Lucy the Lobster saw her shadow in Barrington on Friday morning. (Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl photo)
By Rick Conrad
Lucy the Lobster didn’t crack a sweat when she saw her shelly shadow on the wharf in Barrington on Friday morning.
That means six more weeks of winter, at least for the South Shore of Nova Scotia.
Lucy made her prediction as the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl Festival kicked into high gear. It’s a whole month of shellabrations along the South Shore involving the scrumptious crustacean.
Nova Scotia’s official winter prognosticator had a different prediction. Shubenacadie Sam did not see his shadow, which means spring is around the corner.
Stephanie Miller Vincent, co-ordinator of the lobster crawl, said it was prime shadow-seeing conditions in Barrington.
“We had sunshine, I’m sorry that they didn’t in Shubenacadie. We were there. We believe what Lucy saw.”
Now, Lucy gets to hang out in a tank at Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack in Barrington Passage for the rest of the lobster crawl.
“Lucy is spending some time at the spa. You can pop in and take a shellfie with her while she relaxes for the rest of the month of February.”
The Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl Festival kicks off Thursday. (Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl Facebook page)
By Rick Conrad
Get your shell cracker ready, sharpen your lobster pick and loosen your belt. Thursday marks the beginning of the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl Festival.
The month-long celebration of the succulent shellfish includes businesses all along the South Shore, from Barrington, the lobster capital of Canada, to Peggys Cove, and as far inland as Kejimkujik and New Ross.
Things really get going on Friday, when Lucy the Lobster marks Groundhog Day in her own special way. If you’re at the Cape Sable Island Causeway at 8 a.m., you’ll get to see if Lucy predicts a longer winter.
The South Shore Tourism Co-operative launched its first lobster crawl in 2018 to help bring visitors to the South Shore in a typically slow time of year.
Stephanie Miller Vincent, the co-ordinator of the co-operative and the festival, says that with more than 100 events at 80 different businesses around the South Shore, it’s a great excuse to get out of the house.
“February is the longest shortest month of the year and we all need a reason to get out and crawl,” she says.
“There are just always great reasons to either come and visit the South Shore or crawl around the South Shore if you already live here.”
The festival features five signature events — Lucy and her shadow on the 2nd, the Lobster Roll Off competition at the Michelin Social and Athletic Club in Bridgewater on Feb. 4, the inaugural Chowder Chowdown Showdown on Feb. 11 at the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre in Birchtown, the Tail End Party at the Old Fish Factory in Lunenburg on Feb. 23, and the Beachside Bingo Brunch Buffet at the Quarterdeck Inn in Hunts Point on Feb. 25.
The chowder showdown is already sold out and there are only a few tickets left for the lobster roll competition, Miller Vincent says.
But there are events all over the South Shore to tickle your lobster fancy. The Region of Queens is also getting in on the lobster-loving action with Light Up Queen’s, an outdoor nighttime party in Centennial Park on Feb. 24.
“The economic value of lobster crawl has increased every year,” Miller Vincent says. “It’s now an anticipated event. We have businesses that stay open because of lobster crawl or extend their hours because of lobster crawl.
“It’s a little bit of everything. It’s truly taken a month where hibernation might have been the most popular activity and really encouraged people to get out.”
If you’re really into the crawl, you can find something to do for all 29 days of February, Miller Vincent says. You can pick up a passport at participating businesses or on the website at lobstercrawl.ca, track your progress and enter to win prizes.
As for Lucy, she gets to return to her bottom-dwelling ways a few days after she sees her shadow or not.
“Lucy is often a different Lucy. She does her duties, spends a couple of days at the spa at Capt. Kat’s (Lobster Shack in Barrington Passage) so you can pop by and get a ‘shellfie’ with her and then Lucy gets released,” Miller Vincent says.
“We do not eat Lucy, nor do we allow anyone else to eat Lucy. Lucy gets released.”
