July 18, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince Rupert, Cultural, Community or Seasonal
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Last month I had the great fortune of visitng Prince Rupert for the annual festival of Seafest! This years festival was very important for more reasons than one, but was incredible in so many ways. This was the first year that I had ever attended Seafest, but from my first visit I would say that I would be intersted in returning again in future years.
This years version of Seafest was also the 50th Anniversary of the Canadian Coast Guard. Because of this, the Coast Guard played a significant role and their half-century anniversary celebrated. From a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, street hockey games, a scavenger hunt in the streets for free vouchers and coupons for local establishments, incredible sea and air races and competitions on the Sunday, an amazing parade to open up the weekend, and tremendous live music all weekend long...just to name a few of the amazing activities that took place over the weekend.
Saturday was an incredible day for weather, and from talking to various locals and others that had been to other Seafest festivals in the past had told me that this weather was a strange but welcome surprise. But then the Sunday came along and it didn't stop raining all day, so that brought back a little regularity for numerous returnees of the festival. I had been to Prince Rupert a couple times before, and on all prior occasions it had always been sunny and nice, so this rain was the surprise and differ from normal for me.
Seafest helped re-engage my love for the ocean and wish that I lived closer sometimes. Prince Rupert plays such a significant role on the west coast and with the 50th anniversay of the coast guard also being celebrated, helped someone like myself see the importance of the coast guard to the massive shipping and fishing industry that operates out of their port. All of the celebrations over the weekend made someone like myself that much more aware that while it was a fun and incredible festival, the people involved in the jobs, which the festival celebrated, and their location on the west coast made the meaning of the festival that much better. I feel from experiencing this festival, that each community should have a festival celebrating the industries that are important and support them, while also bringing friends and family together to have a good time; which is something I feel Seafest did a great job of accomplishing.
The whole weekend was a big celebration for the Canadian Forces, the Canadian Coast Guard, and Prince Ruperts very important and strategic position it maintains on the Pacific west coast. It was a great weekend, with some really amazing weather, that I am sure to return to again sometime in the near future!