The Buzz - September 2026 by The Buzz

September 2026 John B. MacCallum PRESENTED BY

SPONSORED BY

CLOSES SEPT. 5

SEE THE ORIGINAL BEFORE IT’S GONE! AT THE SOBEY FAMILY THEATRE

CLOSES SEPT. 26

LAST CHANCE TO CATCH THE MAGIC! AT THE SOBEY FAMILY THEATRE

GET TIC KETS C O NF ED ERATI ONCENTRE. COM/FE ST I VAL

Page 12 The BUZZ September 2026

GET CREATIVE Creative fun for youth at the Charlottetown Library

Your night out just got a lot more interesting. September 4 & 5 and 18 & 19 @ 8:00pm

Queerly Canadian

A raucous drag cabaret celebrating Canadian culture through comedy, music, nostalgia, and performances that sparkle with irreverent pride.

September 10 & 11 @ 7:30pm

The Final Recordings of an Almost Extinct Bird

A poetic journey through time, love, and existence, weaving sound, story, and movement into a meditation on memory.

October 1 & 2 @ 7:30pm

Ocean Kin

Dive into a world of shadow, light, sound, and sculptural puppetry and connect to body, self, and the inner worlds we carry.

Creative Career Cata Catalyst t C a e Classes

ADULT ARTS EDUCATION SESSIONS Hands-on theatre training for adults 18+. For performers, theatre-makers & creatively curious folks. Register on our website for our upcoming class:

MUSICAL THEATRE AUDITION ESSENTIALS A two-night intensive focused on performance authenticity, storytelling, and instinct-based singing. Participants reconnect with presence, voice, and risk-taking in performance. Led by theatre artists Kathy Zaborsky & Jay Whitehead. September 6 & 9 · 6:30–9:30pm

For performers ready to bring more of themselves to the audition room. www.theguildpei.com

111 Queen Street Charlottetown

Free activities for children and teens continue at the Charlottetown Library. Creative Kids Club runs Wednesdays at 3:30 pm. September’s theme is Maker Skills, with participants exploring basic craft techniques. Pre-register for Crafternoon in the Makerspace on September 9 at 1 pm to create a pom-pom fish. Hooked on Crochet with Julie takes place September 19 at 10 am; beginners are welcome. Info: 902-368-4642

Eptek workshops

Eptek Art & Culture Centre is offering stained glass workshops with Lynn Provance this month, including courses on Tuesday mornings in September and a Make It and Take It workshop on September 10. For details, fees, and to register, call 902-888-8373. 130 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside.

Sewing Club

Join fellow sewing and mending enthusiasts (ages 12+) in the Charlottetown Library Makerspace on the second Thursday of the month from 5–8 pm. The next meeting is September 10. Bring a machine and projects, start a beginner-friendly piece, explore tools and techniques, or try a machine with guidance.

PEI Life Drawing

The PEI Life Drawing group meets every second Sunday at The Arts Hotel in Charlottetown at 2 pm. The next sessions are September 13 and 27 and will involve nude poses. It is a drop-in open studio for all skill levels and is not instructional. It is also an opportunity to meet and share ideas with other artists. A fee pays for the model. Participants should bring their own art supplies, but some are available to borrow for an additional fee. Follow @LifeDrawingPEI on FB or @PEILifedrawing on IG for updates, or email peilifedrawing@gmail.com.

Creative fun for youth at the Summerside Library Free arts activities continue this month at the Summerside Library. Drop in

for Crafternoon for Kids on Saturdays and Sundays during library hours. The Creative Corner runs on September 14 at 2 pm and September 21 at 6:30 pm. Call 902-436-7323 to register.

CreativePEI Artmobile

Drop in for creative time with the CreativePEI Artmobile at the Charlottetown Library on September 16 at 5 pm. Choose from the available art supplies to make something new, or bring your own materials or a work-inprogress project. Create with others, chat, seek advice, or get inspired. Although these events are primarily for adult audiences, children are welcome to attend with the supervision of a guardian.

Kindred Spirits Quilt Guild

The Kindred Spirits Quilt Guild meets on the third Wednesday of the month at the Benevolent Irish Society in Charlottetown. The next meeting is September 16 from 7–9 pm. Doors open at 6:30 pm. New members and visitors are welcome. This is a scent-free meeting. There are no meetings in December, July, or August. Follow Kindred Spirits Quilt Guild of PEI on Facebook or call 902-6761000 for more info.

Fibre Arts Club

Fibre Arts Club meets weekly on Tuesdays at the Charlottetown Library. Bring supplies or a current project and drop in between 1–3 pm to join knitters, crocheters, rug hookers, and other fibre and textile makers.

Paint Club for Adults

Adults can drop in to the Charlottetown Library to paint and socialize on September 21 at 1 pm. Bring your own supplies.

PEI Modern Quilt Guild

The PEI Modern Quilt Guild will meet on September 24 from 7–9 pm at the PEI Farm Centre in Charlottetown. Doors open at 6:30 pm. New members and visitors are welcome. This is a scentfree meeting. Info: peimqg@gmail.com; peimqg.carrd.co

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 13

Stories in Stitches VI

Fix Your Plate by Tara Reeves

Shuck yeah

Here’s what most people miss when they’re standing in line for their first dozen oysters. A good one should smell like the ocean, clean and briny, never fishy. If it smells off, send it back. The liquor inside, that clear liquid pooled in the shell, tells you almost everything. It should be plentiful and clear, a sign the oyster was handled well from the moment it was shucked. A dry shell or a shrunken oyster rattling around inside means it sat too long. PEI’s cold, nutrient rich waters produce oysters with a distinct mineral snap, and once you taste a truly fresh one next to a tired one, you will never confuse the two again. Most people shoot an oyster back like a shot of tequila, and I understand the appeal at a party this size. But if you want to actually taste what you’re eating, let it sit on your tongue for a second before you swallow. Chew once, gently. You’ll catch the brine first, then something almost sweet underneath it, then a clean, mineral finish that tells you exactly which bay that oyster came from. Same goes for mussels. Don’t just fork and go. Let the broth coat your spoon first. That broth carries the whole story of how the dish was built. The shucking competition moves fast, but here’s what the judges are actually looking for. A clean cut severs the muscle in one motion, without shattering the shell or tearing the meat. The best shuckers find the hinge first, that small notch at the back of the shell, and work the knife in at a slight angle rather than forcing it straight through. Watch closely and you’ll see almost no wasted movement. If you ever shuck at home, that hinge is your starting point too.

Stories in Stitches, an exhibition of quilts, hooked rugs and artistic needlework, returns September 22–26. The 2026 edition will be held at St. Paul’s in Charlottetown and is presented by the church with support from the Kindred Spirits Quilt Guild. Stories in Stitches VI will feature colour, texture and a range of techniques as artisans from across PEI and the Maritimes exhibit their work. Close to 150 quilts, rugs, and other pieces will represent a range of fabric, fibre, and needle crafts, with styles ranging from antique to modernist. The works will be displayed on the pews and railings of the church, with the woodwork and stained-glass windows providing the setting. Music will play in the background during the exhibition. There will also be demonstrations of quilting, rug-hooking and needlework techniques. The exhibition title reflects the stories behind many of the pieces, including why they were created. Items will be labelled with contact SUBMITTED

SUBMITTED

As a chef, I spend a lot of time thinking about how food makes people feel, not just how it tastes. The PEI International Shellfish Festival turns thirty this year, and I’ll be there for all three days, watching a crowd move through platters of oysters and mussels while I do something most readers don’t know about me yet. I’ve also spent over twenty years working as a professional DJ, and this year I’m behind the decks for the festival’s kitchen parties. It’s a beautiful vantage point, reading a room of people eating and dancing at the same time, and there’s plenty I want to share with you from my insider’s perspective.

Exhibition at St. Paul’s in Charlottetown

Skip it and you’re fighting the oyster instead of opening it. Shellfish also happens to be some of the most functional food on that festival ground, dense with nutrients you’d otherwise need a supplement aisle to find. Oysters are one of the richest natural sources of zinc, which matters for immunity heading into fall. Mussels bring iron, B12, and omega three fats, all in a shell that costs less than most proteins on your grocery list. It’s a rare case where the food everyone’s excited to eat is also exactly what your body needs this time of year.

information and details about the history, intent and techniques involved in the work. The exhibition is not a sale, but some exhibitors may make their works available for purchase afterward. Labels will indicate when this is the case. The exhibition attracts more than 1200 visitors. Admission is at the door. The show is open from 10 am–5 pm, with extended hours until 7 pm on Friday and closing at 4 pm on Saturday. St. Paul’s is fully accessible. Visitors can look for the car wrapped in a tailor-made quilt parked on the lawn. Visit stpaulschurch.ca for more information.

WATERMARK THEATRE PRESENTS TREVOR BARRETTE'S PRODUCTION OF

From behind the decks, I get a different kind of front row seat, close enough to watch someone taste their first oyster, hesitate, and then reach for a second one anyway. It’s a small moment that never gets old. That’s really what thirty years of this festival has built, a room full of people discovering something together, one plate at a time. Come find me in the booth if you’re there. I’d love to hear what you tasted.

BY MARK CRAWFORD SEPTEMBER 3RD TO 12TH PROFESSIONAL THEATRE AT ITS BEST!

BOX OFFICE

902 963 3963 NORTH RUSTICO

WATERMARKTHEATRE.COM

Page 14 The BUZZ September 2026

EXHIBITS galleries, museums...

Acadian Museum of PEI

La Voix acadienne: Fifty Years of Legacy! is on display. Discover how a half-century of reporting on the Island’s Acadian and Francophone community has helped preserve its culture. Visitors can also choose a personalized headline in the photo booth. Explore the permanent exhibition and video, The Island Acadians: The Story of a People. Acadian genealogy resources are available, and a gift shop is on site. 23 Main Dr E, Miscouche. Info: 902-4322880, museeacadien@gmail.com

Bedeque Area Historical Museum

New exhibits include a model of the Coady Farm in North Wiltshire, PEI, and a display marking the 200th anniversary of Bedeque Baptist Church, founded in 1826. More than 30 exhibits are on view, covering the Mi’kmaq; the Acadians, Loyalists, and Irish who settled the area; the Borden Ferry service; Clocks of the Island, 1770–1960; and artifacts from the late Howard Clark’s Red Barn Museum in Chelton. The Lower Bedeque Schoolhouse features the story of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s time in Bedeque and early schooling in the area. Open until September 6, Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–5 pm, and Sunday, 1–5 pm. Admission applies. 950 Callbeck St, Bedeque.

Breadalbane Gallery

The theme for this month’s Annex show at the Breadalbane Gallery is the human figure interpreted. The show opens September 11 with a reception from 6–8 pm. Gallery artists include Leo (Liu, Xin), Joan Sutton, Becky Allain, Silver Frith, Marianne Janowicz, Denise Livingstone, Zoe Novaczek, Haley Lewis, Lyneth Sausa, Arjun Thappa, Patrick Macdonald, Chris Mollins, Rick MacDonald, Will Baker, Lisa Theriault, Laura Bain, Yuzhu Yang, Sabine Nuesch, Vian Emery, LilyAnn Hein, Zora Wendt, Carla DiGiorgio, and Erin Veitch. Artists interested in exhibiting can submit photos of their work to breadalbane.gallery@gmail. com. Open in September on Tuesday, 12–3:30 pm, Thursday, 3–8 pm, and Friday, 9 am–12:30 pm. 4023 Dixon Rd, Breadalbane.

Brian Burke House

Light Before Shadow, an exhibition of figurative paintings by the late Brian Burke, is on view until September 19, including works never before exhibited. Open Thursday–Saturday, 1–4 pm. 1345 Main St, Murray Harbour. brianburke.ch

Confederation Centre Art Gallery

Installations on view: Consumed: Jane Meredith Whitten until September 6; Among Others until September 20; The Art of Collecting: Selections from the Tom Banks

Collection until September 20; Channelling until January 3; and Sandeep Johal: To Be Something More (and More) until January 10. The public is invited to join Tom Banks for a free talk and tour of The Art of Collecting on September 13 at 2 pm. 130 Queen St, Charlottetown. confederationcentre.com/artgallery

Confederation Court Mall

The City of Charlottetown and the PEI Regiment Museum present the pop-up display, A History of Victoria Park in Photos, on view until October 15 on the first floor of the Confederation Court Mall. Open for viewing during mall hours. 134 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Cornwall Library Art Gallery

Yuzhu Yang’s exhibit The Art of Everyday Joy celebrates ordinary moments that become meaningful. The show runs until September 11. An opening celebration for cartoonist Liam McKenna’s exhibit Funny Papers will be held on September 15 at 7 pm. The show features a selection of illustrations and gag cartoons that are absurd, wry, fantastic, and thoughtful, often at the same time. The exhibit runs until October 23. For information about exhibiting in the gallery, contact the library at 902-629-8415. 15 Mercedes Dr., Town Hall, Cornwall.

Details Fine Art Gallery

The Gallery will host a one-day exhibition and sale featuring paintings by participants in Gordon Harrison’s first plein-air workshop on PEI. See first-hand Gordon’s painting method, his teaching process, and its results. A portion of proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation. The event will be held on September 10 from 4–7 pm at Details Fine Art Gallery, 166 Richmond St, Charlottetown.

Ellen’s Creek Gallery

On view from September 5–26 are exhibitions by Marianne Janowicz and Damien Worth. An opening reception for both exhibitions will be held on September 5 from 3–5 pm. All are welcome to attend. 525 North River Rd, Charlottettown.

Eptek Art & Culture Centre

Women’s Work: Doing What Needs to be Done, an interactive exhibition developed by Samantha Kelly for the PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation, is on view until September 27. An admission fee applies. 130 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside. peimuseum.ca

The Fitzroy St. Tiny Art Gallery

With scraps made clean from light and loam by Evan Furness is on view 24/7 at the corner of Fitzroy and Felling Sts in Charlottetown.

The Gallery – Coffee House & Bistro The fall art rotation features Layers of

Love by Charlottetown artists Lisa

Chandler and Peter Rukavina, as well as Wildlife photography by Stewart MacLean. The exhibitions are on view at The Gallery from September 1 to November 30. The permanent exhibi-

tion featuring work by Patrick Guindon, Sita MacMillan, and Ashleigh Tremere is on view in the nook space. Open daily, 8 am–5 pm. 82 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Great Wisdom Buddhist Institute

The immersive exhibition Inside the Journey of a Buddhist Nun is on display through 2027. Exhibition and guided tour time slots are available Tuesday–Sunday, 10 am–4 pm. To choose a time slot, search “Inside the Journey of a Buddhist Nun” at eventbrite.ca. 805 Brudenell Pt Rd, Montague.

Harbourfront Theatre

Ellen Martin’s solo exhibition, Scotland, My Ancestral Home, will open on October 4 from 2–4 pm. All are welcome to attend. It will be on view through October. 124 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside.

Keir Memorial Museum

Housed in the former Keir Memorial Presbyterian Church are artifacts reflecting local life and traditions, including homestead memorabilia, shipbuilding, fishing and blacksmithing tools, and a working mud digger. A new installation features a commemorative stainedglass window of The Annabella (1770), designed by Glass Studio artist Linda Whaley. The museum celebrates local heritage dating back to the early 1700s and has refreshed several exhibits over the past five years. The gift shop features work by 37 Island artisans. 2214 Rte 20, Malpeque. museumspei.ca

The North Nook Gallery

An installation by Lucy Farrell is on view 24/7 in the front window of The Arts Guild through September. 111 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Summerside Rotary Library

More than 100 artworks by local artists, including original paintings, photography, handmade knits, mosaics, digital art, and more, adorn the library walls across three wheelchair-accessible levels, with an elevator for easy access. This ongoing exhibition continues year-round. 57 Central St, Summerside.

This Town is Small at the Hilda Woolnough Gallery

The group exhibition What Remains, presented by This Town is Small, is on view until September 19. Participating artists are Millefiore Clarkes, Nancy Cole, Andreas Fobes, Marti Hopson, Adam Gallant, Adam Hill, Sarah Noonan, Lee Rosevere, and Ezra Saad. The gallery is open for public viewing Tuesday– Sunday, 12–5 pm. The Arts Guild, 111 Queen St, Charlottetown. thistownissmall.com

PEI Fibre Festival Event features workshops and vendors marketplace The PEI Fibre Festival was created to support the Island’s wool industry and the craftspeople who work with wool and fibres through knitting, crocheting, felting, rug hooking, and more. This year’s PEI Fibre Festival runs from October 1–3 at the Delta Hotel in Charlottetown. An increased number of vendors will attend the Marketplace this year, once again presenting a wide array of fibre-related products, including wool from various animals, hand-dyed fibres, tools of the trade, and more. Close to fifty workshops led by local and international instructors are on offer this year. Among this year’s instructors is Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, also known as the Yarn Harlot. Stephanie is from Toronto and has written eight books on knitting. She has been described as a knitting humourist and has called her own writing “knitting humor.” Also joining the festival as an instructor is Carson Demers, a lifelong knitter and physical therapist with 30 years of experience in musculoskeletal rehabilitation and ergonomics. He literally wrote the book on ergonomics for knitters and fibre enthusiasts, Knitting Comfortably: The Ergonomics of Handknitting.

Summerside Craft Trail Now a full weekend of activities—Sept 18–20 The Summerside Craft Trail, running September 18–20, has expanded into a full weekend of local flavours, creativity, live music, and hands-on experiences, with special events and limited-time offerings from participating Explore Summerside businesses. Throughout the weekend, visitors can enjoy craft beers and live music at Bogside Brewing from 6–9 pm on Friday and Saturday; limited-edition Craft Trail ice cream flavours at Holman’s Ice Cream Parlour; the Craft Cocktail Crawl at participating restaurants; drop-in miniature painting with Art Buds on Saturday; a Distilled Spirits Tasting at The Shipyard with sommelier Lesley Quinn; machine knitting demonstrations at Island Knits Craft Cafe; craft beers and a Celtic jam at Evermoore Brewing on Saturday from 1:30–4 pm; and a yoga session by the sea with Greg Weeks on Sunday at 8:30 am. The weekend wraps up with the Summerside Craft Trail on Sunday.

Instructor Kim McBrien Evans is a knitwear designer, indie hand dyer, and size-inclusivity advocate known for designs that turn abstract ideas into colour-filled, hand-knit reality while fitting and honouring every body. Kim aims to revolutionize sweater fit, sizing, and how diverse bodies are represented in the yarn world through research, education, and collaborations with makers worldwide. She is the author of The Knitter’s Sweater Knitting Bible and co-author of Custom Shawls. Local instructors include felting artist Lisa Freeman and rug hooking specialists Charlene Miller and Debbie Miller. Janet Ogilvie of Green Gable Alpacas will welcome participants to her farm and explore the process of turning alpaca fibre into hand-dyed yarn, while Flory Sanderson will lead participants in a guided felting experience as part of her farm tour. Rounding out the program are three Island tours and a social event featuring entertainment by the Ross Family Ceilidh. The Festival is open to the public and tickets are on sale now. For further information, visit peifibrefestival.com, subscribe to the newsletter or follow the festival on Facebook.

Traditionally a one-day artisan market, the Craft Trail returns on September 20 from 11 am–3 pm, with local makers and creators set up along the Confederation Trail behind Evermoore Brewing. The rain date for the market is September 27. More details are still being confirmed. For the latest updates, follow @ Explore Summerside on Facebook.

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 15

Five days of live theatre, wild ideas & creative chaos. Unexpected spaces for unconventional performances. Peep the Pigeon insists you come see for yourself. THIS YEAR’S SHOWS INCLUDE: An American (Not) in Paris Die, Die, Lavinia!: A Theatrical Memoir Men Love Horsies: The Musical Oh, the Man You’ve Become Passing the Cold in Montreal This Is Me! When There’s Nothing Left to Say White as Snow

Tickets $12/show | All-Access Pass $84!

THE SHOWS ARE JUST THE BEGINNING.

We’ve got games, awards, parties, and all kinds of delightful nonsense happening throughout the festival. Festival Kickoff - Oct 7 @ 7:30pm Trivia with Katie - Oct 8 @ 9pm

PEI Witch Market

@fter nine with Andrea - Oct 9 @ 9pm

Dungeons & Dragons Edition at The Arts Guild—Sept 5 The PEI Witch Market: Dungeons & Dragons Edition will turn The Arts Guild into a world of magic, creativity, and community on September 5 from 12–5 pm. There will be something for seasoned adventurers, curious newcomers, and anyone who loves all things witchy and whimsical. Attendees can browse handcrafted treasures from local vendors, including unique dice, desserts and baked goods, palm and tarot readers, crocheted vegetables, and more. 111 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Good Ol’ Variety Show - Oct 10 @ 9pm Awards & Closing Party - Oct 11 @ 8pm Entrance to these events are by donation.

For venue locations, complete schedule and to purchase tickets: www.islandfringe.com 7 - 11 OCTOBER, 2026 With support from:

Page 16 The BUZZ September 2026

ARTISTS & ARTISANS Art Buds Gallery

Locally handmade original works by Island makers and artisans. Daily drop-in activities and artist-led workshops are available. Open Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 10 am–5 pm, and Wednesdays and Thursdays 10 am–7 pm. 329 Water St, Summerside. artbuds.ca

Artisans on Main Souris

Artist-run gallery with handcrafted items such as felting, rug hooking, knitwear, weaving, quilting, rope mats, pottery, visual arts, jewellery, and more. Drop in and meet one of the artisans on duty. Open daily in September from 10 am–5 pm. Follow @ Artisans On Main Souris on socials. Suite 114b, 106 Main St, Souris.

Artisans Waterfront Market

Eastern PEI’s largest gallery with works by 43 PEI artists and crafters in all mediums, including pottery, jewellery, glassware, photography, paintings, hooked rugs, quilts, soaps, sculptures, and treats. Open daily, Monday–Saturday 10 am–5 pm, and Sunday 12–5 pm, until September 30. 1 Station St, Montague. artisanswaterfront.ca

Bedford Station Gallery

Showcasing the works of 29 local artists including Barb Hanson, Beth Hoar, Carolyn Hayes Hessinger, Christina White, Gary Schoenfeldt, Helene LaRouche, Gloria Wooldridge, Hank Bos, Heather Reid, Katarina McCourt, Kim Jabbour, Leo Marchildon, LiliAnne Webster, Lucas Picard, Margaret Wailes, Ron Patterson, Sara Arya-Smith, Rob Shaw, Simonne Smith, Taylor Martin, Victor Hikthorvholk, Gweneth BranchRice, Wayne Crouse, Jennifer K Henry, Seth Sheehan, Lesley Dubey, Julea Boswell, and Devin Sheehan. The gardens showcase the creative vision of landscaper and photographer Wayne Crouse. 96 Rte 6, Bedford.

Birchtree Gallery

Mi’kmaq woven baskets, painting, pottery, Island potato soap, beaded jewellery, landscape paintings, and more.

Basket weaving classes are available. Open Monday–Saturday 10 am–5 pm, and Sunday 1–5 pm. 8 Main St, Victoria. birchtreegallery.com

Creative Rebel Studio

Original art and products by artist Patrick Guindon. Workshops, day camps, and special events are available for all ages. Open Monday–Saturday 10 am–5 pm, and Sunday 12–5 pm until September 6. 538 Main St, Montague. creativerebelstudio.com

Details Fine Art Gallery

Original art by Island artists, as well as fine art from national and international artists in a variety of media and subject matter, including paintings, sculptures, art glass, ceramics, and designer jewellery. 166 Richmond St, Charlottetown. detailsfineart.com

Dunes Island Art Gallery

Handcrafted paintings, sculptures, pottery, jewellery, woodwork, metalwork, and more. Open daily 9 am–8 pm. 3622 Brackley Point Rd, Brackley Beach. dunesgallery.ca

Ellen’s Creek Gallery

Artwork by PEI artists and high quality custom framing. Open weekdays 9 am–5 pm and by appointment on weekends. 525 North River Rd, Charlottetown.

Galerie La Palette

Offering works from local artists, including paintings, prints, photography and more. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 11 am–4:30 pm, until September 6. Located in the yellow building at Village musical acadien. 1745 Rte 124, Abram-Village.

Gaudreau Fine Crafts Gallery Featuring a unique collection of pottery, wood, fibre, weaving, paintings, glass, and jewellery by Maritime artisans. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 11 am–4 pm until September 29. 11 Grand Pere Point Rd, Rte 242, South Rustico.

Island Girl Studio

Watercolours and art cards by artist Donna White. Open Tuesdays and Sundays, 12–5 pm, or by appointment (email dmwhite775@gmail.com). 65 Anderson Rd, St. Peters.

Island Winds

Musically-tuned Island-made wind chimes. Open Monday–Tuesday 10 am–6 pm, Friday–Saturday 10 am–4 pm, and Sunday 12–4 pm. 3827 Millvale Rd, South Granville. islandwindcraft.com

J. Bergman Art Studio

Edgy and contemporary original paintings by Summerside artist Janos Bergman. Works are regularly exhibited

internationally and on PEI. Viewings are available by appointment (email janosbergman917@gmail.com or call 902786-3614). 123 Heron Ave, Summerside. bergmanartpei.ca

Northern Watters Knitwear

Jeanette Walker Jewellery

PEI Crafts Council

Jeanette Walker designs custom jewellery and repurposes and redesigns heirlooms and outdated jewellery. jeanettewalkerjewellery.com

June Ellis Studio

Original paintings, prints, notecards, and bookmarks of PEI seascapes, landscapes, and lighthouses by PEI artist June Ellis. Commissions and appointments are available (email juneellisartist@gmail. com or call 902-439-8774). Rte 12, East Bideford, Ellerslie. juneellis.com

Karen Gallant Gallery in Rustico

Handcrafted sweaters, shawls, stoles, ponchos, and PEI arts and crafts. 150 Richmond St, Charlottetown. nwknitwear.com

Two floors of work by local artisans, including pottery, jewellery, wood, textile, quilting, glass, and fine art. Open daily 10 am–4:30 pm and Sundays 12–5 pm. 98 Water St, Charlottetown. peicraftscouncil.com

PEI Fox Den

Works by over 60 local artists and artisans, including pottery, apparel, candles, soaps, visual art, knitted goods, embroidery, woodwork, chocolate, tea, coffee, honey, maple syrup, music, FloaTEA treats, and the original PEI Fox Mug™. Open Wednesday–Sunday 10 am–4 pm. 2852 1A, North Bedeque. peifoxden.ca

Paintings by local artist Karen Gallant, fine art reproductions, art cards, and unique finds. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–4 pm until mid-September. 1993 Church Rd, Rustico, in the former St Augustine’s Credit Union building. karengallant.com

PhoArts Studio

Kensington Art Co-op Gallery

Rustico Bay Wool Sweater Company

An eclectic blend of artwork from over 30 local artists. Host artists often paint on-site. Open daily from 10 am–4 pm. Located in the historic freight shed at 27 Commercial St, Kensington. 902-886-0331

Knit Pickers PEI Studio

Canadian goods, including wool, knitting needles, knitting and weaving accessories, and wool pellets for gardening. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 11 am–3 pm until October 10. 566 Line Rd, Rte 13, Mayfield. knitpickerspei.com

Kro In The Sky Art Studio

An assortment of dichroic and seaglass jewellery, stained glass, mosaics, and fine art. Open Tuesday–Sunday, 10 am–5 pm until October 31. 1800 Point Prim Rd, Belfast. krointhesky.com

McAskill’s Fine Crafts Studio

Photography, visual and digital art, and paintings by photographer and artist Leona Arsenault. Open by appointment or by chance (email leona@PhoArts.com or call 902-315-1747). 108 John Paul Rd, Abram-Village.

Handmade wool sweaters and accessories, one-of-a-kind knitwear, and giftware. Open daily Monday–Friday 10 am–5 pm, and Saturday–Sunday 11 am–6 pm. 7218 Rustico Rd, Rte 6, North Rustico. rusticosweaters.pe.ca

Rusty Shores Pottery

A wide selection of unique pottery items created by potter Janice Bednarz. Open by chance or appointment by calling 902393-1552. 6039 Route 19, Rice Point.

Stanley Bridge Studios

Island crafts, jewellery, pottery, art, woodwork, ironwork, home and garden decor, clothing, and accessories. Open daily 10 am–5 pm until October 30. 10090 Rte 6, Stanley Bridge.

The Studio Gallery

Furniture and crafts, pottery, fine art, metal work, glass, and giftware by PEI and Atlantic artisans. 26 Beasley Ave, Charlottetown. mcaskillwoodworking.com

An artist-run gallery exhibiting Island artists, including original works in oil, watercolour, batik etching, and pigment prints. Featuring the printmaking studio of Doreen Foster. Open 10 am–5 pm. 4 Howard St, Victoria. studiogallery.ca

Messy Crow Studio

Trout River Pottery

Michael Stanley Pottery

Village Pottery

Wool artwork (felting on denim, in frames, and dimensional critters), sea glass, vintage jewellery, pottery, candles, soaps, and retro finds from Maritime artisans. Open Tuesday–Friday, 10 am–4 pm, and Saturday 10 am–1 pm. Rte 335, St Catherine’s Rd, Souris.

Pottery by Malcolm and Michael Stanley, as well as art by other artists. Open daily. 22 Howard St, Victoria. michaelstanleypottery.com

Island-made pottery by Darren Matheson and woven baskets by Rose Matheson. Open weekly from 10 am–2 pm or find them at the Charlottetown Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from 9 am–2 pm. 902-393-7392. 2088 Trout River Rd, Millvale.

Handcrafted pottery, locally-made jewellery, crafts, artwork, clothing, and accessories. Open daily 10 am–5 pm. 10567 Rte 6, New London. villagepottery.ca

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 17

The human figure

LAST CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

2026 PEI Arts Awards

Group show at Breadalbane Gallery The human figure, interpreted in a variety of ways, will be the theme of the Annex show at the Breadalbane Gallery, opening September 11 with a reception from 6–8 pm. Many visions of the same subject, created in the same time and space, provide an opportunity for viewers to see the variety of styles and approaches taken by gallery artists. Prior to the show, the artists will paint and draw collectively, then take their work back to their studios to develop it further or simply ponder where it might go next. Gallery artists include Leo (Liu, Xin), Joan Sutton, Becky Allain, Silver Frith, Marianne Janowicz, Denise Livingstone, Zoe Novaczek, Haley Lewis, Lyneth Sausa, Arjun Thappa, Patrick Macdonald, Chris Mollins, Rick MacDonald, Will Baker, Lisa Theriault, Laura Bain, Yuzhu Yang, Sabine Nuesch, Vian Emery, Lily-Ann Hein, Zora Wendt, Carla DiGiorgio, and Erin Veitch. The main gallery features recent work by the artists, who see the opportunity to exhibit as a way to receive feedback from their audience

Celebrate outstanding contributions to PEI’s creative sector! Nominate an individual, group, or organization today.

Deadline: October 5 at 4 p.m.

Figure drawing by Zoe Novaczek

and fellow artists. The gallery is located at 4023 Dixon Road in Breadalbane. Gallery hours for September are Tuesday from 12–3:30 pm, Thursday from 3–8 pm and Friday from 9 am–12:30 pm.

PrinceEdwardIsland.ca/ArtsAwards This ad is paid for by the government of Prince Edward Island

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130 Queen Street Charlottetown, P.E.I.

EXPLORE NEW IN GALLERY

OPENS SEPT. 19, 2026

Deployment: Emmanuelle Léonard

Deployment: Emmanuelle Léonard presents the video and photographic work of an artist embedded with the Canadian military in the Far North through the Canadian Forces Artists Program. The show addresses the overlapping realities of climate change and shifting sovereignty as well as the lives of Inuit Rangers and those who serve in the military in this beautiful, grand and difficult environment. Organized and circulated by the Galerie de l’UQAM. Curated by Louise Déry

STILL ON DISPLAY

EVENTS

Among Others | Until Sept. 6, 2026 The Art Of Collecting: Selections from the Tom Banks Collection | Until Sept. 20, 2026 Consumed: Jane Meredith Whitten | Until Oct. 11, 2026 Channelling | Until Jan. 3, 2027 Sandeep Johal: To Be Something More (and More) | Until Jan. 10, 2027

Talk and Tour, with Tom Banks Sunday, Sept. 13, 2pm, Free Admission An exhibition tour of The Art of Collecting: Selections from the Tom Banks Collection. P.E.I. collector Tom Banks will lead visitors through his collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics and art.

CONFEDERATIONCENTRE.COM/GALLERY

Emmanuelle Léonard, Soldat la nuit, Resolute, (detail) 2019, impression jet d’encre, 76 x 76 cm. Collection d’œuvres d’art de l’UQAM

Stewart MacLean Photo exhibition at The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro A photography exhibition by Stewart MacLean will be featured in the main room at The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro in Charlottetown from September 1 to November 30. Stewart MacLean is a photographer from PEI who has spent much of the past 13 years traveling the world, exploring wild places and photographing wildlife. He spent several years living and working at Merazonia Wildlife Rescue Center in the Ecuadorian Amazon, where he photographed rescued wildlife and documented their stories. It was there that his passion for wildlife photography really began, inspiring him to continue traveling and looking for wildlife around the world. Many of the animals featured in this exhibition are individuals he had the privilege of photographing during their rehabilitation. This collection brings together some of Stewart’s favourite photographs from his travels, featuring animals from around the world as well as closer to home.

ART Call for Submissions: The Voice of Marion

Eptek Art & Culture Centre is seeking submissions for The Voice of Marion, an exhibition to be presented from January to March 2027. The Island-wide call is for visual art inspired by the work of Marion Campbell Hinton. Submission packages include images of the artwork. The project is presented in memory of Marion with support from her niece and nephew, Catherine and Bill Callbeck. Selected work will be included in a group exhibition, and monetary awards will be presented in several categories. The jury consists of PEI artists Henry Purdy, Grace Curtis, and Maurice Bernard. Submissions are welcome from artists at any stage of their career. The deadline for expressions of interest is November 1 at midnight. To receive a submission package, email eptek@gov.pe.ca or call 902-888-8373.

Bedford Station Artist Demo Bedford Station Gallery invites the public to a free artist demonstration on September 5 from 2–4 pm. Artists Simonne Smith and Kim Jabbour will be on site painting in the Gallery’s gardens. Visitors can watch the artists at work and tour the gardens and gallery. Parking is available on the grass. 96 Rte 6, Mount Stewart.

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Photo by Stewart MacLean

All pieces are available for purchase, with a portion of sales donated to Merazonia Wildlife Refuge. The exhibition is part of The Gallery’s fall art rotation, on view until November 30.

Talk and Tour with Tom Banks

The public is invited to join PEI collector Tom Banks on September 13 at 2 pm for a guided tour of The Art of

Collecting: Selections from the Tom Banks Collection at the Confederation Centre

Art Gallery in Charlottetown. Banks will lead visitors through his collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics and art, sharing the stories behind more than four decades of collecting. Admission is free.

This Town is Small AGM

This Town is Small will hold its annual general meeting at the Hilda Woolnough Gallery in The Arts Guild on September 16 at 5 pm. All are welcome to attend. Voting is limited to members in good standing. Members are asked to ensure their membership is in good standing beforehand. 111 Queen St, Charlottetown. Info: thistownissmall.com

PEI Arts Awards call for nominations

Nominations for the 2026 PEI Arts Awards are open until October 5 at 4 pm. The annual awards recognize contributions by individuals, groups, and organizations to PEI’s arts and culture sector. The program is open to PEI residents who have maintained a primary residence on the Island for at least 12 consecutive months. To nominate, visit princeedwardisland.ca/artsawards.

Confed Centre Art Gallery Fall exhibitions and a Talk and Tour with Tom Banks Visitors are invited to explore themes of gathering and encounter, resilience, colonial inheritance, and the mechanisms of authority through the work of Canadian and international artists on view at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery in Charlottetown. Three exhibitions are closing this month: Consumed: Jane Meredith Whitten on September 6; and Among Others on September 20; and The Art of Collecting: Selections from the Tom Banks Collection on September 20. The public is invited to join PEI collector Tom Banks for a free talk and guided tour of The Art of Collecting on September 13 at 2 pm. Banks will lead visitors through his collection of contemporary Canadian ceramics and art, sharing the stories behind more than four decades of collecting. Channelling, curated by Pan Wendt, continues until January 3, 2027. Inspired by a grand Victorian painting of an Alpine waterway, commissioned by an eccentric German baron for his Nova Scotia mansion, this exhibition brings together contemporary East Coast artists grappling with the contradictory aesthetic inheritances of Romanticism and colonialism. Artists include Alfred Schoeck, D’Arcy Wilson, Doug Dumais, Gustav Amberger, Janice Wright Cheney, John Greer, and Ryan Josey, among others. The two 19th century paintings at the heart of the show depict the Perte du Rhône, a waterfall near the French-Swiss border once famed for plunging underground for several kilometres. German industrialist Franz von Ellershausen bought one painting and commissioned the other for his Nova Scotia manor, in the town he founded and named after himself. He valued the beauty of the falls even as he dreamed of damming the river for industry, a dam that a post-World War II hydroelectric project eventually built, leaving the once-dramatic

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 19

Evan Furness Fitzroy St. Tiny Art Gallery

Artwork by Evan Furness

Tom Smith Sculpture Vase, c. 1990 Raku fired ceramic 32 x 24 x 18 cm

cascade a faint underwater shadow. The word channelling suggests the capturing of nature’s power, or in this context, the framing of it as an aesthetic event. It can also refer to the spirit world, the persistence of ancestors, or the possibility of becoming that which haunts us in order to redirect it. The seven artists selected for this exhibition are haunted by the destructive impacts of settlement in this part of the world and are motivated by a desire to articulate a more reverent and receptive relationship to nature. Sandeep Johal: To Be Something More (and More), an exhibition that originated at the Kelowna Art Gallery, continues until January 10, 2027. Vancouver-based artist Sandeep Johal explores the resilience of women through painting, collage, textiles, and mural in her signature Indo-folk aesthetic. Johal’s work confronts harsh and ugly realities with their dissonant opposites: brightness, hope, and beauty. The result is an expansive body of work that holds contradiction with grace, articulating survival not as the absence of difficulty, but as something luminous in spite of it.

The Fitzroy St. Tiny Art Gallery in Charlottetown presents new work by Evan Furness entitled, With scraps made clean from light and loam. This tiny installation features a collection of small sculptures made from polymer clay and phosphorescent vinyl, backdropped by acrylic paintings on cardboard. These works pull from the language of nocturnes, matte paintings, and miniatures to create an environment that uses light and its absence to describe and define an imagined space constructed using reference imagery collected from cellphone photos. Furness is an interdisciplinary artist from rural PEI. His work explores connections between the everyday, the uncanny, his rural experience and wider popular culture through installations, soundscapes, and experimental films. His practice blends the use of immediate methods of image-making such as observational painting and drawing, cellphone images, and field recordings with intentionally restrictive, arduous, or durational parameters that define the work. Integral to his practice is a DIY ethos, keeping handmade and low tech approaches as the central focus of his practice. Located at Fitzroy and Felling Streets, the Fitzroy St. Tiny Art Gallery features curated professional exhibitions that are viewable 24/7.

ISLAND ARTIST susan christensen L.M. Montgomery and the Spirit of Place Paintings inspired by the poetry of Montgomery

Poetry by Renée Blanchette inspired by the painting of Christensen L.M. Montgomery is a trademark of Heirs of L.M. Montgomery Inc.

Green Gables Visitor Center Tues - Thurs 10 am to 4 pm Susan will paint live Sponsored by

Page 20 The BUZZ September 2026

Scotland, My Ancestral Home Solo exhibition by Ellen Martin at Harbourfront Theatre

(L–R): Glencoe, Loch Buie, Waiting for the Train, and Eileen Donan (castle) by Ellen Martin

Ellen Martin’s solo exhibition, Scotland, My Ancestral Home, will open at Harbourfront Theatre in Summerside on October 4 from 2–4 pm. The show is based on spiritual experiences Martin had during a recent trip to Scotland and endeavours to capture the magic and mystery she found in the ancient landscape. Its rugged and raw beauty gave her a sense of going back in time. “All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.” This quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson resonated with Martin and reflects the spirit of the exhibition. Tracing her mother’s family history, Martin travelled to Moy Castle at

Loch Buie. In a scene she likened to something from The Lord of the Rings, a northern harrier flew alongside them, appearing to escort them to the castle. The exhibition includes large original oil paintings of Moy Castle, Duart Castle, associated with the MacLean clan, and Eilean Donan Castle, among other well-known Scottish landmarks. At Duart Castle, Martin observed swallows swooping and darting about, while sparrows had seemingly taken over Eilean Donan Castle. Scotland, My Ancestral Home will remain on display for one month following the opening. A book of the same name, depicting Martin’s experience, will also be available for sale.

Layers of Love Lisa Chandler and Peter Rukavina exhibition at The Gallery The fall art rotation at The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro in downtown Charlottetown will include Layers of Love, an exhibition of relief prints and letterpress broadsides from Charlottetown artists Lisa Chandler and Peter Rukavina. The exhibition will feature solo and collaborative work exploring themes of order, chaos, beauty, nostalgia, and unburdening. Artwork by Lisa Chandler (left) and Peter Rukavina Lisa Chandler is an emerging printmaker focusing on reduction relief prints, impactful, sometimes whimsical mescomplex multi-layered works that sages. Trained as a newspaper printer, involve carving a linoleum block, Rukavina uses a 111-year-old printing printing an ink layer, carving more, press and metal and wooden type to printing another ink layer, and so on, make art from words and letters. destroying the block in the process, Partners in life and creativity, as and so limiting the number of prints Queen Square Press, Rukavina and that can exist to only those produced Chandler work from a print shop in in the limited edition. Chandler’s work St. Paul’s Parish Hall in downtown explores the natural world in detail, Charlottetown. Learn more about their and is richly textured and colourful. work and the exhibition on Instagram Peter Rukavina is a longtime letterat @queensquarepress. press printer, subverting the traditions The exhibition is on view from of job printing to communicate simple, September 1 to November 30.

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 21

Janowicz and Worth Exhibitions by two Island painters at Ellen’s Creek Gallery

Sunrise near Kelly’s Cross by Marianne Janowicz (left) Arbor Geist by Damien Worth

Two painters with unique perspectives on PEI’s changing landscape will exhibit their work at Ellen’s Creek Gallery in Charlottetown from September 5–26. Marianne Janowicz will explore the contours and colours of earth, sky and water on canvas, recording the Island’s fragile ecosystem. Damien Worth will present a range of works on paper and canvas that reference the augmentation of natural spaces. Both artists are interested in the relationship between natural and manufactured environments. “I hope that my images of this land, sea and sky help others appreciate this complex environment in which we live,” says Janowicz. “I say ‘complex’ because we are in a place that has been heavily manipulated by humans for a long time. If we think of the Island as a canvas, it is very small for all of the activities and expectations we have for it.”

Janowicz, who is based in Stanchel, PEI, currently focuses on oil on canvas. She has exhibited her work at a number of Maritime galleries and is represented in the PEI Art Bank. Worth is a multidisciplinary artist based in Belfast, PEI. He views his art-making process through a lens of existential journeying and a quest for “resting points of reflection.” His paintings present terrains that exist between worlds—inevitably unresolved, in flux and elusive. Worth has exhibited in group and solo exhibitions nationally and internationally, and his work is held in both private and public collections, including the Confederation Centre Art Gallery permanent collection, the PEI Art Bank, and the Global Affairs art collection for embassies and consulates. An opening reception for these exhibitions will be held on September 5 from 3–5 pm. All are welcome.

History of Victoria Park The City of Charlottetown, in partnership with the Prince Edward Island Regiment Museum, invites residents to visit a new pop-up display, A History of Victoria Park in Photos. The exhibit features a collection of historic photographs, postcards, and plans documenting the evolution of Victoria Park. In 1873, 40 acres of Government House land were transferred from the Crown to Autumn Walk, a circa 1910 postcard, shows one of the the City of Charlottetown for many trails in Victoria Park use as a park, promenade, and pleasure ground. By 1905, additional the first floor of the Confederation pieces of land, including a field west of Court Mall and is open for viewing Government House, the Prince Edward during mall hours until October 15. Battery, and land for the Victoria Park For information about donating hisRoadway, were added to create the torical photographs or permitting the waterfront park residents and visitors City to scan historical images, email enjoy today. Natalie Munn at nmunn@charlotteThe pop-up display is located on town.ca or call 902-629-4158.

COURTESY OF CITY OF CHARLOTTETOWN

New pop-up display on view at Confederation Court Mall

Page 22 The BUZZ September 2026

Brent MacLaine

Cavendish, Prince Edward Island September 24-27, 2026 FEATURING

Mary Walsh

Linwood Barclay

Tara Gereaux

Friday, September 25

Saturday, September 26

Sunday, September 27

Readers, writers and storytellers are invited to join us at the Cavendish Literary Festival featuring an exceptional lineup of Canadian literary voices.

EVENTS • Spotlight author sessions

• Mindful movement & literary walks

SEE THE FU L TO

Tickets starting at $25 Festival Passes starting at $139

OOK YOU R &B

Get your tickets at cavendishliteraryfestival.com

AY ST

• Book signings & readings

CHEDULE LS

• Writing workshops

SCA N

• Panels & discussions

Bookmark, Charlottetown’s locally owned, independent bookstore, will host a celebration of Brent MacLaine’s contribution to the PEI literary community on September 17. The event will begin at 7 pm in the Schurman Market Square in the Don & Marion MacDougall Hall at UPEI. The evening, which will be co-hosted by UPEI Professor Emeritus Richard Lemm and PEI Poet Laureate Bren Simmers, will include readings of Brent’s poetry by other Island writers, colleagues, and friends. Admission is free, and all are welcome. When asked about Brent’s contribution to the Island literary community, Richard Lemm said: “Brent MacLaine has been highly respected and cherished as a PEI and Atlantic Canadian poet since his first collection, Wind and Root, was published in 2000. For readers and other writers, his poetry has modelled the seamless blending of virtuoso craftsmanship with richly-hued substance. His poems meld skillful poetic form and music with finessed emotions, striking perceptions, and memorable insights. Their substance ranges from his rural Island heritage to his time away, from western Canada and Asia to Scotland, Ireland, and Greece, the latter informing his book Athena Becomes a Swallow and Other Voices from The Odyssey. “Brent’s poetry mixes down-toearth and elegant language, fine arts and everyday culture, seriousness and wit, subtly critical irony and

SUBMITTED

A celebration of literary achievement at UPEI

Brent MacLaine

heartening sincerity, lament and celebration. His work encompasses venerable traditions and 21st-century changes for better and worse, family farms and suburban sprawl, schooners and cruise ships. “As a poet, and as a beloved professor of Atlantic Canadian and other literatures for many years at UPEI, Dr. Brent MacLaine is a PEI and Atlantic Canadian treasure.” Brent MacLaine is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of English at UPEI and the author of six volumes of poetry, including his latest A Skeptic in Springtime. He grew up in the rural community of Rice Point, PEI, to which he returned after teaching at universities in Vancouver and Edmonton, as well as in China and Singapore. His awards for poetry include a League of Canadian Poets prize, the Prince Edward Island Book Award, and the Atlantic Poetry Prize.

BOOK LAUNCHES Nicholas Herring

Bookmark will launch Island author Nicholas Herring’s new novel Your Breath in Charcoal on September 3 at 7 pm in Studio 1 at Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown. Nicholas will be in conversation with UPEI professor Greg Doran. This event is free, and all are welcome.

Dr. Brenton D.G. Dickieson

A book launch for Dr. Brenton D.G. Dickieson’s new book, In The Spiritual Imagination of C.S. Lewis, will take place at the Summerside Library on September 13 at 2 pm. There will be a Q&A with the author, followed by refreshments.

Sandy Kowalik

A book launch for PEI artist and author Sandy Kowalik’s The Alexander Drive

Project, published by Island Studies Press, will be held on September 16 at 7 pm in the Faculty Lounge, Main Building, Rm 201, UPEI.

Emily St. John Mandel

Bookmark welcomes author Emily St. John Mandel to Charlottetown for the launch of her new book Exit Party on October 22 at 7 pm at Florence Simmons Performance Hall. The evening will be moderated by Island author Caitlyn Paxson. Tickets: bookmarkreads.ca

Ann Cleeves

Bookmark welcomes author Ann Cleeves to Charlottetown for the launch of her new novel The Dying Light on October 29 at 7 pm at the Delta Prince Edward. Cleeves will be in conversation with Mattea Roach, host of CBC’s Bookends. Tickets: bookmarkreads.ca

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 23

Creative Careers by Jane Ledwell

OCTOBER 4

Summer Burnout Don’t ask creative workers on the Island if they got to the beach this summer. That perfect beach day? You remember the one, with puddle-warm water, low surf, and no jellyfish? In the arts and culture sector, creative workers were probably working too hard to go to the beach, trying to wring a year’s worth of income out of the short summer season. “Summer burnout” is how artist Becca Griffin described their experience on a beach-worthy Wednesday that was for them a fourteen-hour workday, trying to balance at least three jobs that week, most of them short-term summer work. Becca’s experience is not unusual for creative workers, who are more than twice as likely as workers in other fields in Canada to hold multiple jobs, with this being all the more likely for women and creatives in smaller provinces like PEI, according to recent analysis by Hill Strategies. And multiple job-holding has increased, not decreased, in creative fields since the pandemic. In PEI, multiple job-holding is most intense in summer. Summer burnout manifests itself in both individuals and organizations. Johanne Vigneault, head of the Community Museums Association, sees the effects on museums and heritage sites that only have sufficient funding to be open and have employees for the summer. Year-round work would be good not only for the cultural workers but would permit year-round maintenance of heritage infrastructure and collections, preparation of programming and exhibits, succession planning, and volunteer coordination. Intense seasonality not only burns out human resources in heritage but risks the permanent loss of vital heritage and cultural resources. The revolutionary solution we need is guaranteed basic income. Ireland famously has made permanent a program of basic income specifically for artists, supporting two thousand of the country’s creative-sector workers with basic living expenses for a few years. Before the program was made permanent, the pilot demonstrated a return of €1.39 for every €1.00 the government spent on supporting artists’ well-being, with more than €100 million ($160 million Canadian dollars) in social and economic benefits. In February 2024, in a call for basic income guarantee in PEI, musician Carlie Howell observed, “A silent struggle permeates the lives of many talented individuals – we can’t afford

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our careers in music.” They said, “As the cost of doing our jobs increases while our income sources shrink, we stay quiet and hustle harder than we can healthfully sustain.”

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Look at our senior creatives who receive a guaranteed basic income guarantee in the form of Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. Artists with basic income don’t stop working. They gain the dignity of choice about what work they do and can exit the coercive working conditions of a gig economy. Performing, yes, but freed from the necessity of saying yes to every gig. Writing, sculpting, painting, film-making, yes – perhaps more than ever, and perhaps with more income from creative work – because the guaranteed basic income creates enough stability and security to take creative risks. Income security allows creatives not only to create, but to take care of their own health, to care for others, to pass on their skills and experience, to volunteer in the community supporting and maintaining cultural resources. A guaranteed basic income not just for artists but for everyone would benefit creatives but also many other groups that face precarity. Imagine a PEI where we didn’t have to burn out in the summer just to keep the lights on in the winter.

Page to Pitch 2026 finalists take the stage at City Cinema for program finale After months of developing their original film and TV ideas through the PEI Writers’ Guild’s Page to Pitch screenwriting development program, six Island writers will now take the stage in the program’s finale event at City Cinema on September 13. The 2026 program finalists are Bo Ding, Sara Underwood, Charlie Steele, Jay Gallant, Jeremy Thornhill, and Jorge Moreno. In front of a live audience and a panel of guest judges, they now have the chance to pitch their projects for a share of $15,000 in project development funding, with the winner(s) announced at the end of the event. Doors open at 4 pm, with the event running from 4:30–6 pm. Tickets can be purchased at peiwritersguild.com.

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PEIWG Poetry Club

The Poetry Club meets at 10 am on the first Saturday of each month at the Voluntary Resource Centre (81 Prince St) in Charlottetown. The next meeting is September 5. Members share a favourite poem by another writer and, if they wish, one of their own. The club is open to PEI Writers’ Guild members. To become a member, visit peiwritersguild.com.

Queer Poetry Club

The Queer Poetry Club meets on the first Saturday of each month from 2–4 pm at the PEERS Alliance office in Charlottetown. The next meeting is September 5. The club offers members of the queer community an opportunity to write, read, and listen to poetry in a supportive environment. Snacks and materials are provided, and no poetry experience is needed. Info: queerpoetryclub@proton.me

Bring Your Own Book Club

Teens can join the Summerside Library and PEERS Alliance for Bring Your Own Book Club at the library on September 8 at 4 pm. Participants will discuss their latest reads, enjoy snacks, and take part in the occasional book-themed activity.

Writers’ Social

The PEI Writers’ Guild (PEIWG) invites writers of all genres to a free, drop-in social at bar1911 in Charlottetown. Meet other writers, share ideas, and build community over tea or coffee. The Writers’ Social happens on the second Saturday of each month at 1 pm. The next meeting is September 12. Info: peiwritersguild.com

Book Lovers Book Club

The next Book Lovers Book Club meeting at the Charlottetown Library is on September 15 at 6 pm. Join an informal, conversation-style chat about books with

OCT BUZZ DEADLINE September 15

other bibliophiles. No assigned reading or registration is required.

Creative Writing Group

A creative writing group meets at bar1911 in Charlottetown on the third Saturday of each month at 10 am. The next meeting is September 19. Hosted by the PEI Writers’ Guild, the group offers a supportive space for writers to share their work, participate in workshops, receive constructive feedback, and develop their skills. Info: peiwritersguild.com

Afternoon Book Club

The Afternoon Book Club will meet at the Summerside Library on September 21 at 1 pm. Pick up this month’s selection at the circulation desk.

Writers’ Open Mic

The PEI Writers’ Guild hosts an open mic on the fourth Thursday of every month at the Gallery Coffee House and Bistro in Charlottetown at 7 pm. The next open mic is September 24. Writers, readers, and attentive listeners come together to support courageous writers. Those interested in reading can sign up on-site the night of the event.

Monday Night Book Club

The Monday Night Book Club meets at the Charlottetown Library on September 28 at 6 pm. The group of like-minded book lovers chooses a new title each month. New members are welcome.

Scary Story Contest for Kids Throughout September, school-aged kids are encouraged to work on a scary story for the Charlottetown Library’s second annual Scary Story Contest. The submission deadline is in October

The hidden island podcast Sixth season begins in September The hidden island podcast returns for a new season this autumn, taking listeners on a series of journeys through the people, places and stories that have shaped Prince Edward Island. Hosted by Rafe Wright, season six begins September 28. From Mi’kmaq traditions and Gaelic heritage to lighthouse legends, ghost stories, and remarkable Island residents whose lives reached far beyond these sandy shores, this season blends history, mystery, and discovery in equal measure. Episodes from previous seasons are available at peimuseum.ca and wherever listeners get their podcasts.

An eve with Ann Cleeves Bookmark brings bestselling author to Charlottetown Bookmark will welcome international bestselling author Ann Cleeves to Charlottetown for the launch of her new novel The Dying Light on October 29 at 7 pm at the Delta Prince Edward. Cleeves will be in conversation with Mattea Roach, host of CBC’s Bookends. Lori Cheverie, manager of Bookmark, says “We have been working behind the scenes to bring Ann Cleeves to the region for more than two years and are so excited that CBC’s Mattea Roach agreed so readily to be our moderator. Hosting amazing author events is part of Bookmark’s commitment to our Island readers and we know this one is not one to be missed.“ New York Times bestselling author Ann Cleeves returns with the fourth Two Rivers mystery featuring detective Matthew Venn. In The Dying Light, Venn and his team are called in to investigate a puzzling death. The body of a young woman has been found in the swimming pool of a lavish holiday home in North Devon, and her best friend is missing. Caught between a powerful family’s secrets and a powder keg of local tensions, Venn must navigate a treacherous path. Knowing that the real answers lie not in what people say, but in the silence that they keep. Cleeves is the bestselling author of more than 35 critically acclaimed

MARIE FITZGERALD

READERS/WRITERS

Ann Cleeves

novels. In 2017, she was awarded the highest accolade in crime writing, the CWA Diamond Dagger. She is the creator of popular detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez, and Matthew Venn, who can be found on television’s Vera, Shetland, and The Long Call. Cleeves also spends her time advocating for reading to improve health and wellbeing and supporting access to books. In 2021, her Reading for Wellbeing project launched with local authorities across the North East. She lives in Northumberland where the Vera books are set. Tickets are available at bookmarkreads.ca.

Exit Party Emily St. John Mandel book launch at Florence Simmons Bookmark will welcome bestselling author Emily St. John Mandel to Charlottetown for the launch of her new book Exit Party on October 22 at 7 pm at Florence Simmons Performance Hall. The evening of books and conversation will be moderated by Island author Caitlyn Paxson. Exit Party is a novel of doubles, shadow worlds, and fractured timelines. Emily St. John Mandel unfurls a story that takes the reader from a future America splintered by civil war to the seaside cliffs of Greece where weapons dealers hide in an elegant resort, and from the domed city of Paris to a colony on the moon. It is a novel about the price of safety, the perils of the surveillance state, a requiem for a world not unlike our own, and a story of resilience in the face of cataclysmic change. Emily St. John Mandel is the author of six previous novels, including Sea

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Page 24 The BUZZ September 2026

Emily St. John Mandel

of Tranquility, The Glass Hotel, which was shortlisted for the Giller Prize, and Station Eleven, which was a finalist for a National Book Award and was included in the New York Times Best 100 Books of the 21st Century list. Her work has been translated into thirty-seven languages and adapted for television, including the Station Eleven series and the recently announced Exit Party series, which Emily will be a co-showrunner. Tickets are available at bookmarkreads.ca.

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 25

A gift of Island Poetry Now it occurred to the grey-eyed goddess Athena / to make a figure of dream in a woman’s form — / Iphthimê... The goddess sent this dream to Odysseus’ house / to quiet Penélopê and end her grieving. BOOK IV

IPHTIMÊ: THE CONSOLATION OF PENÉLOPÊ Penélopê — forgive me sister — I sidled by the bolted door and, through the latch, entered on a draught — a rare ambrosial breeze from Zeus himself. Athena sent me. Think of me as a wisp of sweetened smoke. I am a welcome sigh — the breath of ease. Leaves move aside for me. The clover nods, and I coax the warm waves of summer to the sandy shore. My stroking pleases the weary ploughman at the end of day. I smooth the furrows of a wrinkled brow. I am a soothing sigh — the breath of ease. I am the soft words a loving mother needs to hear – Telémakhos is well. He will return to you. Athena sees to everything. And now, I leave as deftly as I came — not a door-creak will you hear. I am a thankful sigh — the breath of ease. —Brent MacLaine Brent MacLaine is a Professor Emeritus in English at UPEI and the author of six poetry collections, including Athena Becomes a Swallow. Each month Bren Simmers selects a poem by an Island poet for The Buzz.

Cavendish Literary Festival The 2026 Cavendish Literary Festival returns September 24–27 with 35 events, 45 featured Canadian voices, and new programming that blends literature, food, music, and community. Bestselling author, actor, comedian and This Hour Has 22 Minutes co-creator Mary Walsh will headline the festival’s Friday evening Spotlight Session. The 2026 schedule includes events for all age groups, from writing workshops and author presentations to kids’ programming, a French-language conversation, a literary walk, and headline spotlight sessions. Highlights include: The Literary Table: From Page to Plate with Chef Adam Loo; a workshop led by PEI writer and publisher Mo Duffy for past Crowan Award winners; the Salon du livre de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard; the PEI Rare Book Fair; and An Evening with Kate Quinn and Janie Chang.

DAVE HOWELLS

Four day event returns for second year—Sept 24 to 27

Author, actor, and comedian Mary Walsh headlines Friday evening Spotlight Session

For tickets and to learn more, visit cavendishliteraryfestival.com and follow the festival on social media.

Page 26 The BUZZ September 2026

PEI BOOKS Your Breath in Charcoal Nicholas Herring

working-class odyssey rife with references to literature, film, and 90s music, Your Breath in Charcoal peers into the mind of its irrepressible and relentlessly quotable East Coast everyman. The novel marks yet another galvanizing entry into the East Coast literary canon. Herring graduated from St. Jerome’s University with an honours degree in English Literature and attended the University of Toronto, where he completed an MA in Creative Writing. He lives in Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island, where he works as a fisherman and a carpenter. Your Breath in Charcoal is his second novel.

graduate of the Ontario College of Art, working primarily in sculpture and assemblage. A native of Hamilton, Ontario, she has made her permanent home in Charlottetown, PEI, since 1986. Kowalik’s work can be found in the Canada Council Art Bank, the PEI Art Bank, the Confederation Centre of the Arts Gallery’s permanent collection, and private collections worldwide.

Flying High on PEI:

Prince Edward Island and Canada’s First Transatlantic Flight Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail Jennifer DesRoche

The Alexander Drive Project Sandy Kowalik Bookmark, Charlottetown’s independent bookstore, will launch Island author Nicholas Herring’s new novel Your Breath in Charcoal on September 3 at 7 pm in Studio 1 at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Herring will be in conversation with UPEI professor Greg Doran. This event is free, and all are welcome. Like Nicholas’ debut Some Hellish, which drew comparisons to David Adams Richards, Your Breath in Charcoal has its roots set on PEI. The novel centers around Knickle, a young, working-class Islander with no friends, direction, or purpose in his life. When he drives to northern New Brunswick to pick up an acquaintance’s brother from a mental health hospital, the pair make a sudden decision to travel further west to try to find a life amidst the chaos of Upper Canada, and in the process Knickle experiences friendship, madness, love, and loss. A hilarious, sensitive, and heady

Post-war bungalows, also known as “victory houses,” were built across Canada to house returning veterans and their families. The Alexander Drive Project by PEI artist and author Sandy Kowalik tells the story of one such neighbourhood built in 1948 in Charlottetown. Published by Island Studies Press, the book will be launched on September 16 at 7 pm in the Faculty Lounge, Main Building Room 201, UPEI. This social history chronicles how the street has evolved over the last 75 years, touching upon themes of affordable housing, supportive neighbourhoods, mental health, addiction, violence, changing demographics, gender roles, and the impact of climate change. Kowalik blends archival research, resident interviews, and photographs, along with a series of garden assemblages made from found objects recovered from her yard to create a portrait of how the neighbourhood came to be and of the people who call(ed) it home. Kowalik is a Fine Art honours

Danielle Metcalfe-Chenail will be launching the book Flying High on PEI at the Cavendish Literary Festival of September 19. It’s 1930, and kids swimming in the bay by Tea Hill, Prince Edward Island, are thrilled: An airplane just landed on the field beside them. And not just any airplane. This is the Maple Leaf, and the two men on board are planning to fly it across the ocean to England. But bad weather has forced them to land on PEI. Where they have to wait. And wait. The kids jump at the chance to help the flyers and ask all their questions about the upcoming trip, like “Is it safe?” and “Won’t it be loud?” and “How will you go to the bathroom?” Then they follow along to find out if their new flying friends actually complete their record-breaking flight. Flying High on PEI is based on the true story of Canadian pilot Erroll Boyd and American navigator Harry Connor, who flew a Bellanca monoplane across the Atlantic after being grounded on PEI and the Island kids who were enchanted by them. It captures the excitement and magic of a time when flight was brand new and flyers were heroes.

in the early 1990s. During a punishing summer, a group of teenagers notice adults losing their place mid-sentence, familiar conversations repeating word for word, and parts of town that no longer fit together properly. The adults blame the heat, but the teenagers see a pattern. The novel blends coming-of-age fiction with quiet psychological horror, drawing on the Island landscape and the uneasy freedoms of growing up in the early 1990s. It is available locally at The Curated Coast’s year-round Charlottetown shop and seasonal Cavendish location, and online at amazon.ca.

Bloodlines and Battlefields:

Memoirs of Life and Service Robert J. Weatherby

Serling’s Cross Len J. MacDonald PEI author and lifelong horror fan Len J. MacDonald released his debut novel, Serling’s Cross, on July 22. Serling’s Cross is a psychological horror novel set in a fictional PEI town

PEI author Robert J. Weatherby released Bloodlines and Battlefields: Memoirs of Life and Service in June. From the brotherhood of the battlefield to the bonds of family, the book is the powerful true story of a Canadian soldier who lived by duty, led with

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 27

honour, and never forgot where he came from. Born and raised in Charlottetown, PEI, Weatherby is a retired Canadian Armed Forces member who served with distinction for over 31 years, including overseas deployments and leadership roles at the highest levels. He had the unique experience of being a member of the Military’s National Investigation Service and served not just as a major crime investigator, but as a crime scene expert and one of few homicide trained investigators in the Canadian Forces. Weatherby continues to serve his community with the same dedication he brought to the military.

Les moutons de Vimy Michel Bourque François Thisdale Michel Bourque recently launched the new picture book, Les moutons de Vimy, illustrated with great sensitivity by François Thisdale. It is published by Bouton d’or Acadie under the direction of Marie Cadieux. Les moutons de Vimy tells the story of Alex, a young artist discovering the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France for the very first time—sketchbook and pencils in hand. Under the curious gaze of a very special flock of

sheep, he explores this historic place with his parents, where traces of the First World War stand alongside the hope of a better future. Through a child’s eyes, the story invites readers to reflect on peace, gratitude, and remembrance. “This project is deeply meaningful to me,” says Bourque. “Through Alex and the sheep of Vimy, I wanted to pay tribute to Canadian soldiers while gently reminding readers that the greatest victory is always peace. I dedicated the book to Walter Allward, whose vision for the memorial is also rooted in peace… a peace we celebrate on September 21, the International Day of Peace, and one we can choose to cherish every day of the year.” Michel Bourque grew up in Cocagne, NB and lives in Charlottetown, PEI. Les moutons de Vimy is available through booksellers or online.

Page 28 The BUZZ September 2026

PERFORMANCE music, theatre, dance, comedy...

›› until Sept 5 | select dates

Anne of Green Gables—The Musical™ Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

›› until Sept 5 | select dates

C’Mon In! An Island Kitchen Party

Ft. Robbie Doherty and Pierce Clarke. The Mack, Charlottetown

›› until Sept 24 | select dates

Live at the Horseshoe Tavern Dinner theatre. Stompin’ Tom Centre, Skinners Pond

Sept 10–11 | 7:30 pm

An Evening of Led Zeppelin Ft. Carrie MacLellan, Aron Scott, Stephanie Bouchard, and Maxwell Gallant. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Sept 4 | 9 pm

Soirée des retrouvailles

›› until Oct 26 | select dates

Anne & Gilbert: The Musical Florence Simmons Performance Hall, Charlottetown

Mondays | 8 pm

Sept 4–5, 18–19 | 8 pm

Queerly Canadian: A Drag Cabaret The Arts Guild, Charlottetown

Sept 5 | 8 pm

Role Models Tribute to Avril Lavigne & Simple Plan. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Sept 2 | 8 pm

Sept 2, 10, 17 | 7 pm

Nashville Nights at the Trailside Ft. Roland Beaulieu, Kelley Mooney, Ryan P, and Mat Hannah. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Sept 3 | 8 pm

Island Jazz: Tribute to Kenny Wheeler ft Siobhan White

Ft. Sioghan White. Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown

Sept 3–4 | 8 pm

Heather Rankin

The Fiddling Fisherman Lookout, Souris

Sept 3–6

Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival Abram-Village

Sept 11 | 7 pm

Common Sound: Round Three

Sept 11 | 7:30 pm

Richard Wood: An Evening of Celtic Music

The Arts Guild, Charlottetown

Sept 4–5

Sept 5, 19 | 4:30 pm

Montuno Cubano: Bringing the Heat of Latin Music

The Final Recordings of an Almost Extinct Bird

Ft. KEV. Evangeline Recreation Centre, Abram-Village

Rat Tales Comedy Night Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown

Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown

Ft. Romy Munkres, Tom Gammons, and Emilea May. Beaconsfield Carriage House, Charlottetown

Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Ft. Brielle Ansems, Carlie Howell, Julain Molnar, Alicia Toner, Mike Ross, and Max Gallant. Harmony House, Hunter River

Sept 10 | 8 pm

Sept 4 | 8 pm

Watermark Theatre, Rustico

Kim Albert, LeFunk, Salty Dogs, Love Junkies, Laura & Don, Adam and The Foes, Wannabeez, and DJ Flycore. Hillsborough and Prince Sts, Charlottetown

Behind The Veil

Victoria Playhouse, Victoria

Bed and Breakfast

Corner Street Daze

›› until Sept 26 | select dates

Catherine MacLellan, Rachel Kilgour, & Lucy Farrell

Island Jazz: Island Flamenco Jazz ft. Iván Garnica

Sept 3–12

›› until Sept 26 | select dates

Come From Away

Sept 7 | 7:30 pm

Stanley Bridge Hall, Stanley Bridge

Sept 5 | 7:30 pm

Gypsy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac

Kings Playhouse, Georgetown

Sept 5 | 8 pm

Kurk, Joey & Jamie Band

Stompin’ Tom Centre, Skinners Pond

Sept 5 | 9:30 pm

Évangéline and Gabriel Dance

The Conversation

Britannia Hall, Tyne Valley

Sept 11 | 8 pm

Wild World

Tribute to Cat Stevens/Yusuf. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Sept 11 | 8 pm

Sept 13 | 2 pm

Fascinating Ladies of Country Ft. Olivia Blacquiere, Stephanie Ross, and Haley Zavo. Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Sept 13 | 7 pm

Phase II: An Evening with the King: The Music of Elvis Presley West River United, Cornwall

Sept 15 | 6:30 pm

Colores de Mexico: Noche Mexicana The Arts Guild, Charlottetown

Sept 16–17 | 7:30 pm

The Conversation

Watermark Theatre, North Rustico

Sept 17 | 8 pm

The Sadies and Terra Lightfoot

PEI Brewing Company, Charlottetown

Sept 17 | 8:07 pm

@fter eight: A Comedy Gameshow The Arts Guild, Charlottetown

JJ Chaisson

Sept 17–20

Sept 11–12

Ft. Luka Hall, Krysten Cameron, Ray Knorr, The Ross Family, Kim Albert, Keelin Wedge, Hélène Bergeron, Rémi Arsenault, Inn Echo, The Blues House Band (Got Blues), Ben Chase, Signal Hill, Jason Martell, Girl’s Night Out, and Shell Yeah! (Craig Fair Productions). Charlottetown Event Grounds.

The Fiddling Fisherman Lookout, Souris

Sommo Festival Ft.Twenty One Pilots, Sombr, Kaleo, Natasha Bedingfield, Hazlett, Lawrence, Leith Ross, Wild Rivers, Baby Nova, Sofia Camara, Kellie Loder, Loviet, Down With Webster, Jade Lemac, Hans Williams, Crash Adams, Melt, Sonreal, Maris, Edgehill, DeeDee Austin, Flower Face, Shane Pendergast, and Altered By Mom. Cavendish Beach Events Centre, Cavendish.

Sept 12 | 8 pm

Lady Soul

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Sept 12 | 8 pm

140 Smooth Bore Reunion

Stompin’ Tom Centre, Skinners Pond

Sept 12 | 7:30 pm, Sept 13 | 2 pm

PEI International Shellfish Festival

Sept 18 | 7 pm

Adam Hill album release Beaconsfield Carriage House, Charlottetown

Sept 18 | 7:30 pm

UPEI Faculty & Alumni Concert

Steel Recital Hall, Charlottetown

Sept 18 | 7:30 pm

Sarah Hagen: Of Water I Sing! St. Paul’s, Charlottetown

Ft. Beauxmont. Evangeline Recreation Centre, Abram-Village

The Conversation

Sept 6 | 2 pm

Sept 13 | 1 pm

Nathan Wiley Band

Meet Your Neighbours: The Many Cultures of PEI

Sept 18–19 | 7:30 pm

Canadian Pipers and Pipe Tunes on the Western Front

Community fundraiser. Historic St. Mary’s, Kensington

Sept 6 | 1 pm

Tuning Into Nature

Ft. PEI Symphony Orchestra. Meike Trail, Morell

Victoria Playhouse, Victoria

CultureSHIFT event. The Arts Guild, Charlottetown

Sept 13 | 2 pm

Les Barocudas

Under the Spire. Historic St. Mary’s, Kensingtion

Sept 18 | 8 pm

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Big Love: The Music of Fleetwood Mac

Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

…continued on page 32

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 29

Al Tuck My Blues Away

SCREENINGS

Documentary screening at City Cinema

Free screenings at the Charlottetown Library

Free screenings are offered at the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre. The Afternoon Movie Club series continues with To Kill A Mockingbird (PG) on September 1 at 1 pm. On September 8, join the Anime Club (18+) at 6 pm to watch and discuss two episodes, chosen at the start of each meeting. On September 25, teens can enjoy a movie with pizza and popcorn after hours at 6 pm (enter through the back doors between 5:15–5:45 pm). On September 27, families can enjoy Dog Man at 1 pm.

SUBMITTED

Cinema Under the Stars

PEI songwriter and folk singer Al Tuck

Following its Canadian Premiere at the Atlantic International Film Festival, the raw, deeply human feature documentary Al Tuck My Blues Away is coming home. Directed, produced, and shot by Irish-Canadian filmmaker Brian Harrington, this independent labour of love was filmed over a period of eight years and offers an unparalleled, intimate look at one of Canada’s most enigmatic songwriters. The film will run for a limited one-week engagement at City Cinema in Charlottetown starting September 30, highlighted by a special in-person Q&A featuring Al Tuck and Brian Harrington on October 2. Hailed by Leslie Feist as a “living legend” and by Joel Plaskett as his “greatest musical influence,” Al Tuck has spent decades on the margins of the mainstream, crafting deeply human songs from his home on Prince Edward Island. Harrington’s debut feature uncovers the semi-mythical figure behind the music, exploring the

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profound beauty and personal cost of total artistic devotion. “We are living in very conformist times,” says Harrington. “True artistic eccentrics often fall through the cracks, and I want this film to serve as a humble corrective within the Canadian musical community. Al’s tunes have gotten into the very soul of some of our most acclaimed writers.” The 90-minute film features moving and insightful interviews with a pantheon of Canadian musical royalty, including Amelia Curran, Catherine MacLellan, Matt Mays, Jason Collett, and Joel Plaskett. Almost entirely self-funded, the production mirrors the grit of its subject, surviving production pauses and personal loss to deliver a powerful testament to creative resilience. Celebrated singer-songwriter Steve Poltz called the documentary “riveting,” while East Coast filmmaker Geoff D’Eon noted, “We’ve all gone for too long in the dark. This doc shows us the light switch.”

The City of Charlottetown is hosting free outdoor movie nights at the Victoria Park Cultural Pavilion at 8:30 pm from September 3–5, weather permitting. Screenings include: The Devil Wears Prada 2 (PG-13) on September 3, Superman (PG13) on September 4, and Hoppers (PG) on September 5. Concessions are available for purchase. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or folding chairs. A blankets-only area will be identified onsite to ensure optimal viewing for all. Info: charlottetown.ca/cinema or follow @City of Charlottetown on Facebook for weather-related updates.

Free screenings at the Summerside Library

Free screenings continue this month at the Summerside Library. Families can enjoy snacks and one last family film before school starts with Hoppers on September 4 at 1 pm. The monthly Monday Matinee series continues with Belfast (G) on September 14 at 2 pm.

Island Jazz & Roving Picture Shows A few years ago, Island Jazz facilitated the donation of a piano to City Cinema in Charlottetown for the cine-concert series presented there in partnership with Roving Picture Shows. Already more than 110 years old, the instrument had charm, history, and character, but needed serious attention before it could

truly shine—extensive restoration and tuning. Max Keenlyside did exactly that, working both in his workshop and on site. On September 8 at 7 pm, Keenlyside will showcase the newly revitalized piano in concert, followed by a screening of Ernst Lubitsch’s The Oyster Princess, with Keenlyside improvising a live soundtrack to accompany the silent film. Tickets are available at the door or at linktr.ee/rovingpictureshows. Follow @ rovingpictureshows for updates.

Silent Movie Day

Every September 29, movie lovers celebrate Silent Movie Day. Martin Scorsese once said: “If you’re at all interested in cinema, then you’re interested in silent cinema, because that’s where the art form originates. That’s where the language of cinema came into being.” Roving Picture Shows and Island Jazz help keep silent film alive by pairing films with local musicians, creating a conversation between early cinema and contemporary artists. While these cine-concerts take place throughout the year, Silent Movie Day is a special occasion to pay homage to cinema’s origins and the artists who created a visual language that, even as formats have changed, remains part of our lives today. Follow @rovingpictureshows to see what they have planned for Silent Movie Day.

Page 30 The BUZZ September 2026 Classic of the Month:

The Rocketeer August 31 Adventure/Science Fiction. PG, violence. Dir: Joe Johnston, US, 1991, 108 min. Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton. Presented in memory of our friend and longtime volunteer Veronica Hicks.

Earl’s brother Gerald is eager for him to sell to local businessman and politician Harry. At the same time, Earl is dealing with a strained relationship with his daughter, a handyman demanding payment, a recent cash theft, and the demands of the projection room. The story plays out in real time, and, due to the lack of a projectionist, the slowly mounting tension is punctuated by reel changes every 15 minutes for tonight’s performance of Breathless… Support your local cinema and go see this gem.” —Bren Murphy, RTE Ireland

iconic Greek myths of Orpheus, Eurydice, Persephone and Hades... Mitchell’s show has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon... Six years after stepping out on stage together, the original stars reunite, supported by members of the West End cast, for a spellbinding show that reaffirms the magic of musical theater. With gorgeous music, brilliant performances, and a timeless love story at its center, Hadestown: The Musical is for both diehard fans of the musical and newcomers alike.” —Cyrus Cohen, Tribeca Film Festival

Island Jazz & Roving Picture Shows present:

PEI Live Dubs Presents:

Max Keenlyside in Concert

Lonely Wives

Followed by

September 13, 1 pm

The Oyster Princess

Welcome to City Cinema from The Charlottetown Film Society City Cinema is owned and operated by our non-profit Society. We welcome donations, and can provide tax receipts. We will continue to present a diverse mix of films and welcome your suggestions and support. Become a member, bring friends, and share feedback!

Advance Tickets Please visit our website at citycinema.ca, we accept all major credit cards online and both debit and credit at the cinema. Seating may be limited, advance tickets are strongly recommended.

Subject to Change Film availability and showtimes are subject to change. Please check our website and book tickets in advance.

“A most entertaining escapist adventure about a gee-whiz 1938 American pilot who finds a rocket backpack designed by Howard Hughes and uses it to foil undercover Nazis. Directed by Joe Johnston, this picture rips along with cascading energy and ends up being more entertaining than the last Indiana Jones film... Timothy Dalton steals the show as a Hollywood actor who wants the rocket pack for his own reasons... Set designs are top-notch, and the smart dialogue had my preview audience hissing and cheering at appropriate moments.” —Gene Siskel, The Chicago Tribune

September 8, 7 pm Music/Comedy. G. Dir: Ernst Lubitsch, Germany, 1919, approx 120 min. (concert and film). Victor Janson, Ossi Oswalda, Harry Liedtke. Regular $20, Child/Student $15

Once Upon a Time in a Cinema September 1–7 Comedy/Drama. PG, language, violence. Dir: David Gleeson, Ireland, 2026, 93 min. Colin Morgan, Calam Lynch, Niamh Cusack, Clara Crichton. Sponsored by The Benevolent Irish Society (Open Captions - Sept 5, 2 pm show)

City Cinema is available for rent for private film viewings! We provide the projectionist and will have the canteen and bar open for your group. Please check the Venue Rental on our website and send us an email! We’ll respond with information and rates.

A concert followed by a silent film with live accompaniment! Max Keenlyside recently completed an extensive restoration of City Cinema’s 100‑year‑old piano. To showcase the magnificent results he will perform a concert on the newly revitalized instrument. His performance will be followed by a screening of Ernst Lubitsch’s The Oyster Princess, a German farce satirizing the American ‘nouveau riche’ through the story of a millionaire’s spoiled daughter and her chaotic path to marriage. Max will improvise a live soundtrack.

Admission

Hadestown September 9–14

Rent City Cinema

Regular Member 65 and over Student 14 and under

$13 $10 $11 $11 (with ID) $9

We now accept credit cards online and both debit and credit at the cinema

Annual membership - $30.00

Musical. PG, mature themes. Dir: Rachel Chavkin/Brett Sullivan, UK/US, 2026, 141 min. Reeve Carney, Eva Noblezada, Patrick Page, André De Shields. “Burst pipes, rats and financial pressure torment a Limerick theatre owner in 1984 in David Gleeson’s heartwarming love letter to cinemas. The business model of having groups of people convene in a large room to watch a feature length film is one that’s been under constant threat. Television, pandemics and streaming services have all taken shots... but cinema lives on, audiences still find their way back to their seats… And nobody understands that like a cinema owner in the midst of the VHS revolution in the 80s. Earl Clancy is running a local single-screen theatre handed down from his father. Despite the building being the centre of the community, the financial woes are intense, and

Winner of 8 Tony Awards (Open Captions - Sept 12, 2 pm show)

Comedy. Dir: Russell Mack, US, 1931, 85 min. Edward Everett Horton, Laura La Plante

Live Dub cast includes Carter Baird, Leigh Emerson, Lambert Garceau, Chris Gildart, Stacey Janzer, Michelle Neville, Sam White, and Siobhan White. All proceeds will be donated to the Alzheimer Society of PEI.

Watch actors and foley artists breathe new life into this raunchy bedroom farce from 1931 with a unique live-dubbed performance of Lonely Wives (18+ recommended). Lawyer by day and womanizer by night, Richard Smith hires an impersonator to fool his meddling mother-in-law so he can go out while his wife is away. But when his wife unexpectedly comes home early to who she thinks is her husband, chaos ensues. The PEI Writers Guild presents:

Page to Pitch Finale 2026 September 13, 4:30 pm All seats $5 After months of developing their original film and TV ideas through the PEI Writers’ Guild’s “Page to Pitch” screenwriting development program, 6 Island writers will now take the stage in the program’s finale event at City Cinema! In front of a live audience and a panel of guest judges, they will have their chance to pitch their projects for a share of $15,000 in project development funding, with the winner(s) announced at the end of the event! Featuring 2026 finalists Bo Ding, Sara Underwood, Charlie Steele, Jay Gallant, Jeremy Thornhill, and Jorge Moreno. Presented by the PEI Writers’ Guild, with support from Innovation PEI. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased through the PEIWG website at www. peiwritersguild.com.

The Salt Path September 15—19 Drama. PG, language, mature themes. Dir: Marianne Elliott, UK, 2025, 115 min. Gillian Anderson, Jason Isaacs, James Lance. “Hadestown: The Musical comes to the silver screen as the five principal members of the original Broadway cast reunite in the West End for this reinterpretation of timeless love stories from Greek mythology. Exploring the

(Open Captions - Sept 19, 2 pm show) “Gillian plays Raynor Winn who finds herself homeless with husband Moth (Jason Isaacs) after they’re evicted from their house. With nowhere to go, the pair buy a tent and take

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 31

the 600 mile scenic route from Minehead in Somerset to Poole, Dorset. To make matters more difficult, Moth has been diagnosed with an incurable and fatal condition, making it difficult for him to walk. Along the way, they meet both generous locals and obnoxious old men. What could have been a long, depressing slog turns out to be a life-affirming experience for the couple. Raynor and Moth find joy in nature and in each other’s company. The Salt Path is both beautiful and emotional, while avoiding being syrupy sweet. And England’s rugged coast couldn’t have asked for a better advert.” —Grant Rollings, The Sun “The Salt Path is probably the best film I’ve seen so far this year. It is a simple story, well written and performed, and staged with some robust beauty. This is a funny, loving, honest and unsentimental wee gem. Go and see it in a cinema.” —The Post (NZ)

The Weight September 19–25 Drama/Action. 14A, language, violence. Dir: Padraic McKinley, Germany/US, 2026, 115 min. Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe, Julia Jones, Austin Amelio.

transporting stolen gold in exchange for their freedom is equal parts political leaflet and western folklore, resulting in a slick thriller that charges breathlessly forward… An absolute delight… It’s been four years since the Great Depression thrust single Oregonian father Samuel Murphy and his young daughter Penny into poverty, but he keeps her amused by speeding their rickety Ford through open fields, pretending to be an outlaw of the Old West… Murphy is locked up after a violent misunderstanding. Sentenced to labor in a prison camp under the watchful eye of the stringent, hard-nosed Warden Clancy (Crowe), Murphy uses his skills as a handyman and mechanic to expedite his roadway building in the hopes of having days or weeks knocked off his six-month sentence. He’s up against a ticking clock: Within 30 days, Penny will be made a ward of the state and put up for adoption… If he and three prisoners of his choosing can help one of Clancy’s associates out of a bind, he’ll sign their release papers early… The Weight moves with furious focus and rollicking intensity… and makes its unlikely heroes look phenomenally cool.” —Siddhant Adlakha, IGN.com

a minute rock show, the stars of which just happen to be an old British king’s wives.” —Jacob Richardson, Film Focus “The cast members deliver flawless vocal performances and their visible enjoyment in performing these roles is infectious. We can thank the writers for handing the power back to a group of 16th century women who had little control over their lives. In a musical that’s brimming with references to popular music, there’s bound to be something for everyone, and the film is a must-see.” —Rebecca Sinclair, Musical Theatre Review

city cinema schedule * Open Captions screenings are listed in red.

AUGUST 31

Mon 7:00 The Rocketeer

SEPTEMBER 1

Tue

7:00 Once Upon A Time…

Al Tuck My Blues Away

Wed 7:00 Once Upon A Time…

September 30–October 6

Thu

7:00 Once Upon A Time…

Music Documentary. Rating PG, coarse language, mature content. Dir: Brian Harrington, Canada, 2026, 90 min. Al Tuck, Matt Mays, Buck 65, Joel Plaskett.

Fri

7:00 Once Upon A Time…

Sat

2:00 Once Upon A Time… 7:00 Once Upon A Time…

Sun

Mon 7:00 Once Upon A Time…

Tue

Wed 7:00 Hadestown

Six The Musical Live!

Thu

7:00 Hadestown

September 26–29

Fri

7:00 Hadestown

Sat

2:00 Hadestown

Winner, Best Feature Documentary, Folkestone Independent Film Awards (With a special appearance by Al Tuck on October 2)

Musical. PG, language, mature themes. Dir: Liz Clare, UK, 2026, 93 min. Jarnéia Richard-Noel, Millie O’Connell, Natalie Paris, Alexia McIntosh, Aimie Atkinson, Maiya Quansah-Breed.

7:00 Once Upon A Time… 7:00 The Oyster Princess

7:00 Hadestown 13

Sun

1:30 Lonely Wives 4:30 Page to Pitch 7:00 Hadestown

Winner of over 35 International Awards (Open Captions - Sept 26, 2 pm show)

Mon 7:00 Hadestown

Tue

Wed 7:00 The Salt Path

Thu

7:00 The Salt Path

Fri

7:00 The Salt Path

Sat

2:00 The Salt Path

7:00 The Salt Path

7:00 The Weight

“A gruff, must-watch Ethan Hawke leads a delightful band of outsiders in The Weight, a Depression-era heist film that oscillates between slow burn drama and nail-biting intensity. Its tale of prisoners tasked with

“The film captures the original West End stage production of Six: The Musical, which tells the story of King Henry VIII’s six wives - reimagined as 21st century pop stars. They form a girl group to tell their stories and compete for who had the worst experience with the king, complete with a bevvy of catchy songs and fierce performances… Six: The Musical is no ordinary show… this isn’t a tense dramatic reading or important musical work; it’s a mile

A portrait of one of Canada’s greatest but uncelebrated songwriters, Island native Al Tuck. The film follows his journey of wrestling demons, of financial hardship and isolation, and is a moving depiction of a father and loving son. This is a story that offers timely questions: what does it mean to succeed as an artist, and what is art without honesty? Director Brian Harrington spent nearly a decade making this intimate portrait, weaving together Tuck’s songs with reflections from those whose lives and careers he influenced. Tender, honest and deeply rooted in the Maritimes, the film is a celebration of an extraordinary songwriter whose influence has long exceeded his fame.

Open Captions for select screenings We have had requests for Open Captions, so we are going to give them a try, when available, for our Saturday matinees staring in September. Open captions display the film’s dialogue and other important sounds as text on the screen, making the film more accessible for Deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences, as well as anyone who finds captions helpful. See our listings for which titles will have them, and let us know if you have any feedback! Please check our online listings or Facebook page for any last-minute changes. Be sure to follow us on our social media pages for up-to-date reminders and updates to our schedule. Email info@citycinema.ca to sign up for our newsletter and stay in the know with all the goings on!

7:00 The Weight

Sun

Mon 7:00 The Weight

Tue

Wed 7:00 The Weight

Thu

7:00 The Weight

Fri

7:00 The Weight

Sat

2:00 Six The Musical Live!

7:00 The Weight

7:00 Six The Musical Live! 7:00 Six The Musical Live!

Sun

Mon 7:00 Six The Musical Live!

Tue

7:00 Six The Musical Live!

30 Wed 7:00 I’ll Tuck My Blues Away

OCTOBER 1

Thu

7:00 I’ll Tuck My Blues Away

Fri

7:00 I’ll Tuck My Blues Away

Sat

2:00 I’ll Tuck My Blues Away 7:00 I’ll Tuck My Blues Away

Sun

7:00 I’ll Tuck My Blues Away

Mon 7:00 I’ll Tuck My Blues Away

Tue

7:00 I’ll Tuck My Blues Away

citycinema.ca

Page 32 The BUZZ September 2026

PERFORMANCE music, theatre, dance, comedy... …continued from page 28 Sept 19 | 7 pm

The Mortified and A Ghost Story Live readings ft. Kassandra Bulger and Benton Hartley. Beacosnfield Carriage House, Charlottetown

Sept 19 | 8 pm

Sept 20 | 6 pm

Ben Albert

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

SOS—The ABBA Experience: A Tribute Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Mark Winters: Good Vibes Highway Tour

Sept 24 | 8pm

Gord Bamford: As Long As There’s A Bar Tour

PEI Brewing Company, Charlottetown

The Arts Guild, Charlottetown

Sept 25 | 6:30 pm

Sept 20 | 2 pm

The Once

Under the Spire. Historic St. Mary’s, Kensingtion

Nudie and Lawrence Maxwell: Ode to Outlaws Souris Show Hall, Souris

Cinema Stars UNDER THE

September 3 - 5 Victoria Park

SEPT

Sept 25 | 7:30 pm

Queer X Folk: Songwriters in the Round

Sept 25 | 7 pm

Stompin’ Tom Centre, Skinners Pond

The Conversation

Steel Recital Hall, Charlottetown

Sept 20 | 7:30 pm

Sept 19 | 8 pm

Sept 19–20 | 2 pm

piano)

Ft. Jack Pine, Noah Malcolm, and Mattie Comeau. The Arts Guild, Charlottetown

With Trinity Bradshaw. Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown

Jonny Ray & Louise Arsenault

Duo Concertante (violin &

Comedy Cave at The Factory, Charlottetown

Sept 22 | 7 pm

Mike McKenna Jr, Frank Sultana, & Jon Hines

Sept 25 | 7:30 pm

8:30 PM The Devil Wears Prada 2 Rated: PG-13

SEPT 8:30 PM

Superman

Hoppers

Rated: PG-13

SEPT 8:30 PM Rated: PG

Concessions available for sale on-site. Blankets and folding chairs encouraged. For more information, visit charlottetown.ca/cinema

Dennis Ellsworth

Lil Red Schoolhouse Music Series. PEI Fox Den, North Bedeque

Sept 29 | 8 pm

True Mountain Laurel

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Sept 30–Oct 24 | select dates

Ladies of the Canyon

Ft. Brielle Ansems, Robin Anne Ettles, Emilea May, and Alicia Toner. Harmony House, Hunter River

Oct 1 | 7:30 pm

Grace, 2: Celebrating The Tragically Hip

Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Oct 1–2

Sept 25 | 7:30 pm

Ocean Kin

Press Play on New Horizons Fundraising Concert

Oct 2 | 8 pm

Victoria Playhouse, Victoria

Sept 25 | 8 pm

July Talk

PEI Brewing Company, Charlottetown

Sept 25 | 8 pm

Dunk River Band

Creedence Clearwater Revival and John Fogerty tribute. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Sept 25–27

Goolaholla! Festival Ft. Alysha Brilla, Charlie Needs Braces, De Temps Antan, Great Lake Swimmers, Julie Pellissier-Lush, Kim Churchill, Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors, Paige Ballagh, Ria Mae, The East Pointers, The Pairs, Villages, Shawn Hogan, Patrick Ledwell, Mark Haines, Kiara Ra, Monica Lacey, Madame Abbey & Friends, Tunes and Tales, Lord of the Flies, Lucy Farrell’s Folk Choir, Daria and Mieke, and Fundance. Rollo Bay Fiddle Grounds, Souris.

Sept 26 | 7 pm

Yuk-Yuks Comedy Competition

With Sorry! Comedy Festival. Comedy Cave at The Factory, Charlottetown

Sept 26 | 7:30 pm

Morgan Davis

Copper Bottom Brewing, Montague

Sept 26 | 8 pm

Nudie & Liam Corcoran

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Sept 26 | 8 pm

Jay Gavin Duo

Stompin’ Tom Centre, Skinners Pond

Sept 27 | 7:30 pm

Anmol.Magic: Out of This World Canada Tour

Florence Simmons Performance Hall, Charlottetown

The Arts Guild, Charlottetown

Don Ross and Julie Malia

Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Oct 2 | 8 pm

David Francey

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Oct 3 | 7:30 pm

James Mullinger

Victoria Playhouse, Victoria

Oct 3 | 7:30 pm

Supernaut: Ozzy—Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning

Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre, Summerside

Oct 3 | 8 pm

Vintage 4.0: Ballads & Bangers Volume 3

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Oct 4 | 7:30 pm

In Spite of Ourselves: An Evening of John Prine Kings Playhouse, Georgetown

Oct 7 | 7:30 pm

Take It To The Limit: The Music & Legacy of The Eagles Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Oct 7–11

The Island Fringe Festival Various venues, Charlottetown

…more at buzzpei.com

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 33

2026 Symons Medal The Confederation Centre of the Arts has announced that the Honourable Bob Rae, PC, CC, OOnt, and KC will join the Honourable Rosalie Silberman Abella, CC, FRSC when she receives the 2026 Symons Medal, for a conversation on Canadian confederation, moderated by veteran journalist Steve Paikin. The Honourable Marie Deschamps, CC, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, along with Robert Sear, co-chair of the Symons Medal Committee and board chair for the Confederation Centre of the Arts, will present the award to Justice Abella. This year’s presentation also marks the inaugural convening of the Palmer Institute for Canadian Leadership at the Centre, bringing together leaders and thinkers to build on the dialogue sparked by the Symons Lecture. The medal presentation will take place on September 25 at 1 pm during a public ceremony at Sobey Family Theatre in Charlottetown, with a free livestream available for those joining remotely. The event is free to attend, in person or via livestream. Tickets for the Symons Medal Presentation and Lecture are available now. Since 2004, the Symons Medal Presentation and Lecture series has

DAVE CHAN

Rosalie Abella will be joined by Bob Rae for presentation

The Honourable Rosalie Silberman Abella

provided a national platform for diverse and distinguished Canadians to share their thoughts on the current state of Confederation, giving all Canadians the opportunity to reflect upon our country and its future. The medal is named in honour of the late Professor Thomas H.B. Symons, founding President of Trent University and a passionate advocate for Canadian Confederation, widely recognized for his contributions to public policy, heritage and education. Medallists are invited to engage Canadians in thoughtful dialogue about the nation’s past, present, and future.

THIS NOVEMBER, THE CHOICE IS YOURS

Meet Your Neighbours Celebrating what shapes PEI at The Arts Guild—Sept 13 Meet Your Neighbours: The Many Cultures of PEI will be held at The Arts Guild on September 13 at 1 pm. Supported by CultureSHIFT, this free

community event celebrates the artists, performers, and cultures that help shape Prince Edward Island. There will be live performances and opportunities to connect with newcomer artists and local arts and cultural organizations. The event is part of Welcoming Week and is open to everyone who wants to meet new neighbours, share stories, and celebrate the creativity of PEI’s diverse communities. The Arts Guild is located at 111 Queen Street, Charlottetown.

for Mayor Let’s choose: A HOUSING Plan that Builds A FUTURE we are Prepared for TRANSPORTATION that Connects CITY GOVERNMENT by and for its Citizens

Learn more! Get involved! www.amirformayor.ca

FOOD & DRINK Teas & Tales

A Victorian-themed experience is bringing history, tea and storytelling together at The Haviland in downtown Charlottetown. Tea & Tales was launched in 2026 to commemorate the 190th anniversary of the birth of Esther Lowden, one of Prince Edward Island’s earliest female entrepreneurs. Inspired by her story, the two-hour experience combines traditional morning or afternoon tea with historical storytelling, occasional live music and the setting of one of Charlottetown’s heritage buildings. For Islanders, Tea & Tales offers a chance to learn about the stories connected to a historic house many pass by every day. For visitors, it offers another way to learn about PEI’s history while having sandwiches, scones and desserts, tea, and coffee. Following interest from guests who were unable to attend weekday sessions, Tea & Tales has added Saturday sessions to its remaining season. Upcoming weekend sessions take place at noon on September 5 and 19, with sessions at 10 am and 2 pm on October 3 and 17. Tea & Tales will continue through the end of October. For reservations and more information, find Tea & Tales on Eventbrite or call 902-316-3844.

An Evening in the Gardens

An Evening in the Gardens takes place on September 12 at the PEI Preserve Company in New Glasgow. The outdoor dining experience will be held in the Gardens of Hope beginning at 4:30 pm with an “appy hour,” followed by a multi-course dinner led by Chef Christine Flynn, and live entertainment throughout the evening. Chef Christine Flynn will lead the PEI Preserve Company’s culinary team for the night, bringing her own point of view to a menu built around what’s fresh and local. DRFTR will provide live music throughout the evening, and the cocktail program, hosted by Marsha Doiron during the opening appy hour, will feature PEI Preserve Company products. The event will feature communal outdoor seating in the gardens. “It’s been a dream of ours to host events like this

in these beautiful gardens,” says Doiron, creative director and host. “We wanted to create something special for the off season, right here in our rural community.” Tickets and more information are available at preservecompany.com/ pages/an-evening-in-the-gardens-withchef-christine-flynn.

Taste of Georgetown

Taste of Georgetown returns to Kings Playhouse on October 2 with food and live entertainment. The annual culinary celebration showcases the flavours and hospitality of Eastern PEI. This year, guests can choose from the Garden Lunch Experience, the Evening Dinner Experience, or both. The Garden Lunch Experience will feature lobster rolls, oysters, salads, and desserts from Georgetown’s Maroon Pig. The Evening Dinner Experience will feature a fourcourse menu with local seafood, seasonal produce, herbs grown in the community garden, and ingredients sourced from Island producers. Live entertainment throughout the day will include performances by Luka Hall, Carlie Howell, Raymond Knorr, and Olivia Blacquire. Tickets are available at kingsplayhouse. com or by calling 902-652-2053

Light, Love & Legacy

Hospice PEI will hold its first charity gala dinner on October 3, marking more than 40 years of providing hospice care in the community. The Light, Love & Legacy gala will take place at the Rodd Royalty Hotel in Charlottetown from 6–10 pm. Presented in partnership with The Island’s Country CFCY 95.1 FM, the event will include dinner, entertainment, a few surprises and fundraising in support of Hospice PEI and its programs and services. The evening will be hosted by Lee Ruby, with live entertainment by singer-songwriter Jolee Patkai. Tickets include a charitable tax receipt. Organizations can receive a discount when booking a full table. Proceeds from the event will support Hospice PEI’s work in the province. Tickets are available at hospicepei.ca and through Hospice PEI’s social media channels.

30th PEI Shellfish Festival Garland Canada International Chef Challenge returns The PEI International Shellfish Festival, presented by the Dairy Farmers of PEI, has announced the twelve competitors who will face off in the Garland Canada International Chef Challenge, one of the signature competitions returning as Atlantic Canada’s largest kitchen party celebrates its 30th anniversary from September 17–20 on the Charlottetown waterfront. For three decades, the festival has brought the world to Prince Edward Island’s shore to celebrate the people, the product, and the passion behind this Island industry. As it enters its milestone year, the festival’s mission remains the same: to celebrate PEI’s shellfish industry and the harvesters, farmers, chefs, and producers who fuel it, and to help ensure it prospers for generations to come. This year’s Garland Canada International Chef Challenge brings together a roster of talent from across Canada and abroad, including chefs from Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Alberta, and Osaka, Japan. The competitors are: Chef Thoshan Alweera, Black + Blue (Vancouver, BC); Chef Greg Arsenault, Fluke at Blackbush (Grand Tracadie, PEI); Chef Alijah Casellas, The Westin Harbour Castle (Toronto, ON); Chef Steven Che, Haisan (Vancouver, BC); Chef Jordan Diniz, ēst (Toronto, ON); Chef Catherine Frenette, Bon Vivant Table Fermière (Montréal, QC); Chef Crystal Higgins, Chartier (Beaumont, AB);

AL DOUGLAS

Page 34 The BUZZ September 2026

Chef Allyson Huynh, Foxtrot at Spruce Meadows (Calgary, AB); Chef Taylor McMeekin, Cluny Bistro (Toronto, ON); Chef Jaeyoung Park, Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar (Vancouver, BC); Chef Hiromi Tsuji, Tsuji Wellness Cooking, Shinsaibashi School and Harukas School (Osaka, Japan); and Chef Tyson Wright, The Old Red Barn (Calgary, AB). The 2026 Garland Canada International Chef Challenge winner will be announced during the festival on September 20 and the winner will be presented with the biggest prize of the weekend: a cheque for $10,000. Visit peishellfish.com for the full schedule, competitions, entertainment lineup, tickets, and more.

COOKING CLASSES Local Food Cooking Class with NCPEI

Brenda Dion, program coordinator for Strengthening Aboriginal Families Effectively (S.A.F.E.) with the Native Council of PEI (NCPEI), will lead a Three Sisters Soup cooking class in the Charlottetown Learning Library Centre Community Kitchen on September 1 at 6 pm. Participants will gain hands-on cooking experience, learn practical skills and about the cultural and community connections associated with the traditional dish. Space is limited, and registration is required at peilibrary.libcal.com/ calendar/charlottetownlibrary

Tweens in the Kitchen

Teens aged 9–12 can learn new recipes and crafts after school in the community

kitchen at the Charlottetown Library on September 8, 15, and 22 at 3:30 pm. Registration is required and covers all three weeks. Info: peilibrary.libcal.com/ calendar/charlottetownlibrary

Eat, Move & Groove

Eat, Move & Groove offers free healthy eating and dance sessions for people aged 55+ on the fourth Saturday of each month from 1–5 pm in downtown Charlottetown, beginning September 26. Participants will prepare and share a healthy meal with a guest chef and learn simple dance steps from a guest dance instructor. No partner is required. Sessions are limited to the first 40 people who RSVP. To receive monthly invitations and updates, email foodexchangepei@gmail.com. Info: foodexchangepei. com or 902-916-8825

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 35

The Acadian Heart

Celtic Festival & Highland Games

Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival—Sept 3 to 6

A weekend of Scottish music, dance, athletics, and more— Sept 11 to 13

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

The 2026 Evangeline Region Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival returns to Abram-Village from September 3 to 6 under the theme “The Acadian Heart in Celebration!” The four-day celebration will bring together agriculture, Acadian culture, music, family entertainment and activities for all ages. The Festival kicks off September 3 with the Acazing Talent Show, featuring local amateur talent and the announcement of the 2026 Young Acadian of the Year. A Teen Night featuring Dawson and the Country Boys will also be held that evening. On September 4, festivities include the official opening ceremony, ATV Quebec circus troupe Vague de Cirque (above) competitions, and the Festin and horse pulling competition acadien, hosted by Georges Arsenault with traditional food in arts and crafts, home economics, and music by Louise Arsenault and produce, grains and more. Jonny Ray Arsenault. PEI entertainer September 5 also features the Michael Pendergast will perform for 10th Acadian Festival Race, a new children and families outdoors, while Carpentry Competition, Danny and Kevin Arsenault (KEV) and his band The Boys, and the Fiddle Music will take the stage for the adult-only and Dance Show. Acadian group Soirée des retrouvailles. Beauxmont returns that evening for Agricultural traditions take centre the adult-only Évangéline and Gabriel stage throughout the weekend. New Dance. this year are the Agricultural Olympic Family entertainment continues Games on September 5, with wheelSeptember 5 and 6 with Quebec circus barrow races, egg collecting, hay bale troupe Vague de Cirque, presenting its stacking and other farm-inspired chal45-minute acrobatic show En jeu. Bingo lenges, as well as cattle penning, an and the Children’s Corner will also be action-packed western riding event. offered, along with a private parent Other agricultural highlights and baby room. include the PEI Provincial Holstein The Festival concludes September 6 Show, Provincial Horse Pulling with the Closing Show and announceChampionship, miniature horse ment of the 2026 Acadian of the Year. classes, 4-H project and rabbit judging, For tickets, weekend passes, the and the children’s small animal barn. complete schedule, and more informaThe public can also enter competitions tion, visit expositionfestival.ca.

The Belfast Celtic Festival and Highland Games take place September 11–13, with a weekend of Scottish music, dance, athletics, food, and family activities. The festivities begin Friday with the Ross Family Ceilidh at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2794 Garfield Road, from 7:30–9:30 pm. Doors open at 7 pm, and snacks will be available for purchase. Saturday’s activities begin at 9 am with the Scottish Heavy Weight Competitions and the Young Bairns Challenge, featuring children’s foot races. From 9:30 am–3 pm, Scottish entertainment will include step dancing, Highland dancing, pipe bands, fiddle, singing, and guitar. Opening ceremonies take place at noon, followed by a pipe band performance at 12:30 pm and a Scottish square dance from 2–3 pm. A Scottish whisky tasting event begins at 7 pm. Throughout Saturday, visitors can also enjoy the Wood Islands Café Express, a Women’s Institute corn boil, the Selkirk Galley Canteen, strawberries and ice cream from the Belfast Historical Society, Bounce PEI, and children’s activities. The Belfast Historical Society is also the beneficiary of The Jake 2026. Sunday begins with the 5K Tartan Fun Run at 9 am. Registration opens on-site at 8:30 am, and everyone is welcome to participate. At 2:30 pm, a church service will be held in the Belle River Church of Scotland. Saturday and Sunday events take place at 112 Selkirk Park Road in Eldon (Belfast). Admission is by donation. For more information, email bhs@bellaliant.com or follow the Belfast Celtic Festival and Highland Games on Facebook.

Page 36 The BUZZ September 2026

COMMUNITY #1 Service Canada info sessions Service Canada will offer free information sessions at the Summerside and Charlottetown libraries in September. In Charlottetown, Angela from Service Canada will be available on September 3 at 10:30 am to answer questions about My Service Canada Account, the Canadian Dental Care Plan and other federal government programs and services. In Summerside, a session on the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS) and the benefits available through each will be held on September 16 at 10 am. Pensioners and soon-to-be pensioners can get tips on how to effectively engage with Service Canada. On September 28 at 7 pm, individuals can learn about the Canadian Dental Care Plan, including eligibility, services offered under the plan and what clients need to do to renew their coverage annually.

The gathering aims to create an inclusive space where secular, spiritual, and religious meditators can practice together, build community, and learn from each other. For more information or to inquire about accessibility needs, contact Susana at firehorsestudios66@gmail.com or Michael at michaelgaudet53@gmail.com, and follow @PEIGroupMeditationEvent on FB.

Funding to strengthen community and inclusion

La Leche League PEI is offering two free events in September for people who are pregnant or nursing. A 90-minute prenatal introduction to breastfeeding will be held on September 10 at 5 pm at the Gentle Beginnings Prenatal Centre, 17B Alley St, Charlottetown. Partners are welcome. On September 8, a drop-in Lunch and Learn program will be held at noon. Breastfeeding support and information will be provided, along with a complimentary lunch. Registration is required. Visit gentlebeginnings.ca or follow @lllc.pei on Facebook.

Marking five years of investment in Island communities, the Gender, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) and Community Enhancement Program is now accepting applications from residents and community groups whose projects foster diversity, equity, and inclusion across PEI. Since its inception in 2022, the program has invested more than $2,400,000 in initiatives that strengthen community engagement and encourage a greater sense of belonging across the province. Among the 2026 funding recipients was the Boys and Girls Club of Summerside, which received support for its Stick Together Festival. Delivered in partnership with Lennox Island, the festival welcomed Indigenous and non-Indigenous children, youth, and families from across Prince County to celebrate Indigenous culture, advance reconciliation, and support cross-cultural connections. Applications can be submitted by email to GEDI@gov. pe.ca until September 23 at 4 pm. Visit the GEDI program at princeedwardisland.ca for more info.

PEI Touch A Truck

Free playgroups at Chances

La Leche League PEI Lunch and Learn

The PEI Touch A Truck fundraiser returns this year at Kool Breeze Farms on September 13 from 1–4 pm. The event will feature a lineup of different vehicles, such as construction, city utility, safety, farming, police and specialty vehicles, and, of course, trucks. Vehicles have kindly been provided by members of the Summerside community. Attendees can jump inside each one and learn about an assortment of vehicles from the people that operate them every day. There will also be face painting, mascots, games, entertainment, and more. Those who are interested in entering a vehicle into the event can do so for free and will receive 10 complimentary tickets in their name. 231 Read Dr, Summerside. Info: laurafamilyplace.wixsite.com/pei-touch-a-truck

PEI Group Meditation

PEI Group Meditation sessions will take place on September 14 and 28 from 7–8 pm at PEERS Alliance (250B Queen St), Charlottetown. The guided sessions are open to all experience levels and will be led by facilitators Susan Rutherford and Michael Gaudet. Participants are encouraged to dress comfortably and bring mats, cushions, or blankets for floor seating; chairs will be available.

Chances is offering free playgroups on weekdays for children ages 0–6 in Charlottetown, Cornwall, and Stratford. Caregivers and their children can join Chances staff for activities, sensory experiences, and play while building a sense of connectedness and community. Registration is required. Info/register: chancesfamily.ca or follow on FB.

Upper Room Angels

The 38th annual fundraising campaign for the Upper Room Angels is underway, with a goal to raise $75,000. This non-denominational group provides financial support to the Upper Room Hospitality Ministry’s Food Bank and Soup Kitchen. The group raises the majority of its funds through an annual membership fee of $52—one dollar for each week of the year. Since it was founded in 1989, the group has raised over $2.8 million to help with the purchase of food and supplies needed to assist clients. To be an Upper Room Angel, mail a cheque or money order of $52 to “Angel Campaign,” with the address: The Upper Room Angels, Upper Room Food Bank, 15 Plywood Place, Charlottetown, PE C1A 5H2, or e-transfer to urhm.pei@outlook.com. Specify in the comment box what the

payment is for. Visit rhm.org to donate online. Tax receipts are provided. Info: nancy.barrett@pei.sympatico.ca

PEI Sociable Singles

PEI Sociable Singles is a social group for members aged 50 and over that meets on Tuesdays at 7 pm at the Hillsborough Community Centre in Charlottetown. This is not a dating group—just friends getting together for meals, dances, outings, screenings, and games. Become a trial member and attend any activities for four weeks before deciding to join. After that, membership is paid annually and members can attend as many activities as they wish. If interested in attending a Tuesday meet-and-greet, email sociable_singles@yahoo.com.

Municipal election info sessions

The provincial government is offering a series of voter and candidate awareness sessions for Islanders interested in participating in upcoming municipal elections. The sessions will cover the roles and responsibilities of municipal officials, the nomination process, and what voters and candidates can expect during an election period. Upcoming public sessions will take place from 10 am–12 noon at the following locations: O’Leary Access PEI on September 14, Montague Access PEI on September 16, Summerside Access PEI on September 22, and the Charlottetown Library on September 24. An online webinar will be held on September 25 at 12 noon. No registration is required for in-person sessions. Details for the online webinar will be shared in advance. Info: peimunicipalelections.ca.

Trucks for Kids

The third annual Trucks for Kids, a high-energy, family-friendly event where kids (and kids at heart) can get up close with fire trucks, police cruisers, tractors, construction vehicles, and more, will be held on September 26 from 1–4 pm at the Charlottetown Events Grounds. After drawing over 1500 attendees and featuring over 30 vehicles last year, organizers are planning to make this year even bigger. In addition to the vehicle showcase, attendees can enjoy music, games, a BBQ, and other activities. Admission is by cash donation (no ATMs onsite). All proceeds support BGC Charlottetown, a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth through after-school programs, summer camps and recreation. Follow the Facebook event page for updates.

Free TechNTalk sessions for older Islanders

Free information and technology sessions aimed at empowering older Islanders to learn more about their technological devices are now available. TechNTalk sessions will be offered across the province until October. At each session, adults aged 55 and over will receive a short presentation on technology, followed by one-on-one support from volunteers. Topics include everyday technology such as cellphones, tablets, and laptops, as

well as social media and internet use. The program is also seeking high school and post-secondary student volunteers. To volunteer, register or register someone else, contact the program coordinator at 902-218-2051 or seniors@gov.pe.ca.

Wi-Fi devices available through public libraries

Islanders without access to wireless internet can now borrow portable Wi-Fi hotspots from the PEI Public Library Service. Available to library cardholders aged 16 and older, the devices can be borrowed for up to three weeks, with a limit of one per library card and one per household. Data costs are covered by the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre Foundation. Service may be limited in areas with poor wireless coverage. For more information, visit the Public Library Service at princeedwardisland.ca.

Week Without Driving campaign

Week Without Driving PEI is an opportunity for those who have the option to drive to learn firsthand about the barriers and challenges that non-drivers face— especially older adults, youth, low-income individuals, students, newcomers, and people with physical, mental, or developmental disabilities. From October 1–8, participants can try it for a day, for several days, or for the full week. The aim is to carry out all daily activities without driving—employing any other form of transportation, whether by transit, cycling, walking, carpooling or other means. Step into the shoes of non-drivers and share your experience. Help reimagine how everyone could move better in the community. Learn more or pledge to participate at transitmatterschtown.ca/ wwd2026

The Flowing Light: An Art & Mindfulness Experience

Buddhist monks are offering the public free meditation sessions involving art at the Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute Society on September 6 and 20 at 3 pm. The 90-minute guided experience begins with a short meditation and uses art as a pathway into participants’ inner worlds. The session is meant to be a gentle journey of the soul. Life can often feel heavy, and many individuals haven’t taken the time to truly tend to their hearts. Everyone is welcome, and no previous experience with art or meditation is needed. 12174 Shore Rd, Murray River. Register at bit.ly/ flowing-light-registration

PEI Municipal 101

The PEI Coalition for Women’s Leadership will hold a public information session on the Island municipal elections happening this fall at the Murchison Centre on September 16 from 4–6 pm. Attendees can learn more about this important level of government and build a civic action plan. Everyone is welcome. 17 St. Pius X Ave, Charlottetown. Email info@peiwomensleadership.ca to register or follow on Facebook.

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 37

Community Legal Clinic

GAMES

Helping Islanders access legal advice and services

The Summerside Scrabble Club will meet on September 2 and 16 at the Summerside Library at 2 pm. Grab some tiles and use your vocabulary to chat and rake in the points on the board.

Auction in Dunstaffnage SUBMITTED

PEI’s new Community Legal Clinic opened in late July. The clinic is operated by Community Legal Information (CLI). Clinic staff include two full-time lawyers. “Our clinic will help more Islanders get free legal advice and support,” says Ellen Mullally, Executive Director at CLI. “Opening the clinic marks a step towards better access to justice on PEI. As the clinic grows, we plan to host pop-up clinics across PEI.” “Too many Islanders can’t get the legal support they need because they can’t afford a lawyer,” says Andrew MacDonald, Legal Director of the Community Legal Clinic. “Our clinic will help to fix that issue by providing free legal services to people who need them most.” Clinic lawyers offer legal services including advice, drafting legal documents, and limited representation. Eligibility depends on the legal

(L–R): Clinic staff Sheri Tucker, Hannah Jones, Andrew MacDonald, Ellen Mullally, and Aaron Giddings

problem and client’s income. The clinic provides support in the following areas of law: income and employment; planning ahead; renting (for tenants only); adult guardianship and trusteeship; and intimate images. To apply for services, contact CLI at 902-892-0853 or info@legalinfopei.ca. To learn more, visit legalinfopei.ca/ program/community-legal-clinic.

Psychic and Holistic Wellness Fair Seventh annual event returns to Charlottetown in October On October 2–4 and 23–25, Events Holistic will bring the community together for the seventh annual Psychic & Holistic Wellness Fair at Carrefour de l’Ile-Saint-Jean in Charlottetown. The Fair will offer Islanders an opportunity to explore a range of approaches to personal wellness while connecting with local practitioners, readers, and wellness providers. At a time when stress, isolation, and the demands of everyday life can leave little time for self-care, the fair provides an opportunity for visitors to learn about different approaches to wellness and consider practices that may fit into their own routines. The fair encourages visitors to take charge of their own wellness and to look beyond simply reacting when something feels wrong. It presents wellness as an ongoing journey that includes self-awareness, healthy choices, relaxation, social connection, and personal growth. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about a variety of holistic and complementary practices, including energy healing, meditation, mindfulness, intuitive practices, relaxation techniques, and other approaches that focus on nurturing mind, body, and spirit. The event also provides an opportunity for community connection. Visitors can meet new people, share experiences, and connect with others who have an interest in personal well-being.

Summerside Scrabble Club

Now in its seventh year, the Psychic & Holistic Wellness Fair has grown into an annual gathering for Islanders interested in exploring wellness from a variety of perspectives. The fair is intended to complement—not replace—professional medical or mental health care. Visitors are encouraged to make informed decisions and seek qualified health professionals when appropriate. The event is open to everyone. For more information, including event details, booking appointments, and opportunities for vendors, practitioners, and readers, visit psychicwellnessfair.com.

The card game Auction is played weekly on Fridays at 7:30 pm at the Dunstaffnage School Centre. All are welcome. Admission is at the door. 13529 St. Peters Rd, Dunstaffnage

Crokinole

Drop in to play crokinole on September 9 and 23 at 2 pm at the Summerside Rotary Library.

Charlottetown Scrabble Club

The Charlottetown Scrabble Club meets on Mondays from 5:30–8:30 pm in the Makerspace at the Charlottetown Library, starting September 14. Free to join, all skill levels are welcome.

The PEI 55+ Summer Games

The PEI 55+ Summer Games will be held from September 14 to 17. To register using the online form and for more details, visit pei55plusgamessociety.ca/ register. For updates, follow @pei55gamessociety on Facebook.

Board Game Café

Bring family and friends for an evening of board games at the Summerside Rotary Library on September 28 at 6:30 pm. Bring your own or play one from the library’s collection.

Bookworm Guessing Jar

For the month of September, teens can guess how many bookworms are in the bookworm guessing jar at the Summerside Library. The closest guess without going over wins the jar. Limit is one guess per day.

Have a renting question? We can help. 902-940-5368

renting@legalinfopei.ca Legal information for tenants & landlords.

Page 38 The BUZZ September 2026

TOURS Acadian and Francophone community-focused tour

Acadians, francophones and francophiles are invited to join a community-focused summer tour to share their feedback on priorities for PEI’s French-speaking population. Building on productive discussions with the Société acadienne et francophone de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard and a commitment to hear directly from members of the community, the Minister responsible for Acadian and Francophone Affairs is launching an annual summer series of community open-door events. The next community event will take place on September 17 at Access PEI in Souris.

Bootleggers and Barbacks Tour

The Bootleggers and Barbacks Tour runs through September 25. The walking tour examines PEI’s prohibition era, when the province was the first in Canada to enact prohibition and the last to repeal it. Guides lead guests through the history of speakeasies, pharmacy loopholes, and local bootlegging operations that continued in Charlottetown despite the

law. The tour concludes at Reddins, a Charlottetown speakeasye. The approximately two- hour tour is 19+ and departs daily at 4:30 pm from Founders Food Hall & Market. Schedule and tickets are available at confederationcentre.com or through the Centre’s box office at 1-800-565-0278.

Heritage Players walking tours

The Confederation Centre of the Arts Heritage Players walking tours run through downtown Charlottetown. Led by costumed heritage actors, these immersive experiences blend Canadian history, cultural landmarks, and local lore. The Historic Great George Tour explores one of Canada’s most storied streets and PEI’s pivotal role in Confederation. A French-language version, the Promenade historique de la Rue Great George, is also available. The Ghost Tour ventures into Charlottetown’s shadowy past with spooky tales and eerie atmosphere. This tour runs through November 7, with a special Spooky Walk on Halloween. Inside Island History is an engaging cabaret-style session held in Studio 1 at the Centre. New this year, the Bootleggers and Barbacks Tour runs through September 25. For the full schedule and to book tickets, visit confederationcentre.com or call the box office at 1-800-565-0278.

HEELS & WHEELS Cornwall Run Club

The Cornwall Run Club meets on Wednesdays at 6 pm for a social run (approximately 5 km) that starts and ends at Village Green Brewery, 30 Church St, Cornwall. Runners of all abilities are welcome. Join the Facebook group @cornwallrunclub for updates.

Tour Paramedic Ride PEI

The Tour Paramedic Ride PEI is a threeday cycling event taking place from September 2–4 to honour paramedics who have fallen in the line of duty while raising funds for a national memorial monument. Participants can choose to cycle for one, two, or all three days with support, lunch, breaks, and snacks all taken care of. Everyone is welcome. Info/ register: tourparamedicride.ca

Heart Island Tour

The Town of Three Rivers invites residents and visitors of all ages to take part in the inaugural Heart Island Tour pilot on September 26, beginning at 8:45 am in Brudenell Provincial Park. This family-friendly, non-competitive event promotes healthy lifestyles through physical activity and positive food choices. Participants can choose from two cycling routes, two walking routes, and a Walk with a Doc experience, which offers an opportunity to walk alongside local physicians and other healthcare professionals, ask questions, and have

conversations about practical ways to improve their health. Routes of varying distances will accommodate a range of ages and abilities, whether participants are looking for a casual outing or a longer outdoor adventure. Participants are encouraged to arrive before 8:45 am to allow time for registration. Everyone is welcome. The rain date is September 27. Visit threeriverspei.com for more information and registration details.

Triple Trail Trek

Island Trails invites the public to join the seventh annual Triple Trail Trek on October 3. The event offers a full day of hiking, fall colours, and personal challenge, while taking on three Central PEI trails: Strathgartney Trail (7 km), Breadalbane Nature Trail (6.5 km), and Dunk River Trail (7 km return). Combined, that’s up to 20.5 km in one day. Shorter options will be available at each trail for participants who don’t want to hike that distance. The event will kick off at 8:30 am with a sign-in and a meet-and-greet at Strathgartney before hikers make their way through all three trails, finishing the day with a social wrap-up. The Triple Trail Trek is not a race. Hikers can pick their pace, choose their distance, and enjoy a day outdoors with family, friends, and fellow hikers. Registration includes a longsleeved tech shirt. Visit islandtrails.ca or email Sara at deveausara@gmail.com for info or to register.

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 39

The Cove Journal by JoDee Samuelson

Periwinkles

It’s the middle of August—another hot day!—and the tide is way out. Some visitors from Edmonton, friends of a friend, have dropped in and I suggest we walk down to the Cove. At the shore the young mother takes her sandals off and we wade through warm tidal pools filled with tiny invisible shrimp that tickle our feet, and hermit crabs that scurry to and fro on top-secret missions. Meanwhile, her husband and sons leave their shoes on to clamber over sandstone ledges beneath the capes. When we all reconvene I point out some fossils embedded in sandstone. We discuss barnacles—the mother has read about ships in the Strait of Hormuz needing divers to scrape barnacles off their hulls. And of course we talk about the zillions of periwinkles sunning themselves on the rocks without, apparently, a care in the world. I don’t know much about periwinkles, so after our visitors wave good-bye and head back to their hotel pool, I get to thinking about them. My friend Kay’s husband’s cousin’s wife Mitzi has a childhood memory of going to the shore with her sisters to eat periwinkles. Equipped with matches and a few short lengths of wire, they would collect a tin can full of these dime-sized molluscs, boil them in seawater on a little fire without the tin can tipping over, pick the chewy meat out of the shell with a wire, and eat them on the spot. Re-reading the first sentence in the above paragraph reminds me of a recent conversation with an English teacher (my beautiful daughter-inlaw) regarding English adjectives not being thrown into a sentence higgledy-piggledy but always following a fixed sequence, namely: opinion, size,

condition, age, shape, color, origin, material, and purpose. So, “My friend’s husband’s cheerful short middle-aged healthily plump red-haired Irish wife recalls eating tin cans full of tasty tiny young round blue PEI organic snackin’ periwinkles.” But I digress. Here’s some periwinkle trivia. Their shells are blue on the outside, chocolate brown on the inside. The female lays 10,000 to 100,000 eggs at a go, the eggs being encased in a horny capsule (material like horns and hoofs). As molluscs they are proud members of the world’s second largest animal class (after insects), a group that includes slugs, snails, octopuses and squid.

They live in the intertidal zone. Shells of dead periwinkles are often rented out to hermit crabs, but as periwinkles can live for up to 20 years, hermit crabs are advised to put their names on the waiting list right now. Served with a dash of vinegar, periwinkles have been on the menu of shore-dwellers in Europe for 7500 years. They’re newcomers to our Atlantic coast, having been imported in the mid-1800s possibly attached to ballast or possibly as a product to be raised and eaten. Is this good or bad? Who knows. They’re here and they’re not going away. I must say that a carpet of periwinkles is hard to walk on bare-footed, so I’m glad the city boys kept their shoes on. I wonder what they’ll remember of their brief stop at the Cove. The color of the rocks? The cry of seagulls? I know I’ll remember the periwinkles.

OCT BUZZ DEADLINE September 15

Page 40 The BUZZ September 2026

COMMUNITY #2 Orlebar Community Block Party

Residents of Charlottetown’s North of Euston neighbourhood are invited to a free Community Block Party at Orlebar Park on September 19 from 4–6 pm. The rain date is September 22. There will be a barbecue, local music, art activities, and an opportunity to learn about emergency preparedness and to create a neighbourhood resilience map to help each other during future climate emergencies. Communities across Canada are getting together in similar ways to build ties in a time of shifting weather and increased emergencies. Resilience to rapid change is built from the ground up. This block party is made possible through the City of Charlottetown’s Climate Action Microgrant Program. Check for updates on the North of Euston Facebook page in case of inclement weather.

Free school supplies for Island students

Island students from kindergarten to Grade 9 in the public education system will again receive free essential school supplies for the 2026–27 school year to help families with back-to-school costs. The province is providing $1 million to education authorities to purchase and

distribute school supplies for more than 16,500 students across the public school system. Supplies include essential classroom materials such as pencils, pens, binders, scribblers, folders, paper, and art supplies. Since the program began in 2023, thousands of Island students have benefited from access to essential classroom materials, helping make backto-school more affordable for families. Parents and guardians are reminded that students will still need to bring their own indoor shoes, backpacks, lunch bags, water bottles and, where applicable, calculators and headphones. Visit the Free School Supplies Initiative at princeedwardisland.ca for more info.

ADHD PEI

A monthly discussion for those interested in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is held at the Charlottetown Library. The next meeting is September 16 at 7 pm. This supportive space allows peers to share experiences, seek advice, and connect with others who understand the challenges of living with ADHD.

Joe Ghiz Park 25th anniversary celebration

Charlottetown will mark the 25th anniversary of the Joseph A. Ghiz Memorial Park with a community celebration on September 19 from 2–4 pm. The Parkdale Sherwood Lions Club will have a barbecue in addition to a celebration cake, juice, and ice cream sundaes. My Climate Plan, with assistance from the Mayor’s Office, will make a donation toward the ice cream sundaes. There will also be musical entertainment, and magician Christian Southgate will perform strolling magic tricks for the audience. Parks and Recreation Department staff have worked hard this summer making the park safe for families. 29 Edward St, Charlottetown.

Climate Action Tracker platform

Following the formal adoption of the Climate Action Plan by Charlottetown

City Council in April 2025, the City has launched the Climate Action Tracker. The tracker is a public online platform designed to keep residents, community partners, and staff informed and engaged in the plan’s progress. Visit Climate Action Tracker at climateactiontracker. charlottetown.ca to learn how to get involved in building a more climate-resilient community.

Community fridges

Betty Begg-Brooks of Gifts From The Heart manages three community fridges, located at 10 Maple Hills Ave, Charlottetown, the West Royalty Community Centre, and the Stratford No Frills parking lot. Food donations can be dropped off weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm at any of the three locations. Training is provided for new volunteers, with shifts running from 9 am–1 pm or 1–5 pm. Monetary and food donations are also accepted during the week at 10 Maple Hills Ave. For after-hours drop-offs, to volunteer, or to register as a client, call Betty at 902-393-0171.

Tech Help Sessions

Digital literacy sessions are offered at the Summerside and Charlottetown libraries this month. In Charlottetown, drop-in tech help is available on weekdays at 2 pm. Bring in electronic gadgets and questions. In Summerside, individuals can get one-on-one help with basic technology, including device setup, email, downloading apps, and storage questions, on Thursdays at 3 pm. To register, call 902-436-7323.

EAL Conversation Circle

The Immigrant & Refugee Services Association of PEI offers EAL conversation circles for adults this month at the Charlottetown Library on Thursdays at 6:30 pm and Saturdays at 10 am. Adults who want to improve their English skills are welcome to join for informal conversation. Registration is not required.

Homeschooler Hour

Homeschool families with children aged 6–12 can explore science, technology, and art while connecting with other homeschooling families at the Homeschooler Hour on September 8 at 2 pm at the

Summerside Library. This month’s activity will be making oobleck and slime.

Death Cafe

A Death Cafe will be held at the Summerside Library on September 28 at 2 pm. Join hosts from Hospice PEI as they moderate thoughtful and lively conversations about mortality. Normalizing conversations about death can help individuals accept it as a natural part of life. This is not a grief support group but an opportunity to join others in meaningful conversations. Tea, coffee, and refreshments will be provided.

Toddler Play Date

Children aged 0–5 and their caregivers can enjoy a play date at the Summerside Library on September 25 at 9:30 am. Toddlers can develop a range of motor and social skills while parents connect.

Teen advisory group

Teens are welcome to join the teen advisory group on Mondays at 3:30 pm at the Summerside Library. Meetings start with an opportunity for teens to share their voices and opinions, followed by a chance to assist staff with various tasks. Participation allows teens to earn volunteer hours toward the Community Service Bursary.

Seniors Navigator

The Seniors Navigator will be at the Charlottetown Library on September 9 and 23 from 9:30 am–3:30 pm for drop-in assistance. The program helps seniors access services and programs offered by community organizations and all levels of government.

Seniors Café

At the Charlottetown Library, the Seniors Café will be held on September 15 at 6 pm. Funded by the Seniors Secretariat, the café is a place to gather and socialize in a welcoming environment.

Teen Volunteer Club

Teens interested in gaining volunteer hours or pitching cool library program ideas can join the Teen Volunteer Club at the Charlottetown Library on Mondays from 4–5 pm. Registration is required.

MP CHARLOTTETOWN

HERE TO HELP

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHARLOTTETOWN’S YOUNG PEOPLE

In 2026, Charlottetown received $1.1 million through the Canada Summer Jobs program, helping local small businesses and community organizations strengthen their teams while giving young people valuable work experience. These opportunities allow youth to build essential skills, earn income, and gain the experience they need for future career success. Across Canada, 100,000 jobs have been approved through the Canada Summer Jobs program for 2026. Office: 75 Fitzroy St., Suite 201 • Phone: 902-566-7770 • Email: sean.casey@parl.gc.ca

www.seancasey.ca

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 41

Order of PEI 2026 recipients recently announced

(L–R): Eileen Chaisson-Pendergast, Dave Stewart, and Dr. Scott Cameron

The 2026 recipients of the Order of Prince Edward Island were recently announced by the Chancellor of the Order, His Honour the Honourable Dr. Wassim Salamoun, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island, and BJ Willis, Chair of the Order of Prince Edward Island Advisory Council. The three Islanders to be invested in the Order of PEI this year are: Dr. Scott Cameron, for his dedication to creating and developing professional emergency medical services across PEI; Eileen ChiassonPendergast, for her pivotal role in rebuilding and fostering Acadian and Francophone language, culture, and community on PEI; and Dave Stewart, for extensive contributions to creative culture, and for his ongoing advocacy and support of the Island’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community. This year’s recipients were selected from a total of 38 nominees. First awarded in 1996 as the PEI

Medal of Merit, the Order of PEI recognizes Islanders who have shown individual excellence or outstanding leadership in their community or in their chosen profession. It is the highest honour that can be accorded to a citizen of the province, and individuals are nominated by their fellow citizens. Each year the Order’s Advisory Council, an independent, nine-person body of provincial officials and citizens, receives and reviews the nominations and selects three recipients to receive the Order. Insignia of the Order will be presented by the Lieutenant Governor at a special investiture ceremony in the fall at Government House, Charlottetown. Attendance is by invitation, but the ceremony will be live-streamed for online viewing. For more information and to learn more about this year’s recipients, visit the orderpei.ca. Biographies of the three recipients are attached.

Connecting for Caring

grace and mystery. Bringing these stories together reveals how deeply caring connects people, families and communities across Canada. The conversations will be facilitated by Charles Holmes, a PEI native whose career has been dedicated to bringing people together to work through complex challenges. Islanders will be to share their own experiences and consider an important question: How can we build a future where caring is recognized, valued and supported? The gathering will bring together contributors from PEI and elsewhere in the Maritimes, including Sylvia MacDonald, Jim Mulcahy, Charlene Roxborough, and Bren Simmers. Through readings, stories and conversation, they will explore the many ways caring is experienced and expressed in families and communities. “My mother was born in Orwell Cove and cared for me and my five siblings with a fierce and tender heart,” shares Etmanski. “Everything I know about caring, I learned from her. PEI has a gift for caring, and I’m looking forward to experiencing it once again.” connectingforcaring.ca

National series begins at Charlottetown Library—Sept 3 PEI is the starting point for a national series of conversations about caring when Connecting for Caring comes to the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre on September 3. The afternoon begins with participatory drop-in activities of art, craft, and story from 1–3 pm, followed by a free event from 4–7 pm featuring stories, music, food, and conversation (registration through Eventbrite). The event is inspired by Courage to Care: Ripples of Love in Action, a new book curated by Canadian social innovator Al Etmanski. Featuring the voices of more than 140 contributors, Courage to Care explores caring in its many forms: messy and relentless, a burden and a blessing, and sometimes touched by

= worththereturn.ca

RECYCLE

Page 42 The BUZZ September 2026

PEI Untamed with Kate MacQuarrie

Learn, explore, and reconnect with nature with Kate MacQuarrie of PEI Untamed. Upcoming sessions include Natural History Walks in North Rustico on September 2, 16, and 29, Wild Food Discovery in Charlottetown on September 3, Foraging and Apple Picking with the Beach Goats on September 5, an Edible & Medicinal Plant Walk in Bonshaw on September 12, and the Up West Forest Fest in Coleman on September 19. Visit pei-untamed.com for registration details and new original content about plants, fungi, and wildlife.

Seed Giveaway

Drop in to pick up free vegetable seeds and get a stamp for the City of Charlottetown’s Local Food Discovery Week passport at the Charlottetown Library until September 9. The seeds have been selected to give recipients a harvest in just a few short weeks. Check out the library’s local cooking and gardening books and see what gardening tools the library has to borrow. Visit charlottetown.ca/localfooddiscoveryweek to learn more.

Island Nature Trust AGM

Island Nature Trust will hold its annual general meeting in the auditorium at the

Voices for Biodiversity An invitation to Islanders

32nd Neil Bennett Autumn Birding Classic

DONNA MARTIN

NATURE

Charlottetown Library on September 23 from 6–8 pm. Doors will open at 5:30 pm. The meeting will welcome members and supporters for an informative evening reflecting on the year’s accomplishments and looking ahead to future milestones in conservation. Attendees can forward any questions in advance to admin@ islandnaturetrust.ca.

Yellow-rumped Warbler from the 2025 event The annual Neil Bennett Autumn Birding Classic returns September 26. For 32 years, Island Nature Trust and Nature PEI have organized this PEI conservation tradition, which celebrates migratory birds and raises vital funds for natural areas conservation on the Island. Participants can rally a team or head out solo, collect pledges, and head outside on September 26 to spot as many bird species as they can within the full 24-hour period. Birding can take place anywhere, including participants’ own backyards. The rain date is September 27. This citizen science event captures a valuable snapshot of bird species moving through PEI during autumn migration. Results are published in the Island Naturalist, contributing to decades of important research. Since 1995, the Birding Classic has raised over $70,000 for natural areas conservation. To register, make a pledge, or donate, visit islandnaturetrust.ca/ bennett_birding, email admin@islandnaturetrust.ca, or call 902-892-7513.

Festival of Forests

Macphail Woods will hold its 12th annual Festival of Forests on September 26 from 12–4 pm. The family-friendly event will have carriage rides, children’s nature crafts and activities, guided hikes, guest lecturers, booths from local environmental groups, an obstacle course, music, and refreshments to celebrate the Island’s forests. Info: macphailwoods. org, admin@macphailwoods.org, or 902-651-2575

Prince Edward Island’s ecological history runs deep, and its future is still being written. Habitat loss and ongoing biodiversity challenges are putting pressure on the species and landscapes that make this Island home. Voices for Biodiversity invites Islanders to learn and help shape what comes next. On September 23, from 3–5 pm at the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre, Island Nature Trust is hosting a community engagement event that will foster knowledge-sharing, collective visioning, and action for biodiversity conservation in Charlottetown and PEI. Local environmental organizations, educators, and community members will come together to explore the Island’s ecological history, current biodiversity challenges, and opportunities for collaborative environmental action. The event features informational booths hosted by local conservation organizations, a rotating speaker series with short presentations on PEI’s

Up West Forest Fest Bloomfield Provincial Park— Sept 19 Visit Western PEI to celebrate Island forests and watersheds on September 19. Up West Forest Fest will take place at Bloomfield Provincial Park, 38093 Route 2, from 10 am–3 pm. There will be displays, children’s activities, a free barbecue between noon and 1 pm, and music from the Riverside Boys. In addition to “wanders” (short

biodiversity, past and present, and a collaborative art activity inviting participants to envision a thriving, biodiverse future for the Island and the partnerships that can support that future. Voices for Biodiversity aims to strengthen community connections, offer hope and support to Islanders experiencing climate anxiety, amplify the work of local environmental organizations, and encourage greater civic participation in environmental stewardship. Admission is free, and all Islanders are welcome.

walks) for all ages and abilities at the park, there are six walks scheduled at various times and locations in Prince County highlighting bogs, edible and medicinal plants, a Lennox Island cultural walk, coastal forests, mushrooms, and general family walks. The Up West Forest Fest is in its second year and is organized by a collaboration among Nature PEI, Western PEI watershed groups, Island Nature Trust, the PEI Woodlot Owners Association, the PEI Watershed Alliance, and others. Admission is free. Some walks have limited space and online registration will open after Labour Day. For more information and to register, visit upwestforestfest.ca. Follow the organizing groups on social media for updates.

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 43

Tuning into Season for shorebirds Nature The Nature of PEI by Gary Schneider

As someone with a crazy fascination and interest in birds, I truly appreciate the seasonality of nature. Winter is bringing rough-legged hawks, huge flocks of snow buntings, and wideopen vistas. Springtime showers us with colourful warblers and musical thrushes. Summer tends to be quieter as birds are on nests and feeding young but still delivers on Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and a variety of flycatchers. Autumn is always a special time for birders, one where we generally move out of the woodlands and wetlands and out to the shore. The fall migration of shorebirds is truly one of the highlights of the year for birders in this province. While we don’t have the huge numbers of shorebirds that visit areas such as the Mary’s Point Bird Sanctuary in New Brunswick, we still can see hundreds along many Island beaches. Recently my family and I travelled to one of our favourite shorebird locations. The beach at Borden, in the shadow of the Confederation Bridge, is a great spot to visit at any time of the year. The beach held many species of shorebirds and a spotting scope made identification (mostly) possible. As with many categories of birds that gather—it could be gulls or winter finches or shorebirds—the first instinct is to say “I can’t tell the difference between them!” And these birds are often quick and most a mottled grey and white. Unlike male warblers in their breeding plumage, identifying most shorebirds takes some diligence. Is it the smallest bird in the flock? Then it is most likely a Least Sandpiper. Does it have yellow legs? Then it is either a Greater or Lesser Yellowleg. Does it have a white rump when it flies away from you? Then you’re looking at a White-Rumped Sandpiper. Much

of bird identification revolves around figuring out what it is not. That sounds counter-intuitive, but if you don’t know the bird right away, you start looking for clues as to what it might be. What size is it in relation to other birds around it? Are there neck bands or stripes above the eye? Does it have a long or short bill? Is the bill straight, or does it curve up or down? Is it feeding in the dry area above high tide or along the water’s edge? And if it is calling, what does it sound like? Ideally, you want to visit the beach on the incoming tide, about two hours before high tide. That’s when the shorebirds are most concentrated and easier to see. But while we try to be aware of the tides, we generally enjoy birds at the beach whenever we are there. Shorebirds can be challenging but that just adds to the fun of bird watching. This area is also a birding haven once you’ve exhausted the beach. The wastewater treatment ponds on the way to the beach are often surprisingly full of life. On this trip there were Wood Ducks and Belted Kingfishers. Then there is the marshland, where on previous outings we’ve turned up rarities such as a Black-legged Stilt and a Glossy Ibis. Several trails lead you through the woods and alongside ponds and extensive areas of cattails. We observed a Nelson’s Sparrow, more Belted Kingfishers, and a family of Pied-billed Grebes. I’ve seen these waterbirds before but have never encountered a family. It was wonderful to watch the young ones trailing after the adults. This is just one of hundreds of spots across the province where you can enjoy nature and certainly worth a trip at any time of year.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

SANDY CHANDLER

A musical nature walk at Meike Trail in Morell—Sept 6

Olasunkanmi Omotosho (left) and Dale Sorensen

The PEI Symphony Orchestra invites nature and music lovers to the Meike Trail in Morell on September 6 for a self-guided musical nature walk. From 1–3 pm, the forest will resound with instruments and voices as singer-songwriters, poets, and traditional and orchestral musicians perform at stations along the trail. The 2026 lineup includes Claire MacDonald, audio installation; Dann Downes, ambient electronics; Evelyn Yang, violin; Gerrica Doucette, horn and Katie Gaudet, horn; Julie PellissierLush, Mi’kmaq traditions; Laurie Forsyth, cello, and Olasunkanmi Omotosho, violin; Marti Hopson, accordion, and Ross Malcolm Boyd, guitar; Nick vanOuwerkerk, pipes and whistle; and Trevor Grant, percussion. The all-ages walk takes about 40–45 minutes to complete, with attendees encouraged to interact with artists between performances. Registration is required, with tickets available at peisymphony.com/store. The rain date is September 7, with updates shared by email and on social media before 9:30 am. Parking is available, and volunteers will be on site to direct traffic.

THREE TRAILS. THREE TRAILS. ONE ONE DAY DAY October 3, 2026

Strathgartney Strathgartney Breadalbane Breadalbane Dunk River Dunk River

For information on how to to register: register: info@islandtrails.ca info@islandtrails.ca

For information on how

Ten years of impact Luminos Ensemble celebrates 10th year with four concerts

SUBMITTED

Page 44 The BUZZ September 2026

Prince Edward Island’s Luminos Ensemble is celebrating its 10th anniversary season with four concerts. For the past decade, the ensemble has brought a distinct cultural experience to PEI. As an East Coast Music Awardwinning professional choir, this group of trained singers, under the direction of Artistic Director Dr. Margot Rejskind, has spent ten years inviting Island audiences to step away from the noise of daily life and experience the unfiltered, moving power of 16 voices raised in song. On November 7, concertgoers will gather for a solemn remembrance with Last Letter Home. Taking the famous poem “In Flanders Fields” as its starting point, the ensemble will give voice to and pay tribute to the experiences of soldiers serving in both past and modern conflicts. Drawing from the actual words of those who served, Last Letter Home will offer audiences a moment of collective healing. On December 19, Luminos Ensemble will present Mysterium, its annual candlelit meditation on

Christmas. This intimate and immersive musical experience makes the most of its 16 powerful voices, with an enchanting and diverse selection of seasonal music. Mysterium is a concert to soothe the hurried soul. Celebrate a decade of musical boundary-pushing on March 13 with Choir is Like a Box of Chocolates. The ensemble will share a vibrant, fastpaced journey through the singers’ favourite pieces from the past ten years. On May 29, audiences will experience the power and scale of Brahms’ Requiem. Written not to mourn the dead but to bring profound comfort and warmth to the living, the piece will be performed in a chamber version created by Brahms himself. With Magdalena von Eccher and Glen Montgomery on piano, Luminos Ensemble will present the work in an intimate performance. All concerts will begin at 7:30 pm at St. Paul’s in Charlottetown. For more information or to purchase a season pass, visit luminosensemble.com.

UPEI music recital series 2026–2027 season begins with two concerts The UPEI Department of Music launches its 2026–2027 recital series in September with two concerts featuring faculty, alumni, and guest artists. On September 18 at 7:30 pm, the series opens with the second annual Prelude to Homecoming concert, once again showcasing the Department’s new Yamaha CFX concert grand piano in the refurbished Steel Recital Hall on the UPEI campus. The concert will feature Magdalena von Eccher as a soloist and in collaboration with full-time faculty Dale Sorensen, Nicole Strum, and Sung Ha Shin-Bouey, along with part-time faculty and several Department of Music alumni. A faculty/alumni jazz combo will also be featured this year.

Duo Concertante, featuring Nancy Dahn (violin) and Timothy Steeves (piano), returns to Steel Recital Hall on September 25 at 7:30 pm. Based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, the duo will present Glaze of Glory: From Confection to Connection, a virtuosic program spanning a wide range of styles, including the newly commissioned Donut Suite, written for the duo by Canadian composer Vincent Ho. Along with works by Bach and Debussy, the program will feature Beethoven’s Sonata in G Major, Op. 96, his only late-period work for violin and piano. For more information about upcoming recitals and events, visit upei.ca/ music or contact music@upei.ca.

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 45

Global Irish Famine Way

CHORAL

Charlottetown chosen as one of the commemoration sites

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After 180 years, PEI will be recognized for the role it played in receiving Irish Famine emigrants. In an extension of the Irish Famine Way, the Global Irish Famine Way project will see bronze castings of a pair of children’s shoes installed on monuments in selected locations throughout the Irish diaspora. Charlottetown has been chosen as one of the Canadian sites. The Global Irish Famine Way extends from the National Famine Way in Ireland to follow the journeys of all the Irish Famine emigrants around the world. The bronze shoes and accompanying information that mark the National Famine Way, the Mother Trail, will also now signify each key location on the Global Irish Famine Way. Starting at the National Famine Museum (strokestownpark.ie/national-famine- museum), which is cared for by the Irish Heritage Trust, the National Famine Way is a 165 km trail in Ireland that traces the footsteps of 1490 tenants from Strokestown, Roscommon, to Dublin in 1847 during the Great Irish Famine. It was to be their last journey on Irish soil, and for the two thirds who survived the coffin ships, the first on their way to new lives in North America as part of the Irish diaspora. Their arduous trek was commemorated by the installation of 30 pairs of bronze shoes at points across Ireland along their trail. More replicas of those shoes are now being sent to ports where victims of the Famine made their new homes. Charlottetown was one of the ports that received a “famine ship” in 1847. It was the Lady Constable, 27 days out of Liverpool and having lost 25 passengers to typhus during the crossing. Another 30 died of the disease after their arrival on the Island. Through the efforts of volunteers at the Benevolent Irish Society of PEI (BIS), Charlottetown has now been acknowledged as a point on the Global

Abegweit Chamber Singers

The Abegweit Chamber Singers is about to launch its second season, with rehearsals starting in Summerside on September 10 and in Charlottetown on September 14. The group performed its well-received debut concert programme of Canadian repertoire and folksongs in both cities last spring. This fall, singers will be preparing music exploring themes of remembrance and peace, plus a few selections to welcome the coming Advent/Christmas season. There are spaces available for a few additional singers. For more information, contact Ruth Ann Read-Clay at abegweitsings@ gmail.com.

Forte Men’s Choir

Bronze shoes cast from an abandoned pair of children’s shoes (wrapped in a cloth) found in a cottage near Stroketown, Ireland. This pair will be mounted at the Benevolent Irish Society of PEI.

Irish Famine Way. Plans are underway for a stone monument with the bronze shoes to be erected on the BIS property on North River Road. The significance of this recognition underscores the extensive contribution made by Irish immigrants to our province. Our Irish ancestors suffered great hardship in their original homeland, endured perilous travels, and persevered through many difficulties to establish new homes. The international leaders of the Global Irish Famine Way (GIFW) Caroilin Callery of the National Famine Museum at Strokestown Park and Irish diplomat Eamonn McKee have appointed two individuals from the Irish community as national Canadian co-convenors: Professor Mark Mc Gowan of the University of Toronto and Michale Mc Bane, Ottawa historian and researcher. For more details, call 902-892-2367 or email me_callaghan@bellaliant.net. nationalfamineway.ie

for people who share a love of singing together. Members are mostly for-thelove-of-it singers with a wide range of musical knowledge and skill levels. The choir has performed major classics — Vivaldi’s “Gloria,” the requiems of Fauré, Mozart, and Verdi, Bach’s “Magnificat,” Handel’s “Messiah,” Karl Jenkins’ “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace,” Conrad Susa’s “Carols and Lullabies,” and most recently Haydn’s “The Creation.” The concerts are designed to appeal to a general audience. For the first term of the new season, the choir will prepare MarcAntoine Charpentier’s “Midnight Mass for Christmas,” a Baroque mass based on 17th-century French Christmas tunes. The concert on December 5 will also include traditional carol singing. Master musician Leo Marchildon will join in the performance. The spring concert will be in late April. There is no audition to join the Island Choral Society. Past choral singing experience is recommended but not necessary. For more information or to register, email islandchoralsociety@ gmail.com or visit islandchoralsociety.ca.

Cornwall Community Choir

Forte Men’s Choir resumes this fall, directed by Dr. Margot Rejskind. Rehearsals will be held at the Kirk of St. James in Charlottetown on Mondays from 7–8:30 pm, beginning September 14. The choir will work toward a festive Christmas smorgasbord of both serious and light pieces for a December 13 performance. No audition is necessary. Dr. Rejskind is experienced at helping singers develop confidence. Forte welcomes all male-identifying and non-binary singers who love singing and camaraderie. Follow @FortePEI on Facebook or email IslandChoralSociety@gmail.com for more information.

Island Choral Society

The Island Choral Society, led by Dr. Margot Rejskind, resumes rehearsals this fall on Tuesdays from 7–8:30 pm at the Kirk of St. James in Charlottetown, beginning September 15. The choir is

The Cornwall Community Choir resumes rehearsals and welcomes new and returning members for the autumn term on September 16. Practices are held Wednesdays from 12:30–2:15 pm at West River United, 10 Church St, Cornwall, under the direction of Lisa Stead. The choir rehearses traditional and contemporary music that is fun to sing. No experience is required. New members are asked to pre-register by September 1. Contact Nancy Jack at nmcjack@gmail. com or 902-675-3838, or Johanne Gass at johannegass@gmail.com or 902-940-0730. Pre-registration will ensure that binders and music are sorted and ready by the first practice. Fees are due at registration from 11:15 am–12:15 pm, immediately before the first rehearsal. Fees are payable by cash or cheque.

Confederation Youth Chorus and Confederation Singers Fall registration for the Confederation Youth Chorus and Confederation Singers’ 2026–27 season is now open. Visit app.gostudiopro.com/online/ccoa to register.

Dance Card Charlottetown bassist and composer Adam Hill celebrates the release of his new album Dance Card with a 7 pm concert on September 18 at the Beaconsfield Carriage House in Charlottetown. Dance Card, an album of duets featuring Hill on upright bass alongside nine different musical partners, showcases some of the Island’s most inventive musicians. Bringing together artists from folk, jazz, and classical communities, the recording includes Tiffany Liu, Tom Gammons, Maya Márquez, Chris Corrigan, Diana Delirio, Matt Bridges, Karen Graves, Caedda Enright, and Luisa Güiza. The release concert will feature duets with Liu, Graves, Gammons, Márquez, and Bridges, each performing the pieces they helped create. The night will culminate in a special ensemble performance in the collaborative spirit of the Charlottetown Improvisation Laboratory. Dance Card grew out of the Improv Labs, an experimental concert series that Hill hosted at City Cinema in Charlottetown over the past two years. Each event brought together musicians who had never performed together before, blending original compositions and improvisation in unexpected combinations. Every piece on Dance Card was written for those concerts before being reimagined in the studio as an intimate duet. While many Islanders may know

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Adam Hill album release at Beaconsfield—Sept 18

Adam Hill

Hill through Atlantic String Machine and his work across various music scenes on PEI, Dance Card is the first album to place his upright bass playing at the centre. Moving fluidly between folk traditions, improvisation, and atmospheric studio textures, the recording reflects Hill’s ongoing interest in how different musical worlds can meet and inform one another. The release concert offers a rare opportunity to hear many of the album’s collaborators celebrate the project together. Admission is at the door.

Of Water I Sing! Sarah Hagen solo piano recital at St. Paul’s—Sept 18 Pianist Sarah Hagen presents Of Water I Sing!, a joyous concert celebrating the gift of water, on September 18 at 7:30 pm at St. Paul’s in Charlottetown. The programme features Ravel’s “Jeux d’eau” (Water Games), Debussy’s “Reflets dans l’eau” (Reflections in the Water), and works by Chopin, Liszt, and others. Both music and water are elemental to life, responding to a deeply felt need. The two often intertwine in our speech and thought: we talk about a thirst for beauty and the way music flows. In this programme, Hagen explores music’s extraordinary ability to harness both the beautiful rhythms of waves and rainfall, as well as the sense of calm and depth that can result from water’s stillness. Known for her unique, heartfelt interpretations and witty commentary,

MCKINNON PHOTOGRAPHY

Page 46 The BUZZ September 2026

Sarah Hagen

Hagen tours across Canada and internationally. Admission is pay-what-you-will by e-transfer to sarah@sarahhagen.com, online at sarahhagen.com, or at the door on the eve of the performance.

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 47

Talking from Experiences by Ashleigh Tremere

ASHLEIGH TREMERE

Spellbinding

Stilt walkers

Over the last ten years the River Clyde Pageant weekends have come and gone; not once did I have the ability to see it in person. From its inception I’ve found myself drawn to the concept of it and then, after each passing, lamenting that yet again I missed it. The realization that it’s been a decade of that cycle made me resolute to change the pattern. One of my children was in an accident last September and it left them in chronic pain and restrained in their activities. This child thrives on a schedule full of extracurriculars, and when those were replaced by constant appointments instead, naturally they began losing their joyful spark. In particular, they missed dancing the most. Then I saw the River Clyde Pageant call for dance ensemble members and, with none of the traditional avenues making more than a small dent, I wondered: What about magic? “Magic” is how seeing and being involved in the River Clyde Pageant has been commonly described. I’d seen their accessibility and inclusion plans for other events; I knew they had measures in place for different ability levels. The sheer excitement my child had upon learning they would get to dance in some capacity through the summer was immense. Through weeks of rehearsals I watched them become uplifted by their involvement. Creating, meeting new people of all ages, dancing in community. The pain didn’t disappear but the joy returned and, as they said to me: “The

pain is easier to deal with when I’m happy.” Crush my heart! River Clyde Pageant is created in the community it calls home, and each year that community grows and extends and builds upon itself through its actions and reputation. After seeing it firsthand through my small adjacent involvement, I understand why it is embraced year after year. So it was settled: I’d definitely be seeing the show and bringing the rest of our family. My youngest has no interest in stillness—even in sleep. They were not looking forward to the idea of a 90-minute pageant. I told him, “No worries, if you get bored or antsy, there is a trail you can wander around or a bell tent to go do chill activities in.” He was enchanted the whole time and, when it was over, amazed that it was done. It left him wanting more. I had a similar feeling and remarked that I could easily watch that again. In fact, I watched it twice more. I brought my mother along as a birthday outing, one that would not have been possible without their easily reserved golf carts for those who have mobility issues. Then I saw they still needed volunteers for the final night and decided to sign up. As advertised, the volunteers generally get to watch the show. Each performance felt like holding your breath and having it taken away at the same time. You should probably find a way to experience the magic next year.

Page 48 The BUZZ September 2026

PEI RECORDINGS ALBUMS Laisse-moi faire ma own thing Aubin pi la S.C.B.

Band) is now based in the Maritimes and made up of Riel Gallant (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Robbie Gallant (electric guitar), Shane Arsenault (drums), and Dawson Arsenault (bass). Fiddle on the album is performed by Samantha Arsenault (“Si j’te vois back”) and Keelin Wedge (“Les machines”). Recent highlights for the band include winning the Prix de l’Acadie Award at the 2025 Music PEI Awards and opening for Blue Rodeo at the 2025 Canada Day concert in Summerside, PEI. Visit aubinpilasbc.com or follow @ aubinpilascb on social media for updates

Reflecting Light KINLEY

Acadian garage-rock band Aubin pi la S.C.B. from Abram-Village, PEI, released its new album, Laisse-moi faire ma own thing, on August 19. The album’s lead single, the title track “Laisse-moi faire ma own thing,” sets the tone with catchy riffs, driving grooves, and raw energy. Staying true to the band’s signature greasy sound, the record blends gritty garage rock, unapologetic attitude, and a touch of traditional fiddle from the Évangéline Region. Following several singles released over the past year, Laisse-moi faire ma own thing brings together a collection of songs that showcase a band more confident than ever. The album was recorded and mixed by Robbie Gallant at Rec Room Studio in Abram-Village and co-produced by Robbie Gallant, Shane Arsenault, and Aubin pi la S.C.B. The music video for the lead single was produced by Riel Gallant with assistance from Aubin pi la S.C.B. and was filmed in St. Gilbert, PEI. Originally formed in Iqaluit, Nunavut in 2019, Aubin pi la S.C.B. (Sea Can

THE MUSIC & LEGACY OF THE

WITH

October 7 - 7:30 PM

CONFEDERATION CENTRE OF THE ARTS Charlottetown

Tickets: (902) 566-1267

EaglesTributeShow.com @EaglesTributeShow

PRESENTED BY

PEI pop artist KINLEY released Reflecting Light on August 21. The five-song record is built on strong pop instincts, lyrics that turn small moments into whole stories, and production that moves easily between dreamy, synthbright and infectious. Across the record, KINLEY writes in scenes. A relationship can feel like a natural disaster or a happily ever after. A stranger can become a love interest and a big break before the conversation is even over. Certainty can turn into doubt and back again. The songs live in those in-between moments where attraction,

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 49

intuition, history and possibility all collide. At its heart, Reflecting Light is about love, instinct, contradiction and finding one’s footing, but never in a way that feels too polished or precious. “These songs are about all the things we’re constantly trying to make sense of: love, timing, doubt, the people we hold onto and the ones we probably shouldn’t,” says KINLEY. “I wanted it to feel hopeful and light, without pretending life is tidy. Oh, and one diss track because… balance.” Produced by Jake Charron, Kinley Dowling, Adam Gallant and Colin Buchanan, Reflecting Light feels cohesive without every song living in the same place. It is the kind of record you reach for when you’re listening loud in the car or dancing in the living room, and then leave on because there’s more to hear. The album works immediately as pop, and then the writing sneaks up on you. Beneath the bright production and immediate melodies are songs about attraction, history, uncertainty, instinct and the complicated space between. The release follows KINLEY’s August single “The Director,” a playful, synthbright pop daydream about meeting a stranger at a film festival and letting one tiny piece of information spark an entire imagined future of romance, movie sets and a very convenient big break. A former member of Hey Rosetta!, KINLEY is an award-winning solo artist and sought-after multi-instrumentalist, with three previous solo albums and multiple East Coast Music Awards.

a two-year concert series Hill created after the dissolution of Atlantic String Machine. All the musicians on Dance Card are alumni of the series, and each piece was originally written for one of those performances. The studio process revisited this material from a new perspective. Each pair recorded the written composition but also improvised freely together. Hill then mined those improvisations for musical material, incorporating snippets of the spontaneous sessions into the production of each track. The result is an album where composition and improvisation aren’t opposing approaches, but parts of the same process. A variety of collaborators bring remarkably different musical languages to the project, including harpist Caedda Enright, vocalist Luisa Güiza, guitarist Chris Corrigan, pipa player Tiffany Liu, bassist Maya Márquez, drummer Matt Bridges, guitarist Tom Gammons, vocalist Diana Delirio, and violinist Karen Graves. Across the album, traditional forms and experimental sounds continually interact: a rootsy guitar riff opens into a surreal electronic landscape; a pipa dances between elegant ornamentation and startling percussive textures; two basses build an entire piece from the tension between their contrasting lowend sounds. Dance Card suggests that the distance between folk tradition and experimental music may not be as great as it might appear. Dance Card is available on CD and all streaming services.

Dance Card

All Your Worships

Adam Hill

Gizmo

collaborative approach to composition, with each member contributing to the songwriting. To record the album, the band decamped to a converted community hall in Great Village, Nova Scotia, with co-producers Alex Edkins (METZ, Weird Nightmare) and Loel Campbell (Wintersleep) in tow. They pulled 12-hour days, sleeping at the studio and capping off nights with drunken music-listening sessions. The group bonded over their overlapping tastes, able to share a common language when referencing sounds and direction. Edkins and Campbell mixed the record, with Greg Obis (Stuck, Clearance) providing the finishing touches at Chicago Mastering Service. Gizmo are Charlottetown rockers Julien Kitson (guitar, vocals), Patrick Stephen (guitar, vocals), and Spencer Swaine (bass, vocals), with Daniel Hartinger (drums).

SINGLES “Swim” Dayblooms

Charlottetown-based dream-pop band Dayblooms released their debut single, “Swim,” on September 1. The summery track offers a dreamy introduction to the band’s sound and is available on all major streaming platforms.

Charlottetown bassist and composer Adam Hill has spent his career moving between musical worlds: five albums of roots-oriented songwriting, years as a member of Atlantic String Machine, experimental electronic music and sound-art installations, plus a parallel career composing contemporary classical music. Dance Card, released on September 18, brings those worlds together, but it also marks a new chapter for Hill: the first album to put his bass playing at the centre. The project grew out of the Charlottetown Improvisation Laboratory,

Charlottetown-based band Gizmo release their debut full-length album All Your Worships via Victory Pool Records on October 2. All Your Worships comes roaring out of the gate, picking up right where 2023’s Buddy System EP left off. The new material finds the band mining similar sources but reaching new heights, imbuing their carefully considered, structurally ambitious power-pop songwriting with more unexpected twists and turns. The material was hashed out at rehearsals and live shows from 2022 to 2025, as the band took a more

Dayblooms features Shayla Steinhoff on vocals, Evan Ceretti on guitar, and Aaron Turner on drums, joined by a full band for live performances. “Swim” was recorded at The Hill Sound Studio, produced and mixed by Colin Buchanan, and mastered by John McLaggan of Parachute Mastering. Single artwork and photo were created by Evan Ceretti and feature Jordan Cudmore. Dayblooms will perform at Baba’s Lounge in Charlottetown on September 26. Follow @dayblooms_band on Instagram for updates.

OCTOBER BUZZ DEADLINE September 15

At the Trailside

True Mountain Laurel September 29 ›› 8 pm Haley Blais and Sam Lynch unite as True Mountain Laurel, a supergroup born from late-night harmonies, voice memos, and friendship. Their debut project, Angel So Bad, blends Sam’s poetic introspection with Haley’s sharp lyrical intimacy into dustswept folk-country songs that capture longing, growth, and connection. Influenced by Gillian Welch, Lucinda Williams, and early 2000s Canadian singer-songwriters, their warm, minimal sound—acoustic guitars, brushed drums, pedal steel—feels intimate, honest, and alive, both on record and in performance.

Some upcoming live performances at the Music Hall

David Francey October 2 ›› 8 pm True Mountain Laurel (Haley Blais and Sam Lynch) take the stage on September 29

Nashville Nights Wednesdays in September ›› 7 pm

PAMELA DETLOR

SUBMITTED

Nashville Nights is a high-energy show that brings the spirit of Nashville’s Broadway Ave to the heart of Charlottetown. Featuring Roland Beaulieu, Kelly Mooney, Ryan P, and Mat Hannah, this quartet delivers powerhouse performances of country favourites. Expect renditions of songs by Eric Church, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Ella Langley, Tyler Childers, The Chicks, Shania Twain, and more.

Nathan Wiley Matt Mays, Ron Sexsmith, and many more, and his work has appeared on television, film, and stage.

Lady Soul September 12 ›› 8 pm

Nudie and Liam Corcoran

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Channeling soul and funk divas of yesterday and today, the nine-piece ensemble performs dynamic renditions of classic tracks by Aretha Franklin, Jackson 5, Christina Aguilera, Béyonce, Bruno Mars, and more. Lady Soul features Kelley Mooney, Emi Smith and Heather McIsaac on vocals, with Mark Parsons and Joanna McKearney on horns, Dave Gordon on keys, Jason Rogerson on bass, Kirk White on drums, and Chad Deagle on guitar.

Nathan Wiley with band September 18 ›› 8 pm Nathan Wiley is an award-winning artist from Summerside, PEI. He has shared the stage with Blue Rodeo, Sarah Harmer, Steve Earle, Billy Bragg,

Nudie

David Francey is a singer and a storyteller. His humour and observations, combined with his openhearted singing style, have earned him a loyal following. He has released thirteen albums, won four JUNO Awards, and his songs have been covered by artists such as The Del McCoury Band, The Rankin Family, James Keelaghan, and Tracy Grammer. Trailside Music Hall is located at 155 Kent Street in Charlottetown. For tickets, information and full schedule visit trailside.ca or call 902-367-3311.

September 26 ›› 8 pm

TIM LINGLEY

Page 50 The BUZZ September 2026

Liam

Two of PEI’s finest share the bill for a night of original music. An Island sensation for years, Nudie has toured and played in venues across North America. His songs have been featured in CTV’s Saving Hope as well as the 2021 crime/ thriller, A Small Fortune. Nudie will be performing all-new original music. Since releasing his first solo effort, ROM-DROM (2015), Liam Corcoran has continued to develop his blend of folk and indie-rock. He is also the lead singer of the indie rock band Two Hours Traffic.

An Evening with the King Phase II plays Elvis at West River United—Sept 13 Phase II presents An Evening with the King: The Music of Elvis Presley at West River United in Cornwall on September 13 at 7 pm. Featuring special guest Kendall Docherty and a special appearance by the Love2Dance Line Dancers, Phase II will perform two hours of hits from the King of Rock and Roll. For advance tickets, call the church office at 902-566-4052, text Gerry at 902-393-3251, or call or text Leah at 902-213-6857.

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 51

Country Music Festival

Tributes in Georgetown

Annual weekend celebration returns to Abram-Village

Marcella Richard (above) and Kurk Bernard, Joey Doucette, and Jamie Matthews

MUSIC PEI

Both evenings are 19+ events and begin at 8 pm, with cash bar service available. On October 18, the festival closes with the Country Brunch Jamboree, running from 11 am–1 pm. Attendees can enjoy a buffet meal with entertainment provided by Keera Gallant and other musicians. For individual tickets and festival packages, visit villagemusical.ca/shop.

2027 Music PEI Awards

Rose Cousins

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Performing at Kings Playhouse in October Singer-songwriter Rose Cousins will perform at Kings Playhouse in Georgetown on October 17 at 7:30 pm. Known for her deeply personal lyrics, Cousins has earned international recognition as one of Canada’s most compelling contemporary artists. A celebrated performer with multiple East Coast Music Awards, Canadian Folk Music Awards, and a JUNO Award, Cousins has built a reputation for creating music that connects with audiences through honesty, warmth, and emotional depth. Her performances blend thoughtful

songwriting with humour and storytelling. Tickets are available at the door, by calling 902-652-2053, or by visiting kingsplayhouse.com.

Gypsy, a premier Fleetwood Mac tribute band, will perform at Kings Playhouse on September 5 at 7:30 pm. Made up of accomplished musicians, Gypsy recreates the sound, harmonies, and energy that made Fleetwood Mac one of the most celebrated bands in music history. From the legendary Rumours album to some of the band’s most recognizable hits, Fleetwood Mac’s music has continued to inspire generations of fans for decades. Audiences can expect to hear “Dreams,” “Go Your Own Way,” “Rhiannon,” “Don’t Stop,” “The Chain,” and more. In Spite of Ourselves: An Evening of John Prine returns to Kings Playhouse in Georgetown on October 4 at 7:30 pm. Created in honour of what would have been John Prine’s 80th birthday, this tribute brings together eight accomplished musicians and longtime friends to perform the songs that made

Music PEI has opened submissions for the 2027 Music PEI Awards, with Island artists and music industry professionals invited to put their work forward for consideration. The 2027 Music PEI Awards will recognize achievements across 29 categories, up from 24 last year. Nominees will be featured and celebrated throughout Music PEI Week, taking place February 26–March 6, 2027, with award recipients announced at the Music PEI Awards Gala on March 6. This year’s awards include new and updated categories designed to better reflect PEI’s evolving music community. Heavy Album of the Year replaces the former Alternative Recording of the Year category, with updated criteria encompassing alt-rock, punk and hardcore, experimental, grunge, metal, and other heavier styles of music. Album Art of the Year also returns as a standalone award, separating recognition for album artwork from the broader Visual Artist of the Year category. The former Lloyd Doyle New Artist of the Year award has been replaced by two categories: the Lloyd Doyle Emerging Artist of the Year and Breakthrough Artist of the Year. The change is intended to recognize artists at different stages of career development, from those beginning to establish themselves in the Island music community to artists reaching significant new milestones in their careers. Another change is that Pop/Dance Recording of the Year has been split into two categories: Pop Recording of the Year and

IAN MACCREADY

John Prine and Fleetwood Mac at Kings Playhouse

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

The 17th Country Musical Festival at the Village musical acadien in AbramVillage will take place from October 16–18. This year’s schedule includes three events featuring PEI country musicians. On October 16, the traditional Evening of Legends will feature a host of amateur, semi-professional and professional performers paying tribute to or impersonating popular country artists, including Willie Nelson, Stompin’ Tom Connors, George Jones, Shania Twain, The Chicks, and more. Performers will be backed by a house band featuring Rémi Arsenault on bass, Rodney Arsenault on drums, Keelin Wedge on fiddle, Danny MacNevin on electric guitar and Peter Burke on acoustic guitar. The evening’s emcee will provide humour and country-themed contests. The October 17 headlining event will feature Marcella Richard, with the trio of Joey Doucette, Jamie Matthews and Kurk Bernard opening the show. Marcella Richard has recorded four solo albums of country and folk music and now performs with the bluegrass group Bluestreak. Her music has received considerable radio play over the years, particularly in New Brunswick, as well as in Quebec, Nova Scotia, Louisiana and France. Her headlining set, Marcella’s Country Favourites, will feature songs in both English and French. Openers Joey Doucette, Jamie Matthews and Kurk Bernard have been performing together as a hardcore country trio for years. Audiences can expect an entertaining performance of hoedown-style country.

Gypsy (above), and In Spite of Ourselves

Prine one of folk and country music’s most beloved storytellers. The group returns to the Playhouse with an expanded lineup featuring Blair Packham of The Jitters, Bill Craig of The Irish Rovers, Kirsten Jones, twotime JUNO Award nominee Johnny Max, alongside an ensemble of musicians. Audiences can expect an evening filled with timeless songs, heartfelt storytelling, and exceptional musicianship celebrating the legacy of John Prine. Tickets are available at kingsplayhouse.com, by calling 902-652-2053, or at the door.

Dance Recording of the Year. Finally, the selection process for Music Video of the Year will return to jury adjudication rather than a community vote. Artists and industry professionals can review the complete 2027 award guidelines and submit their work via awards.musicpei. com. Submissions will remain open until October 12 at 11:59 pm AT.

Artist development programs

Music PEI is accepting applications for two of its flagship artist development opportunities—the Golden Ticket Program presented by Rising Tide Community Fund and the TD Diverse Voices Program. These initiatives are designed to support emerging artists who have already begun building their careers and are ready to take the next step in professional recording and releasing a single. The Golden Ticket Program supports three emerging PEI artists in recording and releasing a single. Along the way, participants learn key business skills for a successful release, including registering with Performing Rights Organizations and other essential industry practices under the mentorship of Colin Buchanan. The TD Diverse Voices Program supports two PEI artists each year from historically excluded or underrepresented communities. Participants will record and release a single while learning essential business skills, including registering with PROs and navigating best practices for a professional release under the mentorship of Katrina Lopes of KL Management. Applicants can submit for either of these opportunities at musicpei.com until September 13.

Fundraising concert celebrates 44 years of theatre— Sept 25 Victoria Playhouse is hosting Press Play on New Horizons, its third annual fundraising concert, on September 25 at 7:30 pm. The evening will celebrate 44 years of theatre in Victoria-by-theSea while looking toward an exciting new chapter. The concert features an eclectic lineup of Island talent, including special guest Shane Pendergast, acoustic ensemble Woodsmoke, singer-songwriter Megan Ellands, step dancer Emily Hughes accompanied by Morgan Wagner, songwriter Peter Richards, and Reequal Smith and Oshun Dance Studios. The evening will also highlight the work of Victoria Playhouse Theatre School. Pendergast, one of Atlantic Canada’s acclaimed folk troubadours, won Contemporary Roots Album of the Year at the 2022 Music PEI Awards for Second Wind and released his fourth album, Winter Grace, in 2025. Woodsmoke brings five longtime friends together for an eclectic acoustic

repertoire spanning five decades. Westmoreland singer-songwriter Megan Ellands has performed everywhere from kitchen parties to the Festival of Small Halls and Cavendish Beach Music Festival. Cornwall step dancer Emily Hughes recently graduated from Bluefield High School and begins the Bachelor of Music Education program at UPEI this fall. The event will also celebrate the future of the Playhouse. After 44 years of presenting a summer-only theatre and music festival, Victoria Playhouse Inc. is moving toward year-round stewardship and programming at the historic Victoria Community Hall. Programming will gradually expand into the spring and fall, creating new opportunities for Island artists and community members to create, learn, connect and experience the performing arts. Funds raised will support the expansion and development of new and diverse theatre programming, as well as Theatre School classes and workshops for children and adults. The Theatre School’s recent productions include Charlotte’s Web, A Christmas Carol, and The Secret Garden, with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe planned for December. Visit victoriaplayhouse.com/shows to purchase tickets. Tickets include a charitable tax receipt, one free drink ticket, and one free art raffle ticket.

Big Love The Music of Fleetwood Mac at Harbourfront Big Love: The Music of Fleetwood Mac will be on stage at Harbourfront Theatre in Summerside on September 18 and 19 at 7:30 pm. The production is a celebration of one of the greatest bands of all time. Craig Fair Productions describes the show as a long-awaited addition to its catalogue: “We have been patiently waiting for the right moment to bring a gem like this to the Craig Fair Productions catalogue. There is nothing quite like the music Fleetwood Mac gave to the world, and we are celebrating it exactly the way it deserves to be done.” From the band’s early blues-driven beginnings to the folk-rock sound that defined an era, Fleetwood Mac’s songs have touched hearts across generations. Emotional, cinematic and compelling, the music provides the foundation for the theatrical concert

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Press Play on New Horizons

Dawn Ward (left) and Brieonna Locche

experience for which Craig Fair Productions is known. Featuring arrangements performed by Island musicians and a cast of powerhouse vocalists, the production brings new life to every era of the band. Audiences can expect to hear “The Chain,” “Big Love,” “Landslide,” “Don’t Stop,” “Go Your Own Way” and more, including selections from the band’s early recordings. Big Love aims to offer a performance that is both nostalgic and new while celebrating the music and legacy of Fleetwood Mac. Tickets can be purchased at harbourfronttheatre.com.

Ladies of Country Musical revue at Harbourfront—Sept 13 Young at Heart Theatre presents Fascinating Ladies of Country at Harbourfront Theatre in Summerside on (L–R): Olivia Bacquier, Haley Zavo, and Stephanie Ross September 13 at 2 pm. The dedicated charitable organization that musical revue, performed by PEI enriches the lives of older adults across artists Olivia Blacquiere, Stephanie PEI through story and song. Ross, and Haley Zavo, celebrates the Showcasing a multigenerational female pioneers who used their voices songbook, audiences will hear the and guitars to demand equality, paying songs from artists like Loretta Lynn, tribute to the songwriters and activists Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, who challenged the status quo. Long before the airwaves were domEmmylou Harris, k.d. lang, Anne Murray, The Chicks, Shania Twain, and inated by modern anthems of independence, country music’s maternal giants Brandi Carlile. were quietly—and loudly—penning Accessible tiered ticket pricing is the soundtrack to women’s liberation. available for this show at harbourfrontYoung at Heart Theatre is a theatre.com.

Stompin’ Tom Fest Series continues into October The Stompin’ Tom Festival Series at the Stompin’ Tom Centre in Skinners Pond continues through October 24, with most shows on Saturdays at 8 pm.

The lineup this month includes the Joey, Jamie, and Kurk band on September 5; 140 Smooth Bore Reunion on September 12; Jonny Ray & Louise Arsenault on September 19; and the Jay Gavin Duo on September 26. Visit stompintomcentre.com for the full schedule, tickets, and more information.

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Page 52 The BUZZ September 2026

Music Monday in Victoria

Morgan Davis

distinctive vocals, accompanied by tenor guitar and viola. The 2017 BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner has earned an international following as a singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist. Minnesota-born dual citizen Rachael Kilgour is known for heartfelt, and surprisingly comedic performances exploring themes of belonging, grief and family. Her 2023 release, My Father Loved Me, was written in memory of her Canadian father. A 2025 McKnight Music Fellow, she has performed across the U.S. and Canada and won the Kerrville New Folk Contest (2017) and the Newsong Competition (2015). Showtime is 7:30 pm. Tickets available at victoriaplayhouse.com.

Queer Voices in the Round

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Music and storytelling at The Arts Guild—Sept 25

(L–R): Jack Pine, Noah Malcolm, and Mattie Comeau

Queer Voices in the Round will be on stage at The Arts Guild in Charlottetown on September 25. Showtime is 7:30 pm. Some stories are just better told through song. This all-2SLGBTQIA+ song circle brings together singer-songwriters Jack Pine (ON), Noah Malcolm (PEI), and Mattie Comeau (NB) for an intimate evening of original music, storytelling, and connection. Taking turns “in the round,” each artist shares their songs, the stories behind them, and the lived experiences that shaped them. Together, their performances blend folk, pop, Indigenous storytelling, and deeply personal

songwriting. The result is a heartfelt celebration of queer voices, identity, belonging, and the transformative power of music. Visit theguildpei.com for tickets.

Informal jam session An informal jam session for adults takes place at the Summerside Library on Mondays at 6 pm. Bring an instrument or borrow one from the library and join other musicians for an informal evening of playing music.

Hammond, Albert Collins, and Eric Bibb. He has performed with Sunnyland Slim, Snooky Pryor, Hubert Sumlin, James Cotton, David Wilcox, Colin Linden, and Dr John. Tickets are available in the taproom or online via Eventbrite. 567 Main Street, Montague.

Dennis Ellsworth Lil Red Schoolhouse Music Series show—Sept 25 Dennis Ellsworth returns for his fourth appearance at the historic North Bedeque School Hall on September 25 to close out this season’s Lil Red Schoolhouse Music Series at the PEI Fox Den Ellsworth is a PEI songwriter, performer, sideman, and record producer from Charlottetown. Over the years, he has collaborated with Josh Finlayson and Andy Maize of Skydiggers, Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip, Joel Plaskett, Donovan Woods, Rose Cousins, John Smith, and David Barbe. His music has appeared in television shows for CBC, Netflix, and HBO and was featured in the film

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(L–R): Rachael, Catherine, and Lucy

Copper Bottom Brewing in Montague presents the multiple award-winning recording artist and Canadian blues journeyman, Morgan Davis on September 26 at 7:30 pm. For decades, Davis has been on the road travelling across Canada, the United States and Europe. His performances draw from a rich tradition of country blues and his own contemporary songs infused with wit and a dose of humour. As a journeyman in the blues, he sought every opportunity to seek out the masters of his craft, and was fortunate to learn directly from Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny Shines, and many more bluesmen who are now gone. Over the years, Davis has opened for blues legends Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Albert King, John

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Copper Bottom—Sept 26

Rachael Kilgour, Catherine MacLellan, and Lucy Farrell

This season’s Music Monday Series at Victoria Playhouse in Victoria-by-theSea closes with a special performance on September 7 featuring Catherine MacLellan alongside two of her favourite songwriters, Rachael Kilgour and Lucy Farrell, for an evening of songs and stories. JUNO Award-winner Catherine MacLellan has released seven albums over the past 20 years and toured worldwide. Based in her beloved Prince Edward Island, she draws inspiration from its landscape, crafting songs about life’s struggles, triumphs and joys. Kent-born, Canada-based Lucy Farrell is known for unconventional melodies, poetic songwriting and

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 53

The New Romantic. The concert series showcases Canadian singer-songwriters in an intimate concert experience at one of PEI’s unique heritage venues. Doors open at 6:30 pm, with the concert beginning at 7 pm. The hall is located at 2848 Route 1A, North Bedeque. For tickets, call 902-303-8327 or visit peifoxden.ca.

Page 54 The BUZZ September 2026

ONGOING MUSIC ceilidhs, dances, series, sessions...

An Evening of Celtic Music

The final shows of Richard Wood’s 16th concert series season at the Sterling Women’s Institute Hall in Stanley Bridge take place September 5 and 19 at 4:30 pm. Wood presents PEI Celtic music with bandmates Kimberley Holmes, Brent Chaisson, Skip Holmes and Ward MacDonald, along with step dancer Isla Rousseaux-Bridle. Strawberries and ice cream are available for purchase, and there will be a 50/50 draw. The hall is air-conditioned. For tickets, visit rwood. ca or purchase them at the door, which opens 30 minutes before showtime. 4897 St. Mary’s Rd, Stanley Bridge.

Assumption Ceilidh

The Assumption Catholic Women’s League and Assumption Knights of Columbus host a ceilidh on the third Sunday of each month from 2–4 pm at the Assumption Parish Centre (151 Stratford Rd). The next ceilidh is September 20. Music will be provided by The Young at Heart (Norman LeClair, Leo Gallant, Randy Cheverie, Paul Chandler, Dave Moore, Dave Shephard and Robert Cain), with special guests Lou Doiron and Just We 2 (Anne and Molly). There will be a 50/50 draw, and tea, coffee and light refreshments are included. Admission is at the door. Info: 902-569-3202, leowgallant@gmail.com.

Back Home Tonight

Musician Gordon Belsher brings the Back Home Tonight concert series to the Stanley Bridge Hall on Monday evenings at 7:30 pm. Running through September 14, the show features special guests and a lively mix of sing-along songs, jigs, reels and poignant ballads performed on fiddle, guitar, piano, saxophone, ukulele, bodhrán, spoons, voices and feet. The September 7 show features Todd MacLean and Courtney Hogan-Chandler, while Todd MacLean, Courtney HoganChandler and Cynthia MacLeod perform at the season finale on September 14. Ice cream and berries are served at

SAT OCT 24 CONFEDERATION CENTRE

ELVIS IN CONCERT THANE DUNN’S FINAL

intermission. Doors open at 7 pm. Tickets can be purchased at gordonbelsher.ca. 4897 St. Mary’s Rd, Stanley Bridge.

Ceilidh and Cones

Island musician Michael Pendergast performs a variety of East Coast and family music in the gardens outside Holman’s Ice Cream Parlour in Summerside. Shows take place on Tuesdays from 7–9 pm until September 9. Enjoy wholesome family fun with ice cream and music. 286 Fitzroy St, Summerside.

Ceilidh in the City

The 15th season of Ceilidh in the City continues on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm at the Jack Blanchard Centre in Charlottetown. The upcoming lineup features a Country Hoedown with Ricky and Sandra Jones and Marcella Richard on September 2, George Brothers and Jacinta MacDonald on September 9, Luka Hall and Brooke MacArthur on September 16, an East Coast Kitchen Party with Tip Er Back on September 23, a Country Legends Tribute Show with Eddy Quinn and Lawrence Maxwell on September 30, and a Harvest Shanty Shaker with The Chaisson Trio on October 7. A weekly 50/50 draw supports local charities. Bar and canteen service are available, and the venue is air-conditioned. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Admission is at the door (cash only).

Close to the Ground

Hosted by Fiddlers’ Sons, featuring Eddy Quinn, John B. Webster, Keelin Wedge and Fiona MacCorquodale, the Close to the Ground concert series continues at Hillcrest United on Thursdays at 8 pm until September 24. A different musical guest joins the band each week for a night of PEI roots music and storytelling. The upcoming lineup includes Gordie MacKeeman and The Rhythm Boys on September 3, Keelin Wedge and Christine Cameron—The Salt Water Dollies on September 10, Kendall Docherty with Peter Burke and Brian Langille on

September 17, and Kim Albert and Mike Arsenault on September 24. Admission is at the door; there are no advance ticket sales. 50 Wood Islands Rd, Montague.

Come to the Ceilidh

A family-style traditional Island ceilidh takes place on Mondays at 7:30 pm until September 28 at the Brackley Beach Community Centre. The show features singer-songwriter Shane Pendergast, chanteuse and step-dancer Olivia Blacquiere, and fiddler Flora MacLaine. Audience participation is encouraged. Admission is by cash or e-transfer at the door. 3330 Brackley Pt Rd, Rte 15, Brackley Beach.

Dunstaffnage Ceilidh

A ceilidh hosted by the Road Masters Band with guest entertainers is held at the Dunstaffnage School Centre on the first Sunday of each month. The September 6 ceilidh will feature guests Mary Lou MacLure, Emmett DeCoursey, Lorraine Lynch, and Lisa Birt. There will be a 50/50 draw, and coffee, tea, and juice will be served at intermission. Admission is at the door, and the venue is wheelchair accessible. 13529 St. Peters Rd, Dunstaffnage.

Friday Night Ceilidhs at BIS

The Benevolent Irish Society’s Friday Night Ceilidhs run weekly on Fridays through September 25 at the Irish Cultural Centre in Charlottetown. The authentic Irish ceilidhs feature top PEI musicians, storytellers, dancers, and guests. The lineup includes: Fullerton’s Marsh’s Frank McQuaid, Randy Dibblee, Willie Arsenault, Dave McQuaid, Allison Giggey (fiddle), with step dancing by Havenwood Dancers on September 4; Lovely Nellie’s Mark Douglas, Claudie Mackula, Colon Jeffrey (fiddle), and step dancing by Havenwood Dancers on September 11; Fiddler’s Sons’ Eddy Quinn, John B Webster, Fiona MacCorquodale (fiddle), Keelin Wedge (fiddle), and step dancing by Janelle Banks on September 18; and Guinness’ Jim, Laura, and Paddy Farrell, Flora MacLaine (fiddle), and step dancing by Grace Saulis-Chaisson and Lilianna Bradley on September 25 to close the series. The family-friendly shows begin at 7:30 pm, with doors opening

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 55

at 6:30 pm. The air-conditioned venue is wheelchair-accessible. A 50/50 draw and light refreshments are available at intermission. Tickets are available online via Locarios.io or at the door (cash only). benevolentirishsocietyofpei.com

will host fundraising ceilidhs at the Orwell Corner Village Hall on September 2 and 16 at 7 pm. There will be a 50/50 draw and a light lunch will be served. Admission is by donation. 7 Old Uigg Rd, Vernon Bridge.

host Marsha Weeks, along with a guest Cape Breton fiddler. The guest fiddlers this month are Troy MacGillivray on September 2, 16, and 23, and Andrea Beaton on September 9. 4897 St. Mary’s Rd, Stanley Bridge. peiceilidhs.com

Got Blues Matinee

Ross Family Ceilidh

Summerside Kitchen Party

Got Blues, led by Chris Roumbanis with friends Mike Robicheau and Alan Dowling, returns to Trailside Music Hall for weekly Saturday matinees from 1–3 pm. Each week, a special guest joins the first set, followed by an electric blues jam in the second. There is no cover charge; they pass the hat. The upcoming performances feature: Anica (guitar/vocals) & Doris Mason (keys/vocals) on September 5; Birthday party for Terry Dunsford (guitar/vocals) & Todd MacLean (keys/ sax) on September 12); Frank Sultana (Australia, guitar/vocals) & Jon Hines (Cape Bretton, guitar/vocals) on September 19; and Dan Doiron (guitar/ vocals) on September 26. 155 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Island Jazz

Island Jazz, presented every Thursday at Baba’s Lounge, features top local musicians performing original music, standards, jazz and pop favourites. Each show features a different group and two sets starting at 8 pm. The upcoming lineup includes: Tribute to Kenny Wheeler featuring Siobhan White on September 3; Island Flamenco Jazz featuring Iván Garnica and friends on September 10; Island Jazz plays David Sanborn on September 17; John McLaren (NB) on September 24; and Island Jazz plays Coltrane featuring Michael MacArthur (ON) on October 1. 181 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Lot 7 Ceilidhs

Now in its 26th season, the Lot 7 ceilidhs take place on Thursdays at 7 pm through October at St. Mark’s Hall. Featuring mostly Prince County performers, including the Evangeline region, the upcoming lineup includes Mark Campbell and Jim Williams on September 3, Victor and Cathy Doucette and family on September 10, Michael Myers and Wade Carragher on September 17, Bruce and Robert Jones on September 24, and Michael Pendergast and Leon Gallant on October 1 for the closing show. Lunch is provided at intermission. The hall is wheelchair-accessible and air-conditioned. Rte 14, Burton.

The Ross Family Ceilidh continues its 20th anniversary celebration with a show that highlights the group’s growing focus on songwriting and storytelling while continuing to explore the Island’s rootstrad songs and tunes. Alongside original music reflecting its Acadian and ScotsGaelic heritage, the sibling trio performs songs by influential PEI songwriters, as well as fiddle set staples, stepdancing, and piano-playing hijinks. The group consists of Stephanie Ross (vocals, guitar, bodhran, percussion, dance), Danielle Ross-Cairns (vocals, fiddle, percussion, dance), and Johnny Ross (piano, keyboards). The season’s final performances run at 7:30 pm on September 1, 8, 15, and 19 at Victoria Playhouse in Victoria. For tickets, visit rossfamily.ca.

Schooner Sessions

Sessions with Mark Douglas and friends take place weekly on Thursdays at 7 pm at The Old Triangle, 189 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Stanley Bridge Ceilidh with Michael Pendergast

A traditional PEI ceilidh takes place on Thursdays at 7:30 pm until September 24 at Stanley Bridge Hall. Hosted by Michael Pendergast, the family-style show features fiddling, dancing, a variety of Island musicians sharing songs and stories. Audience participation is encouraged. Admission is by cash or e-transfer at the door. 4897 St. Mary’s Rd, Stanley Bridge.

Stanley Bridge Hall Ceilidhs

Ceilidhs take place on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm until September 23 at Stanley Bridge Hall. Featuring music, storytelling, and stepdancing, the evenings celebrate traditional PEI and Cape Breton music. Performers include Kevin Chaisson (piano), Louise ChaissonMacKinnon (vocals), Sheila MacKenzie (fiddle), step dancer Gerard Beaton, and

A matinee kitchen party featuring classic country and old rock ‘n’ roll with Back in Tyme (Blair Coughlin, Peter Burke, George MacPhee and Bob Gagnon) takes place at the Summerside Legion on September 5, 19 and 26, from 2–5 pm. Admission at the door. 340 Notre Dame St., Summerside.

Sunday Session

An afternoon Tune Session featuring traditional music and craic takes place on Sundays from 2–4 pm at The Old Triangle, 189 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Tunes on Tap

Copper Bottom Brewing in Montague offers a weekly dose of traditional music on Sundays from 3–5 pm. September performers are: Chrissy Crowley & Ward MacDonald on September 6; Thomas Harrington & Ward MacDonald on September 13; Tuli Porcher & Tom Gammons on September 20; and Ray Knorr on September 27. Admission is free. 567 Main St, Montague.

Trad Night at Village Green

Trad Night is held every Thursday in the taproom at Village Green, PEI’s smallest brewery. Enjoy free, traditional Irish music live from 7–9 pm. Space is limited. Located at 30 Church St, Cornwall.

Winsloe United Ceilidh

Fundraising ceilidhs take place at Winsloe United on Sundays at 2 pm. On September 6, host Jacinta MacDonald and the Winsloe United House Band will share the stage with guest trio We3 (Chris Arsenault, Ian Hunter, and Todd Gallant). On September 20, host Dino Dunsford and the House Band welcome husband and wife duo Sandra and Ricky Jones. The church is wheelchair accessible, and a light lunch will be served at intermission. Admission is at the door, which opens at 1:30 pm. 121 Winsloe Rd, Winsloe.

Morell Concert Series

The free concert series showcases both established and emerging local talent. Performances take place on Thursdays from 6:30–8:30 pm at Peter Gordon Memorial United. The finale on September 3 will feature Jacinta MacDonald. An extra show has been added on September from 2–4 pm with performer to be announced. All ages are welcome, and light refreshments are provided. 14 Church St, Morell.

Orwell Corner Ceilidh

The Orwell Corner Historic Village Board

FOR PEOPLE WITH GOOD TASTE swenn.ca

204 Queen street Charlottetown

Page 56 The BUZZ September 2026

Common Sound

Goolaholla!

Round Three at Beaconsfield Carriage House—Sept 11

Fourth annual festival returns to Rollo Bay—Sept 25 to 27

Texas-based acoustic rock singer-songwriter Mark Winters brings his Good Vibes Highway Tour to Baba’s Lounge in Charlottetown on September 22 at 7 pm. Presented as an in-the-round singer-songwriter night with Trinity Bradshaw, the performance will center on original songs and storytelling. A former aerospace engineer turned full-time musician, Winters blends poetic lyricism, blues-influenced phrasing and scientific perspective into what he calls “rock with a positive vibe.” Using guitar, piano, and subtle live looping, he creates listening-forward performances where songs and the stories behind them have room to breathe.

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Singer-songwriter night at Baba’s Lounge—Sept 22

His songwriting explores identity, resilience, growth and what it means to be human, with influences ranging from John Mayer and Tom Petty to Jason Mraz. Tickets are available at simpletix. com/e/good-vibes-highway-tour-baba-s-lounge-tickets-286032. markwintersmusic.com

Joining the Goolaholla! lineup from the other side of the globe are Kim Churchill (left) and Charlie Needs Braces

The East Pointers are blowing open the gates to Rollo Bay again with a Goolaholla! lineup spanning genres, generations, and the globe. The fourth annual festival runs September 25, 26 and the morning of September 27 at the Rollo Bay Fiddle Grounds, 961 Veterans Memorial Highway. The two-and-a-half-day immersive event will transform the grounds into a rainbow-raising fiesta, featuring Alysha Brilla, De Temps Antan, Great Lake Swimmers, Julie Pellissier Lush, Kale Penny, Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors, Paige Ballagh, Ria Mae, Villages, Lucy Farrell’s Folk Choir, and, of course, The East Pointers. Touching down from Australia to join the festival are folk/blues singer-songwriter Kim Churchill and alternative live-looping duo Charlie Needs Braces, adding some Antipodean flavour to the lineup of local talent. Goolaholla! has grown from a backyard gathering of touring friends,

originally named Harvest Home Festival, into one of PEI’s hottest tickets. The festival—whose name is a slang word for “good times”—has been a gift of love and music from JUNO Award winners The East Pointers. Returning this year are the annual Goolaholla! Games, Goolaholla! Comedy, the Momentary Markets, Pop Up Goola-ry, and Robert Pendergast’s Oyster Hours. The programme also includes sound healing with Kiara Ra, workshops with Monica Lacey, and an expanded offering of markets and culinary delights. The Goolahollow Children’s Area also returns with a full slate of activities, including Tunes and Tales, Madame Abbey & Friends, and Play in a Day. Late at night, festivalgoers can look forward to the Secret Speakeasy and, on Sunday morning, the inaugural Roshambo Showdown. Tickets are available for purchase at goolaholla.com.

Under the Spire 2026 season concludes with three concerts Under the Spire at Historic St. Mary’s has been showcasing classical, folk, country, blues, jazz, Celtic, and contemporary East Coast music. A fundraising lecture-recital, Canadian Pipers and Pipe Tunes on the Western Front, takes place on September 6 from 2–4 pm, combining historical storytelling with live Highland bagpipe performance. Proceeds benefit the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation, the Canadian War Museum, and Historic St. Mary’s restoration efforts. Under the Spire’s 2026 concert season concludes with Les Barocudas on September 13 and The Once on

LINDSAY DUNCAN

Mark Winters

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Common Sound: Round Three takes place on September 11 at 7 pm at the Beaconsfield Carriage House in Charlottetown. The curated concert series brings different genres of music together under one roof. Featuring both local and visiting artists, the series creates a shared space for audiences to discover music they may not otherwise hear side by (L–R): Tom Gammons, Romy Monkres, and Emilea May side. The third edition will feature Romy Munkres, Tom PEI songwriter Emilea May pairs Gammons, and Emilea May. dreamlike vocals with thoughtful, Fiddler Romy Munkres explores honest lyrics. Her songs explore healCeltic, Scandinavian, and Appalachian ing, human connection, motherhood, traditions while staying connected to and the experiences that shape our their New England roots. inner lives. Guitarist Tom Gammons brings a The evening will include two sets of powerful groove and delicate touch, music, with a short break and snacks in shaped by his passion for traditional between. Admission is at the door, with fiddle accompaniment. a pay-what-you-can option available.

The Once perform on September 20

September 20. For tickets and more information, visit underthespire.ca.

LIVE MUSIC bars, lounges, pubs, cafés...

Albert & Crown Pub

Joey Doucette (Sept 3/17/24 @8 pm); Crystal Paynter & Perry Batten (4 @7 pm); Kim Albert & Michael Arsenault (5 @7 pm); Alyssa Harper (10 @8 pm); Bruce & Robert Jones (11 @6 pm); MadJoy (12 @7 pm); Cathy Jackman & Perry Batten (18 @7 pm); Presley Profit (19 @7 pm); Very Best of Up West (25 @7 pm). 480 Main St, Alberton.

Baba’s Lounge

Vinyl Night W/ Rosa (Sept 1 @9 pm); Corduroy, Blue Sky Trade, Yokohomies (4 @10 pm); Madfolk, Kurbstomp, Space Bud (5 @10 pm); Human Missile Crisis, Lazyhorse, Dead Seasons (11 @10 pm); TeethOut, Duane Regretzki, Travis Flynn & the K Valley Rangers, Six Foot Bungalow (12 @10 pm); Juline & Travis (15 @9 pm); The Turnbull Brothers (18 @7 pm); The Stoopheads, Sweet Gale, Yokohomies (18 @10 pm); Emma Worley (19 @7 pm); Emo Night (19 @10 pm); Mark Winters, Trinity Bradshaw (22 @8 pm); Worry, Dazey (25 @10 pm); Plain Dirty Blues (26 @5 pm); Music Day in Canada (26 @10 pm); Among Legends (29 @8 pm). Island Jazz on Thursdays (8 pm); Open Mic W/ Ivan Stewart on Wednesdays (9 pm). 181 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Bogside Brewing Montague Fridays & Saturdays (6–9 pm)(*unless noted): Jon Matthews (Sept 4); Brothers McPhee (5); The Northsiders (6 *Sun @2 pm); Stephen Szwarc (11); Michael Butz (12); Dave Woodside (18); Lawrence Maxwell (19); Taylor Johnson (25); Lisa Birt (26). 11 Brook St, Montague.

Bogside Brewing Summerside

Fridays & Saturdays (6–9 pm)(*unless noted): Evan Rotella (Sept 4); Reid McGregor (5); Margarita Wayne (6 *Sun @2 pm); Steve Zaat (11); Floyd Goody (12); Ryan Merry (18); Braedon Quarles (19); Dave Woodside (25); Karen & Mike (26). DJ Jane Blaze on September 5. 110 Water St, Summerside.

Brothers 2

Thursdays (7–9 pm) & Fridays (7–10 pm): Evan Rotella (Sept 3); Lawrence Maxwell (4); Danny Drouin (10); Nick Hann (11); Jordan Cameron (17); Karen & Mike (18); Dan Doiron (24); D’Arcy & Moe (25). 618 Water St, Summerside.

Charlottetown Beer Garden

On the patio (6–10 pm): Kim Albert Trio (Aug 31); Brad & Isaac (Sept 1 ); Carter MacLellan (2); Richie & Brian (3); Jon & Liam (6); Richie & Brian (10/17/24); Jacob Hemphill & Braeden Woods (12); Jacob Hemphill & Isaac King (18); Mike & Karen Penton (19); Jacob Hemphill & guest (26). Late Night DJs on Saturdays:

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 57

Island Chocolates

Fridays (7–9 pm): Rilyn Edgcomb (Sept 4); Max Keenleyside (11); Lawrence Maxwell (18); Lucy Blu (25). 7 Main St, Victoria.

Gahan House

DJ Jeremie (Sept 5); DJ Purdy (12); DJ Jada Kiss (19); DJ Andri-Kovb (26). 185 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Fridays (9–11 pm): TBA (Sept 4); Ryan Merry (11); Nathan Carragher (18); Fraser McCallum (25). 126 Sydney St, Charlottetown.

Charlottetown Legion

The Hub Lounge

Saturdays (9:30 pm–12:30 am): Roundabout (Sept 5); The Rustlers (12); Dunk River (17); Kim Albert and Faces (26). 99 Pownal St, Charlottetown.

Copper Bottom Brewing

Fridays & Saturdays (6–9 pm), and Sundays (3–5 pm): Nathan Carragher (Sept 4); TBA (5/18/19); Chrissy Crowley & Ward MacDonald (6); Taylor Johnston (11); Carter MacLellan (12); Thomas Harrington & Ward MacDonald (13); Tuli Porcher & Tom Gammons (20); Dan Doiron (25); Morgan Davis (26 @7:30 pm *ticketed); Ray Knorr (27). 567 Main St, Montague.

Evermoore Brewing

Tuesdays (6–8 pm): Nick Doneff (Sept 1); Dan Doiron (8); Braedon Quarles (15); Blu Robin Music (22); Todd & Robyn (29). 192 Water St, Summerside.

The Factory

DJs on Fridays & Saturdays (11 pm): DJ Douce (Sept 4/12/18/26); DJ Derek (5/11/19/25). Send Szn (11). 189 Kent St, Charlottetown.

FiN Folk Food

Fridays (5:30–7:30 pm): TBA (Sept 4); Nathan Carragher (11/18); Mat Hannah (25). 106 Beach Rd, Grand Tracadie.

Founders’ Food Hall & Market

Sunday to Monday (12–2 pm) & Saturdays (12–2 pm/5–7 pm) (*unless noted): Nathan Carragher (9); Kitchen Party W/ Trio: Luka Hall, Todd Mclean & Raymond Knorr and “We 3” (9 *Wed @4 pm); Dan Doiron (10); Barry O’Brien (11); Luka Hall/Nathan Carragher (12); Chris Burke (14); Brothers MacPhee (15); Dino & Judy (17); Nadine Haddad & Nico Romero (18); Emi Claire Smith/ Ryan Merry (19); Carter Maclellan (20); Dan Doiron (21); Steve Zaat (23); Olivia & Kari Lyn Blacquiere (25); Carter Maclellan (27); Jerry Laird (28); Mat Hannah (29); Carter Maclellan (30). 6 Prince St, Charlottetown.

Hunter’s Ale House

Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays (11 pm): Mat & Adam (3); Travis & Mikki (4); Laura & Don (5); Travis & guest (10); Griffen & guest (11); Gin N Tonic (12); Liam & Adam (17); Oliver Carter (18); The Rebel Prospects, North of Nowhere (19); Brad & Isaac (24); Dahlia (25); Gin N Tonic (26). Open Mic W/ Travis on Mondays (10 pm). Salsa Latin Dance Party Night W/ Salsa Con Victoria upstairs (NightCap) on September 18. 185 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Fridays (6–9 pm) & Saturdays (1–4 pm): Margarita Wayne (July 31); Steve Zaat (Sept 4); Brian Dunn (Sept 5); Margarita Wayne (11); Kevin Arthur (12/26); Campfire Dave (19); Brian Dunn (25). Andersons Creek Golf Club, 68 North Rd, Stanley Bridge.

Lone Oak Cavendish

Main Street Bullies (Sept 10 @8 pm). Avonlea Village, 8779 Rte 6, Cavendish.

Lone Oak Brew Pub

Saturdays (6–8 pm) on the patio: Fraser McCallum (Sept 5); Emma Clark (12); Kevin MacPhee (19); Jon Matthews (26). 15 Milky Way, Charlottetown.

Lone Oak Brewing Co

Saturdays (1–3 pm): Jay Gavin (Sept 5); Dave Woodside (12); Fraser McCallum (19); Ryan Merry (26). 103 Abegweit Blvd, Borden-Carleton.

Montague Legion

Michael Roves (Sept 19 @6 pm). 15 Douses Rd, Montague.

Next Door @ The Merchantman

Thursdays (2–5 pm) and Fridays & Saturdays (2–4 pm/6–8 pm): Margarita Wayne/TBA (Sept 3); TBA/Curits Reginald (4); Brothers MacPHee/Moh and Me (5); Margarita Wayne/TBA (10); Moh and Me/Kev & Laurie (11); Margarita Wayne/Brothers MacPhee (12) 23 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Olde Dublin Pub

Ethan MacPhee (Aug 31 @7 pm); Carter MacLellan W/ step dancer Mylah Campbell (Sept 1/8/15/23/30 @7 pm); Richie and Trevor (Sept 2/9/16/23

@7 pm); Vintage 2.0 (Sept 3/10/24 @8 pm); Jacob Hemphill (4 @6 pm); Dahlia Band (4 @10 pm); Cole Brioux (5 @6 pm); Reload (5 @10 pm); Gordon Belsher &

Cynthia MacLeod W/ step dancer Grace Chaisson (6 @7 pm); Robbie Doherty (Sept 7/14/21/28 @7 pm); Gordon Belsher (9 @1 pm); Luka Hall (11 @7:30 pm); Matt Hannah All Request (11 @11 pm); Dan MacAulay & Taylor Johnston (12 @6 pm); Gin ’N’ Tonic (12 @10 pm); Gordon Belsher & Todd MacLean (13 @7 pm); Jacob Hemphill & Isaac King (17 @8 pm); Dennis Dunn & Tarky Whitlock (18 @6 pm); Gypsy Soul (18 @10 pm); Luka Hall (19 @1 pm); TBA (19 @6 pm); Crimson Clay (19 @10 pm); Luka Hall & guest (20 @7 pm); Brothers MacPhee (25 @7:30 pm); Matt Hannah All Request (25 @11 pm); Luka Hall (26 @6 pm); Salty Dogs (26 @10 pm); Luka Hall and guest (27 @7 pm). 132 Sydney St, Charlottetown.

Peake’s Quay

Mat Hannah (Aug 31 @7 pm); Karen & Mike Penton (Sept 3 @7 pm); “We 3” (4/11/12 @7 pm). 11 Great George St, Charlottetown

RCAF Wing Summerside

Fridays (7 pm) & Saturdays (9 pm). 329 North Market St, Summerside.

Red’s Gold Cup Lounge

Fridays & Saturdays (10 pm–1 am): Nathan Carragher (July 31); Barry O’Brien (Sept 4); Nathan Carragher (5); Roger Stone (11); Sasha Bruce (12); Richie Bulger Duo (18); Steve Zaat (19); Billy White (25); Emily Wilbur (26). Red Shores, 21 Exhibition Dr, Charlottetown.

Summerside Legion

JRT Country on Thursdays (7–11 pm). Johnny G and the Legionnaires on Fridays (7–11 pm). Back in Time on September 5, 19, 26 (2–5 pm). 340 Notre Dame St, Summerside.

Tekila

Saturdays (6–9 pm). 165 Prince St, Charlottetown.

The Whiskey Pub and Kitchen

Carter MacLellan (Sept 4); Brian Dunn (18). 25 Hopeton Rd, Stratford.

Page 58 The BUZZ September 2026

MARKETS & SALES Dungeons & Dragons

The PEI Witch Market: Dungeons & Dragons Edition will turn The Arts Guild into a world of magic, creativity, and community on September 5 from 12–5 pm. There is something for seasoned adventurers, curious newcomers, and anyone who loves all things witchy and whimsical. Attendees can browse handcrafted treasures from local vendors, including unique dice, desserts and baked goods, palm and tarot readers, crocheted vegetables, and more. 111 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Bonshaw Farmers Market

The next Bonshaw Farmers Market takes place on September 12 from 11 am–1 pm at the Bonshaw Community Centre (25 Green Rd). Local vendors have baked goods, flowers, and other locally produced treats for sale. The Bonshaw Women’s Institute will be offering a free community meal during the market. Shoppers should bring their own bags. The market is cash only. Follow @ Bonshaw Farmers Market on Facebook.

70 Mile Coastal Yard Sale

Celebrating its 27th anniversary of unique finds, the Wood Islands Market will present this year’s 70 Mile Coastal Yard Sale on September 19–20. The twoday event features music, a barbecue, and charity raffle. Dozens of vendors will be onsite along with over 350 offsite vendors in private homes, community halls, churchyards, and small businesses. The sale will begin at 13056 Shore Road in Woods Islands. Info: woodislands.ca.

Tyne Valley Friday Night Market

An open-air market takes place at Britania Hall in Tyne Valley from 4–7 pm on Friday evenings until October. The market features local produce and crafts. All are welcome. Email tynevalleycoop@gmail. com or follow on Facebook for more information. 816 Canada Rd, Tyne Valley.

Summerside Farmers Market Find local produce, baked goods, meat, fish, prepared food, cheese, and artisan goods at the Summerside Farmers

Market. The market is open Saturdays from 9 am–1 pm at 250 Water St, Summerside.

Charlottetown Farmers Market

The Charlottetown Farmers Market is currently operating at 614 North River Rd (the former Sporting Intentions building). The market operates year-round from 9 am–2 pm on Saturdays. Farmers, crafters, artisans, and hot food vendors sell local organic produce, fish, meats, baked goods, preserves, roasted coffee, specialty teas, and more. Parking is available, and signage will assist visitors. For updates, follow @CharlottetownFarmersMarket on social media or visit charlottetownfarmersmarket.com.

Downtown Charlottetown Farmers Market

The Downtown Charlottetown Farmers Market is open from 10 am–3 pm every Sunday through October. Visitors will find more than 90 local vendors selling fresh produce, preserves, prepared foods, baked goods, handmade soap, woodwork, knitting, hooked rugs, jewelry, artwork, pottery, gift items, food service, and more. 2 Great George St, Confederation Landing, Charlottetown.

Gifts from the Heart

Gifts from the Heart holds a public thrift sale from 10 am–3 pm on the last Saturday of each month. The next sale is September 26. Proceeds support operating costs. The organization provides free food, clothing, furniture, and housewares to low-income families and people facing temporary hardship across PEI. 10 Maple Hills Ave, Charlottetown. Info: giftsfromtheheartinc.com

Church Mouse Thrift Shop

The Church Mouse Thrift Shop at St. John’s Anglican Church is open from 9 am–2 pm on Saturdays through October. The sale includes gently used, quality items such as clothing, footwear, housewares, books, bedding, small furniture, collectibles, and more. New treasures arrive each week. 391 Nelson St, Crapaud.

ISSUE# 393 • SEPTEMBER 2026

buzzpei.com @buzzpei Editor: Yanik Richards Editor: Michelle Ollerhead Website: Nakeesa Aghdasy Partners: Maggie Lillo (Ruby Square Graphic Design), Carly Martin (Hawthorne House Media) Contributors: Julie Bull, Jane Ledwell, John B. MacCallum, Brent MacLaine, Takako Morita, Tara Reeves, JoDee Samuelson, Gary Schneider, Bren Simmers, Ashleigh Tremere

Office: 160 Richmond Street, Charlottetown Mail: P.O. Box 1945, Charlottetown, PE C1A7N5 Phone: 902-628-1958 E-mail: info@buzzpei.com Social Media: @buzzpei The Buzz is published monthly by Little Kit Bag Inc. Little Kit Bag Inc., operating as The Buzz, acknowledges that we are located on and operate on Mi’kma’ki, the traditional unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people who have lived here for many thousands of years, and who continue to live here.

COVER:

Little Old Street Charlottetown (Granville Street), oil on canvas, 24”x24”by John B. MacCallum. John B. MacCallum is known for his vivid use of colour and unique style that captures the beauty of his home province of PEI. MacCallum often employs a technique called impasto, which involves applying thick layers of paing with a pallette knife to create textured, almost sculptural, effect. This brings out the vibrancy of his colours, resulting in paintings that are full of life and energy. Some of his favourite subjects are fishing villages, beach scenes, and memories of know places. More of John’s work can be found on Instagram @ john_maccallum_artist. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. Compensation for errors in advertising copy which are the proven responsibility of the publisher is limited to a maximum of the cost of the placement of the advertisement.

The BUZZ September 2026 Page 59

30 Years Years of of Entertainment Entertainmentat atthe theHeart Heartof ofOur OurHarbour Harbour Harbourfront Theatre •• 30 Harbourfront Theatre Whether you sponsor, name a seat, volunteer, or support Stages for Students, you keep our doors wide open and local talent soaring on stage. Whether you sponsor, name a seat, volunteer, or support Stages for Students, you keep our doors wide open and local talent soaring on stage.

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Tickets:Pay PayWhat WhatYou YouWill Will Tickets: Globalfingerstyle fingerstyleguitar guitarchampion champion Global Don Ross brings home incredible Don Ross brings home incredible musicianshipand andrich richvocals. vocals. musicianship

Oct14 14• •7:30 7:30pm pm Oct JohnMcDermott McDermott John To Remember, ToGive GiveBack. Back. To Remember, To heartfelt,moving movingtribute tribute AAheartfelt, honouringour ourveterans veteransthrough through honouring Celticfavourites favouritesand andheartfelt heartfelt Celtic storytelling. storytelling.

Page 60 The BUZZ September 2026

SEP 17

WEEKEND

SEP 20

Jiaya Su

studio gallery café & gardens

Galleries & Gardens open at 9am Café open at 11:30

Dave Brosha

Galleries 902 672 2586

Café 902 672 1883

@THEDUNESSTUDIOGALLERY DUNESGALLERY.CA

Nash

Brackley Beach, PE