Autumn settles beautifully over Cape Breton's urban heart this week, and the Rituals of Flight exhibition at the Eltuek Arts Centre invites visitors to slow down and contemplate the natural world through journals, film, and photography. Community spaces across CBRM are equally alive, from fiber-arts tables at Sydney Mines Library to a veteran Dungeons & Dragons crew gathering at Glace Bay Library.
Three artists—Angie Arsenault, Nelson MacDonald, and Robert Bean—explore crows and black birds through journals, film, and photography across Sydney's North End and Ashby neighbourhoods. The exhibition encourages visitors to observe birds more closely and reflect on the recurring contact between humans and avian species. The works highlight birds as historical and cultural messengers.
Board games, Lego and crafts program at Sydney Mines Library for children ages 5-10. Materials are provided. Registration required; call 902-736-3219 to reserve.
Tabletop role-playing game sessions for teens and adults. Group play follows D&D rules. Contact the venue for session times and registration details.
A weekly chess program for adults of all skill levels meets at the New Waterford Library, hosted by Ricky Hanes. Pre-registration is required; call the library at 902-862-2892 to sign up.
Drop-in chess group meeting Tuesday afternoons at McConnell Library. Volunteer Donald MacLean ([email protected]) offers instruction for players at all levels. Children 8 and younger must be supervised by an adult. For details, email [email protected].
Drop-in knitting and crochet sessions at Sydney Mines library where you can learn with provided needles, hooks, yarn, and pattern suggestions. The library also offers a basic wooden loom for handheld weaving if you're interested. Open to ages 8 and up, no registration needed.
A drop-in knitting and fiber crafts group that meets at the New Waterford Library. Bring your own project, socialize with others, and enjoy light refreshments—no registration needed.
Start Monday morning at the Rituals of Flight exhibition, which runs through the week at the Eltuek Arts Centre. Three artists use journals, film, and photography to trace the world of crows and black birds across Cape Breton and the Nova Scotia mainland — it's the kind of contemplative, place-rooted art that rewards a long look. The exhibition continues Tuesday under the same roof with Rituals of Flight, so there's no pressure to rush through it in a single visit.
Monday afternoon branches out across the region. Families with younger children will find a welcoming drop-in at Monday Afternoon Fun at Sydney Mines Library, where board games, Lego, and crafts keep ages 5–10 happily occupied. Meanwhile, teens and adults looking for something more strategic can roll dice with the Dungeons & Dragons group at Glace Bay Library from 3:30 p.m., and the evening rounds out at New Waterford Library with the Chess for Fun Club — adults of every skill level are welcome at the board.
Tuesday afternoon offers two strands of slow craft. Drop in for Chess Club at McConnell Library in Sydney, where volunteer instructor Donald MacLean is on hand for anyone who wants to sharpen their game. At the same time across town, Sydney Mines Library hosts Fall 2026 Learn to Knit or Crochet, a relaxed session open to ages 8 and up with all materials supplied. The evening fiber-arts tradition carries on at the Knitting Club at New Waterford Library, where refreshments add a sociable edge to the drop-in.
Between events, Sydney's downtown core rewards exploration on foot. Governors Pub & Eatery occupies a restored 19th-century building and serves elevated comfort food that fits any appetite after a morning in the gallery. For live music and an authentic Irish pub atmosphere, The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse has anchored downtown Sydney's entertainment scene since 2013 and is a reliable evening anchor. Visitors staying overnight will find The Simon Hotel Sydney ideally positioned on the harbour boardwalk, with 144 rooms, breakfast included, and pet-friendly accommodations — a comfortable base for ranging across the region each day.
A side trip to Glace Bay pairs naturally with the D&D session: the Cape Breton Miners Museum tells the story of the region's coal-mining past through underground tours of Ocean Deeps Colliery and a recreated 1850–1900 miners' village. It rounds out any visit to the eastern side of CBRM with genuine historical weight. And if the drive back toward Sydney stirs an appetite, A & K Lick-A-Chick Restaurant in Florence — a family-owned institution since 1969 — is the answer for crispy fried chicken and homemade sides.
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.
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.
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".
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.
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 CBRM ease into October with art worth sitting with, crafts worth picking up, and community tables worth pulling a chair up to — a fine reason to linger a little longer on Cape Breton Island.
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