SUSSEX, N.B. -- A small-town Canada Day parade in New Brunswick has been cancelled due to lack of interest.
The Town of Sussex says it received only five entries.
Jason Thorne, the town's community services director, says he thinks it has more to do with the calendar than a lack of patriotism.
"I would expect it is a product of Canada Day being on a Monday this year and providing for a true long weekend. I expect people have made other plans for their Canada Day which may include travelling elsewhere or spending time at their cottage," Thorne said.
"With just five entrants, it left us questioning justifying a street closure and so on. So we opted to cancel it," he said.
Thorne said there's no lack of patriotic Canadians in the Sussex area and expects a good turnout for other Canada Day events scheduled in the community.
"We have a community breakfast, six hours of musical entertainment, children's activities in the arena for five hours, food vendors, free hot dog barbecue, Canada Day cake, and at 10:15 p.m. we have what I might suggest is one of the best fireworks displays in New Brunswick," he said.
Thorne said the town will issue a call for entrants for the parade again next year, and hopes to see it return in 2020.
