Celebrates 300 years of French culture and traditions! Experience living history, live traditional music and more!
The Second Saturday in June
“Hence I have heard the guitar resound soon after sunset, with the complaints and amorous tales of the village swains, and heard the same hand, which toiled all day in the wilderness and in the waste, strike the tender notes of love in the evening.
The custom seemed to pervade all ranks. Nearly every house had its group, and every group its guitar, fiddler, storyteller, or singer. As the evening advanced and the beat diminished, walking commenced, and towards midnight the music of the village united, the little world crowded to the spot and danced with infinite gaiety and mirth till past one in the morning. The Waltz had most votaries; the Pas de deux next, and the Fandango was the favorite of the few remaining Spaniards of the village.”
-Thomas Ashe on dancing in Ste. Genevieve
The French Heritage Festival is hosted by the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve and plays a major part in our Frontier French Calendar of Events. It’s a time for us once again to dress as our French ancestors, and carry on the customs of eating, drinking, and dancing with gaiety. We invite people to treat this as a Frontier French Ren Faire and dress to fit the era: 1750-1820. To make getting dressed up more appealing, the day is capped with a Bridgerton-esque dance set in the romantic, lantern-lit yard of some of the oldest homes west of the Mississippi. You can purchase tickets to the dance here: Frontier French Dance | ffrsg. You’ll be totally immersed. You’ll want to wear something fitting for the featured Frontier French Dance later at night. To that end, Sara Gonzales of Ensembles of the Past will be set up the night before offering clothing for both men and women for rent. If you’d like to reserve an article before the festival, visit: French Heritage Festival
If you’re looking to buy, especially men’s clothing and special accoutrements, Travis and Brandy Bauer of A Second Chance at History will be on hand selling their wares as well. Check out their website if you’d like to purchase anything beforehand: A Second Chance at History – 18th Century Reenacting Merchant Home
The festivities begin at 10:30 on the steps of the Catholic Church, where all are welcomed to the day’s events and a blessing is levied on the crowd by the head priest. From there, a promenade is formed by the local milice and various military groups and the crowd is marched to the festival grounds where the military groups will fire off their muskets. This marks the beginning of the festival.
The festival kicks off with Dennis Stroughmatt and L’esprit Creole at Lions Club Park playing music in the Paw Paw French style that developed alongside but independently of its better-known cousin, Cajun French fiddle music. You can still do a Cajun two-step to it, though. Beer will be served at Lions Club Park as well, and creole food in the historic Louis Bolduc Yard. Visit the milice encampment in the same yard, and stroll through the Je Voudrais Marché tent for an antique Parisian shopping experience. Chateau Ste. Genevieve will provide wine tastings.
The Centre for French Colonial Life is hosting storytellers throughout the day in the South room of the LeMeilleur House as well as their basement conference room. Among them is rockstar artist/animator Brian Hawkins, whose watercolor animations bring the folktales and traditions of our Paw Paw French to life. There will be plenty of activities for children as well, with the National Historical Park, the Felix Vallé Historic Site, and the Museum Learning Center teaming up. This will activate the NPS yard at the Jean-Baptiste Vallé House with yard games for children, colonial hat making, and storytelling. Mike Ruch, the fiddle player for La Guignolée, will also sit down and hold a lesson for people wanting to learn the chord structure and the lyrics for the traditional Guignolée which is one of the coolest traditions from our Frontier French roots.
At 6 p.m., the Frontier French Dance will begin in the lantern-lit garden of the LeMeilleur house. The focus is on English Country Dancing and Slow Waltzing. No experience? No problem! Dances will be taught on the spot by caller, Anna Kalinowska. The music will be provided by a live band. Wine will be served by Chateau Ste. Genevieve, and creole food will be served into the night. Be sure to bring your cameras, because it will be a delight for the senses!
