Winterberry Cottage :: International Festival Parade

37 images in this album on 2 pages

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Gallery: Winterberry Cottage

The parade is so long that as the beginning of the parade reaches the end of the route, those at the end have yet to start. Here, we are looking at participants lining up on the Maine side of the border.

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This takes place in a parking lot just off the downtown area of Calais, Maine. Hundreds of participating floats and groups of people are lined up in a planned order to begin the parade.

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In past years, the parade alternated between starting in Canada and the U.S. and going into the other country. Customs officers just glanced at everything as it passed into their country. Following the terrorist attacks in 2001, the parade now starts in the U.S. and goes into Canada each year.

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As the parade begins, floats head down North Street in Calais, Maine. Groups of all kinds come from both sides of the border to be in the parade.

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Spectators line North Street in Calais for a good look as the parade begins.

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This is looking back from the same spot as the previous shot as more of the parade begins to file out of the parking lot and onto North Street.

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As we come down the hill on North Street, we turn onto Main Street in Calais, Maine. Note the sign, "International Bridge to Canada." We're just a few blocks away from the border. The buildings and cars in the background are in Canada.

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Main Street in Calais becomes Milltown Boulevard in St. Stephen, New Brunswick - which is also that town's "main street". We're reaching the end of Main Street in Calais and getting ready to turn toward the International Bridge.

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This picture shows the crowd lined up on the left side of Maine Street in Calais.

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As Main Street turns and heads toward the International Bridge, we see more spectators watching as the parade heads toward Canada.

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Here, we're looking toward the International Bridge with St. Stephen, New Brunwsick in the background.

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At the border, we pass U.S. Customs before we head across the bridge.

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This is the end of Maine Route 9, Washington County Maine, The State of Maine, The United States, and The Eastern Time Zone.

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This is the home of U.S. Customs and Immigration and the U.S. Border Patrol. After taking this shot, a Customs agent demanded that I put my camera away and stop taking pictures. When you pass into this zone, you cease being able to argue and are at the mercy of these people and what they tell you to do.

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This is the St. Croix River which seperates the United States and Canada. These folks have found a great place to watch the parade - from a party boat in the middle of the river!

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There was a chance of rain this day and indeed some sprinkles did fall on the parade but not enough to dampen the spirit. On the left, Canada - on the right, the United States. This picture was taken from the middle of the International Bridge.

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Turning left after the last photo, we look across the bridge at Canada Customs. On the right we see Canada Customs agents visually inspecting people and vehicles passing into their country. No one was actually stopped as the parade passed into Canada.

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"Welcome to Canada!"

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This is the headquarters of Canada Customs and Immigration.

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Looking back as more of the parade follows us into Canada. These ambulances belong to Downeast (Maine) EMS. There is a plaque on the bridge with a line that shows the exact border between the two countries if you ever want to walk out and stand in two countries at once! The people at the left are technically in the United States by just about 10 feet.

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This is Canada Customs in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. Normally, this area is full of vehicles undergoing secondary inspections. If the customs agent in the booth you drive up to decides that you need further inspection, or if the computer randomly flags you, then this is where you go for a closer look.

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Looking for the United States? It's this way! Here, more parade fans get their first look as the parade enters Canada.

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Just behind Canada Customs, the parade heads down Milltown Boulevard - the "main street" of St. Stephen, NB.

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More parade fans line the route.

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