Many music festivals take place in Greater Sudbury in the warmer weather months. Although fall is now here, there's still one more music festival to enjoy.
French Fest takes place Oct. 1-7.
The festival “is a celebration of language in a spirit of inclusion and diversity,” said a press release.
Here's the lineup of some of the main events:
Damien Robitaille (Friday, Oct. 5, 7 p.m., Collège Boréal)
Everyone’s favourite singer-songwriter is finally back on a Sudbury stage with a crooner’s smile, sparkling eyes and a matchless talent for crafting delightful pop-rock gems. His new show and album, entitled Univers parallèles, drape his signature catchy melodies in lush gospel-soul harmonies that make the good times shimmer and shine.
Afrikana Soul Sister (Friday, Oct. 5, 11 p.m., Zig’s on Elgin)
After Damien’s concert, festival-goers can top off the evening with a late-night afroelectro experience. Afrikana Soul Sister melds two very different musical worlds, Western techno and African traditional. It’s a “remarkable mixture and as soon as you hear it, you know that it was meant to be,” a press release said. And admission is free.
Family Day (Saturday, Oct. 6, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Collège Boréal)
French Fest’s Family Day is great fun for kids and grown-ups alike, with wonderful participatory activities hosted by talented artists. There will be storytellers, readings, musical instruments to play, dance, yoga, visual arts and more. The Franco-Ontarian roots band Ariko and Afrikana Soul Sisters will perform as well. Bring the whole family for a fun-filled festival day.
Acadian evening (Julie Aubé and Menoncle Jason, Saturday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m., Ukrainian Hall on Frood)
Moncton and Sudbury are bilingual cousins and these purveyors of new Acadian music will make it feel like we’ve traveled there for a visit. Julie Aubé, a member of the hot folk trio Hay Babies, has a solo career on the rise and will be offering vintage Moncton rock with a tinge of psychedelia. Menoncle Jason will follow with beefy medium-rare country served with outlaw baritone and dashes of humour. And to make a down-East evening complete, Sudbury’s own Jessinik Fish Market will be providing succulent seafood snacks.
Katherine Levac (Sunday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m., Fraser Auditorium)
Comedian Katherine Levac is as hilarious on stage as she is on TV and her highly awaited solo show brings out new dimensions of her character. In her unique way, she shares thoughts on the life and times of young people of today with disarming charm and peculiar insight. Youthful and candid, fresh and forthright, Kate never fails to hold her audience in the palm of her hand.
Visit laslague.ca/frenchfest for tickets and a full schedule.
