A Local Guide to Canada Day 2020

Canada Day is right around the corner, and although it might not be the one we expected, there’s still plenty of opportunity for a locally-inspired celebration. This year most of us are being faced with the ultimate choice: to stay in, or go out.

To give you the best of both worlds, we’ve created two separate guides to Canada Day 2020! No matter what plans you choose, we’re making sure your festivities will be memorable either way!

A Guide to Staying in this Canada Day:

Picnics

If you’re tired of being indoors, but would rather avoid the hustle and bustle of going out, try having a picnic! Enjoying a meal outside takes you out of your everyday routine, making it all the more special.

The perfect Taste of Nova Scotia picnic basket:

• Jam/jelly:
  • Helen B’s, Galloping Cows, Tangled Garden.
• Beverages:
  • Dr. Kombu Brewing Company, Spa Springs Mineral Water Company, Van Dyk’s By Nature, Viveau.
• Cheese:
  • Fox Hill Cheese House, Knoydart Cheese House, Masstown Creamery.
• Treats:
  • Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop, Just Us! Coffee, Petite Patrie Chocolate, Sable Shortbread, MacGregor’s Shortbread, The Cake Lady, Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet, Made With Local
• Fruits and Vegetables:
  • Agri-Growers Ltd., Country Magic, den Haan Greenhouses, Millen Farms, Oxford Frozen Foods, Randsland Farms, Scotian Gold, Stokdijk Greenhouses, Noggins Corner Farm Market, Stirling Fruit Farms, Masstown Market, or one of the many other Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia
• Recipes:
  • Apple BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
  • Nova Scotia Lobster Roll
  • Rhubarb Whipped Cheesecake Jar

From parks to beaches, Nova Scotia has plenty of picnic-worthy destinations, but you don’t even have to go that far! Order a care package from Obladee, A Wine Bar, a prepared meal or party box from Kitchen Door, or one of our Taste of Nova Scotia gift boxes, and enjoy right in your backyard. If you’re willing to travel or are in the Baddeck area, Inverary Resort is offering a gourmet picnic menu with reservations available for floating picnic tables!

Order Takeout

Many of us don’t want to worry about cooking on holidays, and Canada Day is no exception. Luckily, many of our members are still providing takeout options for those who don’t wish to dine in quite yet. Make sure to check out our Get Your Hands on Local page to find information on takeout options near you.

Fire Up the Grill

Canada Day is the perfect excuse for a backyard BBQ! Take time to relish the day and ketchup with your closest friends and family members. Nothing brings people together (after months of being apart) like the grill!

The most important BBQ tip is choosing quality sources of meat and seafood, make sure you check out products from these members:

• Meat:
  • Tony’s Meats, Masstown Butcher, Meadowbrook Meat Market, The Pork Shop,
• Seafood:
  • A.C Covert Distributers, Afishionado Fishmongers, Bay Enterprises Limited, Cedar Bay Grilling Company, Clearwater Seafoods, Comeau Sea Foods Limited, D’Eon Oyster Company, Evan’s Fresh Seafood, Fisherman’s Market International, Hamilton’s Fish Farm, IMO Foods Ltd., J. Willy Krauch & Sons

For some more helpful grilling tips from local producers and chefs, check out: 8 Tips For Your Best BBQ.

If you really want to make the BBQ process easy this Canada Day, Kitchen Door offers the “Ultimate Backyard BBQ Box” for pick-up or delivery. It’s full of delicious items you can customize to your taste, and perfect for hosting!

Virtual Festivities

Want the social aspect of happy hour while remaining in the comfort of your home? Make it virtual! Round up your friends and celebrate with an online cheers, while you enjoy this years online Canada Day entertainment and fireworks together (from a distance). For some creative cocktail recipe ideas, take a look at our Recipe Round Up: Virtual Happy Hour Edition.

Check out our Get Your Hands on Local page to find out where you can purchase local wine, beer, cider, spirits, and other ingredients for mixing.

A Guide to Going Out this Canada Day:

Dine In

Sometimes we all need to get out of the house and enjoy some well-deserved time off from cooking. Not only are we celebrating Canada Day this year, but also the re-opening of many beloved local restaurants. If you have yet to grab a bite to eat in your favourite spot, now is the time to do so! Browse our member directory for restaurants near you.

Grab A Drink

With patio season in full swing and our local beverage-alcohol producers and servers working hard to maintain safety protocols, you may feel ready to celebrate with in-person drinks. Whether it’s a bar, patio, winery, brewery, distillery, or cidery, the atmospheres are unmatched when spending time with good company. Our member directory will tell you where you can grab your favourite beverage at a location near you.

Plan a Staycation

Celebrate Canada Day by exploring the beautiful province we call home, with a Nova Scotia staycation! Just in time for the holiday, many resorts and inns across the province have now re-opened their doors to the public.

With safety being their top priority, Amherst Shore Country Inn, Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa, Pictou Lodge Beach Resort, Quarterdeck Beachside Villas & Grill, Fox Harb’r Resort, Liscombe Lodge, Oak Island Resort & Conference Centre, Argyler Lodge, Chanterelle Country Inn & Cottages, Castle Rock Country Inn, Lane’s Privateer Inn, and White Point Beach Resort are now welcoming you to enjoy their luxurious amenities and delicious dining.

Tour the Province

Being a tourist in your own province can satisfy the travel-bug and often provide you with new knowledge of your homeland, perfect for Canada Day! For a culinary adventure you won’t forget, book a tour with Grape Escapes Wine Tours, Taste Halifax Food Tours, Wine and Beer Tours of Nova Scotia, Go North Tours, Ambassatours, or the Wolfville Magic Winery Bus. 

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