Courtesy of the Acadian Museum

“La Chandeleur”—an old Acadian tradition. This feast day, originating in part in France, has been revived on Prince Edward Island in recent years as an occasion for the local priest to bless the candles on February 2. Furthermore, with a colourful rooster, a lit candle with a jug, and painted faces, numerous “coureurs de la Chandeleur” gather provisions from various communities for the needy on a horse-drawn wagon. This Acadian tradition was particularly popular before the Great Depression when the government began to introduce subsidized programs to help those in need.