CB Comedy Fest – Goin On Improv – Savoy Theatre (studio space)
Improv comedy performance by Cape Breton's local troupe at Savoy Theatre studio space. Each show is improvised with no script, so performances vary. Doors open 7pm, show starts 8pm.
Sydney & CBRM: What's On August 17–23, 2026
The week of August 17 opens with a run of late-night laughs as CB Comedy Fest rolls into the Savoy Theatre and Daniel's Taphouse, while The Cape Breton Exhibition celebrates a landmark 110th year with four days of rodeo, horse shows, and midway amusements.
🎵 Live this week
Cape Breton Comedy Showcase – Daniels Taphouse
Stand-up comedy night featuring local comedian Nick Beaton, hosted by Don Munro. Beaton has performed at Just for Laughs, Edinburgh Fringe, and other major festivals, and has written for television. Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm.
The Cape Breton Exhibition
Agricultural and community celebration running four days with horse shows, rodeo, livestock exhibits, local vendors, amusements, and live entertainment. Hours 9am-11pm daily.
A Whale of a Tale: Our Ocean World
Parks Canada staff will discuss ocean creatures that live in Cape Breton waters and ways visitors can help keep oceans clean. The program at Baddeck Library is designed for elementary school children and families, recommended for grade 3 and up. Registration required; call Baddeck Library at 902-295-2055.
Teddy Bear Picnic – Petersfield Park
Outdoor storytelling and music event at Petersfield Park's central green space where children bring a stuffed animal and blanket. Library staff share stories, songs, and snacks. Event runs weather permitting; check the library's website or social media for updates.
Meet me at the Fiddle: Dockside Yoga with Tammy
Waterfront yoga class at the Port of Sydney led by instructor Tammy, suitable for all levels. After class, attendees can order a Dockside Blueberry Aperol Sour for $10 at Flavor on the Water next door.
Men of the Deeps at the Miners Museum
A choir of working and retired coal miners performs at the Cape Breton Miners Museum. Members must have worked in the mines; ages range from mid-thirties to upper-seventies, with some performing since the group's formation in 1966. They perform in traditional mining coveralls and hard hats with helmet lamps. Main doors open 6:30pm, theatre doors 6:45pm, performance at 7pm. Tickets available online, in person, or by phone 902-849-4522.
📍 Suggested itinerary
The week gets rolling on Monday night when local improv troupe Goin' On Improv takes the Savoy Theatre studio space for a set of wholly unrehearsed comedy as part of CB Comedy Fest. It's a sharp, spontaneous way to kick off the week, and the late 10 p.m. start makes it an easy add-on after dinner. Governors Pub & Eatery, housed in a restored 19th-century downtown building, is a natural pre-show stop for elevated comfort food before the laughs begin.
Tuesday evening brings more festival comedy when the Cape Breton Comedy Showcase descends on Daniel's Taphouse in Sydney. Veteran performer Nick Beaton joins a lineup of local comedians under the watch of host Don Munro — the kind of home-grown stand-up night that reminds visitors just how much creative energy lives in this city. The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse, Cape Breton's premier Irish pub since 2013, offers a lively warm-up or wind-down with live music and pub fare just a short walk away in the downtown core.
Wednesday is the busiest day of the week. Families will want to head to The Cape Breton Exhibition early — the 110th edition of this beloved fair runs through the week and packs in horse shows, rodeo, livestock exhibits, and midway amusements from 9 a.m. onward. Younger visitors can also slip away to the afternoon program A Whale of a Tale: Our Ocean World, where Parks Canada staff walk attendees through the marine creatures that inhabit Cape Breton's waters and explain how everyone can help protect the ocean, or join library staff for the Teddy Bear Picnic at Petersfield Park at 5 p.m. for stories, songs, and snacks.
As the sun lowers over Sydney Harbour on Wednesday evening, the waterfront comes alive with Dockside Yoga with Tammy, an all-levels class held at the Port of Sydney's iconic Esplanade at 6:30 p.m. It's a peaceful counterpoint to a full day at the Exhibition. Then, at 7 p.m., the week reaches a cultural high point in Glace Bay: the Men of the Deeps perform at the Cape Breton Miners Museum, the choir of working and retired coal miners delivering their powerful summer concert against the backdrop of one of the island's most storied heritage sites. The museum's underground tours of Ocean Deeps Colliery are worth the trip to Glace Bay on their own.
For the full duration of the week, visitors staying in Sydney will find The Simon Hotel Sydney an ideal base — a waterfront suite hotel on the harbour boardwalk with 144 rooms, breakfast, and pet-friendly accommodations. After a long day at the Exhibition or a drive out to Glace Bay, few things beat a harbour view and easy access to downtown dining. And if the road north beckons before or after the week's events, A & K Lick-A-Chick Restaurant in Florence has been serving crispy fried chicken and homemade sides since 1969 — a classic Cape Breton pit stop on any route through CBRM.
🍽️ Where to eat & stay
Cape Breton Miners Museum
The Cape Breton Miners’ Museum in Glace Bay pays tribute to the contribution of the region’s coal miners and coal mining industry. The museum also features a fascinating exhibit on the geological development of Cape Breton’s coal field. The Miners’ Village, located next to the museum, allows you to step back in time and visit a company store and a home from the period 1850–1900. Take an underground guided tour of the Ocean Deeps Colliery, a coal mine beneath the museum. If you are visiting during the summer months, be sure to attend a “Men of the Deeps” concert (contact us for more details). After touring our wheelchair accessible museum, stop by our gift shop where you will find local Cape Breton-made arts and crafts.
The Simon Hotel Sydney
The Simon Hotel Sydney comes complete with 144 non-smoking suites/rooms with air conditioning, flat screen TV’s, digital cable, mini fridge, and microwave. Large wheelchair accessible main floor suite with separate bedroom and living area, lowered queen size bed and roll-in shower. Amenities include parking, free WiFi, breakfast, on-site restaurant and lounge and roof top patio, fitness centre, and free YMCA access. We are pet friendly. Located on the beautiful harbour boardwalk within walking distance to shops, banks, restaurants and attractions, we are the only suite property located in downtown Sydney.
Governors Pub & Eatery
Pub and restaurant in a restored 19th-century building in downtown Sydney serving elevated comfort food with Maritime-inspired daily features. The wood-and-brick interior has high ceilings and big windows; it draws both locals and visitors. Reservations recommended for dinner, family-friendly through dinner service, open year-round.
The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse
Visit Cape Breton’s authentic Irish Pub located in the heart of downtown Sydney. Opened in 2013, The Old Triangle has become a downtown mainstay, a must-dining destination, and an entertainment magnet. Whether it’s a business lunch, a celebratory party in our private room (Finnigan’s Snug), or to sing and dance along with some of the best musicians the Maritimes has to offer, we fit the bill. Here, we live by our philosophy: "Food for the Body, Drink for the Spirit and Music for the Soul".
A & K Lick-A-Chick Restaurant
A & K Lick-A-Chick has the best tasting fried chicken in Little Bras d’Or! Bring the family for a picnic-style lunch or dinner and enjoy some delicious, crispy seasoned chicken. Don’t forget all the “fixins,” like coleslaw, potato salad, and fresh-cut taters. Finish off your meal with a delightfully decadent ice cream novelty or cake. Or maybe some warm apple pie? It’s hard to decide with so many choices! Our family has always been in business for itself. A & K Lick-A-Chick was founded in 1969 and we bought this restaurant in 1983. Here we are today! We plan to continue what we’ve been doing—serve delicious and affordable home-style food to our loyal patrons. We are well known and pride ourselves on the quality of our cuisine. Come stop by and see what all the fuss is about! Visit us today to order quality and tasty food.
Sydney and Cape Breton Regional Municipality roll out a week that stretches from the fairgrounds to the harbour waterfront and deep into the island's coal mining soul — reason enough to book a few nights and take it all in. The Cape Breton Miners Museum and the stages of CB Comedy Fest will be waiting.