SPARKS FLY

Creative retreats led by inspiring teachers in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Welcome to Lunenberg, Nova Scotia

Blue Rocks Harbour in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Blue Rocks Harbour. Credit: Tourism Nova Scotia / Photographer: Acorn Art Photography

We are happy to announce that our first two SPARKS FLY retreats, Memoir Writing with Allegra Huston and Creativity Training with Hester Schofield, will take place in May and June of 2022 May and October of 2023 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. Lunenburg is an inspiring town that sits on a hill overlooking Lunenburg Bay, and beyond that, the beautiful and rugged Atlantic. It’s a scenic UNESCO World Heritage site that has moved many an artist to draw inspiration from its brightly painted buildings, picturesque harbour, and nearby lobster fishing towns. Colourful fishing shacks dot the rocky shoreline, just as they have since the mid-1800s. The region is so untouched that film crews regularly use the area to portray pristine historical New England settings. The beauty and peacefulness of the area attracts writers, artists, and crafts people from all over North America and Europe.

There are just over 2000 residents in this community, and in spite of its smallness, the arts are very well represented here. The Opera House, built in 1907, attracts performers in all genres, from Celtic to Folk to Opera. And the Lunenburg Academy of Musical Performance brings classical musicians from all around the world to learn and to perform. There are music festivals, including the Folk Harbour Festival, and a documentary film festival. A quick stroll down any of the streets in town will take you past numerous art galleries and craft shops. There’s even an art school. The natural beauty, unspoiled landscape, and unhurried pace of life beg creativity.

Beautiful bookstores in Lunenburg

Three bookstores – Lunenburg Bound, Block Shop Books, and Elizabeth’s Books – are happy neighbours on Montague Street, each shop possessing its own distinct personality and clientele. Not far away, on the LaHave River, is LaHave River Books, possibly the bookstore with the best views ever. Out its door, a dock dotted with colourful picnic benches overlooks the LaHave River. You can take in the view, start reading your book and enjoy the baked goods from the neighbouring LaHave Bakery. Sometimes I go there just to take in the beauty of it all… plus the scones are killer.

View from LaHave River Books
LaHave River Books: possibly the bookstore with the best views!

<strong>Diana Leszczynski</strong>
Diana Leszczynski

Diana Leszczynski is the founder of SPARKS FLY retreats. She worked in film and television development for over twenty years before finally turning to her first love: writing. She is the author of middle-grade novels Fern Verdant, Wretched, and Hawke Farm, and is currently working on her first adult novel.

Welcome to Lunenberg, Nova Scotia

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