Carnival draws huge crowd

Another edition of the Pictou Lobster Carnival has concluded after having drawn massive crowds and enduring a customary period of rain.
Anticipation built Thursday with portions of the Queen of the Sea pageant at the Pictou Academy Auditorium leading to the crowning Friday of Michelle Johnson of New Glasgow during Queen of the Sea ceremonies on the main stage.
Johnson also received awards in the friendship, fitness, talent and scholastic categories, while first lady-in-waiting Stephanie Robichaud also received fashion and evening wear awards.
Annie MacRitchie was named second lady-in-waiting.
“It was so much fun,” Johnson said of the pageant program. “It was a great way to start the summer.”
Partly cloudy skies and continued warm temperatures for the annual kids’ parade and soap box derby Saturday morning preceded a fast-moving front that dumped heavy rain over the noon hour and force the postponment of some afternoon events to Sunday.
Skies cleared later Saturday, while the annual parade that this time lasted about 40 minutes proceeded, despite a trace of rain.
An exceptionally large display of antique cars also drew big crowds Sunday.
“In general, I am very pleased with the weekend,” carnival committee chairman Brian Burton said. “The weather on Saturday was a little damp, but we cannot control the weather and we did what we could to move things, and not have too much overlap. In the end, I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend.”
Other sporting events included the annual Run for the Lobster, where Dave MacLennan won the 10-K race, Kevin Tulloch of New Glasgow won the 5-K race and Pictou’s Lauren Quann led the student category.
Nearly 400 runners completed the distances.
Work on Church Street that was halted for the carnival resumed Monday with cold planing pavement that will precede resurfacing later on.