Tag Archives: Scotty Martin

Arts, Community, Food

Another ‘Excellent’ Seafest

The official count isn’t in yet, but more than 300 people turned out for this year’s Seafest. This is the annual celebration and fundraiser of the Cortes Island Seafood Association, which was held in Squirrel Cove again this year. 

“We come back every year. This is our 10th time. We love it every year. It’s awesome. There’s amazing food and amazing people and weather’s gorgeous,” exclaimed Jason Thompson. “One thing that stuck out for us was there was only a lineup on one side this year. In the past, it’s been both sides, and there was always a little bit of confusion, and, ‘oh, I didn’t get that’. So people would come in  and get their food, and you’d look at them going, ‘get out of my way,’  but no, it’s beautiful. It’s run really nice, and the music’s perfect.”

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Food, Rivers & Oceans

Seafest – Coming to Squirrel Cove Saturday, May 18

Seafest will be returning to Squirrel Cove this Saturday, May 18, with delicious platefuls of locally grown and prepared seafood. with live music.  

“ I think the first one was back in 1990 or 92. It was down in Smelt Bay with Redonda Sea Farms  and the rest of the community and it was a huge event. I think they had walk-on overloads on the ferry. That was really when the Seafood Association was formed.  Its primary mandate being water quality and it was formed in response to new technology that could assess dioxin pollution from the pulp mills,” explained Dave Nikleva.

Julia Rendall added, “I think in the  late eighties, it was to fight the pulp mills.  ‘Water quality’ was our mandate. Then there was a time when some people were a little bit reluctant about  us oyster farmers. They thought maybe we were getting in the way of their pristine scenery. We decided to  show them that we did have a good product for everybody to enjoy and that it is a viable industry on the island and it is necessary.”

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Arts

The Blues Barn

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A new music venue is coming to Cortes Island. The Blues Barn will open its doors, beside the store in Squirrel Cove, on Tuesday, October 31. 

“We notice there’s a lack of opportunity for community involvement on Cortes. We figured that since the last event we hosted, volleyball, is starting to die down, we need something new to bring to the community and to bring entertainment back to this side of the island. We figured that for the colder season, the Blues Barn would be a great opportunity to bring the community together and to have some fun,” explained Chase Cunningham, from the Squirrel Cove General Store.

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Community, Food, Indigenous Nations

Seafest 2023 At Squirrel Cove 

About 350 people* came to Squirrel Cove for Seafest on Saturday May 20. There was a flow-through crowd and not much more than a third of this number appeared to be at the six-hour long festival at any given time.

“I think Seafest is great, it brings a lot of cultures together and  lots of different seafoods,” said Sharon Francis, a Squirrel Cove resident and member of the Klahoose First Nation.

Curt Cunningham, owner manager of the Squirrel Cove General Store which hosted this year’s festival, added, “They’ve done an incredible job. We’re going to have a good day, a good summer, and this is gonna kick it off!” 

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Business, Indigenous Nations

Gorge Harbour Marina Resort fires new co-managers, shakes up management team

By Greg Osoba, CKTZ News, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca

After being sold last year to the local Klahoose First Nation, Cortes Island’s Gorge Harbour Marina Resort got off to a rough start this spring. The new co-managers hired by Klahoose Nation’s business arm, Qathen Xwegus Management Corporation (QXMC), were recently fired. 

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