The YouTube video sensation, Welcome to Mount Pearl is an unforgettable anthem that makes everyone want to be in Newfoundland. The song and video has received almost 85 thousand hits on Youtube, and has been featured on local CBC News. The lyrics speak for themselves, highlighting an Atlantic Canadian community that likes to take it slow…and have fun:
The Avalon peninsula is where we’re situated
Work life so balanced that you can never hate it
The Jewel of Newfoundland… ’88 incorporated
Built a museum during the war, open Tuesday to Friday, 10 til 4
It has a large screen TV, a VCR and shows CBC
Oh, please! Everyone’s so nice here…
Plus we got a library…
Every day’s the same pace as the 80’s
Plus our wifi’s strong…damn right, we got it going on…
Welcome to Mount Pearl, where time moves slow…
Produced in the Summer of 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic, the catchy anthem and accompanying music video features Mount Pearl, Newfoundland residents engaged in everyday activities like throwing out their garbage, going for walks, eating ice cream, applying hairspray and walking a pony. Mount Pearl personalities in the video include the mayor, Dave Aker; the local softball team; a ladies’ aqua size class… and Tony the Zamboni driver.
The rap anthem, backed by a rock-style guitar track that sounds like something by Rage Against the Machine, proudly boasts of the small things that make Mount Pearl special, such as its library, a Facebook page, a pizza shop called Peter’s Pizza, and local hangout, Landwash Brewery. It also gives a nod to the local hairstyle, the “Mount Pearl Curl” made popular in the 1980’s.
The city of Mount Pearl is the second largest city in Newfoundland, and has a population of about 30 thousand people. It is located on the Avalon peninsula, close to the capital city of St. John’s. Mount Pearl’s major attractions are its beautiful scenery, almost 60 kilometres of walking trails and 50 playgrounds, as well as the Admiralty House Communications Museum. Its major events are the Mount Pearl Frosty Festival in February, and Mount Pearl City Days Celebrations in July, both geared mainly toward locals.
Unfortunately, Mount Pearl’s only major hotel, the Mount Pearl Hotel, was destroyed by fire in December 2019, but the city has plenty of listings on Air Bnb, where you are almost guaranteed a positive experience because, as the video explains, Mount Pearl is known for being friendly.
Welcome to Mount Pearl isn’t the only video produced by the city of Mount Pearl. In Septemebr 2019, Afiya and Nasir, owners of the local curry house, Curry Delight, were featured in another promotional Mount Pearl video extolling the welcoming nature of the business community, saying “ we would highly recommend to come to Mount Pearl and talk to people at City Hall…they’re doing something right because everybody wants to come to Mount Pearl.”
If you are considering a vacation to Newfoundland, there are many reasons to visit, including the capital St. Johns’, and Gros More National Park (about 7 hours’ drive from Mount Pearl). Newfoundland is also a fabulous province for small-scale cruising and whale watching, and presents a world-class location for iceberg-watching. Finally, a visit to Newfoundland is lots of fun, simply because of its history – it is full of interesting place names that will make you blush!
One tip is to make sure you leave lots of time to visit Newfoundland. Many visitors underestimate the sheer size of the province. To “see it all” you should set aside at least a couple of weeks.
And when you get there, don’t forget to pay a visit to the friendly folks in Mount Pearl!
