By Wendy Elliott
As a new United Nations world heritage site, Acadian Days celebrations in Grand Pré will have added meaning this month.
According to Victor Tetrault, executive director of the Société Promotion Grand- Pré, the fresh UNESCO designation adds greater significance to the annual weekend known as Acadian Days.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for Nova Scotians to reconnect with the story,” Tetrault said.
Société Promotion Grand-Pré and Les Amis de Grand Pre will launch the weekend festivities July 20 with a social evening and a talk in French about traditional Acadian cuisine.
The next morning, there will be public talks in French, followed by a news conference for the UNESCO designation of the landscape of Grand Pré, a 16 square kilometre site encompassing the national historic park, marshlands, as well as the communities of Grand Pre and Hortonville.
In the afternoon of July 21, public talks will be held in English. A reception to mark the designation and thank those who worked on the process will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The reception will also feature a musical program to showcase the three cultures honoured by UNESCO: Acadians, Planters and First Nations people.
July 22, a mass will be held in French at 11 a.m. with Father Maurice LeBlanc and Father Caissey of the Mission Ste-Famille. After the mass, the group Unisson, from Baie Sainte-Marie, and Acadian singer Monique Poirier will entertain.
All of the activities will be held at the Grand-Pré National Historic Site. Entry is free for the talks on Saturday and the events on Sunday. Wines from local wineries and Acadian and Cajun meals will be available. There will also be activities for children.
