A Cultural Connection

For the first time, Maine and Canada are joining together to jointly host the World Acadian Congress —

Congrès mondial — which has taken place every five years since 1994 and was previously held in Canada and Louisiana.

The 2014 Congress – http://www.acadien, http://www.cma2014.com/en – will now include the St. John Valley and the city of Madawaska located in Maine’s Aroostook County on the Canadian border. In addition to St. John Valley, the Congress includes New Brunswick and the Temiscouata region of Quebec to form “Acadia of Lands and Forest.”

The event celebrates the Acadian culture that began in the mid-18th century when French Acadians were expelled from the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island for not swearing allegiance to England during the French and Indian War. Approximately 50,000 visitors are expected to travel to “Acadia of Lands and Forests” for the festivities.

The Congress, which runs from August 8th through August 24th, celebrates unique Acadian culture including food, language, music, and other traditions. The mission of the Congress is to bring together Acadians from across the globe for family reunions, conferences and events. There are 120 family reunions scheduled for 2014, and residents in Northern Maine have opened their homes to many of these families to host them during the Congress.

For more on the Congress, go to http://www.cma2014.com/en and for more on Maine, visit http://www.visitmaine.com .