Cirque du Soleil set for Charlottetown

Tourism Charlottetown announced Wednesday it would launch a new festival this summer featuring a custom performance by Cirque du Soleil.

Charlottetown Summerfest will replace the Festival of Lights on the Canada Day weekend.

"The focus is much more on family," said Mark Carr-Rollitt, Tourism Charlottetown's operations director. "One of the reasons we wanted to look at a partnership with Cirque de Soleil is because it's very family-based entertainment.

"We've talked to the city, we've talked to residents. We're just responding to the feedback of what people want."

Festival of Lights ran successfully on the Charlottetown waterfront for many years, featuring popular musical acts, but in recent years came under fire for attracting drunken crowds.

Charlottetown Summerfest is being promoted as a family-oriented event. Cirque du Soleil is contracted to play at the festival for three years.

Other activities will include children's shows with the Doodlebops, a three-on-three hockey tournament on synthetic ice, skateboard and BMX demonstrations, and b-boy break dance competitions.

This year's Charlottetown Summerfest will run from June 30 to July 4.