World's Largest Violin

Cape Breton is is one place in Canada that you are almost always within earshot of fiddle music. From the early Scottish and French settlers came a proud and distinctive sound that is known around the world in music circles relating to the fiddle. As a child I heard the sound of the fiddle while delivering newspapers. At most family gatherings and celebrations the fiddle was the main instrument but bagpipes came a close second.

From this heritage came Canadian and world class musicians with that distinct recognition of being a Cape Breton fiddler. The city of Sydney has become a destination for tour boats and the focal point is the international dock on the harbour front. Theresa and I recently visited the site last summer and enjoyed the entertainment each night on the waterfront. Talented artists played not only for the coins they were given but by people who performed for the sheer joy of sharing their interest.

The city and tourists information people had a large fiddle built and placed in a prominent place for all to see. It stands out because of its size and significance to the fiddle tradition of the area.One must see it and hear it to gain the true feeling one gets from seeing something spectacular. You would not be disappointed if you spent a few hours on the boardwalk of Sydney and listening to the fiddle music resonate up and down the waterfront.