Ceilidh in the Capital

Good food, good wine and good music are the focus of a tourism promotion in Ottawa that will encourage more visitors to Nova Scotia this year.

The Ceilidh in the Capital promotion runs from today, June 13 to Friday, June 15. It features Celtic music and culinary experiences that visitors can enjoy in Nova Scotia.

"Food, wine and music are among the many core experiences we have to offer that match our customers' passions," said Len Goucher, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. "We're using the theme of Nova Scotia's excellent wines, delicious cuisine and talented musicians to promote the province as a vacation destination with great dining and entertainment opportunities."

Throughout the promotion, Nova Scotia musicians and members of the 78th Highlanders are attracting attention to Nova Scotia visitor information kiosks at Rideau Centre and Sparks Street Mall in the heart of Ottawa. Staff are handing out hundreds of foam lobsters and Nova Scotia travel information.

Staff are also speaking about Nova Scotia wines and cuisine on numerous local radio programs and television cooking shows, and running radio trivia contests and promotions throughout the week. The Highlanders are storming radio stations to help staff promote Nova Scotia on air.

An Irish pub, D'Arcy McGee's, will host a Nova Scotia day today, June 13. The event features a Nova Scotia menu for lunch and dinner, and performances by two Acadian dancers and Nova Scotia musicians Wendy MacIsaac, Troy MacGillivray, Brian Doyle and John Ferguson throughout the day. There are also prizes such as lobster dinners and trips for two to the province.

An up-scale kitchen party will be held at the Westin Hotel on Friday to kick off a month-long Nova Scotia Lobster Festival. The party will include a sommelier-led dinner featuring Nova Scotia cuisine and wines, and entertainment by Nova Scotia musicians.

The event was promoted with the help of a local high-end wine association, Savvy Grapes, and is already sold out. The department is hosting media, guests of Destination Halifax, which is promoting Nova Scotia's meetings and conventions facilities, and guests of Porter Air, which is adding a flight from Ottawa to Halifax and has donated tickets for prize packages.

The event is the province's second tourism promotion this month in a target city with direct air access to Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia Connections event in Boston drew 8,600 potential tourists to listen to Celtic music and learn about the shared genealogy of Nova Scotia and Massachusetts.