Charlottetown to host Acadian Games for first time in 2015

RICHIBUCTO, NB – Oct. 23, 2012 – The City of Charlottetown has been named the host city for the 2015 Acadian Games (Jeux de l’Acadie). The official announcement was made at the Acadian Games Society’s Annual General Meeting in Richibucto, New Brunswick.

« We look forward to welcoming the thousands of participants, coaches, officials, and supporting family members and friends to our great city in 2015, » said Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee. « The Acadian Games is about sport and competition, and there is an underlying cultural component that celebrates Acadian roots and culture. Hosting the Acadian Games provides us with a unique opportunity to not only showcase our City, facilities and hospitality; it’s also a unique opportunity for Charlottetown to celebrate and bring together our Acadian and Francophone communities which are an important part of our cultural fabric. »

2015 will mark the 36th edition of the Acadian Games and the first time Charlottetown will have hosted the event. It’s anticipated that more than 1,400 athletes, coaches and officials will participate in the event. In addition, Charlottetown will welcome approximately 2,000 family members, friends and fans of those participating.

The Acadian Games is an annual sporting and cultural event that attracts thousands of Acadian and Francophone athletes from across Atlantic Canada to compete for five days in a variety of traditional and culture-specific events.

Participating athletes are between ages of 10 and 17 and must be of Acadian or Francophone decent. Since the first Acadian Games were held in 1979, more than 100,000 athletes have participated in the regional event.

Charlottetown Events Development Officer Wayne Long and Emile Gallant, Chair of the 2015 Acadian Games Bid Committee for Charlottetown, attended the Acadian Games Society’s Gala Banquet, along with other members of the bid committee, to receive the hosting rights for the 2015 Acadian Games.

The City of Charlottetown’s sport tourism program, SCORE!, partnered with the Bid Committee and led the attraction of the regional event to the city.

« We are happy and humbled to have been successful in our bidding efforts to host this wonderful event, » said Mr. Gallant. « Working in partnership with the City of Charlottetown, we put forward a strong bid to bring the event to provincial capital and now we look forward to working closely with them again, along with members of our Acadian and Francophone communities, to host an incredible edition of the Acadian Games in 2015. »

Traditionally, the Acadian Games has been hosted in predominantly Acadian communities. On occasion, the event has been hosted in Anglophone municipalities with Acadian and/or Francophone communities. The Prince Edward Island Acadian communities of Mont-Carmel, Abram-Village and Wellington have twice co-hosted the event in 1990 and 2001.

« Bringing the Acadian Games to Charlottetown will have a significant tourism, economic and cultural impact on our city, » said Deputy Mayor Stu MacFadyen, Chair of the City’s Economic Development & Culture Committee. « This event brings a huge number of people to a destination and traditionally carries an economic impact of $1.3 – 1.5 million to the host community in addition to being an invaluable cultural infusion. »

The 2015 Acadian Games will be held in late June and competitions will be held at various venues throughout the city. Dates and competition details will be released at a later date.

For more information on the Acadian Games, please visit www.jeuxdelacadie.org<http://www.jeuxdelacadie.org

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CUTLINE: The members of the Charlottetown proposal committee, from left, Julie Gilman, vice-president Gary Doucette, Acadian Games mascot Acajoux, president Emile Gallant, Wayne Long, Pierre Goyette and Jeannette Gallant, celebrate the choice of Charlottetown as the host municipality for the Games in 2015 with Mélanie McGrath, president of La Société des Jeux de l’Acadie.