Seafest pageant committee
assisting 250 celebrations
As they have in the past, members of the
Seafest pageant committee will be assisting with many events in the region this summer. For Yarmouth's 250th anniversary,
delegates will help with the Lieutenant Governor's garden party and the return of the RCMP musical ride, as well as other
events. A core committee of 25 tp 50 people is usually available to assist with events. In recent years, committee and delegates
have voolunteered with activities such as the New York Islanders training camps, the Provincial FIrefighters Conference, Children's
Wish Fondation, Yarmouth Hospital Foundation Gala, VON Holiday Fundraiser, Shark Scramble Tournament, Provincial Town Crier's
Competition, Nova Scotia International Air Shows, Blooms by the Sea and the Tri-County Multi-Cultural Festival. Thursday July
14th, is when a new Seafest Queen will be chosen at Th'YARC. For more information on the pageant or Seafest, contact Seafest
in the Yarmouth Mall, at 902-881-3181or email seafestpageant@eastlink.ca
Seafest decorating contest
encourages creativity
Generations by the Sea has been chosen as
the 2011 theme by the Seafest committee. Organizers are hoping residential and commercial areas will join in the festival
and decorate. "What better way to get people in the Seafest spirit then a decorating contest," said PlaYarmouth's
Carrie Thompson. "The Seafest decorating contest is open to town and county residents with participatants encouraged
to decorate their windows, lawns, and roofs of their business and their homes. Entries are to be finished and registered by
Monday, July 11th, as judging will take place on Tuesday, July 12th Winners will be announced Wednesday, July 13th at the
Pharmasave Children's parade and Mayor's Picnic in the park, events which officially kick of the 2011 Seafest festival. Register
by phoning Seafest at 902-881-3181 or by email at info@seafest.ca. Information should include name, a contact phone number,
address of entry, and category of entry, residential or commercial.
Sea balloons, but no fish feast for Seafest
At least that’s what Seafest organizers are hoping for with the latest addition
to the July 13-23 line-up.Seafest vice-president Linda Deveau says the waterfront committee will be overseeing the mackerel
toss and rum-running races in addition to the sea balloon event. “We’re going to have races with them,”
she said. “Either in a protected section of the harbour or on Lake Milo if the weather doesn’t cooperate.” The
balloons may attract visitors but the possible lack of a traditional favorite will undoubtedly cause disappointment. As of
mid-May, the Seafest Fish Feast was not on the schedule. “The Fish Feast was an event that belonged to the YDC
(Yarmouth Development Corporation).....no YDC...no fish feast ...at this time, until that issue gets sorted out,” said
Deveau. The Yarmouth Development Corporation ceased operating in April due to a lack of funding. Depending on the town’s
budget, it may resume operation in June.This year’s Seafest schedule will be flipped from previous years because of
the tide situation. On the first Saturday of Seafest, July 16, the waterfront activities that normally close the festival
will be opening it: the bouncy castles, scallop shucking, rope-making, Cook’s chowder competition, lobster-eating heats,
as well as boats being decorated during the day for the Parade of Lights that evening. The large fireworks show will
shift to Friday, July 22, as many of the Parade of Lights boats have fireworks. On Saturday, July 23, the Seafest
parade, gets underway at 4 p.m. There will music and entertainment on the waterfront afterwards, as well as lobster boils.“We
wanted to get this information out as fast as possible as some people plan their vacations, and their floats, around those
dates,” said Deveau. For more information on Seafest, stop by the display at the Yarmouth Mall or visit the website.
Seafest Parade Participants
offered interior locations to prepare
A thoughtful twist on Seafest's July 23rd parade this year is the
provision of interior locations for participants to build and decorate their parade entries so that weather does not affect
construction. The parade committee is also offering aid to groups having difficulty locating flatbeds to decorate and/or decorating
supplies. A parking ban along the route will be in effect as well as new prize categories. "The festival committee, feel
these new awards better reflect today's society and the citizen's of our coastal communities," said parade chair Barb
Firth. In the floats category there will be four awards to compete for: Outstanding Artistic Merit in Design and Presentation;
Most Creative Use of Recycled Material; Most Green/Lowest Carbon Footprint and Best Mechanical Animation. In the general awards
category there will be seven awards: Best Presentation of the Seafest Theme; Best Depiction of Life in Yarmouth County; Most
Comical or Amusing; Outstanding Showmanship and Dramatic Impact; Most Impressive Musical Entry; Best Use of Colour and Outstanding
Community Spirit. Judging of the entries will take place during the parade this year. "This will allow the participants
to truly showcase all aspects of their entries," said Firth. Winning entries will be announced the next day. A Viewers
Choice Award will be available for e-voting for one weel following the event and announced the following Saturday. Registration
forms can be picked up at the Seafest display in the Yarmouth Mall of found online at www.seafest.ca
Seafest looking for Parade
Marshal
Nominations are being sought for a parade marshal for the Seafest parade. This is the festival's
33rd year of celebrating life by the seaand residents of Yarmouth County are being asked to submit names of "the best
of their best." Nominations time is an exciting time for us," said PlaYarmouth's Carrie Thompson "Reflecting
on all of the outstanding citizens Yarmouth County has to offer, makes our decision a hard one." Bruce Hopkins and Jim
MacLeod were parade marshals in 2009 and 2010 respectively. "We look forward to seeing whom the citizens of Yarmouth
County nominate this year for Generations by the Sea 2011," said Thompson. Nomination forms and criteria are available
online at www.seafest.ca or can be picked up at the Seafest display located at the Yarmouth Mall. Deadline for nominations
is June 17th.
Seafest adding pub crawl on
July 15th
A new event that Seafest is adding to its schedule will take place on Friday, July 15th.
"Not your usual pub crawl" ties into the Pirate Parties taking place in Yarmouth from 8pm to 1am. Seafest coordinator
Brittney Blake says locations include Haley's Lounge, Dooley's, Rudders Seafood Restaurant and Brew Pub, Boston Pizza and
the Red Knight. "Along with the Pirate Parties, we're asking businesses to to create a unique beverage for Seafest that
wil; be judged the following week," she said. The winning business will receive a People's Choice Award and will be acknowleged
on the page of award winners on the Seafest website. T-shirt for the Pirate Parties pub crawl will be sold from the Seafest
display in the Yarmouth Mall. The shirts will serve as an all access pass for transportation services and show Seafest support.
Seafest has partnered with Huts Transit to offer a transportation service from the waterfront to Starrs Road during the event..