Paradise Historical Society

2026 Rug Hooking Workshop #1
2026-04-26 10:00 - 15:00 (America/Halifax) | Paradise Heritage Centre, 10307 Highway #1, Paradise, Nova Scotia, Canada
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
The coveted Rug Hooking for Beginners workshop at the Paradise Heritage Centre is back … with a twist!
A comprehensive, hands-on, beginner rug hooking course will be held at the Paradise Heritage Centre at 10307 Highway #1 in Paradise.
Monica and Linda will welcome you and get you on your way to enjoying on of Nova Scotia’s most cherished heritage crafts.
This year we are adding a second day to this rug hooking workshop. The first day covers rug hooking instruction, designing, transferring your pattern to linen, colour selection, and the hands-on hooking portion of the course.
You will then have a week to complete your hooked piece at home, and return seven days later with your piece fully hooked and ready to learn blocking and finishing techniques.
Fee: $100.00 (for the two sessions)
Day 1: Sunday, April 26, 2026 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Day 2: Sunday, May 3, 2026 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
You will be hooking a “Mug Rug” (coaster) and the workshop will include use of a frame, hook, and scissors. You will be given the yarn and fabric needed to complete your project.
Fun and camaraderie are part of the package!
Spaces are limited.
To register and/or get more information, please click here to send an email to Barbara.
In your email please indicate which workshop date you wish to attend.
*PLEASE NOTE: This event listing is for workshop #1. To get the dates for workshop #2, please click here.*

Signature Quilt Quest
2026-04-19 14:00
Did you ever think of how our foremothers who created special quilts for remembrance, fundraising, or gifts, were really the keepers of history?
This is especially true for “Signature Quilts”.
They were given as presentation gifts for, say a minister leaving the community or a bride moving to a new home. Perhaps a family member emigrated to another country or province, and the signatures embroidered with love and care. “Remember us! Remember where you came from! “
Sometimes a quilt would be a fundraiser for a church, an organization, a community. You would pay ten cents or so to have your name embroidered. It added up, and such quilts made many contributions to community infrastructure or organizations. These are valuable historical and genealogical documents as well as cherished artifacts.
The Paradise Historical Society is the grateful recipient of one such quilt. We invite you to a very special viewing – a Quest, if you like. Our quilt has 221 signatures embroidered on white cotton. We invite you to come and see if you recognize the names of community members or your ancestors from the early 20th century – or just to see this bit of living history.
The quilt is dated 1911/12 and existed or travelled for months before it was finished. There are names from Paradise, Nictaux, Kingston, Port Williams, New Albany, even Cuba! There are family names, clergy names, boarders’ names-names of people here before us who may or may not still be in our memory.
The event will take place on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at 2:00 pm at the Paradise Heritage Centre
Tea and cake will be served.
Admission is free but we ask you to register so we know how big we need to make our cake.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Contact Name *Email *EmailConfirm EmailNumber of People Attending In Your Group *Would You Like to Sign Up For the Paradise Historical Society Email List? *Yes, please sign me up!No, please use my email address for notifications about this event only.Please check the 'YES' box if you'd like to sign up to our general email list to receive notifications about news, updates, and notifications for future events.Questions? Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions about the event and we'll respond to the email address you provided ASAP. Submit

Basket Making Workshop
2026-04-12 09:00 - 16:00
The Paradise Historical Society is hosting a basket-making workshop.
She is back! By popular request, Linda, our basket maker, will once again share her gift with us.
Learn how to weave your own “Two-Pie” basket and take it home with you!
This basket is not just decorative, you will use it many times.
Date & Time: Sunday, April 12, 2026, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (or until your basket is finished)
Location: Paradise Heritage Centre at 10307 Highway #1 in Paradise.
Cost: $80.00 which includes all the materials
Instructor: Linda Hankinson
Please bring a lunch.
Spaces are limited.
UPDATE FEB. 23 – THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL.

Happy basket makers at one of our prior workshops

History and Heritage Seeds with 'Revival Seeds'
2026-04-11 15:00
We invite you to a special opportunity at the Paradise Heritage Centre when we combine an amazing family history with a chance to learn about heritage seeds and how to grow them.
In 1903, Iwan and Anna Guryn immigrated from the Austro-Hungarian Empire (which is now known as the Western Ukraine) to Canada with fifteen dollars and a trunk of assorted seeds. Today Ken and Kathy Byrka carry on the family memory and method of seed preservation and sustainable farming. They hold to values that matter today – care of the land, respect and gratitude for those who have come before us, and innovative plans for tomorrow.
They will bring family stories from generations for you to hear, seeds for you to buy, and answers to your questions as you think about how you might garden – whether in porch containers or fertile fields.
The event will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 3:00 pm at the Paradise Heritage Centre
Admission is free but we ask you to register so we can plan appropriately.
Light refreshments will be served.
This event is full and registration is closed.

Genealogy Circle
2026-03-30 18:30 - 20:30
Are you curious about your family history? Want to learn how to start researching your roots or dig deeper into your ancestral story?
Join our Genealogy Circle!
We are resuming our genealogy evenings and to kick off 2026 we welcome Barbara Bishop as she teaches us about the value of estate inventories with her presentation, “Finding Lost History: How Family Estate Inventories Paint Pictures“.
It is sure to be another informative and valuable evening learning more ways we can uncover our family history.
Date & Time: Monday, March 30th, 2026 at 6:30 pm
Location: Paradise Heritage Centre at 10307 Highway #1 in Paradise
The Genealogy Circle meets regularly to learn, share discoveries, explore local resources, and support one another in uncovering our pasts.
All are welcome and no experience needed.
The Genealogy Circle operates on a “pay as you can” donation basis. Your contributions help support future gathering, but most importantly, your presence is what truly matters.
Come be part of a growing community of family history enthusiasts!
RSVP
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Contact Name *Email *EmailConfirm EmailNumber of People Attending *Would You Like to Sign Up For the Paradise Historical Society Email List? *Yes, please sign me up!No, please use my email address for notifications about this event only.Please check the 'YES' box if you'd like to sign up to our general email list to receive notifications about news, updates, and notifications for future events.Questions? Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions about the event and we'll respond to the email address you provided ASAP. Submit

Christmas Craft Fair
2025-11-23 10:00 - 15:00
Come join us for our 4th Christmas Craft Fair!
Date & Time: Sunday, November 23, 2025, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
We are booking tables now for crafts and vendors. The price per table is $15.
Please click HERE to send Barbara an email to book your table.
The craft fair will be held at two sites:
Paradise Heritage Centre at 10307 Highway #1
AND
Paradise Community Hall at 10300 Highway #1
(these two sites are just across the street from each other)

Heritage Centre Autumn Open Mornings
2025-11-12 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-11-05 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-29 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-22 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-15 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-08 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-10-01 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-24 09:00 - 12:00
Paradise Heritage Centre Open Mornings
You are invited to visit our Heritage Centre this summer and autumn.
We will be open Wednesday mornings starting May 7, 2025 through November 12, 2025 from 9 am – 12 noon. Coffee, muffins, and free WiFi will be available.
We have a reference library of local books and reference material you can leaf through or use to take notes for your own research.
The famous “Paradise Gazette” a 1935-36 student-crafted yearbook with fascinating pictures, bios of the students of the day, and insights into the curriculum of the time is also available. Thank you to Dave Whitman for this donation. It is amazing what students in a two-room school actually learned.
Or just drop in with a friend or two for a quiet place to have some morning conversation over a cuppa in our comfy chairs. On nice days, you can also enjoy the gardens with tables and benches outside.
Please look for our OPEN flag and stop in and say hello!

Never Forget the Nurses Who Served
2025-11-05 10:00 - 12:00
Never Forget the Nurses Who Served with Gloria Stephens
There are stories about the heroism and determination of our nurses who served in World war I and World War II.
Please join us to learn and remember, with guest speaker Gloria Stephens. As an Operating Room Nurse and Team Leader, Gloria has practiced in Halifax, Bermuda, and BC, in neurosurgery, orthopedics, plastic surgery, and notably as a member of the Open-Heart Research surgical team in BC, receiving recognition for her role in this pioneer procedure. She has also prepared many manuals and resources for OR nurses and the institutions that prepared them for their profession.
Professional OR Nurse, Educator, Author, Conference Organizer and International Speaker (Holland, England, Germany Austria, USA, Australia and Singapore), Gloria embodies all things essential for the critical work of training and supporting OR nurses, but also enabling the rest of us to understand their role and importance.
Her awards cannot be contained in a short list, but they are many, always connected with the advancement of her profession. As the 1994 YWCA Award for Education puts it, she is a “Woman of Distinction”.
We are the beneficiary of her personal and passionate interest in researching, documenting, and sharing the stories of the pioneer nurses who served and sacrificed in both World Wars. We are so grateful that she is giving us her time on to present to us so much to see, hear and learn.
Date & Time: Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 10:00 am
Meeting Location: Paradise Heritage Centre at 10307 Highway #1 in Paradise
RSVP
Please click HERE to email Barbara to RSVP. In your email, please let her know which event you are registering for.

Life on Sable Island
2025-10-27 19:00 - 21:00
Life on Sable Island with Sarah Medill
Please join us for a captivating evening with Sarah Medill, an Operations Coordinator with Parks Canada on Sable Island. Sarah has been living and working on the island since 2016, rotating between eight-week shifts on and off this remote landscape. Her diverse role encompasses everything from researching the iconic Sable Island horses – having completed her PhD on the subject in 2018 – to coordinating aircraft landings and collecting data from the British Geological Survey’s observatory, which has been operating on the island since 1999.
During her time off the island, Sarah will share fascinating glimpses into daily life on Sable Island, highlighting the rich tapestry of its natural inhabitants and exploring the challenges the island faces. Sarah has a keen interest in the stories surrounding the island, both in the past and more recently. She also enjoys sharing her passion for the island through her photography.
Don’t miss this opportunity to discover the wonders of one of Canada’s most mysterious and beautiful places through the eyes of someone who knows it intimately.
Date & Time: Monday, October 27, 2025 at 7:00 pm
Meeting Location: Paradise Heritage Centre at 10307 Highway #1 in Paradise
Image Attribution: Paul Gierszewski, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
RSVP
Please click HERE to email Barbara to RSVP. In your email, please let her know which event you are registering for.

Rope Basket Workshop
2025-10-18 10:00 - 14:00
The Paradise Historical Society is hosting a Rope Basket workshop.
Nautical rope knots have been used for centuries by mariners to secure sails and rigging on ships and boats. Variations or repetitions of certain knots can create a variety of functional and decorative items, such as mats that protect decks from the rigging, to surround railings or to stand on for cushioning.
Presenter, Karen Morley, resides in Cottage Cove where she makes items from “reclaimed” lobster rope and sells them at the Clarence Market on Sundays.
Karen invites you to join her to learn this art of decorative nautical knot making.
Participants will learn how to first create a nautical thump mat which will then be turned into a bowl. This useful bowl, approximately 10 inches in diameter, can hold fruits, bread or any items you wish.
Written instructions will be provided.
Date & Time: Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm (or until your bowl is finished)
Location: Paradise Heritage Centre at 10307 Highway #1 in Paradise.
Cost: $50.00 which includes all the materials
Instructor: Karen Morley
Please bring a lunch.
To register please send an email to Barbara or send her a direct/private message on the Paradise Historical Society Facebook page.
Please click HERE to send Barbara an email.

Genealogy Circle
2025-10-07 18:30 - 20:00
Are you curious about your family history? Want to learn how to start researching your roots or dig deeper into your ancestral story?
Join our Genealogy Circle!
Join us for an inspiring evening as local genealogist Denise Rice brings to life the extraordinary story of Rose Fortune— an amazing woman and one of the 3,000 Black Loyalists who found freedom and new beginnings in Nova Scotia by supporting Britain during the American Revolution.
Recognized as a National Historic Person in 2017, Rose’s legacy continues to shape our understanding of resilience, community, and the rich tapestry of Black history in Canada.
Don’t miss this chance to explore a remarkable chapter of our local heritage through Denise’s storytelling and research.
Date & Time: Tuesday, October 7th, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Location: Paradise Heritage Centre at 10307 Highway #1 in Paradise
The Genealogy Circle meets regularly to learn, share discoveries, explore local resources, and support one another in uncovering our pasts.
All are welcome and no experience needed.
The Genealogy Circle operates on a “pay as you can” donation basis. Your contributions help support future gathering, but most importantly, your presence is what truly matters.
Come be part of a growing community of family history enthusiasts!
RSVP
Please click HERE to email Barbara to RSVP. In your email, please let her know which event you are registering for.

How to Safely and Properly Clean a Gravestone
2025-09-21 10:00 - 12:00
How to Safely and Properly Clean a Gravestone with Denise Rice
We will meet at the Paradise Heritage Centre where we will get our briefing from Denise, and head out to the cemetery for a field trip: a demonstration and a stroll through the past of Paradise in the cemetery for those who wish to linger and look. Following all this, there will be nutrition and hydration (refreshments and nibbles) back at the Heritage Centre.
Denise is one of our most noted genealogists, and has kindly offered to show us what we need to know about this.
She is responsible for a huge portion of the knowledge we have of Annapolis County families, giving freely of her time and expertise. She is a member of our Genealogy Circle at the Paradise Heritage Centre which meets monthly.
Her research, collections, and compilations include a huge trove of obituaries now transcribed and available at Annapolis Genealogy.
Denise’s own Facebook page is Home Genealogy by Denise J Rice
She has published too! Denise J. (Daniels), A Planter Family: Ebenezer and Tabitha (Balcom) Rice of Annapolis County, N.S., 2019.
Date & Time: Sunday, September 21, 2025 at 10:00 am
Meeting Location: Paradise Heritage Centre at 10307 Highway #1 in Paradise
Please Note: The Paradise Cemetery is about a 10-minute walk (750 m) from the Heritage Centre. You may also drive between the two locations.
UPDATE SEPTEMBER 13, 2025 – THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL.

Heritage Centre Summer Open Mornings
2025-09-17 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-10 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-03 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-27 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-20 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-13 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-06 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-07-30 09:00 - 12:00

Genealogy Circle
2025-09-16 18:30 - 20:00
Are you curious about your family history? Want to learn how to start researching your roots or dig deeper into your ancestral story?
Join our Genealogy Circle!
For this meeting, we’re turning the spotlight on you!
Bring along your personal genealogy projects—whether they’re polished family trees or a handful of intriguing clues—and join us for an evening of open sharing, insightful questions, and friendly advice.
This is a chance to learn from one another’s research journeys, explore new resources, and maybe even spark unexpected connections.
Date & Time: Tuesday, September 16th, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Location: Paradise Heritage Centre at 10307 Highway #1 in Paradise
The Genealogy Circle meets regularly to learn, share discoveries, explore local resources, and support one another in uncovering our pasts.
All are welcome and no experience needed.
The Genealogy Circle operates on a “pay as you can” donation basis. Your contributions help support future gathering, but most importantly, your presence is what truly matters.
Come be part of a growing community of family history enthusiasts!
RSVP
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Contact Name *Email *EmailConfirm EmailNumber of People Attending *Would You Like to Sign Up For the Paradise Historical Society Email List? *Yes, please sign me up!No, please use my email address for notifications about this event only.Please check the 'YES' box if you'd like to sign up to our general email list to receive notifications about news, updates, and notifications for future events.Questions? Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions about the event and we'll respond to the email address you provided ASAP. Submit

Genealogy Circle
2025-09-02 18:30 - 20:00
Are you curious about your family history? Want to learn how to start researching your roots or dig deeper into your ancestral story?
Join our Genealogy Circle!
We’re excited to welcome local genealogist, Jim Eakins, to this meeting—a true treasure in our community with an extensive collection of family histories and regional resources.
With many years of experience and an unmatched dedication to preserving local heritage, he’ll be sharing his knowledge, unique materials, and insights into tracing family lines in our area.
Whether you’re just starting your journey or deep into your research, this is a chance to connect, learn, and be inspired.
Date & Time: Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Location: Paradise Heritage Centre at 10307 Highway #1 in Paradise
The Genealogy Circle meets regularly to learn, share discoveries, explore local resources, and support one another in uncovering our pasts.
All are welcome and no experience needed.
The Genealogy Circle operates on a “pay as you can” donation basis. Your contributions help support future gathering, but most importantly, your presence is what truly matters.
Come be part of a growing community of family history enthusiasts!
RSVP
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Contact Name *Email *EmailConfirm EmailNumber of People Attending *Would You Like to Sign Up For the Paradise Historical Society Email List? *Yes, please sign me up!No, please use my email address for notifications about this event only.Please check the 'YES' box if you'd like to sign up to our general email list to receive notifications about news, updates, and notifications for future events.Questions? Please feel free to let us know if you have any questions about the event and we'll respond to the email address you provided ASAP. Submit

Paradise 2025 Community BBQ & Corn Boil
2025-08-23 16:00 - 19:00
CANCELLED
This event will not take place on August 23, 2025.
In view of the terrible fire burning and increasing, and the risk of further fires very much a possibility, as well as air quality issues that are very real… we are sorry to say that we can not have an outdoor event at this time. That means our BBQ and Corn Boil will not take place this Saturday the 23rd .Thank you to all volunteers supporting the fight to save homes and provide comfort to those evacuated.

Paradise Historical Society would like to invite residents of Paradise to a Community BBQ and Corn Boil
We’ve had such an enjoyable time the last few years, we hope you can join us again or join us for the first time.
All food is fresh and local. Come enjoy it with your neighbours!
The event will take place on Saturday, August 23, 2025, from 4:00 – 7:00 pm at the Paradise Heritage Centre – rain or shine!
There are picnic tables but you are welcome to bring your lawn chairs or picnic blankets for seating.
Free will donations are gratefully accepted.
