St. Andrews' Epic Canada Day Parade Brings A Tourism Boost To The Seaside Town

Canada Day in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick has historically been one of the seaside community's biggest events of the year, drawing in visitors from near and far. While the resort town boasts a humble population of just over 2,000 year-round residents--a population that swells to 5,000 in the summer months when seasonal residents return--Canada Day draws on average draws approximately 10,000 people to the community every year and is one of the biggest sales days for local businesses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, scaled-back celebrations saw that number dwindle, which ultimately had an effect on the tourism industry, but 2023 festivities were bigger and bolder than in years past and very much a celebration of a return to normalcy.

This year's Canada Day fell on Saturday, drawing in day trippers from across the Maritimes and across the international border, since Americans also had a long weekend in honour on Independence Day. St. Andrews' large-scale Canada Day celebration started with a firemen's breakfast at the St. Andrews Fire Hall, followed by a farmers market on King Street and children's races down Water Street near Market Square. The main event in downtown St. Andrews during the day was the afternoon vintage car parade was followed by a traditional Canada Day parade, which CHCO-TV broadcast live with hosts Jay Remer, Vicki Hogarth and Ian Curran. 

Hundreds of people lined Water Street to take in the nearly 45 minute parade, which boasted a number of local businesses and organizations on floats and in cars. The parade was by far the largest the community has seen since before 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began and that, in itself, was reason for many people to celebrate.