Acadian Festival in Madawaska
June 26 to July 4, 2004

Bangor Daily News
By Beurmond Banville
Last updated: Friday, June 18, 2004

MADAWASKA - Madawaska's 27th annual Acadian Festival, Maine's largest cultural festival, has been expanded this year to nine days, from Saturday, June 26, to Sunday, July 4.The festival, which features people singing Acadian songs, speaking French and displaying their traditions and culture, is highlighted by a large family reunion. This year it's the Gendreau-Jandreau family.
During the festival and for many days before, the town flies the Acadian tricolor red, white and blue flag, which includes the gold star of Mary. People wear traditional dress of years gone by, and treasures of those years are displayed.

A highlight is the re-enactment of the landing of the Acadians and their being welcomed by American Indians at the Acadian Cross Landing Site on the shores of the St. John River. The re-enactment, at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 1, will occur nearly within the shadow of the St. David Catholic Church. The church and the Acadian Cross Landing Site are both listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Historical sites to see while in the St. John Valley include: the Cross on the Mountain and Tante Blanche Museum at Madawaska; the caboose and water tower at Frenchville; Acadian Village at Van Buren; the Musee Culturelle de Mont-Carmel at Lille Village; and the Ste. Agathe Historical House at St. Agatha.

There also will be fun and games. Activities start with the second annual Top of Maine Mountain Bike Race at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 26. The Acadian Festival Pageant is held at 7 the same evening at Madawaska High School.

An Acadian Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 27, at St. David Catholic Church. That is followed by a picnic at Madawaska's Bicentennial Park.

There is a home- and business-decorating contest this year, a softball tournament, boat rides on Long Lake, a family festival, a talent show, a craft fair and quilt show, an antique tractor and engine display, horse-drawn wagon rides, a pie bake-off and jam and jelly cook-off, and a cultural display.

Blistered Fingers will be in concert Thursday, July 1, at the Madawaska multipurpose building. The five-member band was named Maine's Bluegrass Band of the Year by the Maine Country Music Association in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

There will be an Acadian Dinner Theater, at which an actor portraying Henry Wadsworth Longfellow will read the poem "Evangeline," at 4:30 p.m. Friday, July 2, at the Gateway Motel and Restaurant. Tickets are available in advance only.

The 20th Maine Volunteers, a Civil War re-enactment group, will hold an encampment outside the Madawaska multipurpose building July 2-4.

The Gendreau-Jandreau family reunion kicks off Friday, July 2, with registration at Madawaska High School. One-hour miniworkshops will take place Friday on genealogy, culture and history, with a talent show that night.

A golf tournament will be held Saturday, a banquet and dance that night, and a reunion Mass Sunday, July 4.

The celebration ends with the Acadian Festival parade at 1 p.m. July 4 and fireworks at night.

For more information on the Acadian Festival and any of its activities, call the Greater Madawaska Chamber of Commerce at 728-7000 or visit their online schedule.