50th Festival acadien de Caraquet - from August 1st to 15th, 2012
Festival acadien de Caraquet : A 50th edition high in colours and emotions!
For the last 50 years, thousand of revelers gather in Caraquet to celebrate the heritage and vitality of Acadian culture. Since its’ humble beginnings in 1963, till this year, the Festival impressed the fact that culture is the essential component of its activities. In time, it has become one of the most important festivals in Atlantic Canada.
For this 50th edition, the Festival acadien de Caraquet will be presenting artists that have been an important part its’ history but also that are reaching summits in the present and as up-and-coming artists. For this 50th anniversary, some of the pioneers of Acadian songwriting will be sharing the stage with young artists that are just starting off.
Celebrating the 50th and the 15th of August
The 50 years of history of Festival acadien de Caraquet are noted by the launch of the book “Le Festival acadien de Caraquet : cinquante ans de culture en fête” filled with pictures, selected by Yvon Cormier, official photographer for the Festival for many years, and texts by Bernard Thériault, historian. The book is published by Les Éditions de la Francophonie and will surely become an important archives document.
A pastoral official opening of the 50th edition on the 1st of August is an occasion when everyone that has represented the legendary couple Gabriel and Evangeline at the Festival acadien and the founders of the event are invited to meet the public.
Later that evening, the Super boite à chanson will gather some of the music pioneers of l’Acadie with Angèle Arsenault, Donat Lacroix, George Langford, Raymond Breau and young singer-songwriters Cédric Vieno, Marie-Philippe Bergeron and Monique Poirier. Musical directors: Isabelle Thériault and René Cormier.
For the 1st weekend, it’s an occasion to go back in time from the fifties to the seventies with the musical revue Les Airs du Rock ‘n Roll and local favorites Les 427. An unforgettable evening of dancing and fun!
Family days, on Sunday and Monday, a great occasion for kids to play in the bouncy castles, see some shows, take avantage of good food and times outside of the Carrefour de la Mer. On Sunday evening, great fireworks will light up the sky on the Bay of Caraquet. After the fireworks, well known Radio Radio will be performing at the Carrefour, followed by ElectroSlam II, an occasion to dance part of the night away.
On Monday the 6th, let’s not forget the return, for the 50th anniversary of the Soapbox Derby. Pilots in homemade carts will travel at “high” speed down the Portage Road just like in the good ole time, but with helmets and elbow and shin guards!
We are inviting all storekeepers and the whole population to decorate their yard, house, storefront to celebrate the 50th edition of the Festival.
Headliners!
This year Renée Martel, known as a living legend in Country music is celebrating with us her 60 years as a music professional at the Carrefour de la mer on the 3rd of August. While the great Daniel Lavoie will take centre stage on the 6th of August. He will be revisiting some of his greatest success from a career of 40 years. In English he wrote some very well known songs for the soap opera General Hospital in the ‘90s.
On the 7th, new works, new songs, new bands! Jimmy Hunt from Quebec, winner of 3 awards at the Gala de l’Adisq 2008 and Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire, a young upcoming band from New Brunswick, just off a tour in the Northwest Territories and taking off for another tour in France in September, will both bring new sounds and energy to the stage.
On the 9th, Andrée Watters, well known rock artist will present her new Country Rock show. Winner of 2 Felix awards, she has released a new album in 2011. Maxime McGraw, a new singer-songwriter for Tracadie-Sheila will be the opening act.
On the 10th, Mixmania 3, the live performance spin-off of the tv show, will be playing in front of a sold-out crowd.
The Super Franco Rock Show will take the stage on the 13th. Acadian phenomenon Lisa LeBlanc and her band will perform along with Joseph Edgar and musician, French musician Daran, and Pascal Lejeune and his band, whose song “Bilingue in Paris” was featured on the show The Finder on Fox Newwork last Spring.
After the 33rd Tintamarre, on the 15th of August, Acadian Day, during which thousands of Acadians and friends gather on St-Pierre boulevard in Caraquet, with their pots and pans, noisemakers, costumes, make-up... for a large noise-making session. Everyone is invited to see a great performance on the Butte du Calvaire. Acadie Authentique, a show that will be presented for the first time in Lorient, Brittany, France at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient, the world largest gathering of celtic nations, will be performed.
On stage, well-known artists such as: Dominique Dupuis, Dominique Breau, Lisa LeBlanc, La Virée, Louise Vautour, Joseph Edgar, Monique Poirier, Sandra Lecouteur, George Belliveau and a special guest appearance from Roch Voisine.
To wrap up this 50th edition of the Festival acadien de Caraquet, the festival dwellers, that have reached the age of majority, can party-up part of the night at the Carrefour de la mer with legendary group 1755 and La Virée.
Tickets for all the shows are available through the Accès ticketing network at www.billetterieacces.ca. More details of the program of activities are available on our web site at www.festivalacadien.ca
-30-
Source : Communications du Festival acadien : (506) 727-2787 / Carole Chouinard : (506) 382.9233