Madawaska,
neighboring Edmundston, and the towns of the St.
John River Valley on both sides of the US-Canadain
border constitute the spiritual, cultural and
geographical heart of the Acadians. Maine Acadians
– like their Canadian brethren – share
beliefs and experiences tying them to a river,
the land, their families, and to their common
religion, languages, and history. 
The land borders the St. John River, flowing between the United States and Canada, and extends away from the river to the "back settlements." Here people speak Valley French, a mixture that includes old French, Quebecois, and English terms – sometimes mixed within a sentence. Maine Acadians' French ancestors settled during the 1600s in what is now the Maritime Provinces, Quebec, and Maine. Both France and England claimed this territory. In 1755 the English government deported thousands of French neutrals from present-day Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, then known as Acadia. Spurred by the Acadians' refusal to strengthen their pledge of allegiance to the British Crown, the authorities shipped most of them to British colonies. Some fled to Quebec. Others, today's Cajuns, sought a new start in Louisiana. The majority maintained their Acadian identity.
During
the 1780s Acadians settled Malecite homelands
in the Saint John Valley, and here they were joined
by settlers from the St. Lawrence River valley.
Acadian Festival
Since 1978, the Town of Madawaska has been the site of the Acadian Festival, which has grown to become the State of Maine's largest cultural festival. Each year at the end of June, the population of the St. John Valley, which is located in the northeasternmost corner of the United States, celebrates the unique Acadian culture and heritage with a number of events that serve as a reminder of the past and celebration of the present.
In addition to these festivities, a local family name is selected to celebrate the reunion of a lifetime over the weekend. In years past, hundreds and thousands of descendants with names like Cyr, Hebert and Daigle, to name a few, have visited Madawaska to attend their family reunion. Come experience the hospitality of our "Acadia" at its most festive time!
Acadian Cultural Links
Tourism and Parks New Brunswick: Acadian Culture
Ste-Croix 2004 - 400th Anniversary of First French Settlement