“Prince Edward Island is such an interesting place to visit because you’ll feel at home upon arrival, whether you’ve been here a hundred times or it’s your first trip,” says Tourism PEI’s Grant MacRae. “I think that has a lot to do with how friendly the people are here. Locals are so willing to share their experiences, traditions and lifestyle with visitors.”
MacRae says two top spots to get a cultural lesson are the Farmers’ Bank of Rustico museum and Village Musical Acadien.
Located 15 miles north of Charlottetown in Rustico, the bank is a symbol of Acadian survival. As groups tour the bank, which operated from 1864 to 1894 and is a National Historic Site, they can learn more about the Acadians’ settlement of the area and how the bank provided loans to island farmers at reasonable interest rates to help them through hard times.
During the summer high season at Village Musical Acadien in Abram Village, groups can enjoy daily musical programming, experiential workshops, and the French and English dinner theaters—each of which detail Acadian traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation.
MacRae says no visit would be complete without seeing “Anne of Green Gables–The Musical” at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown. “Plus, in 2018 the center will also be featuring ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ ‘Dutch Mason,’ a musical about the famous Canadian blues icon, and ‘Stories from the Red Dirt Road,’ which features four Island stories woven together through song.”
For more information on PEI vacations, email MacRae or go to tourismpei.com.
Top photo: Village Musical Acadien
Photo by Heather Ogg/Tourism PEI
