Vince Bucarelli
Feb 20, 2023
It's Not Just a Name
Dildo, Heart’s Delight, Heart’s Desire, Heart’s Content, Come by Chance, Conception Bay, Cuckolds Cove conjure up erotic images. Would it surprise you to learn that they are towns, places and bodies of water in Newfoundland?
Yes. It is true. Some shocking information, we know!
Found on the Avalon Peninsula, these communities are well worth the time to explore. So, relax and step back in time to olden days where hospitality engulfed the fabric of every community.
Dildo, G’wan! I hand about died once I heard the name and had to drop over round by and by.
I finally made the trek to the “Rock” and off I went towards that infamous town.
All Photos by Vince Bucarelli.
Curiosity got the best of me: seriously who names a town Dildo? It’s surprising to hear the name at the very least and no one truly knows where the name Dildo originated. Speculation abounds, and theories pile on thicker than molasses. The following represent a few speculations:
1) Doldrums, which refers to calm seas
2) French name for nearby Dildo Island: De l'île de l'eau, pronounced "deh leel deh loh."
3) "dildo" was a term for the oar pegs in a dory
4) A short sword was called a "dildo."
5) Captain Cook naming the town Dildo as a Joke
6) Naming the town after a cylindrical glass tube “dildo glass”
7) Indigenous origins
Regardless of Dildo’s name origin, one thing is for sure, you will be hard pressed to find sexual toys in its midst.
First Stop, the Dildo Brewery ( https://dildobrewingco.ca/) is set in idyllic surroundings is an understatement — the scenery was stunning! Settling on the upper patio, which overlooked the bay, left me speechless. The sights, the sounds, the smell all coalesced in a harmonious psychedelic trip and that is before I had one beer. All I can say is, “Wow!”
The friendly staff came to greet us in a world renowned for home fashion that would encapsulate Newfoundland’s hospitality.
The flight of beers arrived and I was eager to sample the selection. The soothing warm sun only enhanced the welcoming cool drinks. My sample selection included; The Dildo Lager, The 1933 IPA, Sour Cran Grose, and Lassie English Brown Ale.
People may have their preferences; however, each beer provided a delectable experience. How could you go wrong when the surroundings enhanced that experience. As micro-breweries go, I must admit, I truly appreciated the experience. This is as close to heaven as one could get to an overall euphoric experience. This has been by far the best micro-brewery I have been to. Beer, food, location, ambiance, staff, locals, combined they knocked this one out of the ballpark.
Jimmy Kimmel - Mayor of Dildo!
Looking across the bay I noticed the Hollywood style Dildo sign. I quickly learned that it was part of Jimmy Kimmel wanting to be Mayor of Dildo. In 2019, Kimmel featured Dildo on his show. What started out as a joke quickly escalated to Jimmy Kimmel’s quest to become mayor of this small town. On August 16, 2019, Kimmel was made Honorary Mayor of Dildo. As a result, he gifted the sign to the Town of Dildo. The town and its sign were quickly becoming a world-renowned destination.
September 5, 2019, on the heel of the Jimmy Kimmel Show, Uncle John released the Dildo Song. In true traditional and distinctive Newfoundland folk music genre, the song is catchy and captures the essence of the town and its unique name.
Over 3 million views have made it an international sensation. The world can once again sample the distinctive and idiosyncratic culture that has maintained a down to earth, hospitable, salt of the earth presence. A presence that is truly appreciated in this time and era.
A traditional true Canadian culture is alive and well in Dildo and Newfoundland. Come from Away, the hit musical, also chronicles this down-home traditional hospitality.
THE DILDO SONG - UNCLE JOHN - (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
I would be remiss if I did not mention the local landscape which is an intrinsic part of Newfoundland’s charm and appeal. Landing in St. John’s, which is fondly referred to as the “Town,” has the appearance of landing in another major Canadian city.
When you leave the city limits, the vast wilderness begins to unveil its subtle beauty. Referred to as “The Rock,” Newfoundland is rugged, boggy and with numerous ponds dotting the landscape (lakes are referred to as ponds).
The coastal roads are extremely scenic with countless breathtaking panoramic views. With small fishing communities dotting the protective inlets, you begin to appreciate the simplicity and symbiotic relationship between the community and the environment. Both depend on each other for survival. The primal landscape elicits a deep-rooted yearning within our soul. A spiritual awakening which resonates throughout our being: soothing, caressing and rejuvenating.
No price tags on the doors of Newfoundland
To sum up, it was some shocking good. An experience that I will not soon forget. The name inspired me to explore the small town in Newfoundland.
Dildo transcended its name to inspire a new perspective that envelops some of the best traits that humanity has to offer, which could be said of the numerous small communities in Newfoundland. The name’s origin may be elusive but the essence of magnanimity permeates throughout this community and once again, reflective of the numerous small communities of Newfoundland. So, in the words of Roy Payne
“Raise your glass and drink with me
to that island in the sea,
Where friendship is a word they understand;
You will never be alone
when you're in a Newfie's home,
There's no price tag on the doors in Newfoundland.”
Roy Payne: No Price tags on the doors of NFLD
Long may your big jib draw.
