For immediate release: March 1, 2026
Temporary Closure of the Festival Arena Following Minor Fire Incident
Shediac, NB – The Festival Arena in Shediac was temporarily closed on Saturday, February 28, 2026, following a fire that caused minor damage to two of the building’s dressing rooms. The incident occurred around 8 pm., prompting a rapid response from the municipal fire department and activation of the sprinkler system in the affected areas.
Preliminary findings indicate that the fire was accidental in nature. The likely cause was an overheating of the heating system, which ignited hockey equipment stored in one of the dressing rooms.
At the time of the incident, the arena was unoccupied. No individuals were inconvenienced or injured during the response.
“Fortunately, no one was injured, and I want to thank our emergency teams for their quick actions,” said Roger Caissie, Mayor of Shediac. “We understand the importance of the arena to our community, and we are doing everything we can to ensure a safe reopening as soon as possible.”
The Festival Arena will remain closed for a few days to allow teams to carry out a full assessment of the damage, complete cleaning operations, and restore the building’s systems to safe operating condition. The municipality will provide an update once the arena is ready to reopen to the public.
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For more information
Sylvain Montreuil
Director of Communications
Town of Shediac
(506) 531-2229
