BIDDEFORD, Maine — It’s been six years since the La Kermesse Franco-Americaine Festival was barred from its home location of St. Louis Field. Now in its 34th year, the organization is excited to make its “triumphant return” to its original home, according to La Kermesse President Jessica Quattrone.
“It brings it back home,” Quattrone said about returning to the field. “There’s this real sense of excitement on our board we haven’t seen in a long time.”
After facing backlash from city officials and members of the public for damages to the field in 2010, in large part to due heavy rain during the festival, which amounted to $25,000 worth of repairs, Quattrone said the organization has worked hard these past six years to build back their image.
“Nobody could really be on the field of basically six months. It caused a lot of unrest in the city and a lot of fingers started getting pointed,” Quattrone said. “It was really easy for them to say it was our fault.”
In the years since, the festival has been held at various locations in the city, including Mechanics Park, the high school and ice arena.
“Basically, we’ve been kind of nomads,” Quattrone said. “It just felt like we didn’t quite have a place where we belonged. Our goal is not to disrupt people’s lives; it’s to make people have fun.”
Quattrone credits City Manager Jim Bennett with helping La Kermesse take back its original location, saying he worked to bring together city department heads and the City Council to negotiate an agreement.
“He brought us to the table and said, ‘How do we make this work?’” Quattrone said.
“It’s my understanding the festival had not been successful when it moved away from that location, and everyone really cooperated to get them back on the field in a way that would minimize impact to the field,” Bennett said. “We said, ‘If we were going to have the event back up there, what things would have to be necessary to minimize the impact?’”
“Every year, there was just some grumblings between the city people and us, and if felt like there was a rift,” Quattrone said. “Over the last few years, it feels like that rift has really been smoothed out.”
Now, after working closely with city officials, the festival is ready to kick off four days of celebration of Franco-American heritage. Festivities will begin this Thursday at Mechanics Park for a block party featuring live music and fireworks.
Among the acts performing will be Connecticutbased blues band Chris MacKay and The ToneShifters, a musical act sponsored by Heart of Biddeford.
“[La Kermesse] is a celebration of the people who really built this community,” said Delilah Poupore, executive director at Heart of Biddeford.
Heart of Biddeford works to sponsor events by nonprofit organizations like La Kermesse as long as they relate to historic preservation, she said.
“It’s an event that has something for everyone,” Poupore said. “La Kermesse has addressed the things of its past, and is working diligently to improve their image.”
“A lot of people have their beliefs and have made their mind up about us … some people say that we should close up shop and that we’re has-beens. We’re not has-beens. We’re a family,” Quattrone said of her board. “I love these people. We’re a great organization. We love each other and genuinely love what we do.”
Quattrone said this year’s festival – with the theme “Let the Good Times Roll” – will feature more events than festivals of years past, including three full days of rides, local vendors and products, and entertainment for people of all ages. The festivities conclude on Sunday, and include a noon Mass and a crepe breakfast.
This year, La Kermesse will sell pink souvenir buttons and T-shirts, from which a portion of proceeds will be donated to Southern Maine Health Care’s Center for Breast Care. Quattrone said the organization has in the past donated to local charities and organizations, but hasn’t been able to do so for some time.
“This is a big deal,” she said .
Quattrone is excited to see the festival come back to its former glory, and hopes the public does as well. She also said she’s pleased to see public support for the celebration of her Franco- American heritage.
“You just see that big tent and get excited,” she said.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The 34th La Kermesse Franco-Americaine Festival will take place Thursday to Sunday at Mechanics Park and St. Louis and Waterhouse fields in Biddeford. The schedule is as follows:
— Thursday: A block party at Mechanics Park will begin at 6 p.m. featuring live entertainment and fireworks.
— Friday: Gates to St. Louis and Waterhouse Fields will open at 4 p.m. Rides by Smokey’s Greater Shows will open on Waterhouse Field, and entertainment and vendors will open on St. Louis Field. A parade begins at the corner of Jefferson and Main streets at 6 p.m.
— Saturday: Gates open at 10 a.m. There will be entertainment all day, including several children’s activities and a showing of the movie “Zootopia.” The culminating act will be a Bon Jovi tribute band playing in the evening.
— Sunday: There will be an 11 a.m. Mass and a crepe breakfast. All other activities will be ongoing.
This year, La Kermesse will sell pink souvenir buttons, from which a portion of proceeds will be donated to Southern Maine Health Care’s Center for Breast Care.