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Van Buren’s Acadian Village, the only one of its kind in the state and the second largest in the country, will mark its 50th anniversary later this month with three days of festivities, food and music.
Stepping into the village is like traveling 200 years back in time with the region’s early French settlers. Some of the complex’s 17 buildings actually date back to the 1700s while others are more recent recreations designed with authenticity in mind.
Besides drawing tourists to the region, the village preserves and honors northern Maine’s rich Acadian history, and its stewards are completing renovations just in time for the anniversary.
“Within the region’s outstanding network of historic sites, the village is unique by virtue of its scale and the story it tells,” UMFK Acadian Archives Director Patrick Lacroix said. “It captures a full 200 years of life.”
The celebration comes after a fundraiser to revitalize the historic site surpassed expectations, shattering the $60,000 goal in April with $75,800 in donations. A matching $60,000 will be contributed over three years, bringing the entire amount to more than $135,000.
Proceeds will help revitalize buildings in the village and give a modern-day twist to the visitor experience. Organizers will add signs to each building with QR codes, which will link to voice recordings about each structure’s history from people whose Acadian ancestors had ties to the buildings.
The “Roy House,” the village’s oldest structure, will feature a recording from Lucille Roy Castonguay, a descendant of early Acadian settlers.
The house was first built in Hamlin, not far from the St. John River, Acadian Village President John Pluto said. It was dismantled piece by piece and relocated to Van Buren when the settlement was first established.
“The original village had only seven buildings, and since then it has grown significantly,” Pluto said.
Some buildings, such as the church, were constructed specifically for the village. But even these buildings contain hundreds of historical items tied to the time of early French settlers, he said.
The festivities will begin with a traditional Catholic Mass at the church, given in French. The church was the central community gathering spot in many early Acadian villages, Pluto said.
Eight months ago, before the fundraiser even began, volunteers at the village started planning the anniversary celebration. That necessitated a lot of coordination, phone calls and lining up vendors for the site, said Noreen Pelletier, chairman of the 50th anniversary committee.
There are plenty of people in Van Buren and northern Maine with connections to the site, she said.
“They have all had relatives that might have been involved in this, or ancestors who are Acadian,” Pelletier said. “There is a special connection for a lot of people in the area.”
The celebration will take place from Friday, June 12 to Sunday, June 14, with most activities on June 13. That day will include free tours, food trucks and music from the St. Bruno/St. Remi Choir, Les Chanteurs Acadiens and Wayne and Friends Music. Author Cathie Pelletier will sign her new book, Evangeline’s Journey, which retells the story of a couple separated as a result of the Acadian diaspora.
Roughly one-third of the Maine population describes themselves as having French, French-Acadian or Acadian ancestry, according to the University of Maine at Fort Kent.
The village formed in the 1970s amid a newfound assertion of French heritage in New Brunswick and Quebec, as area towns celebrated centennials, Lacroix said. The region’s older residents wanted to carry traditions forward, and their ideas culminated in the creation of the historical settlement.
“At first, the Madawaska Historical Society carried the project,” Lacroix said. “Van Buren residents stepped forward in 1973, laying the foundation for the village we know today.”
The village will also be the highlight of an upcoming “Living Acadia” teacher workshop on June 27, when it will host a large-scale immersion event with people in costume and acting out roles as authentic French settlers from the 1700s. The Van Buren Revitalization Committee will also hold a celebration at the village in conjunction with the town’s annual Christmas in July.
Acadian Village Summer Manager Donna Strand recently moved back to the area and wanted to help promote the space because of what it represents to the community.
“I grew up with this,” she said. “It’s my love. It’s my heritage. It’s my culture. It’s what we represent as people: families and communities supporting each other. So I really wanted to be a part of it.”
Van Buren Town Manager Luke Dyer said the village is one of Aroostook County’s most important tourism destinations, as it preserves the stories, traditions and resilience of the Acadian people who helped shape the identity of northern Maine.
“The Town of Van Buren is incredibly fortunate to be home to this iconic destination, which is not only the largest Acadian Village in the United States outside of Louisiana, but also the crown jewel of northern Maine, welcoming visitors from around the world to experience our unique history, culture, and heritage.”
Following the anniversary celebration, the Acadian VIllage will be open from noon to 5 p.m., seven days a week, until mid-September. Anyone interested in volunteering can reach out at info@acadianvillagemaine.org.