Incredible Maritime cuisine, live music, waterfront sunsets, and a surprise striped bass fishing adventure? Gather East Culinary & Music Festival, you absolutely hooked this mermaid!
This September, we packed our suitcases and our Boat and Totes and headed to beautiful Miramichi, New Brunswick, for the first-ever (and SOLD OUT!) Gather East Culinary & Music Festival. Three days of delicious Maritime flavours, incredible musical talent, and warm hospitality, all set against the stunning backdrop of the Miramichi River.
And can I just say? How on earth did it take us this long to spend a weekend in Miramichi?!
From the moment we arrived, I was completely smitten with the waterfront, the views of the iconic Centennial Bridge, and the welcoming atmosphere. We were in for one unforgettable weekend!
Our Gather East experience kicked off with The Open Table, an evening celebrating local cuisine, storytelling, and music.
Naturally, we started with a delicious Seabuckthorn Sour cocktail from Mix It Up Mixology before settling in for an evening of culinary delights. We sat with the loveliest couples and no doubt made new friends. I’ve even run into some of them since then at other industry events, which is a perfect example of how close-knit we all are here in New Brunswick.
The Kilted Chef entertained us with stories, while the menu delivered one delicious surprise after another. A definite highlight was the Maritime “Funky Salad,” featuring melt-in-your-mouth crab rangoon, a beautiful scallop, and a chicken wing. Just to make it extra funky.
But the main course was what I’d been dreaming about since we first heard about Gather East! Not only would it be my first time trying striped bass, but imagine my delight when it arrived topped with Nova Scotia-style creamed lobster! This delicious South Shore tradition had already stolen my heart during a visit to Barrington, Nova Scotia, in 2025, when I had the pleasure of meeting the famous Lucy the Lobster. You can read about it here.
Needless to say, this mermaid was in seafood heaven!
The meal ended with a decadent brownie dessert and a phenomenal performance by Dave Gunning and Jud Gunning. And just when we thought the evening couldn’t get any better, the sun put on an absolutely spectacular show over the Centennial Bridge. It was the most stunning sunset, and there was no way to top it. Right? Well, keep reading about day two.
If Friday was any indication of what was to come, Saturday absolutely blew our minds.
The day was filled with delicious discoveries, local traditions, and one very unexpected adventure on the Miramichi River that I’ll be talking about well into 2027.
First up? The Gather East Market, featuring vendors, culinary demonstrations, and musical performances on the beautiful riverfront at the Rodd Miramichi River. Special shout-out to the students selling homemade lemonade — it was delicious and hit the spot!
And another highlight for this mermaid? Trying eel for the very first time, thanks to The Kilted Chef! I grew up occasionally spotting an eel zipping by on the shores of Southeastern New Brunswick, but it is a delicacy I had yet to try. The Kilted Chef made a tasty smoked eel dip served on naan bread, so easy and so tasty. I loved it.
We also got to be front and center for the Mustard Pickle Competition, which might just be one of the most wonderfully Maritime things I’ve ever witnessed. The winning entry came from an 83-year-old woman, and my heart could barely handle how sweet it all was!
But the biggest surprise of the day?
A striped bass fishing adventure with Bent Rods Striper Fishing!
It was the most beautiful day, with warm temperatures and perfect for being out on the water. We spent an hour on the river, and all four of us on board reeled in a striped bass! And while the “money shot” bass I’m holding onto for dear life was too big to keep, we released them all in the end!
It was one of my favourite experiences of the weekend, and I truly felt in my element.
That evening, we returned for The Gathering, a culinary celebration featuring chef stations and an incredible variety of dishes. Think fresh oysters, lobster tacos, fish cakes, foraged mushrooms, pasta, and so much more. Local chefs prepared everything, including our friend Chef Rob McKim from Alma Snackbar & Grocery in Rogersville.
We ate, we mingled, and remember when I said Friday night’s sunset would be hard to beat? Well, I was wrong. We soaked up another breathtaking Miramichi River sunset that kept giving, then ended the evening with an unforgettable performance by PEI legend Lennie Gallant.
How do you wrap up a weekend of incredible food and music? With lobster Benedict, charred corn Bloody Caesars, and smoked brisket hash, obviously! Also known as one of the best brunches I’ve had in a long time!
Sunday’s grand finale, The Brunch with the Kilted Chef and Friends, was quite possibly the most perfect fall brunch I’ve ever experienced. Aaron from Mix It Up Mixology was back, serving the most delightful Bloody Caesars to brunch-goers, with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. They were so good, I definitely went for a second.
Brunch itself was divine, and while every dish was carefully prepared with love and so tasty, The Kilted Chef’s Lobster Benedict with creamed lobster was the dish that kept me going back for more. Between the delicious dishes, relaxed atmosphere, and fantastic musical performances by Chris Kirby and Logan Richard, it was the perfect way to toast an unforgettable weekend on the Miramichi River.
I couldn’t talk about an incredible weekend away without mentioning the Rodd Miramichi River hotel where we stayed. It also happened to be where all of the festival events were held, so we didn’t have far to go!
And it was the perfect setup for a culinary and music festival. We could enjoy every moment of the festivities, pop back to our room whenever we needed, and at the end of an evening filled with incredible food, cocktails, and live music, simply head upstairs and crawl into bed for the most delightful sleep.
No driving, no taxis, no worrying about getting back to our accommodations. Just pure relaxation and the luxury of having everything at our fingertips. I only wish we’d carved out time to enjoy the pool; it looked so inviting and offers incredible views.
We absolutely loved our stay, and with its beautiful riverfront setting and convenient location, Rodd Miramichi River has officially earned a spot on our list of places we can’t wait to return to!
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Curious about Gather East 2027? Follow their Facebook Page (and, of course, subscribe to my newsletter, the Tide Pool) to be the first to know when the 2027 Festival is announced.
Boatloads of thanks to the team at Gather East for inviting me to be a part of it. I had the time of my life.
Disclaimer: While I was invited to attend Gather East and capture content for socials, this article was not sponsored and all of the opinions and thoughts are my own. And yes, it really was that amazing and I can’t wait for next year’s festival!
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