The true cultural heart of the Acadian Peninsula, Caraquet is distinguished by the richness and diversity of its artistic, cultural, sporting, and recreational infrastructure. A creative and dynamic city, it offers an environment conducive to both the emergence of talent and the flourishing of professional artists, while providing an exceptional quality of life for its citizens and visitors.
With its iconic landmarks, renowned events, modern facilities, and privileged access to nature and the coastline, Caraquet has established itself as a must-visit destination for experiencing culture, getting active, connecting with others, and finding inspiration. Whether through visual arts, film, live performances, sports, or outdoor activities, the town invites everyone to discover a vibrant environment where creativity, well-being, and enjoyment come together every day.
If the town of Caraquet has become a cultural hub, serving as a springboard for emerging artists and a fertile ground for professional artists, it’s thanks to the infrastructure it has built over the years. The Carrefour de la Mer is a recreational and tourist facility with an indoor performance hall and an outdoor stage. For over 22 years, it has hosted the Festival des arts visuels en Atlantique (FAVA), and several shows from the Festival acadien have been produced there. The site continues to be enhanced with boutiques, a café, a bar and patio, restaurants, an outdoor playground for children, a walking trail leading to the sea, and a superb marina. Just behind the Carrefour is a footbridge now called Le Quai des Artistes (The Artists’ Wharf), featuring six small cabins on stilts where artists exhibit their work during the summer months. It’s truly a must-see for anyone visiting Caraquet. Just steps from the Carrefour is the Caraquet Wharf, and its restaurants will serve you the best seafood in town!
For book launches, press conferences, banquets, or performances, the Cultural Centre is also a unique venue that fosters diversity, creativity, and hosts a variety of organizations. Located within the Cultural Centre, the Bernard-Jean Gallery showcases the work of professional artists and artists completing residencies in the region.
Right next to the Cultural Centre is the Cinéma du Centre, which boasts a rich program and truly promotes French culture. Ciné+, a program running alongside the main feature films, presents films from diverse cultures and Francophone regions around the world. With welcoming staff, screenings for all ages and tastes, and a focus on educating, raising awareness, and promoting culture, the Cinéma is a popular and constantly evolving venue.
The City of Caraquet has a full range of sports and recreational facilities. The Centre UNI is located in the heart of the city and just behind it is the athletics track that hosted the Acadian Games in 2016. In addition to an indoor pool and a gym that offers classes and training programs, the city has a wealth of outdoor sports facilities in the heart of the forest. With its ski and snowshoe trails, skating rinks, four-season cycling and hiking trails, as well as its family calendar, the Caraquet Outdoor Club is worth the trip, offering the opportunity to see nature from its most beautiful angles.
A 90km asphalt cycle path runs the length of the city, where you can enjoy panoramic sea views, and from where you can also see the village of Maisonnette and wooded areas. In winter, some sections of the track become part of the snowmobile trails.
Golfers, tennis players, soccer players, basketball players, handball players, bowlers, bingo players or billiards players, you will be able to practice your activities. For those who wish to improve their skills in martial arts or horse riding, this is also an option available to you.
Several organizations work to support various sports such as hockey, figure skating, speed skating, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, scuba diving, tennis, hunting and fishing.
