Alma

One of Albert County’s most cherished traditions returns as Alma’s annual Fleet Launch celebration kicks off a busy lobster season.

Residents will come together today for a final major event before the village settles into its quieter off-season.

For Fundy Albert Ward one Councillor Derek Lackey, the event is about far more than boats leaving the harbour.

“It’s all about fishing and tourism,” Lackey said. “People come here to see a real working harbour and the tides, and you can’t fake that.”

The Fleet Launch marks the beginning of the local fishing season and serves as a community send-off for the fishermen who help sustain the village year-round. While tourism draws hundreds of thousands of visitors through the area each year, Lackey says the fishing industry remains the backbone of the community.

“The fisheries really keep the lights on here,” he said. “We get 350,000 to 400,000 visitors, but year-round the fisheries keep the school buses running and the families here year-round.”

A spirit of wishing fishermen a safe and successful season remains at the heart of the celebration.

“That spirit of ‘come home safe’ is absolutely at the core of Fleet Launch,” said Lackey.

The celebration may signal the start of another fishing season, but for many residents, it is also a chance to honour the industry that helped build the village and continues to keep it thriving long after the tourists have gone home.

The timing of the fleet’s departure depends on fishing regulations and opening times set by the industry, meaning the actual launch can happen at unusual hours. This year, though, residents and visitors didn’t have to set the clocks to rise before the crack of dawn.

The Alma fleet launch will be held at 12:45 pm on Tuesday, October 13.

This comes after a fun-filled weekend with the Rising Tides Festival, which created a packed schedule of events organized by local groups, the Friends of Fundy and Fundy National Park.

Festivities began Friday evening with a bingo and an “Anchored in History” photo display at the Alma gazebo.

Saturday’s activities included a kids’ zone, cakewalk, high tea and a talent night featuring local performers. On Sunday, the community gathered for a grad breakfast and the presentation of the Molly Kool Award.

The weekend wrapped up on Monday with the popular Lobster Dip Plunge at Alma Beach, organized by Fundy Blades as a fundraiser. Participants braved the chilly Bay of Fundy waters,

While the fleet launch celebrates the fishing industry, it also highlights Alma’s unique position as a gateway to some of New Brunswick’s most visited attractions.

Located near Fundy National Park and the Hopewell Rocks, the village sees a dramatic seasonal swing in population and visitor traffic. During peak tourism season, thousands pass through the village, but once autumn arrives, Alma returns to a year-round population of just under 300 residents.

“People are astounded when they come to Alma and see that when the tide is fully out, there’s two kilometres of beach, and when the tide’s in, there’s none,” Lackey said.

Even after the tourist season winds down, Alma remains active. Several restaurants now stay open on weekends throughout the winter, a departure from years past when many businesses shut down completely after summer.

For outdoor enthusiasts, Fundy National Park continues to draw visitors with cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and winter trail activities.

“There is still life in Alma, that’s for sure,” Lackey said.