Loud cheers and a sea of large Acadian flags were present across Pascal Poirier Park in Shediac, N.B., Monday as part of National Acadian Day celebrations.
On Aug. 15, events are held to commemorate Acadian culture, heritage and language. It dates back to 1881 when the first national Acadian convention was held in Memramcook, New Brunswick.
In 2003, the Government of Canada passed the National Acadian Day Act.
“Oh my goodness, for us it’s a big day in the family, and it’s just a big party. Just to remember the Acadian population is there, and it’s been there forever, so it’s just remembrance and having a big party, having fun,” said Dieppe resident Robert Audoux.
A significant part of celebrations is often the Tintamarre, a march through the community often involving loud noises and instruments. This year, Shediac opted to host the Tintamarre early in the day for children, which proved to be a “blast,” according to Audoux.
Given its significant Acadian population, Shediac has typically hosted larger celebrations on Aug. 15. Following the Tinatamarre, the town held public shows, a barbecue and a flag-raising event.
“Shediac being an Acadian community, I think a lot of people are happy and proud with being Acadian, so I think it comes in colours, and they come out in great numbers. It’s always one of our popular activities, so we see that it’s a want in our community,” said Denis LeBlanc, the director of community living for the Town of Shediac.
Celebrations for National Acadian Day were present in 2021, though some communities held scaled-down events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to LeBlanc, a large turnout on Monday is one of the many signs residents are excited to experience some normalcy.
“I think people have come out in great numbers. I think people were tired of staying home and not doing anything,” LeBlanc said.
“We’ve seen tourism has picked up as well. So I think it’s important for the community to come out and celebrate and stretch their arms instead of staying home.”