Hailing from Canada’s smallest province, Prince Edward Island, is a huge musical force known as The East Pointers. Tim Chaisson and Jake Charron’s exuberant, modern folk has a way of flooding your heart with optimism and hope. It’s what makes their live shows such joyous, beautiful affirmations of life. Even songs about lonely oaks, seeing ghosts or falling off the wagon again will have you tapping your feet while you’re dabbing tears from your eyes. Their music is a hybrid of deep Celtic roots and folky, americana leaves, but focused through the lens of an islander, where humour and melancholy pour into the same tumbler. When the pandemic put touring and live concerts on hold, The East Pointers hosted the online series #Annedemic, where they and their friends read weekly chapters from PEI’s biggest export, Anne of Green Gables. A cheerful, resilient lighthouse, patiently blinking in the midst of a vast unknown. Islanders take very little for granted: you never know when a loved one’s sudden departure will be forced upon you, perhaps lost to a temporary job or a permanent something else. Each September on the Island, The East Pointers host Goolaholla, a festival that celebrates music, community and East Coast hospitality. The East Pointers make the most out of every moment and joyfully invite you to do the same. - Chantal Vitalis