Canada As You Like It Blog
Eat Your Way Around Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is famous for its fresh and abundant seafood, from succulent lobster, to scallops, mussels, oysters and cod – but it offers so much more. Dine at a seaside restaurant, take a stroll through a local farmers' market, or take in one of the many culinary festivals. It’s truly a foodie’s paradise.
Here's a round up of a few amazing foodie events and experiences that we thought you might want to try:
Halifax Seaport Cider & Beerfest, Halifax, Nova Scotia - 1-12 Aug 2023
The Halifax Seaport is a vibrant arts and cultural district found at the south end of the Halifax waterfront. Extending from Piers 19 to 23, you will find artisans, retailers, cruise terminals, event facilities, cafés, galleries, offices, a museum and a farmers’ market. This district has been redeveloped to showcase local talent and is now a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. The 15th Cider & Beerfest will take place 1-12 August 2023 and has has now expanded to offer a wide variety of refreshing hard seltzers, pre-mixed cocktails, and sodas, in addition to the extensive assortment of delicious craft beers and cider.
A festival of this proportion would not be complete without some spectacular munchies. Halifax is not just known for its great beer, it's also known for its vibrant culinary scene. The organisers have brought locally-inspired food from a mix of restaurants and food trucks to serve up some of the finest food. The event also includes live music and local DJs, so you'll never be without entertainment at the Halifax Seaport Cider & Beerfest.
Good Cheer Trail, Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia Good Cheer Trail is Canada’s first winery, craft brewery, cidery and distillery trail. It is a toast to the craftsmanship and creativity of the many wineries, craft breweries, cideries and distilleries.
From Yarmouth to Sydney, discover new favourites as you sample locally produced wines, beers, ciders, and spirits at any of the more than 80 stops on the Good Cheer Trail. Whether you're interested in trying the latest vintage of Tidal Bay, meeting an award-winning brewmaster or sampling a fresh cider or single malt whisky straight from the barrel, the Good Cheer Trail has you covered.
Kitchenfest, Nova Scotia - June/July
The annual celebration of Cape Breton-based Gaelic music gives locals and visitors alike insight into this distinct and vibrant living culture, bringing the kitchen-ceilidh feel to the forefront. Fiddles and bagpipes, concerts and céilidhs, food and drink, Gaelic language and song, informality and hospitality — consider this your official invitation to Cape Breton’s biggest kitchen céilidh! Local food producers put on special dishes for the festival featuring the freshest, local ingredients including lobster, fresh scallops, shrimp, haddock, salmon, and mussels, blueberries and rhubarb. Your taste buds will be tingling!
Bakeapple Folk Festival, Labrador - August
The Labrador Straits Bakeapple Folk Festival is a celebration of local culture and a salute to that most wonderful of wild berries — the bakeapple, also known as a cloudberry, a plump golden-orange berry that looks like it is seconds away from bursting at the seams. It grows in the bog lands, marshes and wet meadows throughout Newfoundland & Labrador and tastes lightly sweet by slightly sour with large, crunchy seeds.
The annual festival features lives music and entertainment and events for both children and adults. Food delights include a bakeapple breakfast and a fish fry.
Fish, Fun and Folk Festival, Twillingate - July
Twillingate’s annual Fish Fun and Folk Festival attracts visitors from near and far who join the region in celebrating a week of friendship, fun, music and food. It is the height of Twillingate’s summer season and a wonderful time to be in the town.
The festival’s celebrations start with a parade through town followed by traditional Newfoundland & Labrador music fireworks, adult dances, a street dance, bonfire, a craft fair, games, a variety of fish meals, special church services, a children’s show and much more. The festival shines a light on rural living, highlighting crafts and different aspects of living in an outport town of Newfoundland & Labrador. 2023 will be the 41st festival!
Roots, Rants and Roars, Elliston - September
Each year on the third weekend in September, Elliston, Newfoundland & Labrador, the root cellar capital of the world becomes the backdrop for a two-day celebration of Newfoundland & Labrador Food, Culture, Land & Sea.
Sample Newfoundland & Labrador's most sought-after commodity – cod. Award-winning chefs compete in an all-out war creating the ultimate cod dishes. Indulge in them all, as you sip cocktails and wine and determine who will be crowned victorious.
Sample a hand-made cocktail prepared with local ingredients while indulging in a plate of mixed small bites. Explore the park while listening to Newfoundland & Labrador musicians belt out tunes that will get your toes tapping. Watch as the competitors put the finishing touches on their best cod dish! The War begins, seven of Newfoundland & Labrador's top chefs go head to head. Make your way to the stations and indulge in each chef's unique expression of Newfoundland & Labrador's cod culture. Be sure to stop by the wine stations to taste wines that have been specially selected to pair with the King of the sea.
Hike along the rugged coastline of Elliston, sampling culinary creations from world-famous chefs while sipping wine and local craft beer. Musicians play along with the music of the ocean, while waves crash against the rustic cliffs that guide your trail. Lie in the grass and gaze at the birds flying overhead while you indulge in decadent desserts and locally roasted coffee that awaits you at the end of your journey.
PEI Setting Day Culinary Festival - April / May
The PEI Setting Day Culinary Festival is a celebration of the first lobster catch of the season. Locals celebrate by enjoying exquisitely prepared fresh lobster paired with wine, music and dance. This three-day celebration includes a fresh seafood feast, a chefs’ seafood competition, lobster boat tours, a ceilidh on the wharf, a songwriters’ concert and much more!
The PEI Fall Flavours Festival - September / October 2023
PEI Fall Flavours Festival was born in 2007 as a 10-day celebration in the capital city of Charlottetown. It has grown so much over the last 15 years that it's now a month long! Islanders welcome you to join them on Canada’s Food Island to experience PEI’s incredible food scene during the autumn harvest season.
From kitchen parties to community lobster suppers, oyster shucking shindigs and potato peeling contests, Islanders have a long tradition of celebrating food and inviting visitors to join the party.
Today, Fall Flavours Festival is renowned as Canada’s premier culinary festival and draws in visitors from across the country and around the world.
Maple Capital of Atlantic Canada Festival, New Brunswick - end March / beginning April
Enjoy the many flavours of maple at the Maple Capital of Atlantic Canada Festival. There will be fun events for the whole family taking place across the lovely town of Saint-Quentin and the surrounding area. Saint-Quentin lives up to its reputation as the maple capital of the Atlantic Canada. The festival features maple syrup, wood sawing and carving, as well as a culinary programme, fireworks, shows and sweet activities. Free tastings of taffy on the snow, maple-themed meals and many other activities take place.
Down East Brew Fest, New Brunswick - August
You’re invited to Down East Brew Fest - an outdoor brew party in Fredericton – Atlantic Canada’s Craft Brewing Capital!
Hosted on Saturday, August 5, 2023, the Down East Brew Fest showcases some of the region's best products for you to sample – including beer, cider, mead, spirits and wine. This is an outdoor event held in Downtown Fredericton on Carleton street, rain or shine.
Expect to sample New Brunswick produced crafts beers from producers such as Big Axe Brewery, Hampton Brewing and Foghorn Brewing Company accompanied by awesome live music and on-site food trucks.
