook App found on the right column of every web page or by clicking here.

If your organization has an annual Annapolis Valley Festivals you would like included on this page please fill out the form below.

Please fill in as much information as you can on this form, making sure you include the name of the event and the approximate date it is held every year. If you would like you could send me a link to a web site where I can find the information myself. The more information you can provide me, the better I can advertise it for you.

If you want to send an attachment like a schedule of events, or need more room then is provided on the form; then send in the form but ask me to email you back for more information. I will provide you with my email address to send the attachment to.

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