Big crowds will converge on the Shediac area over the next nine days for food, fun and entertainment.
The 76th annual Shediac Lobster Festival kicks off on Saturday, July 5, and it makes Shediac the place to be for the start of summer.
“Our festival is quite popular. Usually, we see between 20,000 and 40,000 people. Last year was a bigger edition, so we had a higher number, but we are expecting up to 20,000 this year in Shediac. It should be a great one,” said Festival president François Poirier during an interview with our newsroom.
The Festival is also being recognized this year as a signature event. That means it is among the greatest festivals in the province.
“That’s in line with the Harvest festival and Area 506. That means we have to innovate and make bigger and better events, ” Poirier adds.
New events this year include the Global Lunch, which is a multi-cultural culinary celebration. Representatives from different countries will present different meals.
Another is The Succulent, which is a five-course meal with the experience linked to Wabanaki and Acadian culture. It’s held on Parlee Beach.
The Festival will also feature a program called the Culinary Summer Camp for youths.
“Lobster is at the heart of what we do. We always try to bring some kind of lobster element. You’ll definitely have the chance to eat lobster. Every year, for sustainability, every lobster that we consume during our festival, which can range about 10,000 lobsters, in partnership with Homeris, we bring them back to sea so they can grow back to adults and keep our oceans full, ” Poirier says.
The annual 5K and 10K Claw Run is sold out this year, but visitors are invited to come and cheer on the runners. It’s probably the only event where you will see runners come out of a lobster trap to start the race. That event is followed by a community breakfast.
Campbell Amusement and the midway rides will be in town from Wednesday until Sunday.
Poirier says the motto of the event has always been fun for all. The Festival runs from July 5 to 13.
You can find a list of all of the events and purchase your tickets online on the Shediac Lobster Festival website..