Confederation Bridge to close as Acadian Congress kicks off with moonlit run

As the clock strikes midnight, this year's Acadian Congress will begin with a moonlit run across the Confederation Bridge.  

As a result of the Run Under the Star event, the bridge will temporarily be closed to all traffic beginning at 11 p.m., Friday.

The bridge is scheduled to reopen at 3 a.m. Saturday, briefly, before it's closed again from 5:30-6:30 a.m. for a sunrise ceremony set to kick off this year's Acadian Congress.

While the bridge will temporarily be closed — the gathering of Acadians from around the world officially begins. 

Participants in the Run Under the Star event will either lace up for the 13K run or the 5K. 

The 13K will begin on the New Brunswick side of the bridge and the 5K will begin right on the bridge. 

"It's been a long several years of planning and it's finally here," said Claudette Thériault, chair of the organizing committee for the event. 

It's been a long several years of planning and it's finally here.— Claudette Thériault

The start of a big celebration

Runners will eventually make it to the finish line at Gateway Village in Borden-Carleton, P.E.I., and join in on some post-run celebrations, according to a media release. 

"It's quite exciting that a thousand runners from everywhere will be coming to the event, to run the bridge," Thériault said. 

Off-Island participants will be provided with a free bridge pass to make their way back to New Brunswick, the release said.  

Once they've made it to the finish line, a shuttle bus has been arranged to take runners back to their respective start locations, the release said. The moonlit event has a cap of 1,000 participants and registration is now closed. 

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