Tens of thousands of travelers are expected to journey between Northern Maine, Quebec, and New Brunswick for the 2014 World Acadian Congress.
The gathering of New World French culture starts Friday and border agencies are preparing for the onslaught.
"We're expecting more travelers than usual," says Michel Saucier, chief of operations for the Canada Border Services Agency in Edmunston, New Brunswick. He says the region is expecting an influx of about 60,000 visitors during the Congress. Many of these will be people attending Acadian family reunions on both sides of the border. Saucier says the Grand Falls crossing from Hamlin, Maine, will expand its hours to accommodate late travelers.
"We have extended the hours from midnight to 3 o'clock Canadian time and that's for starting the 8th of August until the 23rd running to the 24th of August," he says.
More than 300 activities are planned for the 17-day conference.
To avoid delays, Saucier recommends that travelers check the Canada Border Services Agency website to see which crossings are busiest, and have all passports out and ready to go.
