Prince Edward Island may well be Anne country 12 months of the year, but when the weather warms in the summer, tourists also flock to hear the myriad of musical sounds and festivals that can be found throughout the province.
But it isn't just traditional Celtic music that attracts tourists and locals throughout the summer. The Indian River Music Festival www.indianriverfestivalcom has been celebrating the best in classical music since 1996. With concerts in St. Mary's Church, the festival attracts patrons from all over the world.
"We had season tickets to the Indian River Music Festival and had such a wonderful time," says Stephen from Nova Scotia. "We made many friends on the island and miss them and our time on the island."
The concerts have also been well-received in the press, garnering raves from the likes of the Globe and Mail and CBC radio.
"St Mary's Church in Indian River, PEI is quite simply the best place to hear live classical music performed in Atlantic Canada," says Adrian Hoffman, CBC producer and host.
If you're looking for traditional with a twist, there is the yvang™line Bluegrass and Traditional Music Festival which is held July 10-12 at Abram-Village Festival Grounds. Bluegrass/traditional music bands from the Maritimes and USA show off their skills sometimes with a special Acadian flair.
Of course, contemporary acts play throughout the province all summer. A major concert is set for July 10-12 at Cavendish Beach. Popular country artists Tim McGraw and Reba Mcentire are headlining the line-up for this event.
For a pleasant evening pull up a lawn chair for the Peake's Wharf Summer Concert series that takes place in Charlottetown's historic downtown waterfront seven nights a week. The concerts are free and the series includes a variety of musical acts, from PEI's male vocalist of the year, Eddie Quinn, through to the popular Shelia MacKenzie and Gord Belsher.
