Acadian Kitchen Party – Tuesday August 7, 2012

Join us in the Historic Gardens on Tuesday August 7, 5pm-8pm, for a toe tapping time at our Acadian Kitchen Party!

Acadian band Unisson will treat us to an evening of great music, along with fiddler Daniel LeBlanc and guitarist Charles Robicheau from Le Grand Dérangement. You won’t be able to sit still! Check out Unisson’s My Space page for a sample of their music!

Add great food with an Acadian flair and some of Nova Scotia’s finest wines, beer and juices… and well, we’ve got a great party in the making! All we need is YOU!

Tickets are $20, and include admission, entertainment and food. Cash Bar.

Please note: due to NS Liquor Regulations, this event is open for adults 19 and over.

Buy Your Tickets Now!

Swing into Autumn – Sunday September 12, 2-4pm

Join us in Annapolis Royal Sunday afternoon (Sept 12, 2-4pm) for “Swing into Autumn”, a musical afternoon on the grounds of the Hillsdale House Inn featuring the Annapolis Big Band.

This open air concert is open to the public “by donation” with proceeds going to the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute’s “Species at Risk in Nova Scotia” program, a worthy cause indeed.

The Annapolis Big Band is an 18 member orchestra (trumpets, saxes, trombones and rhythm) that plays primarily music of the great Big Band era – Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw… Having recently played to an enthusiastic audience  in Paradise, NS, band members look forward to another relaxing outdoor concert!

What you need to know…

– Bring a blanket or lawn chairs, and a picnic lunch if you wish

– Sangria & Beer Cash Bar on site

– Costumed Animators from MTRI

– The annual 60/40 draw!

A poster for this concert provides more information, or you can call the hosts at 532-2345.

Swing into Autumn Poster

BandFest Weekend is Upon Us!

This news just in from the Historic Gardens Bloom Report…

This weekend is BandFest Weekend in Annapolis Royal… a gathering of community band musicians from all over Nova Scotia. Our staff have come up with some musically themed activities in celebration of BandFest… all weekend long we have a special BandFest Gardens scavenger hunt activity available, along with musically themed colouring pages. (We are unable to offer the special scavenger hunt on Saturday 2-4pm due to two weddings in the Gardens at that time, but otherwise we are here from 8am to 9pm and would be thrilled to have your family come out for some fun and learning!) On Sunday afternoon, from 1-5pm, we will have some musical craft activities – kids can make their own musical shakers!

We will not have our “Music in the Gardens” this Sunday – instead we encourage you to wander up to ARRA school for the Massed Band Concert presented by the gathered BandFest musicians, starting at 2pm! Your Gardens admission is good for the day, so come out to the Gardens for some activities, wander up to the concert, and finish off with some down time in the Gardens with the band music still floating around in your head! As for the rainy day being forecast (but we’re working on having a sunny afternoon for you)… the concert will be inside the gym, and our activities will be inside our Interpretive Centre! (I should note, this will be your last chance this summer to hear the Annapolis Royal Suite performed, this time by the BandFest ensemble!)

A Frenchy’s Fashion Show…

I had the privilege this past weekend of  watching a group of volunteers mount a super production at King’s Theatre… a theatrical production whose plot centred around shopping at Frenchy’s. It was a light, entertaining evening, and all those involved did a fantastic job.

For those who are not familiar with it,  Frenchy’s is a Nova Scotian chain of “good used clothing” stores and is pretty much an icon in the province. Frenchy’s is not just a store for the under privileged, but is frequented by people from all walks of life, and all income levels. And while clothing is the mainstay, there are often other treasures to be found. “You never know what you’ll find at Frenchy’s!’ was the theme of the recent theatre production.  Guy’s Frenchys was a major sponsor of the performance, providing all the clothing for the fashion show segments.

To add to the evening, patrons were treated to intermission hors d’oeuvres and could purchase specially themed “Guytinis” at the bar. And at the end of the performance, the audience was invited to the stage to do some actual Frenchy’s shopping!

All in all, a grand evening… the result of more than 40 volunteers’ efforts! Bravo!

Harvest Fest & Harvest Dance – Oct 3 & 4

CORNUCOPIA OF ACTIVITIES AT HISTORIC GARDENS’ HARVEST FEST

The Historic Gardens in Annapolis Royal is hosting a fall fling Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4 with a variety of activities designed to enjoy the season’s harvest.

Sample our local harvest fare and enjoy hot apple cider in the Gardens Shop all weekend. Guided tours will be held daily with lots to see: dazzling dahlias; the Innovative Garden’s wild and wacky produce; blooming perennial beds with fall asters, coneflowers, sunflowers, owl’s claws; funky magnolia fruit; towering Castor beans; and a full complement of flowering annuals, not to mention lots of wonderful trees & shrubs in full autumn glory. On Sunday afternoon, local talent Noelle Lucas will treat visitors to some great music, while Manfred Jonitz is on hand demonstrating cider making. All activities are complimentary with a special Harvest Weekend admission fee of $6.00 per person (and kids are free).

On Saturday evening a Harvest Dance will be held at the Annapolis Royal Community Centre & Legion to benefit the Historic Gardens. Dancers can kick up their heels to the classic tunes of the Annapolis Big Band, and enjoy light refreshments and a cash bar for $25 per person. Tickets can be reserved by calling the Historic Gardens at 532-7018.

For more information on these and other events at the Historic Gardens, visit the Gardens website  or call 532-7018.

Music in the Gardens

Every Sunday afternoon, and occasionally at other times as well, visitors to the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens can enjoy live music as they stroll the Gardens. Local musicians, on a volunteer basis, are providing music every Sunday afternoon from 2pm – 4pm. It may be a trio of flutes, or some light jazz sax… providing a really unique experience as you enjoy the Gardens with the sound of music in the air.  On July 1, the Annapolis Basin Community Band played a full concert in the Gardens – it was a great time.

Musique 400

Mark Towers in the Rose Garden

Betty, AnnMarie & Jolene by the Acadian House

Christine plays by the Ponds

The Gardens are beautiful every day, but try a Sunday afternoon visit for the added benefit of music in the Gardens!

Wine & Roses

Imagine yourself, on Friday evening, strolling through the Gardens, surrounded by the perfume of thousands of roses, sipping wine, nibbling on cheese & crackers, and enjoying the sultry sax sounds of Mark Towers… doesn’t it sound like a wonderful experience?

That’s what Wine & Roses is all about – a unique experience in the most beautiful of atmospheres. Your Wine & Roses ticket includes wine (two glasses), nibbles, live music and, of course, admission to the Historic Gardens. Tickets are $20, and a reduced rate of $15 if you have a Season Pass. (This event is limited to age 19 and over).

 The Gardens have been specially licensed for this event, so you can stroll the grounds with your wine in hand! We are promised a beautiful evening, but if by chance we do get a little rain, the event will continue as planned, so bring an umbrella and enjoy the experience in any case.

Sights & Sounds of Summer

Because it is February, I will dig into the archives and post a little treat for you to make you dream of summer in the Historic Gardens. Thanks to Jeanne Doucet Currie for the music behind my slideshow! This is September in the Historic Gardens…

Music in the Gardens takes many forms in the summer, and it is always a treat to host Wayne & Jeanne. Their Acadian music is meaningful, entertaining, and loads of fun for visitors!

Wayne & Jeanne in the Gardens Courtyard

A musical experience!