Say Bonjour!
Festival BONJOUR Rebrand and Expansion
By Abigail Heron
Say “hello”—or rather, say “bonjour”—to the new and improved Festival BONJOUR, formally known as Franco Festival. Since its inception almost 20 years ago, the event has evolved greatly, from a one-day gathering every two years to an annual three-day extravaganza. What could top that? This year, from June 5 to 7, Festival BONJOUR is inviting you to experience even more than ever, proving their name change represents more than meets the eye.
“COVID put a brake on things, so when we tried again in 2022 or 2023 we felt that [the festival] was kind of stagnating,” says Paula Haapanen, festival partnership lead. “People came, people enjoyed it, but there was just this feeling that we could do more.” The first order of business was moving the location from outside of the Centre Francophone on Van Norman Street to the more central area of Waverley Park. This way, there is no question that the festival is inclusive to all. “Some anglophones didn’t feel that it was their place to be there, which is the opposite of what we wanted,” says Haapanen. “We [want] people to come and discover the francophone community.”
And Festival BONJOUR has no shortage of things to discover. Thursday kicks things off with a VIP event under the Magnus Theatre tent, and live music that continues throughout each day, with all types of genres and francophone artists. French immersion and francophone students from grades five to 12 are invited to take part in arts workshops all day Friday. “The purpose of [the workshops] is to give them a fun cultural learning experience outside of the classroom,” says Haapanen. Saturday is a full-day extravaganza including food vendors, carnival games, and performances, wrapping up with music into the night. There is free admission (with a ticket) for those 18 and under and 65 or over; otherwise tickets can be purchased online.
Whether you are strictly an English speaker looking to broaden your horizons, a francophone yourself, or anywhere in between, Festival BONJOUR has you covered. “It's a great way to kick off the season: discover a new culture, or discover new cultural opportunities,” says Haapanen.
Tickets can be purchased at festivalbonjour.com. Stay up to date on Instagram @festivalbonjour.