Annapolis Royal shines

Attractions open for the season

This past week was a whirlwind of musical intake for me and a reminder of what a remarkable place Annapolis Royal is.

First, there was a fundraiser at King’s Theatre (I love that place) for the restoration of the Schafner Point Lighthouse, which is also known as the Port Royal Lighthouse. It is in disrepair and needs fixing up. The plans are great and there seems to be quite a neighbourhood group both working and fundraising to make this light a place to remember when lighthouses mattered more than they do today on the Annapolis Basin.

The Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society’s website gives some of the information on this lighthouse and others around the province.

Back to the musical evening. It was really, really good. Lynnea Rose opened for The Rhinestone Romeos.

I have heard of the Romeos, and I know Bill MacDonald. However, this was the first time I had heard them play. They are incredibly professional, they know their stuff, they can sing like mad, and the guitars are excellent. The audience was singing along.

Lynnea Rose did a terrific duet with Bill Mac and their voices blended superbly. It turns out that she is the granddaughter of Peggy Armstrong (1929-2019), a muchloved playwright in these parts. It was my honour to help Peggy edit Age of Sail in Annapolis County 1760 – 1925 for a second printing. Going to visit her and making sure I was getting it right, was one of the delights of doing the work.

On Sunday, I went to St.

George and St. Andrew Church United Church to hear A Royal Consort present a very different kind of program called Let’s Sing Together. There were some classical pieces, a fun piece with 10 TV program-themed songs and Leon Dubinsky’s We Rise Again. We sang that one along with the choir and a wonderful soprano (whose name I didn’t catch), who hit that high note with confidence and made it her own.

The Annapolis Royal Farmers and Traders Market is back at Market Square on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Bistro East is open for brekkie and lunch after its recent change of owners. Plans are being made to spruce up Market Square and to work on the last third of the wharf.

The O’Dell House Museum, the Sinclair Inn and North Hills Museum opened this past week with enthusiastic new summer people, including a gentleman attired as a Loyalist. You will see him at the market and at North Hills Museum. Fort Anne National Historic Site is also open.

My new hometown (I am now referred to as a townie) has come to life for another year. For a town of 567 – as of July 2022

– and occupying 1.98 square kilometres, this tiny place is really something. And it has been something for 418 years.