Every July, a unique festival with a strong focus on seafood brings the North American landscape to life. This festival is the Lobster Festival: during your language study trip to Canada, the LEC team can’t resist telling you a little more about it…
A festival that has been held every year since 1949
The official name of the event? The Shediac Lobster Festival —known as the Shediac Lobster Festival during its time in Canada. The event owes its name to the town of Shediac, which has hosted it every July since 1949.
Where is the town of Shediac located?
On trouve la ville de Shediac dans le comté de Westmorland, au sud-est du Nouveau-Brunswick. Ce dernier, situé à l’extrême est du pays, partage une frontière avec, notamment, l’Etat américain du Maine, ainsi qu’avec le Québec. Ville officiellement bilingue – la langue de Shakespeare et celle de Molière sont chacune parlées par plus de 20 % de la population locale –, elle jouit d’un titre que nombre lui envient : elle est considérée comme la capitale mondiale du homard.
Concerts and lobster-eating contests
Once a year, the famous crustacean takes center stage and is enjoyed by countless visitors from Canada and beyond. Lobster-eating contests and concerts are held over the course of five days. This year, the festival kicks off today, Wednesday, July 8, 2015, and wraps up next Sunday.
“The World’s Largest Lobster”
As proudly announced the event’s official website, “the lobster capital of the worldis home to the world’s largest lobster.” An attraction that might make Mr. Lobster, the event’s mascot, a little jealous—though you can safely… come and give him a squeeze.