Our community impact
Made by hand, for years
Festivals of Mahone Bay is entirely volunteer-run. Two seasons a year, a small band of neighbours turns their town into something the whole province drives out to see.
Stewards of our community's spirit
Festivals of Mahone Bay — the Mahone Bay Signature Festivals Society — is an independent, registered non-profit run entirely by volunteers. What began in 1996 as a way for shops and restaurants to keep the season going after summer wound down has grown into two of Nova Scotia's most-loved traditions.
Being on the committee, as one long-time volunteer puts it, "is more than just volunteering; it's about becoming a steward of our community's spirit." Around 30 active volunteers make it happen each year — with many more lending a hand over the decades — an amazing accomplishment for a town of about a thousand.
A community tradition
The festivals also help support local causes, including:
- Local community projects and improvements
- The Mahone Bay & District Fire Department
- Youth & school initiatives (e.g. Shoes for Kids in prior years)
To confirm before publishing: founding years, and the impact figures (250+ scarecrows, ~30 active volunteers, ~30,000 peak visitors — an estimate).
Support the tradition
Your gift keeps the festivals free and the tradition alive — years of handmade magic in a town of 1,000 that the whole province comes out to see.