In the midst of a tense trade war and tighter border rules, a tradition spanning more than half a century marched on in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, and Calais, Maine. Saturday’s International Homecoming Festival parade—this year themed “We Hug It Out”—proved that friendship can transcend politics.
The parade made its way from the United States across Ferry Point Bridge into Canada around noon, with well over 50 floats and entries crossing the international border. Just days earlier, St. Stephen’s council nearly canceled its portion of the event: only 12 entries were registered, as many residents felt crossing into the U.S. had become too complicated given rising political tensions.
Statistics across the country paint a revealing picture: in July 2025, Canadian residents’ return trips from the U.S. by car plunged 37 per cent, while return trips by air dropped 26 per cent compared to July 2024—the seventh straight month of declines. Even in border communities like St. Stephen, many residents are consciously cutting back or eliminating cross-border trips altogether, leaving towns like Calais struggling with fewer Canadian visitors.
Yet, when St. Stephen council issued an alert asking for more floats, the community rallied. By Saturday morning, schools, service clubs, businesses, and families on both sides delivered.
“I am overwhelmed and just so pleased,” said parade co-organizer Patty Anderson. “It shows me that our community on both sides of the border want the parade to continue,” said Patty Anderson, event co‑organizer.
“We’re grateful for customs staff on both sides for going the extra mile… Many of us are being brought to tears today just by this experience. Our community between the two borders really is one family.”
Spectators waved both Canadian and U.S. flags as children scrambled for tossed candy, and floats and signs emblazoned with unity messages rolled by. The lesson was simple: even amid tariffs, travel advisories, and political tensions, the bond between these sister border towns endures.
See the CHCO-TV video of parade highlights:
