New colourful signage to help Evangeline area stand out
P.E.I.’s Evangeline region has always stood out because of its proud Acadian culture and French language, a distinct cuisine, a strong co-operative and community spirit, ever-popular festivals and, of course, its lively fiddle-based traditional music and its countless musicians.
Now, thanks to new and colourful signage, the region will also stand out visually.
Following its newly-adopted Acadian Musical Villages theme, the Evangeline Tourism Association has erected bilingual welcome signs at each entry point to the region as well as individual community signs at the entry of each of the 14 villages and municipalities of the region.
The signs, all featuring the four colors of the Acadian flag (red, white, blue and yellow), depict 14 small houses as well as a few musical notes.
A second type of sign is also available for all musical artists. These smaller signs, featuring a keyboard, a fiddle, musical notes and the Acadian flag, can be placed in a musician’s yard or by the roadside to indicate where a musician lives.
Eventually, all the musicians who have these signs will have their musical profile included on a future website.
These two major
initiatives were recently announced during the official launch of the 2015 tourism season in the area. Réjeanne Arsenault, president of the Evangeline Tourism Association, explained that the intention of these signs is to create a striking visual image about the reality of the Evangeline area that will stay with visitors.
“If you were to pass through our region once the signs are all set up in the musicians’ yards, and you’d also see all the community signs, you couldn’t help but be struck by the distinctiveness of our area,” she said.
The association is also looking at two other initiatives for the current season.
First, it will hire a photographer to take pictures throughout the area to create a collection of photos for future promotional purposes.
Secondly, the association wants to implement a standardized tourist survey to identify where visitors are from and how they found out about the Evangeline area.
The results will help to determine which marketing initiatives are more effective and and where promotional budgets should be spent. Ruby-throated hummingbirds in P.E.I. and across Canada - what they need to thrive is being presented at the Confederation Centre Public Library on July 15, 6:30 p.m. Join Cindy Cartwright, one of Canada’s foremost hummingbird researchers, founder and Lead Researcher of Hummingbirds Canada and local biologist Brenda Penak to learn more about these fascinating birds. It is presented in co-operation with the Island Nature Trust, City of Charlottetown and TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. A free Taste and Learn kale class will be held on Friday, July 17, 2-3 p.m., at the Allen Street Sobeys. Join the Sobeys dietitian and learn new ways to prepare kale in tasty recipes you will enjoy. Samples provided. Call 902-566-4399 to register; space is limited. A strawberry and ice cream social is at Winsloe United Church on Wednesday, July 15, 4-6:30 p.m. Sandwiches and sweets will also be served. Admission is adults, $8, children 12 and under, $4, preschool aged children - no charge. For tickets, call Faye, 902-368-1175 after 5 p.m. T.O.P.S. PE #906 Cornwall meets Thursdays in the basement of St. Francis of Assisi Church, 6:30-8 p.m. For more information, call Carol, 902-675-2198. T.O.P.S. Chapter 4848 members meet at Glen Stewart Primary School, Stratford, on Thursdays. Weigh-in: 6:30 p.m.; meeting: 7 p.m. Call 902-367-9474. A group meets for an in-depth study and discussion of the text, A Course in Miracles, Fridays, 7 p.m., 22 Garfield St., Charlottetown. Call Jimmy, 902-566-1859 or email ching2tu@yahoo.com. Sociable Bridge is Thursdays, 7 p.m., at the Haviland Club, 2 Haviland St., Charlottetown. Call 902218-4202. Bridge is Thursdays 7 p.m. at Stanhope Place, 2784 Bayshore Rd. Stanhope. The cost is $3. West Royalty Community Centre cards are Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., with prizes and lunch. Everyone is welcome. Crokinole is Thursdays at the Hunter River Lions Hall, 7:30 p.m., with eight games, prizes and lunch for $4. No partner is needed. Stratford weekly Cribbage, sponsored by the Stratford Lions Club, is at the Cotton Centre, 57 Bunbury Rd., Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. Prizes are $100, $60 and $40. Admission: $6 per person; all are welcome. Proceeds go to Lions’ community projects. Call 902-569-2409. Card parties are Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., at the Milton Community Hall. Weekly card play is at the Silver Threads Club in Souris, Fridays, 7 p.m. Weekly card parties are every Friday, 7 p.m., at Hunter River Community Centre. Admission is $2. Lunch is served. Winsloe Lions Friday night Crib is 7:30 p.m. at the Winsloe Lions Hall. There is a loonie pot and a 50/50 draw. Call Bruce, 902-6289094. Cards are Fridays, 7:30 p.m., at the Olde Dunstaffnage Community Centre. Low-impact exercise classes are at Tracadie Community Centre, Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. Call Frances Dougan, 676-2060. Youth yoga is at Now n Zen Yoga Studio in Stratford, Thursdays, 5 p.m. Pre-registration is required. No experience is necessary and it is suitable for all fitness levels. For information, including cost, contact nancyyogapei@gmail.com or nownzen.ca. Tension release exercise class is Fridays, 8:30 a.m., in Stratford. Preregister at jdriscollot@gmail.com or call 902-569-3601.