The Centre franco-ontarien de folklore (CFOF) has unveiled the program for the second evening of Sudbury’s first French-language storytelling festival, Festival de contes de Sudbury, taking place Oct. 11-14.
Partners of the festival, La Slague, will present a show by Roger Dallaire and Daniel Gervais on October 11 and 12 in Lavigne and Chelmsford. Learn more at www.laslague.ca.
The festival begins in earnest at Collège Boréal Oct. 13, and includes performances by storytellers Michel Perron, Stéphane Guertin, Olivier Turcotte and François Épiard.
The event continues at the college Oct. 14, and includes performances by Claude Garneau (Pére Garneau), Daniel Richer, Basile Dorion and Ladji Diallo.
Garneau, born in Quebec but now a proud Franco-Ontarian, has been telling his original stories for the past 10 years. His work draws on the history of Canada and the stories told by his legendary ancestor, Théophile Garneau.
Richer, a First Nations storyteller, actor and former history professor, who has spent the past 35 years as the only bilingual town crier in North America, will share the teachings of the elders of his Algonquin Nation heritage.
Dorion, is Métis and has lived in the village of Lafontaine for 68 years. He presented his first tale at the Festival du Loup in 2016. He will tell stories of the “Baie du tonnerre” (Bay of thunder), and the legend of Kitchekewana.
Diallo, an African comedian, singer and storyteller who draws on a diverse cultural background to give his work a universal appeal. In Canada for the Festival intercultural du conte de Montréal, this artist’s tales of the African savanna bring us all together with lessons of courage and wisdom.
This first festival will take place as part of Canada's 150th anniversary celebrations, but we hope it will become a recurring event.
To purchase tickets, please contact the TNO at 705-525-5606 ext. 4 or visit www.letno.ca/billetterie.
