Four hundred years ago, French explorers landed on St. Croix Island, the first European colony in the United States north of Florida (history doesn’t note if any later became snowbirds).

Over the next 10 days, visitors can rediscover this far eastern Maine region at Ste. Croix 2004 Celebration, set at locations in Calais, St. Croix Island, St. Stephen and St. Andrew.

Those first landing in the area were led by expedition leader Pierre Dugua Sieur de Mons and cartographer Samuel de Champlain. Arriving three years before the English landed at Jamestown, Va., they built a village and made friends with the native Passamaquoddy Indians.

But the harsh winter that followed claimed half of the 79 settlers. The next spring, the French abandoned the island and moved to Port Royal, Nova Scotia.

The planned celebration will commemorate the historical importance of this first settlement. Between 5,000 and 10,000 are expected to attend the event, which will include a re-enactment of the first contact between the settlers and the natives, remarks by government and event officials, lectures, an ecumenical service, quilt, art and craft shows, wool and genealogy fairs, and Canada Day and Independence Day activities.

At the Entertainment Showcase set for 5:30-9 p.m. Saturday, the biggest name performers will appear.

Edith Butler has sold more than 11/2 million albums in Canada alone. The veteran vocalist has created an album and stage production, “Madame Butterfly: Timeless Legends,” in which she reinvents herself and returns to the roots of her Acadian musical heritage.

Spirited quintet Glamour Puss has built a solid fan base in their native Atlantic Canada with their blues-injected, zydeco-tinged rock.

Wilfred LeBouthillier is the 2003 Star Academie winner from Tracadie-Sheila, New Brunswick. Since gaining that award, the young LeBouthillier has been in demand by audiences all over Canada.

Awarded the Order of Canada in 2003, Lennie Gallant has won 13 East Coast Music Awards (a record number for a solo artist) as well as several Juno (the Canadian version of the Grammy) nominations. He has recorded six critically acclaimed albums and chose to write and record his latest one, “Le Vent Boheme” completely in French, honoring his Acadian heritage and the language of his grandparents.

Among others set to perform during the celebration are Franco-American band Boreal Tordu, the French-Acadian group La Famille Arsenault, the Sky Hawks parachute demonstration team, Wabanaki Transformers Theater, fiddler Samantha Robichaud, and country-gospel duo The Hoopers.

Organizers have clustered events in venues to minimize the coming and going by visitors, explained Norma Stewart, executive director for the celebration’s coordinating committee. For example, the bulk of Friday’s events are in Calais, most of Saturday afternoon’s happenings are in St. Andrew and much of Saturday night’s activities are at Bayside on St. Croix Island itself.

Stewart said the busiest times at the U.S. and Canadian border checkpoints promise to be Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday afternoons and Saturday and Sunday nights after the planned activities wrap up.

“The border will be congested,” she said. “People will just need to be patient.”

For more information, access www.stecroix2004.org. Dale McGarrigle can be reached at 990-8028 and dmcgarrigle@bangordailynews.net.

Ste. Croix 2004 Celebration entertainment highlights

. Friday, June 25: Ste-Croix 2004 Opening Ceremonies, 5:30-8 p.m., Calais Town Square, featuring remarks by Gov. John Baldacci, event officials; entertainment by performers Boreal Tordu, Blanche Socabasin, La Famille Arsenault, Melanie Nadeau-Saucier and parachute demonstration team Sky Hawks.

. Saturday, June 26: “Drama for Giving,” by Wabanaki Transformers Theater, 9-10:30 a.m., St. Andrews Indian Point; Huntley Drummers, 11 a.m.-noon, St. Andrews Indian Point; Boreal Tordu, noon-2 p.m., Calais Town Square; Entertainment Showcase, 5:30-9 p.m., Bayside, St. Croix Island National Historic Site, featuring Neil Michaud Choir, Edith Butler, Glamour Puss, Wilfred LeBouthillier and Lennie Gallant; fireworks, 9-9:45 p.m., Bayside.

. Sunday, June 27: Community picnic, 4-6 p.m., Bayside, featuring performances by Rok Paul Wiseman, Katey Day, Samantha Robichaud, Musique 400; NB Youth Orchestra Concert, 6:30-8 p.m., Bayside.

. Monday, June 28: “From Away,” by musical storyteller Jennifer Armstrong, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Calais Free Library.

. Wednesday, June 30: Unplugged in the Park, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Centennial Park, St. Andrews, featuring local musicians in acoustic performances; The Hoopers, 6-8 p.m., St. Stephen Town Square.

. Thursday, July 1: Children & Family Entertainment, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., St. Stephen Town Square; Town Square Entertainment, featuring Isaac & Blewett, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., St. Andrews Town Square.

. Friday, July 2: Town Square Entertainment, featuring Passamaquoddy performers, 6-8 p.m., St. Stephen Town Square.