Nova Scotia Connections in Boston
Bostonians will be tapping their toes to Celtic music and getting in touch with family connections to Nova Scotia during a two-day tourism promotion that aims to bring more visitors to the province this year.
The Nova Scotia Connections event features shared genealogy between the province and Massachusetts. It kicks off Boston's annual ParkARTS summer concert series with afternoon entertainment on Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2.
"We have strong historical and cultural ties with this region; it's always been an important tourism market for us, and Boston is one of our target cities with direct air access to Nova Scotia," said Len Goucher, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. "This event is designed to give potential tourists a sample of our culture and the feeling of being connected to us through family ties so they'll feel compelled to visit Nova Scotia this year."
Staff from the Nova Scotia Public Archives will be on hand to help people search ancestors in the new historical vital statistics website, novascotiagenealogy.com . It contains a database of one million historical birth, marriage and death registrations in the province, dating back to 1864.
Genealogical expert Allan Marble will help highlight the historical connections between Massachusetts and Nova Scotia, from a Bostonian militia defeating the French at Fortress Louisbourg in 1745 to today's business and family relationships. He will speak at Copley Square and give a lecture sponsored by the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
There will be performances by Nova Scotia musicians Scott MacMillan, Troy MacGillivray, Wendy MacIsaac, Andrea Beaton, Brian Doyle, Fiona and Ciaran MacGillivray, and Matt MacIsaac. Highland dancers Sabra MacGillivray and Kelly MacArthur will also perform.
Taste of Nova Scotia will provide samples of maple sugar candy while MacIsaac Kiltmakers demonstrate traditional kilt making. An animator from the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic will demonstrate rope making and an animator from the Grand Pre National Historic Site will speak about the life of the Acadians before the expulsion.
Travel counsellors from the province's visitor information centres will provide information about vacationing in Nova Scotia, with help from representatives of Destination South West Nova Scotia, Destination Cape Breton, and the Antigonish Eastern Shore Tourism Association.
The event takes place at Copley Square in the heart of downtown Boston. The lively music and colourful 78th Highlanders will draw thousands of people to the square. Foot traffic in the area is expected to be especially high on Saturday thanks to a baseball game at nearby Fenway Park.
The event is being advertised on Boston.com, two local radio stations, Channel 5 television and its website, and at Logan airport. Promotion is also being done through e-mails, Boston Parks brochures, and fliers at local music stores, music and step-dancing schools, fiddling societies and businesses near Copley Square, including pubs and hotels.