Celebrate Sussex / Celebrez le Sussex


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Sussex is Atlantic Canada's Mural Capital!
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Covered bridges / Ponts couverts
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Horse Scene / Scene de cheval
Sussex by bicycle
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Area Highlights

AGRICULTURE

The 4-H movement in New Brunswick (www.nb4h.org) got its start in the Sussex area in 1916. There are now 26 chapters and more than 500 members involved with this prestigious youth organization.

Agricultural Museum of New Brunswick – the leading source of information on agricultural history in New Brunswick. Open between June and September, with special viewings by appointment.

Butter - We are home to the best butter in the world. Dairytown Products earned the title in 2004. The Dairytown brand of unsalted butter was judged "World's Best Butter" at the world's largest cheese and butter competition held in Madison. Wisconsin, March 16-18, 2004.
Dairytown beat out 37 entries from countries like the United States, Denmark, France, Switzerland, Ireland, England, Spain, and New Zealand to take top marks in the competition. In fact not only did the Dairytown butter win the title but also it obtained a perfect score as judged by an international team of experts. (Source: Dairytown Products) The Sussex area was supplying more than half of Atlantic Canada's milk needs when the town was incorporated in 1904.

Champion Morgan Horse - Amadeus Mozart Ara-Li is the top North American Lippitt Morgan Horse for an impressive three years. The versatile stallion lives at Ara-Li Acres owned by Dawn and Walter Brown of Collina. It was Sussex Vale businessman Hugh McMonagle who introduced the breed to New Brunswick.

Cowsthe world’s largest bovines stand just outside town, at Exit 195 on Hwy 1. Daisy and her calf, Buttercup, were commissioned by the Irving corporation as a tribute to the town’s dairy heritage. Daisy stands 12 feet high at the top of her head and is 16 feet long, while Buttercup is five feet tall and eight feet long. That makes Buttercup the size of a normal mature cow and Daisy four times as large as the usual Holstein. Sculptor Harold McEachern of Anagance created the cow in 1986, with the smaller calf appearing in 1987. If Daisy was producing milk, her annual output would keep the residents of Sussex supplied with 1 litre of milk per day for six months!

Local businessman Hugh McMonagle introduced the Holstein cow to the area, laying the groundwork to Sussex becoming the Dairy Capital of Atlantic Canada. The Sussex area was supplying more than half of Atlantic Canada's milk needs when the town was incorporated in 1904.

Kings County Agricultural Fair – North America’s oldest such fair, marking 120 years in August, 2016. Be sure to view the beautiful handworked items, home baking, 4-H exhibits and produce at this historic event.

Needlework New Brunswick -- the leading organization for fibre arts in New Brunswick is based in Sussex. It is marking its 12th anniversary in 2016.

Princess Louise Park Show Centre - Built in 2000, this international calibre livestock show facility is busy from April to October. It has 200 moveable stalls in the four barns surrounding the roofed show ring, making this central venue a popular spot for horse, cattle and dog shows, and other special events.

Sweet, sweet strawberries -- The Millstream Strawberry Festival has been serving up bowls of red summer sweetness for more than 100 years! More than 600 people will be lining up to participate when the festival takes place at the Millstream Recreation Centre this July.

Sussex and Studholm Agricultural Society - The oldest agricultural society in the world (founded 1841) was started in the Sussex area. Local farmers pooled their knowledge and resources to improve their crops and livestock while keeping up with the latest agricultural developments. The society is going strong today, having moved downtown to larger quarters in early 2014 from its former Park Street site.

 

ART

The renowned Deichmann pottery was created by Kjeld and Erica Deichmann in the Sussex area.

Renowned Canadian painters Kathy Hooper and Sue Hooper have a studio in Hampton, where they create their own stunning work while fostering the talents of other Canadian artists.

 

EDUCATION

Kingswood University - a leading theological training centre, with its campus proudly overlooking the town. Find out more at www.kingswood.edu

Young readers making their mark -- The Sussex Regional Library summer reading club is one of the busiest in New Brunswick!

Books on Broad Street -- The 32,500 books in the Sussex Regional Library take up 800m of shelf space. That's twice the length of the town's signature Broad and Queen Streets, or the distance between Sussex Elementary School and Kingswood University.

 

ENVIRONMENT

Environment -- We take our natural surroundings seriously. The Sussex area is home to the United Nation's Fundy Biosphere, and the Fundy Model Forest, a partnership of forestry stakeholders working towards sustainable growth. The New Brunswick Environmental Network shares important environmental information to those interested from its Waterford office. And Jim Sackville and his staff at Basic Design Associates have won numerous international awards for their innovative solutions to urban design projects. You will find their office on Main Street, Sussex.

Grand Lake - the largest fresh water lake in Eastern Canada. It measures 67 square miles/174 square km, or 20 miles/ 32 km long by seven miles/11 km wide.

Waste recycling -- the Village of Sussex Corner was the first New Brunswick municipality to fully implement the green/blue garbage bag system.

 

FOOD

All Seasons Inn and Restaurant - 1015 Main St., is housed in the largest log building in Eastern Canada.

Barbour Foods -- The Maritimes' favourite tea, King Cole, and the ever popular Barbour peanut butter is produced in the Dairytown!

Butter - We are home to the best butter in the world. Dairytown Products earned the title in 2004. The Dairytown brand of unsalted butter was judged "World's Best Butter" at the world's largest cheese and butter competition held in Madison. Wisconsin, March 16-18, 2004. 

Dairytown beat out 37 entries from countries like the United States, Denmark, France, Switzerland, Ireland, England, Spain, and New Zealand to take top marks in the competition. In fact not only did the Dairytown butter win the title but also it obtained a perfect score as judged by an international team of experts. (Source: Dairytown Products) The Sussex area was supplying more than half of Atlantic Canada's milk needs when the town was incorporated in 1904.

Ginger ale – One of the Maritimes’ favourite soft drinks, Sussex Ginger Ale, was originally produced from mineral waters bubbling underneath the town. You can experience the waters that prompted this refreshing drink at the landmark "egg fountain" on Church Avenue.

Sweet, sweet strawberries -- The Millstream Strawberry Festival has been serving up bowls of red summer sweetness for more than 100 years! More than 600 people will be lining up to participate when the 108th festival takes place at the Millstream Recreation Centre in July.

 

HEALTH

Blood donor clinics – Sussex truly gives from the heart, as one of the most generous communities for blood donations. Canadian Blood Services uses the town as a great example of a community in action. The six annual Sussex clinics regularly meet, and often exceed, their clinic quotas of 150 donors.

Relay for Life -- Sussex truly put the "can" in "cancer research fundraising" during its first Relay for Life event in 2003. The teams of volunteers helped collect the most money per capita for a Canadian community!

 

HISTORY

Canadian cornerstone -- Local businessman Hugh McMonagle was pivotal in Sir John A. Macdonald's efforts to create the country of Canada. The first prime minister convinced the Sussexvale politician to switch parties and join his team to give Macdonald the numbers he needed to have a vote on the forming of the new country. The plan worked and Canada came into being a short time later.

Covered bridges - Kings County is home to 16 covered bridges, making it the Covered Bridge Capital of Atlantic Canada. Their combined length equals 7,777 feet! 

Eight of these bridges are within 10 minutes of downtown Sussex. There are 63 covered bridges remaining in New Brunswick. 

Moffett’s Hardware – Three generations of this family-owned business can provide you with all your hardware needs in a setting reminiscent of an old general store. Founded in 1922, the owners pride themselves on old-fashioned service that's never out of date.

Kings County Record -- Canada’s most continuous community newspaper, the Kings County Record, has been reporting local events since 1877.

Oldest Chevrolet dealership in Canada – J. Clark and Sons on Leonard Drive was founded in 1883. The first Chevrolet to come into Canada came into J. clark & Son Limited in 1915. The company had at that time been operating for many years, selling and manufacturing carriages, wagons slovens, pungs and sleighs. Visit them on Leonard Drive, experiencing a bit of Canadian history while shopping for your new car.

Queen Elizabeth II — when Her Majesty wanted to visit a model rural Canadian community during her 2002 Golden Jubilee Tour to Canada, she chose Sussex. During her Oct. 12 visit, she opened the newly expanded elementary school, and watched area 4-H displays at the Princess Louise Park Show Centre. She and Prince Phillip viewed a display by the Agricultural Museum of New Brunswick, and the handwork of the Sussex Vale Quilt Guild. The community hall in Princess Louise Park was renamed Golden Jubilee Hall to mark her visit.

Oldest church organ in Atlantic Canada -- The Trinity Anglican Church, Kingston, is home to the oldest instrument in the region. The organ was built around 1780 by W. M. Hedgeland, Organ Builders of London, and is still played today.

 

MILITARY

Eighth Hussars (Princess Louise’s) Regiment Canada’s first cavalry regiment got its start in Sussex. Today’s proud militia can trace its roots back to the American Revolution of 1776. Princess Louise Park, a 30-acre lot in the centre of town, was the largest military training camp in Eastern Canada before CFB Gagetown was built. Learn more about the regiment's impressive history at the Agricultural Museum of New Brunswick, and at the military museum at the Sussex train station.

Milton Gregg – Born and buried at Snider Mountain, near Sussex. A renowned soldier, politician and administrator who won the Victoria Cross in the First World War. The local armoury is named after this remarkable man.

 

RECREATION

Atlantic International Balloon Fiesta - Sussex is a Canadian leader in hot air ballooning. Thirty balloons fly through area skies on the weekend after Labour Day. Forty thousand guests enjoy the twice-daily launches, antique car show, craft fair and stage shows in this impressive display of colour and sound!

Bargains galore! – Canada’s largest outdoor flea market draws 30,000 treasure hunters to Sussex the third weekend of August. The New Brunswick Antique Auto Club members offer nearly 1,000 tables of car parts, household goods, antiques and crafts at Princess Louise Park. That's 30 acres of bargains!

Explore magazine, a leading Canadian outdoor adventure magazine, describes Sussex as one of the best outdoor recreation centres in the country in its March 2007 issue.

Fireworks - The town's Canada Day fireworks are the best display in southern New Brunswick. Be at Princess Louise Park at 10:13 pm on July 1 to enjoy the show!

Princess Louise Park Show Centre - Built in 2000, this international calibre livestock show facility has 200 moveable stalls in the four barns surrounding the roofed show ring. The roof was added in the winter of 2004.

Poley Mountain - This wildly popular resort is a favourite winter venue with snow enthusiasts. It's the home base of Canadian champion snowboarder Mark Fawcett! The 850-foot peak offers ski runs with a vertical drop of 650 feet.

Sussex Golf and Curling Club – one of Canada’s finest links, with 18 holes of challenging play. PROGRESS magazine readers recently named the Sussex facility as a regional runner-up in the golf course category and Number 1 in New Brunswick. Golf pro Ron Harvey Jr. got his early start here. The 2006 Canadian Junior Championships took place here.

Walking trails - Five miles of beautiful wooded paths provide a chance to view nature up close, and conveniently downtown.

 

YOUTH

Ron Harvey Jr. -- Teenage golf phenom Ron Harvey Jr., now making his mark in the pro ranks, got his start in the game on the Sussex golf course.  

Young readers making their mark -- The Sussex Regional Library summer reading club is one of the busiest ones in New Brunswick! And they have a great assortment of books to choose from. There are enough books in the library's collection to circle the town's favourite Broad and Queen Streets twice!

The story on Tolkein -- The Sussex Regional Library has one of the best collections of material on author J. R. R. Tolkien in the New Brunswick library system. Tolkien created the wildly popular Lord of the Rings series.

 

* * * *

To enjoy the true flavour of your Sussex visit, be sure to:

1. Make a wish as you cross a covered bridge

2. Soak in the view from the bluff at Sussex Corner

3. Enjoy every mouthful of a double scoop cone at Sully's Ice Cream as you watch passersby from the train station platform

4. Feed the birds who greet users of the walking trails

5. Enjoy the breezes of the many area rivers when you cross one on a cable ferry