Gananoque prepares for third annual bilingual cultural festival, Le FestivîLES
The Town of Gananoque is hosting its third annual bilingual cultural festival, Le FestivÎLES, which will take place from July 26 to Aug.
This year, the festival will showcase 10 bilingual artists/bands from Ontario and Quebec and host local artisans, live theatre and free outdoor activities for the whole family to enjoy. Although there will be a bilingual story time for children and a show from ‘The Juggling Chef’ earlier in the day, the live music portion of the festival officially kicks off in Joel Stone Park at 5:45 p.m. on Friday, July 26 with performances from the Jaycee King Duo and the Erica Brighthill Band.
Between 6 and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, the Good Fortune Duo and Indie/pop artist Jessy Lindsay will be taking the stage at Joel Stone Park. Country musician Yvan Petit will be playing in Town Park on Sunday, July 28 from noon to 1:30 p.m.
The following weekend on Friday, Aug. 2, the Link Traynor Band and Chantal Hackett Band will be performing at Parc Joel Stone Park throughout the evening.
Jennifer Baril, Tourism and Events Development Coordinator excitedly announced, “We have secured our event headliner Michel Pagliaro, who will perform on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 8 pm,” said Tourism and Events Development Coordinator Jennifer Baril. Pagliaro’s headline show will be opened by Brockville-based band River City Junction.
Brockvilleist spoke with Jennifer Baril to hear more about the origins of Le FestivÎLES and what they have in store for 2024.
”FestivILES was the brainchild of our town councillor Dave Osmond, seeing as the last two weeks of July, during the Quebec Construction Holiday, we do see a large influx of people from Quebec.”
She continued, “As well, we have a lot of French seasonal boaters at the marina. Dave thought it would be a nice way to welcome and show our appreciation to our French friends by taking over one of these weekends and having some bilingual music.”
Baril explained that this year they delegated the planning to their events team as the festival naturally has grown. “We have applied for grants, gotten sponsors and partnerships, and decided to add a second weekend of live music, as well as live theatre in the park, two weekends of markets, and some children’s events like the Juggling Chef.”
She noted that the festival’s opening speeches are scheduled for Friday July 26 at 5:45 p.m. “Steve Clark will be joining us, as well as two town criers – one English (ours) Brian Mabee and one French (Ottawa) Daniel Richer.”
For a full hourly breakdown of performances and activities for each day of the festival, visit https://www.travel1000islands.ca/le-festiviles