LE Festival du loup 2023
La Meute culturelle de Lafontaine is getting everything lined up for a great 19th edition of Le Festival du loup! The Festival will kick off on Saturday, July 15th, at 10am with our annual Tractor Parade.
Following the Tractor Parade, make your way to Lafontaine Park, where a variety of local artists will await! You'll also have the chance to bid on a painted wolf and discover our many "legend of the wolf"-related activities for young and old!
Come sing and dance with us to the sounds of Lafontaine's multiple musical talents under the Big Tent while enjoying a local delicacy!
This year, the Festival is pleased to announce that LGS will kick off the evening party at 6pm at the Robert Robitaille Pavilion!
The party continues with Folklofolie!
COME DANCE AND HOWL WITH US!
Mark your calendars and come join us on Saturday, July 15th, 2023!
LE FESTIVAL DU LOUP
ABOUT
Le Festival du Loup celebrates francophone culture and heritage. This annual community gathering takes place entirely en français and welcomes anyone who would like to come enjoy and celebrate local francophonie.
The Festival is held annually on the 3rd weekend of July. The Festival includes a tractor parade, a full day of family style activities for the whole family, and one musical evening.
HISTORY
During a community meeting in the year 2000, which had as a goal to create a museum for our heritage, more than 60 people got together to determine what type of museum they wanted to create. The purchase of a building (without funds) and the maintenance of such a space (still with no revenue) meant that the idea of having a museum in a building was not an option. We wanted, more or less, a living museum. There are many ways to create living museums, but the key question was how to generate enough funds to make this possible. This is where the idea of a Festival came about; a festival of the music from the region as a way to raise funds for a museum. That night at the Parish Hall in Lafontaine came the idea of the Festival du Loup. A group got together to continue the discussion. A brave soul, with the help of the other people who were present, accepted the responsibility to organize the first Festival. It was volunteer work.
THE LEGEND OF THE LAFONTAINE WOLF
Le Festival du Loup de Lafontaine's name is based on the Legend of the Lafontaine Wolf, written by Father Thomas Marchildon in the 1950s. The wolf was the symbol of a gathering - he created enough fear to unite a community who, in the beginning of the twentieth century had trouble befriending each other (even though they were all Francophones that practiced the same religion). It is the legendary wolf that gave the people in the community a common goal: to kill it. CLICK HERE to watch the Legend of the Lafontaine Wolf. To learn more about the legend, visit l'Encyclopédie du patrimoine culturel de l’Amérique française.
AT THE HEART OF THE FESTIVAL...
FESTIVAL OVERVIEW
SATURDAY DURING THE DAY
The day begins with the annual tractor parade, which brings together a impressive number of tractors from the area. These are then put into exhibit in the Lafontaine Park, where many Festival du Loup activities take place. In the Park, it's our Family Day: Kids' Zone, music and animation in the tent, artisanal booths, local organizations, agro-food zone, food, theatrical animation, silent wolf auction, exhibits, and more! A fun day for the whole family!
SATURDAY - DINNER
Come join us for a big community supper under the tent at the Lafontaine Park.
SATURDAY EVENING
Saturday night, it's the big party! It's "The Great Howling" evening, an event filled with live music that promises to make you dance the night away! The evening starts with the key festival activity : the howling contest. Young and old come up on the stage to howl! It's a competition like none other!
