The 40th annual Chautauqua and French-Canadian/Metis Festival will celebrate history, culture, and camaraderie at Old Crossing and Treaty Park near Huot. The park is on County Road 11, seven miles northeast of Gentilly or nine miles southwest of Red Lake Falls.
Festivities begin Friday, August 26, at 6:30 p.m. with a potluck picnic followed by a bonfire, singing by Dan Schmitz, and storytelling.
Food, including French Festival specialties such as Tourtiere (meat pie) and bread made in the earth oven, will be available starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Silent auctions will be held Saturday and Sunday. AFRAN (Association of the French of the North) President Virgil Benoit will give a welcome at 12:30 p.m. on both days.
Poitin, a band from the Fargo/Moorhead area, will entertain with a blend of Irish, Celtic, French-Canadian, and Metis music. Poitin (pronounced pah-CHEEN) will perform on August 27 and 28 at 1:00 p.m.
The Ivan Flett Memorial Dancers will highlight this year’s festival. The Dancers will perform in the big tent on Saturday and Sunday, August 27 and 28, at 3:30 p.m. each day. The group from Manitoba combines traditional Red River Jig dances and modern hip-hop jigs. The three siblings from Winnipeg share a passion for dance, not just any dance were scheduled to appear at the festival in 2021 but weren’t able to because of COVID-19 concerns.
They perform traditional dances of the Red River Jig mixed with modern dancing known as the hip-hop jig. The IFM Dancers hope to motivate and inspire people of all ages with their music and dance. Their main focus is to attract the youth through the rhythm and style of their energetic dancing and showcase the traditional Red River Jig and square dance. The group is named for one of their biggest supporters, Grandpa Ivan Flett, who passed away in 2012.
Storyteller and author Jan Smith of Clitherall will be on stage at 2:00 p.m. both days. Her topics will be “Perdu Voyageur” and “Fil Seamstress Turned Farmer’s Wife.” Saturday will close out with Mass at 5:00 p.m.
Throughout the weekend, artists and artisans will demonstrate woodworking, carving, and broom making. There will also be children’s activities.
The festival wraps up at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free, and the public is welcome to all events in the park. Donations are welcome to cover the costs of the festival.
The annual event is sponsored by AFRAN. Visit www/French/CanadianAFRAM/org.
For more information on the Chautauqua and Festival, contact Virgil Benoit at 218-253-2270 or Jerry Amiot at 218-289-8889.
