Latest news with #OldOrchardBeach
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Families in Ocean Park embrace historical, festive Fourth of July celebration
Jul. 4—OCEAN PARK — Isabella Chute, 11, shuffled across a handmade wooden stage fashioned to a trailer while her family distributed buckets and American flags in preparation for Friday's Fourth of July parade. Her red and blue dress, which doubles as her solo costume for her dance team in Gray, glittered in the sunshine as she tapped across the board to an instrumental version of Tom Petty's "American Girl." Isabella had been practicing her tap routine for days ahead of Ocean Park's annual Fourth of July celebration. She and her brother, 7-year-old Kurtis, have watched the parade every summer with their grandparents, Pam and Jeff, who live in Ocean Park year-round. But Friday marked the first time the family from New Gloucester made a float. Like many families who visit the coastal village nestled in Old Orchard Beach, four generations of Isabella's family have spent summers in Ocean Park, said her mother, Cindy. A few groups of people wearing matching T-shirts carried banners through the parade, showing off their family's historical homes that have been around for decades. "The Fourth of July itself has built upon years and years of tradition," said Dennis LeBlanc, 79, who has visited the community every summer since 1992. Some paradegoers described Friday's celebration as a mix of Halloween and Independence Day. Hundreds of people lined Temple Street, awaiting candy and clapping, while various community groups — including a kazoo band — marched down the streets. Among the patriotic red, white and blue, some people wore inflatable dinosaur costumes, "Wicked"-themed outfits and superhero attire. "Anything goes," said Michele Bouchard, who was gearing up to drive a pirate-themed golf cart with skeletons stuck to the top. Harper, 8, and Nolan and Henry, both 5, sat in the back seat of the cart, wearing eye patches and golden temporary tattoos. This year marked the family's sixth summer visiting Ocean Park and their second year in the parade, she said. They've already started planning the decorations for next year's "Jaws" theme, Harper said. After the parade ended, Dennis LeBlanc and his wife, Maggie, found a shady bench in a park to relax. A few blocks away, dozens of people folded up their beach chairs and stayed outside, socializing on their wraparound porches and in their driveways. Maggie LeBlanc, 79, said she and her husband always visit their second home during the Fourth of July, which falls just around the time they're ready to get away from their home in Greenfield, Massachusetts. Dennis LeBlanc said he was introduced to Ocean Park in the 1970s by his mentor, a retired minister who invited him to his cottage. The historic community, which is affiliated with the Free Will Baptists, has expanded to include community programming, a temple for nondenominational Christian worship and more families who live there during the summer. "As soon as I came up here, the place was different," he said. "I could kind of feel it." As the summers pass, the LeBlancs have noticed the vintage cars cruising the parade route getting newer. They've seen people tearing down old cottages to build taller, more expensive homes. They feel deeper political polarization — even the colors red, white and blue "feel different to me now," Maggie LeBlanc said. But in the summers, she said Ocean Park is where people leave their egos and politics behind. "It's one of the few places in our world, I think, that there isn't a competition, divisiveness — at least for the day," Dennis LeBlanc said. "It's the way we wish the world outside of here could be. It's simple, caring, kind." Copy the Story Link
CTV News
21-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
‘We love you, come on down,': Business owner's message to Canadians boycotting U.S. travel
FILE - American and Canadian flags fly near the Palace Playland amusement park, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, a summer seaside resort town popular with French-Canadian tourists. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File( As the summer tourism season heats up and some Canadians choose to boycott U.S. travel, New England states and business owners want to draw Canadian tourists back. Maine's rugged coastline and sandy beaches have helped to earn it the license plate slogan 'Vacationland.' But this year, fewer Canadians are showing up. David Rowland, co-owner of York Beach Beer Company, has noticed fewer Canadian license plates and fewer Canadian surfers in York Beach. 'Down here at Long Sands Beach, it's usually lined with Quebecois or New Brunswick (tourists), and they're not here. Some are. But not like normal,' he said. 'We still have great beer and we're still nice people. And we have great waves and great mountains,' Rowland said. 'I would say, don't be afraid of us. We're not afraid of you. We're sorry.' From February to May, land crossings into Maine were down 27 per cent compared to last year. Other northeast states feel the drop of Canadian travellers too. At a summit in between northeast U.S. governors and Eastern Canadian premiers in Boston earlier this week, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey told reporters her state expects to see a 20 per cent decline in bookings. 'Vermont reports that hotel reservations by Canadians are down 45 per cent. Credit card spending by Canadians down 36 per cent. In New York City, bookings by Canadians are down 45 per cent,' said Governor Healey. Democratic governors blame U.S. President Donald Trump's rhetoric, after he repeatedly said he wanted to make Canada the 51st state. Trump also imposed tariffs on Canadian goods, including steel and aluminum. Maine's Governor Janet Mills said she's spoken with a bed and breakfast owner whose business has welcomed Canadians for generations but is now dealing with cancellations. 'It's not the tariffs that are affecting them so much as the hurt pride and Canadian citizenry,' said Mills. Maine has set up signs to welcome Canadians at border crossings and tourism visitor centres throughout the state. Its governor will travel to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia next week to meet with premiers, but also to promote her state as a destination. A Leger poll from May found that while Canadians' summer travel intentions are 'strong,' interest U.S.-bound travel this summer is 'collapsing' as only 10 per cent plan to travel to the U.S. this summer, down from 23 per cent last year. The poll also said 75 per cent of those polled who were planning a trip to the U.S. say tariffs announcement influenced their plans. More than half who had planned to visit the U.S. now plan to travel elsewhere. Other factors such as safety concerns, poor exchange rates, not feeling welcome and concerns about border delays also influenced their decisions. How the drop in Canadian tourism is impacting businesses varies depending on who you ask. At The Nevada Hotel in York Beach, Maine, its manager Valerie Fedorchak said they welcome guests from all over the world. Their Canadian guests are still coming. 'I'm really grateful to be able to say that we haven't noticed a substantial impact,' said Fedorchak. Typically, in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, Canadians account for up to 40 per cent of tourists each year. When announcing how Canada would respond to Trump's tariffs In March, former prime minister Justin Trudeau singled out Old Orchard Beach and Florida as places Canadians would choose to avoid. Family-run businesses like the Sandpiper Beachfront Motel welcome regulars from Canada every year, especially from Quebec. For some families, it's a 40-year tradition. 'For us personally we've only had a maybe a handful of people cancel if that,' said manager Michael Rioux, noting their longtime repeat clientele are still coming except one family that gave up seven rooms at the end of July. Rioux said the guest didn't want to cancel but her family did. 'Given the political situation, they wanted to boycott the U.S.,' he said. Rioux said his brother's business has also been dealing with more Canadian cancellations. He thinks the exchange rate, coupled with political turmoil will impact tourism in Old Orchard Beach. 'It's sad, because Canadians lose out on one of their places to go and then the mom and pop places like us lose as well,' Rioux said. Suzanne Ellis, the owner of Johnny Shucks Maine Lobster said the season started off slow, but she's noticed more Canadians showing up recently, especially this week. Ellis said she's very happy to have them here. The operator had been worried because a lot of her friends in Canada said they wouldn't be coming. Ellis estimates about 60 per cent of her customers are Canadians. 'We want to see you, we love you, come on down,' she said. Rioux message for Canadians is to do what you've been doing every year and enjoy your summer vacation. 'I think a lot of the political stuff is keeps us divided. I think we should stay together and help each other out and not fuel into a lot of the political theater and division that they perpetrate in the media,' said Rioux.
Wall Street Journal
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Meet the Canadians Breaking Up With Their Beloved Maine Vacation Spot
George Poitras says he felt nostalgic for Old Orchard Beach the first time he visited as a teen. 'I'd like to show this to other people,' he recalls thinking of the Maine town and its smooth, sandy beaches. Later, he'd bring his three children for vacations to share 'pier fries' and ride amusement park rides on warm summer nights. This year, though, the seaside town where he and thousands of other Canadians come each summer is caught in a political maelstrom. The neighborly relationship between the two countries went south after President Trump threatened to make Canada the 51st U.S. state and hit it with tariffs. In response to the trade moves, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for Canadians to boycott U.S. travel and singled out Old Orchard Beach by name.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Maine installs ‘Welcome Canadians' signs as trade war threatens summer tourism
The first "Bienvenue Canadiens!' sign was installed last week in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Maine Gov. Janet Mills said more signs would be installed at border crossings and locations popular with visitors, with other versions of welcome signs to be available for businesses. (Nick Moore/CTV Atlantic) Maine is placing new highway signs across the state to welcome Canadian visitors, as the U.S. trade war threatens to disrupt the upcoming summer tourism season. The first 'Bienvenue Canadiens!' sign was installed last week in Old Orchard Beach, which is a vacation hot spot for Quebec tourists. During a typical summer, up to 40 per cent of Old Orchard Beach visitors come from Canada. Maine Gov. Janet Mills said more signs would be installed at border crossings and locations popular with visitors, with other versions of welcome signs to be available for businesses. 'Look, I know that a sign alone cannot fix this economic uncertainty, but it can convey to our neighbours that they are welcome here, and that we do value their presence in our state,' said Mills in a weekly radio address. 'We do not feel hostility towards our Canadian friends and neighbours.' Governors and premiers to meet in Boston Mills said nearly 800,000 people from Canada visited Maine in 2024, representing about five per cent of the state's total number of visitors last year. 'But this year, just from February to April alone, 166,000 fewer Canadians travelled by land to Maine,' said Mills. 'That's 26 per cent less than the same period last year. That's a big drop in visitors. So, my administration is doing what we can to market Maine as a destination for Canadian travellers.' Mills said New England state governors are scheduled to meet with the premiers of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Ontario for a summit in Boston on June 16. 'At that meeting, I plan to discuss our partnerships with Canadians and our work to ensure that our historic friendship and our deeply intertwined economies will endure for generations to come,' said Mills.
CTV News
27-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Americans hope Canadians stick with stateside summertime traditions
Maine residents offer their thoughts on the ongoing trade war as the tourism season heats up. U.S. resident Don Hoenig has traditionally spent summers in his Old Orchard Beach, Maine, neighbourhood surrounded by Canadians, and he wants to keep it that way. 'So come on down,' says Hoenig. 'Don't stay away just because of politics. We would love to have you.' The simmering U.S. trade war and rhetoric about Canada becoming 'the 51st state' is top of mind in some of southern Maine's vacation communities as the summer tourism season heats up. Cross-border traffic has dropped significantly and there's been a mass cancellation of Canadian reservations at Maine hotels and inns. In response, U.S. resident Mark Duval is proudly flying the Canadian flag outside his Old Orchard Beach home. 'The Canadian flag speaks volumes for me,' says Duval. 'We cherish the Canadians who come down and we have a great friendly relationship with them. And we depend on them.' For Jane Sparks, the tariff turmoil is a bit more personal. Sparks was born in Canada but has spent a large part of the last four decades in the United States where she met her husband. In fact, Sparks was proposed to by the ocean in Old Orchard Beach. Sparks is hoping Canadians will ultimately make a decision to stick with their stateside summertime traditions. 'It's sad that they're not coming because of our political environment,' she says. 'We depend on tourism. And it's a shame to hurt the little people in America.' During a typical summer, up to 40 per cent of Old Orchard Beach visitors come from Canada.
