November 30th, 2016 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release Greetings! Tomorrow is December 1st and you know what that means ... rum and eggnog all month. Yippee ! The Chester Merchants' "Shop Local" campaign is in full swing. Ballot boxes are taking over the village. You may enter to win a gift basket with a value over $1600 with every purchase. Drop by the shops and check out the Gingerbread houses. They're fabulous! This Week in Chester  Be sure to stop in at Going Coastal this Saturday from 1-4 pm to see their amazing furniture from re purposed wood and check out the merchants' gift basket. Tonight, Wednesday, at 7pm, 14 short ones from CAMS present their production "26 Days" at the Playhouse. During the holidays, not everyone is on board with the whole Santa ho ho ho program. What face do you put on for all those people who embrace all things Christmas? These young actors take their characters through the gamut of emotions and give us a new look at how to cope with the demands of the holidays. Wine anyone? Tomorrow, Thursday, at 6 & 7:30pm students from grades 3-5 present "The Emperor's Nude Clothes."  Poor Prince Harry has his troubles with the tabloids, first getting caught with his pants down in Vegas, and now defending his girlfriend. Join this talented group of actors and explore the struggles of speaking the truth and standing up for what you believe in. There is a silent auction going on at the Playhouse with fun Christmassy items that you may bid on before and after the show. All proceeds to the Playhouse. Bid now, bid often, bid big.                                                                                          The lovely ladies at Luna Spa are taking it all off this weekend. Yes, Saturday, December 3rd, enjoy a few hours of tax free shopping from 0900 until noon. Be prompt or you will have ugly cuticles and hair that looks like it was chewed by a rat. If you miss this brief window of tax free bliss, dial them up and make an appointment so you can be perfect by Christmas. Saturday evening at 5 pm there will be Christmas carols and lighting of the Lightfoot Tower at the Zoe Vallé Library grounds on Regent Street. Join in singing carols led by the Vintage Voices Choir. There will be cider and cookies - flask optional. Rain date is next Saturday. All are welcome. This Sunday is the Chester Farmers and Artisan Christmas Market at the Legion from 10 am - 2 pm. Artisan products include soaps, folk art, jewellery, pottery, hooked and felted items, jams & jellies, candies and more!  Farm fresh meats, honey and eggs, and seafood are all available for your dining pleasure. Hot food prepared by hot chef George Evans in the kitchen. Don't miss out. The Chester Brass Band is ringing in the Christmas season this Sunday at the Oak Island Inn in Western Shore starting at 5:30 pm with cocktails and carols. Dinner will  be served at 6:30 pm followed by seasonal entertainment with the Band and guest performers Sax 5th Ave. For tickets call Greg Fraser @ 902-275-3453. Brochure Paddy O'Leary was flustered not being able to find a parking space in the mall's lot for his Christmas shopping excursion. "Lord," he prayed, "I can't stand this. If you open a space up for me, I swear I'll give up drinking me whiskey, and I promise to go to church every Sunday." Suddenly, the clouds parted and the sun shone on an empty parking spot. Without hesitation, Paddy said, "Never mind, I found one." Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group Join Our Mailing List!

November 23rd, 2016 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release Greetings! The Gingerbread houses have arrived and wow, they are spectacular ! The time and effort that goes into these creations is truly amazing. Hats off to all the participants. Stop by the village shops to see these houses on display. This Week in Chester  We are all about shopping local this season, well, all year in fact. There are ballot boxes at all the local merchants in the village and beyond. Every time you buy local, you may enter to win the massive basket of goodies displayed at "Going Coastal" on Queen Street. The winner will be announced December 21st. You will need a truck to pick up your prize. This week is the annual Victorian Christmas Craft Fair at Lordly House Museum on Central Street. It opens tomorrow, Thursday, and runs until Sunday from 10 am - 5 pm daily. This is a delightful show with exceptional handcrafts. 902-273-2176 / vcshow@eastlink.ca. If you happen to see a good looking dude in the theatre district this Friday who looks suspiciously like George Canyon, chances are it is George Canyon. The country star is performing at the Playhouse that night. Don't get your cow bells in a knot because you didn't get a ticket - this show sold out months ago.                                                                                        Saturday there is a craft fair at the Baptist Church on King Street just around the corner from Lordly House from 10 am - 2 pm. Items include knitted and sewn goods, soap, wooden stuff, jewelry and of course, fudge - all sorts of goodies ! Free admission. The Shoreham Ladies Auxiliary are hosting their annual dinner theatre this Saturday at the Chester Legion featuring the Accidental Actors in their comedy "The Great Pretenders." Tickets are available at the Bank of NS on the corner or by calling Geri @ 902-275-3817. Tuesday next week is the kick off of the After School Youth Program at the Chester Playhouse. These productions are written and directed by the effervescent Cynthia Myers. Get there early as these always sell out, just not as quickly as George.  Brochure A visiting couple were driving through the Musquodoboit Valley in Nova Scotia and arguing about the pronunciation of the town. After much discussion they stopped for lunch. At the counter, the husband asked the attendant "Before we order, could you settle an argument for us? Can you please pronounce, very slowly, where we are?" She leaned over the counter and said,   " T  i  m   H  o  r  t  o  n  ' s." Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends. Enjoy your turkey. Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group Join Our Mailing List!

November 16th, 2016 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release

Greetings! The Super Moon has come and gone and it was, well, super. How's your new Movember facial fur pile coming along? I saw a nice set of mutton chops at the Legion last weekend. Go Chris ! We can't go further without addressing the elephant in the room. A friend likened the activity in the US this week to the equivalent of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Winter warmth at the Village Emporium

This Week in Chester  The Village Emporium has some fresh new stock in for the Christmas crazy season. Photos of many of items they have in stock are on their facebook page. Light My Fire Candle studio on Duke Street have finished their fall renovations. They are celebrating the new windows and door with a working model railroad, a Gingerbread House display and a fresh bottle of Windex. Stop by and see what's on the go and book your group for a Peppermint Snowball workshop. I had to ask ..."A gorgeous round candle frosted like a snowball and scented with peppermint essential oil." So there's your answer. Book now. This Friday is the Fish Friday Fun(d)-raiser from 6 - 8pm at St. Stephen's Hall. Come one come all for fish and chips, fabulous dessert and a whole boatload of fun with fishing games for all ages. Tickets available at St. Stephen's Parish Office $20/ person $10/ under 12. Funds raised will support St Stephen's Outreach Programs. Cash bar. Yipppee ! Friday night at the Chester Playhouse Evans and Doherty hit the stage at 7:30 pm. This duo have been an integral part of the East Coast music scene for over 35 years. This is a  lively blend of traditional, original and contemporary Irish songs with a liberal sprinkling of stories and humour. If you would like to donate to the Festive Food Fundraiser for the Chester Playhouse this season please call George Evans @ 902-279-1955 to set up a pick up/drop off time for your devilishly delicious food item. If it is perishable, a photo will do. These items will be up for silent auction at the Playhouse until December 17th. Bid now, bid often. In other Playhouse news the poinsettias are  b a c k ! Yes, sadly, you can't kill them. $20 for 7" pots in red or white. Wave the Canadian colours and shop now. Order before next Thursday, November 24th for December 3rd delivery. After the Playhouse wraps Friday night, head on over to the Chester Legion for a night of karaoke to try out your new Irish tunes. For more info call 902-275-3315. The Gingerbread Houses will be on display throughout the village shops as of this Saturday. You should come to see these fabulous creations sooner than later, because with this heatwave, they may be a pool of spun sugar.                                                                           They are on their way to make snowballs                  Our annual "Shop Chester" contest is in high gear. Shop at participating Chester merchants and receive a ballot for a mega gift-basket filled with all kinds of goodies provided by the local merchants. "Shop Chester, Shop Local."  This Saturday at 4 pm at the Rope Loft, Geraldine Tuck will be launching her third book in the Marauder trilogy "The Mystery Marauders," a story of two 13 year-old sleuths who try their hand at solving the Oak Island Mystery. All  three books will be for sale - $9.95 or three for $25.00. A nice gift for young readers to wean them of that computer habit. These books may also be found at the Village Emporium. There will be a 15 minute introduction by Danny Hennigar with some background information on Oak Island and the author will follow up from there. On Sunday there is a crib tournament at the Chester Legion starting 1 pm - enough time to get to church before the first caesar of the day. Next Monday the Chester Garden Club is holding their AGM at St. Stephen's Hall at 6:30 for 7 pm. Guest Speaker Svenja Dee will talk about new styles and trends for the holidays and do a presentation on how to make things out of natural materials. The AGM will follow the presentation. Brochure

Two blondes living in Oklahoma were sitting on a bench chatting. One says to the other, "Which do you think is farther away ... Florida or the moon?" The other blonde turns and says "Hellooooo, can you see Florida...?" Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group Join Our Mailing List!

November 9th, 2016 Press Release!

Chester Merchants Press Release Greetings! Did you catch the season finale of America last night?

This Week in Chester  Friday is November 11th. Get yourself and your poppy down to the Parade Square and pay tribute to those who gave their lives. Lest We Forget. Thom Swift is on stage at the Chester Playhouse Saturday night at 7:30pm. His voice and music are both unique and powerful creating a show that you will not want to miss. With over 25 years of experience recording and performing across Canada, US and Europe, this multi award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist has a unique and powerful voice. This past June, Swift released his fourth solo album, The Legend of Roy Black. In addition to his recording talents, Thom is co-founder of the award-winning group Hot Toddy Trio.                                                                              Thom Swift                    Next Monday, the 14th, is the Blood Donor Clinic at the Chester Legion from 1:00 to 3:00 pm and again from 5 - 8 pm. For more info call 1-888-236-6283. Next Saturday at 4 pm at the Rope Loft, Geraldine Tuck is launching her third book "Mystery Marauders" in the Marauder Trilogy. Two 13 year-old sleuths try their hand at solving the Oak Island Mystery. The books will be available for sale there and also at The Village Emporium. Brochure

Women go on a diet on three occasions: When they break up with a guy; When they meet a new guy; On Mondays. Suzi Fraser for the Chester Merchants Group Join Our Mailing List!