June 25th, 2015 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release Greetings! Another week of burning the wood stove. Ahh, summer in Novie. It's only 6 months till Christmas ! If you missed the grand opening of the South Canoe wind turbines last Sunday (and I think "canoe" was the operative word for that event) you should get yourself up there and have a look.

This Week in Chester One of our newer members "Going Coastal," is located across from the Fo'c'sle Pub on Queen Street and is open from 11-5 pm Wednesday to Sunday. Robyn hosts a gallery of local artists and also custom built furniture from reclaimed wood. Join her for the summer kickoff event this week with new works from an eclectic mix of artists.There is a new selection of furniture for the summer season to help you add a little "Coastal Living" to your home. Today, Thursday, the Lunenburg County YMCA is bringing their Youth Leader Program to Chester. This free program provides opportunities for youth ages 12-18 to participate in leadership training, connect with peers and their community, gain self-confidence, volunteer with YMCA led youth programming and community events. Drop in to the Chester Brass Band Building, 186 Pig Loop Road at 7 pm to explore the possibilities. For info visit ymcalunenburgcounty.org  /  Kim_Whitman-Mansfield@ymca.ca /  902-530-3392. This is new: Amicus Gallery is having their open house on THURSDAY evenings this summer. Zehava Power and Nicole Power are showcasing their works there tonight. Hit the ground running and have all your walls decorated for the cocktail party Saturday night. Friday the farmers are at the Train Station from 10-2 pm. You never know what you will find there, but it will always be good, fresh and local. The fiddle music is fantastic! Friday night has Karaoke at the Chester Legion from 9 - 12:30 am.  Everyone 19 years and older welcome. No short ones. Start practicing now. Saturday Gold River Marina is having a yachtie yard sale from 9-4pm @ 242 Demont Road in Chester Basin. You can rent a table for $10 to sell your nautical knick-knacks or just show up to find that stainless steel gem. 902-275-1322 for further info. Sunday evening the Chester Brass Band will be playing at the bandstand by the Yacht Club at 7 pm. All are welcome. Dress for the weather (parka) and bring your mittens and toque. For more info call 902-857-3943. The OHC is having a special draw on Monday, June 29th with a $1000 prize. Buy a book of tickets today. Buy two!  Start planning your winter getaway now... Barbados, Bahamas, Bermuda. If you don't win you could hit a tanning bed in Bridgewater. Looking ahead to next week, Blue Shutters Art Gallery located at the entrance of Graves Island, is having their grand opening Tuesday, June 30th from noon till 7 pm. Stop in and meet the artists. Get your tickets now for next week's production of "Death - the Musical"  on stage at the Chester Playhouse. Tickets are going fast so dial up the box office @902-275-3933 and book 'em Danno. In other Playhouse news the grand Galapalooza will be held Saturday, July 11th at the Captain's House. Albert Schultz, straight from Soulpepper Theatre in Toronto, will be hosting. (Remember the cute guy from "Street Legal?" ) His performance will include a few pieces from his upcoming show "Frankly, Sinatra." Tickets for the Gala are still available and may be booked online or via Ma Bell. Brochure

Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken - Oscar Wilde Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group Join Our Mailing List!

June 17th, 2015 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release                                                                                                              Peggy Wilson photo Greetings! Summer Solstice happens at 1:38 pm this Sunday.  Another sign of summer - the Chester Baskets are up clinging to a telephone pole near you. Sandy Morash is sleeping with sun glasses and Reuben Kincaid blinders on this week up in Cambridge Bay, NWT. The land of 24 hour sun. This Sunday is also Father's Day. Make cookies,clean the family Buick, mow the lawn, or just make something that is special that your dad would like. You only get one.    The Chester Merchants brochure and map can be downloaded here.

This Week in Chester The kids' shows last week were over the top fabulous ! Cynthia Meyers knocked it out of the park with all the "After School" productions. We are so lucky to have Cynthia and Tom Myers in our community. The Village Emporium and Light My Fire Studio have Haven swag lurking in their inventory. If you haven't gotten your Haven T shirt yet - now is the time before they sell out. If you are a facebook follower you can follow the Press release page there as it is updated occasionally with breaking news [escaped guinea pig spotted at the corner of Union and Central.] The farmer's are back at the Train Station from 10 am -2 pm.Support your local vendors of fresh fish, meat, breads, seasonal fruit & veggies, baked goods, jewelry, soaps, woolen & wood crafts, flowers, food vendors and more. The Indian take away is top drawer- their samosas are delicious.  On Friday, June 19th the Chester Municipal Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life is celebrating its 10th year. The time is 6 pm to midnight and the location is CAMS. To register for teams, volunteers and/or if you would like to purchase a Luminary Candle ($5), dial up Sheila Hirtle @ 902-275-5966/ New Ross Credit Union @ 902- 689-2949 or register online at relayforlife.ca.  They welcome any survivors that would like to attend the Relay to call Gerri Allen @ 902-275-3817.  There will be a lobster wheel, daffodil pond, candy apples, teddy bear wheel, popcorn, fish pond, cotton candy, cake, sucker pulls and a BBQ. A festival of sugar ! Get to the Rope Loft for weekend Brunch from 11- 2pm Saturday and Sunday. A double ceasar is $7.50. Run Forest, run! I had the nacho plate there last night and they were divine. House made chips smothered in all the things you love. There is a post card at the Fo'c'sle Pub that is a must see. Get down there, order a Tom then ask (nicely) to see this gem of a card. It's hilarious. The Chester Playhouse will be hosting Jamie Junger's 2015 musical celebration "Plug into Music" again this year this Saturday, June 20th at 7:30 pm. Jamie helps young performers hone the finer points of the craft. Their performance is a celebration of all they have achieved through weeks of study. They will play along with Jamie and special guests "The Hupman Brothers," an award winning blues group from out past the Forties. Jamie brings a wealth of knowledge gained from experience in the industry, possessing an impressive career with his own band "Bob's Your Uncle" and playing alongside a number of famous acts including Tragically Hip and Bare Naked Ladies. Sunday, Jazette is back at the Kiwi Café from 12- 2 pm. This group is not to be missed. Settle in for some eggs bennie, a mug of joe and sit back and enjoy the music. Looking ahead to next month "Death - the Musical"  AKA "Karaoke at the Afterlife Bar and Grill" - is back at the Chester Playhouse.The play begins when three friends gather to mourn their pal, Will, whom they believe committed suicide. The story follows the misadventures of Will and his girlfriend Em. Along the way, they encounter a particularly 'spirited' cast of characters, making for an evening of brilliant humor and great music all around. This is a fantastic show ! You will beat yourself up later if you do not see this.This is a very short run from July 1st-4th and therefore a finite number of tickets are available. This one is for you Brian.You are missed by all of us you left behind. Save a chair for us at the bar. The Chester Art Centre proudly offers a rich and varied program of classes, workshops and camps this summer. I mention this now so you can register for the upcoming classes. The season kicks off July 6th and 7th with Susan Paterson leading a class in Still Life Painting in water colour. Susan's work is incredibly detailed and delicate; some of her works can be seen atAmicus Gallery on Pleasant Street. Jamie Junger follows at the Art Centre on July 8th and 9th with his Song Writing & Rhythm workshop. Jamie will help you get your tunes out of your head, into your notebook and on your way to Carnegie Hall.

Looming Mergers: Polygram records,Warner Bros.,and Ritz Crackers will join forces and become Poly,Warner Cracker. 3M will merge with Goodyear and become MMMGood. Zippo Manufacturing, Audi Motors, Dofasco, and Dakota Mining will merge to become ZipAudiDoDa. FedEx is expected to join its competitor, UPS, and become FedUP. Victoria's Secret and Smith & Wesson will merge under the new name TittyTitty BangBang. Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group Join Our Mailing List!

June 10th, 2015 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release Greetings! While I hate to harp on the weather...I will. It sucks. It's JUNE. Summer solstice is next weekend. We've only just gotten rid of the snow and now it's getting darker ? WTF? This is global warming? When does the "warming up" part begin? That fog bank sitting behind Tancook is not helping at all. The Chester Merchants are here for you. Rain/sleet/snow or hail, we are here.                                                                                      ... seen on a fridge in Chester

This Week in Chester Tomorrow night, Thursday, the grades 3-5 present "Puff" at the Chester Playhouse at 7 pm. Set in Newfoundland the story follows the town grouch trying to hide a lie he told years ago. Determined to get the truth, Miss Wicks, the health care practitioner and her trusted friend Lady Grenfell, set off to discover what's been causing the grouch's mysterious burns. Cynthia, Marla, Bunch and many other souls have been face and eyes into this production so you know it will be top drawer. Stop in at the Fo'c'sle for a wing or twelve before heading over. Get the sauce "hot on." Divine ! Friday has the Farmers in the Dell back at the Chester train station from 10- 2 pm. Despite the ghastly weather they have coerced/pleaded/threatened their seedlings to grow and are bringing them to Chester for you. Friday evening the Rope Loft on the waterfront will be serving up prime rib with all the trimmings. They are featuring some local reds so get down there and try them ALL out. There will be a plant sale from 9-1 pm at Louisiana Pacific's composting facility open house at the Union Hall in East River, 7216 Hwy 329. Jodi DeLong will be the guest speaker and master gardeners will be on hand. Bring your trowel. We have a new gallery in the Hamlet. Blue Shutters Antiques, located at the entrance to Graves Island, is now featuring seven local artists: Maria Kuttner; Diane Robertson; Dolly Hancock; Gwen Shearson; Simon Copas; Esther Dueck and Pat Christiansen.The shop is open daily from 10-4:30pm. 31 Westgate is back in the 'hood ! They have the most amazing lamps in the front window - and they could be yours. Stop in and see how your living room could morph into something ohh so much better. Ken and Colin were the design team behind the QE II home lottery cottage at Skipper Hill in Chester. The Chester Playhouse is holding an online auction for a night of frivolity Monday, July 13th. Ten guests will enjoy an opportunity to indulge in fine food, lodgings, and entertainment, hosted at the Captain's House.This event will include a private pre-dinner serenade by Albert Schultz of Toronto's Soulpepper Theater. A Tuscan meal will be created by Chef Nicola Sweet of "Mrs Sweet's Kitchen" (on Facebook ) using the finest ingredients from local markets. A selection of Italian deserts and fine whisky will follow before you throw yourself into bed.Upon rising, a champagne breakfast created by Chef Leslie Tanton will await you on the deck. Join Jill Covill of Bunchberry Nurseries, for her talk on heaths, heathers, and companion plants Monday, June 15th@ 6:30 at St. Stephens Hall, Regent Street. Heather and Heaths will be available for sale. (Locklear and Ledger?) Yes please.

You know that tingly little feeling you get when you really like someone you've just met?  That's common sense leaving your body. Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group Join Our Mailing List!

June 3rd, 2015 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release Greetings! Enough already with the precipitation ! My bird bath overfloweth. Now that the snow has melted I can SEE it at least. The Chester Merchants Group is  B a c k  on the e-waves so that must mean summer is coming...eventually.

This Week in Chester Monday night was the grand opening of the World War I display at the Lordly House Museum located at 133 Central Street. This show features artifacts and pictures of our local service men and women,war bonds,maps,post cards and all sorts of stuff. There were cadets and songs from the era and a dedication by veteran George Hilchie. It was fabulous. Get over to Lordy House this month to check it out and learn about the Lordly connection to WW1. Last Thursday the Rope Loft hosted the "ABF" opening regatta of the season. It was a ton of fun and even Richard won a prize with his schooner "Endeavour" despite having no mast and therefore no sails. Go figure. This Thursday night the Rope Loft is featuring their basket of "peel and eat shrimp."  They also have some fresh Bulwark apple cider on tap made from Annapolis Valley apples to go with your little pink crustaceans. Friday the Chester Farmers Market boys and girls are back in town at the train station/tourist bureau from 10 am - 2 pm. The asparagus won't last forever so buck up and get over there. If we don't support this venture they will leave, so make an effort to get there every week. Friday night the Fo'c'sle Pub is featuring their rib special from 5-10 pm. These ribs are "fall off the bone" fabulous. Happy Hour is from 5-6pm so don't be late. Bonny Lea Farm is hosting their annual "Breakfast & Plant Sale' from 8-11am Saturday morning.There is a full breakfast on the menu for $6.50 to soak up last night's activities. There will be annuals, perennials, transplants, hanging baskets & planters, herbs, herbal oils and vinegars. There is also a bake table of goodies and mulch orders will be taken. For info call 902-275-5622. Sunday is the 5th Annual Chester Cut N Run 5K Walk, 5K Run, 10K Run starting at the Chester Area Middle School at 9 am. Cost is $25 for Adults, $10 for youth 18 years and under.To register call the Recreation Office at 902-275-3490. You can recover from the run at the Captain Kidd Rod & Gun Club in East Chester from 11am- 6 pm.  Dinner includes: 1-1 ½ lb lobster, salad roll, tea or coffee, wine and homemade pie all for $22. Tickets may be purchased at Kelvin's Taxidermy and Gun Shop or call 902- 277-1980. Next Tuesday, June 8th, is the start of the Village Commission's green bin weekly collection which runs until late September. Now you can drive your little green gremlin to the curb every week. Also next week the Chester Playhouse is offering up their After School Program (ASP) from Monday to Thursday at 7 pm. The grades 6-8 will be showcasing 'My Invisible Friend' on Monday; the primary to grade two will be performing 'A Little Bull' on Tuesday, and 'Puff' written by Cynthia Myers, will be performed on Thursday by the grades 3-5 group. You can check out the plot lines and order your tickets on the Playhouse website.

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Winston Churchill Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group Join Our Mailing List!