Overview

Fransaskois artists are present at the event: the Allard brothers from Gravelbourg, Albert Boyer from North Battleford, Henri Poulin from Zenon Park, the Labossière family from Regina, Wilfrid Poulin from Prince Albert, Robert Roy from Saskatoon, the Folle Avoine group from Willow Bunch.

A canoe race, a representation of historical figures and a sports competition are among the activities on the program.

In music, there are performances by Jean Viau and his musicians from Quebec, Folle Avoine, Rose Marchildon and Julien Poulin. It's the first edition of the outdoor cafes featuring Fransaskois amateur artists. There are two plays: Médée by Marcel Dubé with the Zone theatre company and Surprise, Surprise with the Unithéâtre group.

The star attractions are the arts and crafts booths, games and excursions for young people and the Lagimodière relays for adults.

In music we have Vincent Dureault, Donatien Coquet and his group, Julien Poulin, Colette Brisebois, Luc Gagné. Amateur artists have the floor at the outdoor café. Two theatre troupes give a performance, Anti-Troupe and The Chouclacs.

A fiddling competition, softball tournament, craft show, Pit-Bar-B-Q and the Lagimodière relay are among the most popular activities.

Two dance troupes ? the Gigue électrique and the Danseurs de la rivière rouge - invite the participants to dance. The Folle Avoine group and Roland Boutot give a performance. There is the final of the Gala de la chanson. Amateur artists have the opportunity to share their songs at the outdoor café.

Among other activities on the program are a historical tour, several sports (golf, softball, auto rally, horseshoes), the Pit-Bar-B-Q. As in all the previous festivals, a community mass is celebrated and there are several youth activities.

Two shows for children are given by Pierre et le papillon and Oncle Henri (Poulin). Julien Poulin and le Mat are the other guest artists. The Danseurs de la rivière la Vieille take part in the festival for the first time.
In addition to the traditional activities like camp fires, community meals and sports tournaments, there are some new features, including an air show and a card tournament for seniors.

There are musical performances by the Ici et là group, Vincent Dureault and Nicole Lafrenière, les Boss, Philippe Fournier, Craig Pollock, Dave Lawlor and the participants in the outdoor café. The Danseurs de la rivière la Vieille bring the festival-goers into their round dance.

The walk to Batoche, visit to the historical park and display on the Métis give substance to the historical side of the festival. Cultural activities include a writers' workshop, Poetry Night, artists' exhibition and the Book Salon.

Particularly noteworthy is the participation of Édith Butler and the Danseurs de la rivière la Vieille.

The host community shows off its institutions, including the Gravelbourg Museum, Maillard Cultural Centre and Gravel Bookshop. Young and old can take part in several tournaments. Craftspeople display their work.

Music by Hart Rouge, the Shanandos, Nicole Lafrenière, Cachalot and amateur artists from the outdoor café. La Ribambelle performs folk dances.

The program is different, with a reunion supper and a visual art competition.

The Uzeb and les Taches groups from Quebec visit. From the West we welcome Ninth Avenue, Jacques Chauvin, Eveline Naetchgaele, Nouveau Station Wagon, and the Danseurs de la rivière la Vieille.

There are activities for everyone: sports and games for the children in the Beer Garden and movies too.

There's music (Carmen Campagne, le Mat, les Marlins, Café Inn, Luc De Larochelière, Jacques Chauvin, les Bûcherons, Nicole Lafrenière, the outdoor cafe), dance (la Ribambelle), theatre (Un monsieur très économe and Le géant Beaupré).

On the musical side we have Jacques Chauvin, Café Inn, Jacques Lussier, Carmen Campagne, Nouveau Station Wagon, Robert Paquet, Andrée Noonan and Béatrice Gaudet. The Théâtre du Coyote presents Maman m'a jamais dit ça and the Troupe du jour presents the plays La jalousie de barbouillé and Le médecin volant. Amateur artists have their place in the outdoor cafe.

The 2nd Youth Festival is welcomed.

Artists invited to the festival are Carmen Campagne, Michel Lalonde, Dave Lawlor, Craig Pollock, Jacques Chauvin, Christian Perron, Jacques Lussier, les Enfouarrés, the Cloutier family, Cri de folie. Plays are presented by three authors: Odette Carignan, Laurier Gareau and Donald Sirois.

Several activities are specially organized for seniors, including an outdoor café and an open air dance. The Youth Festival takes place again.

Young people are invited to take part in the Youth Festival, which stars the Théâtre du Coyote, Claire de Lune, Marc Bertrand and Julien Poulin. There are several musical performances with Jim Corcoran, Crystal Plamondon, Cri de folie, Christian Perron, les Zed and Michel Lalonde. The Troupe du jour and the AJF present Le voyageur solitaire.

The programming includes the Book Salon, the Youth Festival and Les folies des aînés (Seniors' Follies).

Musically we have Christian Perron, Hart Rouge, la Venue, Danyèle Lacombe, Yvon Loiselle, Carmen Campgane, Julien Poulin, Marc Bertrand and Denis Chenevert. The Danseurs de la rivière la Vieille are also on the program.


It's a great program. There's the Youth Festival, a series of plays produced by local artists, the Book Salon, a parade. Fransaskois amateur artists find a performing venue in three outdoor cafes.

There are performances by le Suroît, Jacques Chauvin, Crystal Plamondon, Mama B. et les Bon temps playboys, Carmen Campagne, Vagabond, Michel Marchildon, Julien Poulin, Christian Perron, Jean-Marie Michaud.

Some activities have become institutions: the Youth Festival, the Theatre Festival, the Book Salon and the seniors' reunions.

Fransaskois and western artists respond to the organizers' call, in the persons of Henri Loiselle, the group Mama B. et les bons temps playboys, Julien Poulin, Jacques Chauvin and the Garolou group. Three theatre companies are invited. The Troupe du jour presents La trahison ; the Notre-Dame troupe, Les Lavertue en vacances; and the Quat'coins troupe, Bienveneue à Bel-Air.

The Gala of Fransaskois Song, Artists' Alley and les Folies des aînés (Seniors' Follies) are major activities at the festival.

In music we have the Polly-Esther, la Raquette à claquettes and Parkland Fiddlers groups, Freddie and Conrad Pelletier, Nicole Lafrenière, Jeff Stafflund. Clément Gareau performs a monologue. The Ribambelle troupe is part of the action.

For seniors there are reunions and a nostalgia evening. There's the first version of the AJF Youth Site. There are golf and softball tournaments.

Concerts are given by Gérard Pittet, Freddie Pelletier, the finalists in the InPac competition, and the la Raquette à claquette, Octopus and le Mat groups. The Danseurs de la rivière la Vieille are back on stage.

Several activities are arranged for seniors: les Retrouvailles [Reunion], les Folies [Follies], a Knights of Columbus brunch. The Compagnie des Archers du Quebec [Quebec Company of Archers] facilitates a medieval day. There's a craft show.

Musical activity is provided by Freddie Pelletier, Damien Lussier and Réjean Laroche, Francis Marchildon, the Polly-Esther group and Jean-Guy ?Chuck? Labelle. A play by Laurier Gareau is performed, Vers la quatrième coulee, and a collective play, La grosse noce.

The program features centennial festivities

On the musical side there is a lot of talk about the presence of the Quebeckers Laurence Jalbert and Don Karnage. Pauline Gauthier, les Shenandos, Francis Marchildon, Polly-Esther, Maurice Drouin & Band, Henri Loiselle are also there. The Troupe du jour presents an itinerant play.

These are the many performances which attract attention in the festival programming.

For festival-goers there is a bewildering array of musical choices, with Carmen Campagne, les Frères à ch'val, la Volée des castors, Gisèle Lalonde, Michel and Francis Marchildon, Yves Aquin, Dubmatique, The Cleavers, Gisèle Pinel, la Rauqette à claquettes. Les Danseurs de la rivière La Vieille get all these fine people up and dancing.

Among the activities: a treasure-hunt, volley-ball tournament, log-sawing contest, youth barbecue and the traditional Seniors' Follies.

Fransasksois culture is featured in the festival, with music by the Campagne family and the Chaizes à quatre pattes group. Les Danseurs de la rivière la Vieille get festival-goers twirling around. Tracy Houser and her troupe tell stories of homesteads, called On the edge: Prairie Women.

Artists Georges Hamel, Kenneth Saulnier, the Raquette à claquettes, Gizelle Pinel, Yves Aquin, Yanick Péin and Dave Picherre, Jean Bilodeau and Christie-Anne Bilodeau take turns in musical performance.
There is a competition to make the character of Will James better known and another one where participants have to submit creative work (poem, story or song) linked to the region.

Fransaskois women are featured, starring Alexis Normand, Anique Granger, Annette and Carmen Campagne. Traditional music and rock rub shoulders with performances by Volée d'Castors and Konflit dramatic.

Right up to the last festival, music will be featured, with Jeff Staflund and Les Louis Boys from Manitoba, Christie-Anne Bolndeau from Saskatchewan and Bourbon Gauthier from Quebec,