BIDDEFORD — La Kermesse Franco-Americaine festival will take place for the 29th year next weekend, June 24-26. The location has changed and the festivities will be on a smaller scale than what took place at the festival’s peak, but the event’s board members are optimistic that this year’s celebration of the region’s Franco-American heritage will be well received and continue for years into the future.
Setbacks during the past two years led to new leadership with a new vision, but also made it more difficult to attract the assistance from the community that’s necessary to support the festival.
Regardless, it’s full speed ahead now, said La Kermesse Board President Jessica Quattrone on Monday, when festival volunteers began setting up for the festival at the Mechanics Park site.
This year’s La Kermesse will include a number of the popular traditional features of past years, such as Franco-American music, the brew pub, the Idol contest and a parade, but there will also be a number of changes from previous years.
The most significant is the change of venue, to Mechanics Park at the corner of Main and Water streets. From its inception, the festival was held at the city-owned St. Louis Field, until last year when it was held at the Biddeford Arena and Expo Center. The location was changed because of significant damage to the field in the previous year, largely due to use of the field during excessive rains.
Quattrone said she hopes that bringing the festival downtown this year will make it more accessible and attractive to people.
Another change is to the route of the traditional parade. This year, the parade will start on Main and Beach streets in Saco and end at Biddeford City Hall. This is the first year the parade will travel through Saco, and Saco Mayor Roland Michaud said he is very supportive.
“I think it’s a great event,” said Michaud about La Kermesse. He said he has supported the festival from the beginning, and he considers it a “bi-community event.”
Dave Jordan, the festival board member in charge of the parade, said he’s excited about the parade, which will take place on Friday night of the festival. Although at this point the number of participants seems slightly less than in years past, “people always call at the last minute,” he said.
Jordan added that anyone interested in participating in the parade should contact him.
“The more the better,” he said.
Another change is a return of the fireworks display, which will take place on Saturday of the festival. This was eliminated during recent years of because of the expense. Although this year’s fireworks will be scaled back from previous years, Quattrone said she thought it was important to bring back this popular part of the festival.
One of the most significant changes in terms of making the festival more accessible to everyone in the community is the price. Advance tickets, which are available at local vendors, are $8 for an all-access pass for the weekend.
During the event, walk-around tickets will be $2, and tickets to get into the main tent where entertainment will be featured will cost $5 each night. Entry on Sunday will be free.
According to Quattrone, this will be a “make-it or break-it summer.” If the community wants La Kermesse to continue, they need to support it by showing up and buying tickets, she said. Without that support, the future of the festival is uncertain, said Quattrone.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.
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