The 11th edition of the FrancoFête en Acadie launched its official program for 2007 today during a press conference. Artists from all over will be in Moncton from Wednesday November 7 to Sunday November 11 to perform in a variety of artistic events. Artistic and youth showcases, Coup de coeur francophone concerts series, the SOCAN singer songwriter circle, Urban Trip, and Oiseaux de nuit late evenings are all on the program. Many wonderful artistic discoveries await the public who is invited to take part in the annual event dedicated to stage art. The FrancoFête en Acadie is organized by the Réseau atlantique de diffusion des arts de la scène (RADARTS).

“The public will be very impressed with the quality and the professionalism of the 2007 edition of the FrancoFête en Acadie”, assures Marc Chouinard, Chair of the board for RADARTS and the FrancoFête en Acadie. The annual event, indicates Chouinard, occupies and important place in the artistic and cultural landscape of Atlantic Canada and the Canadian and international francophonie. The FrancoFête en Acadie brings together promoters, artists, and professionals as well as the general public while offering a selection of quality Acadian and francophone showcases and concerts. The event gives promoters, artists, and professionals the opportunity to meet and develop lasting professional relations. For the delegates, a series of workshops are scheduled as well as the Contact-Acadie. For the general public, a series of concerts will be held during the five days of the event.

The public is invited to attend the official opening of the FrancoFête en Acadie which will take place on Wednesday November 7 from 5 to 7 at the event headquarters located at the Fundy room of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, on Main Street in Moncton. The traditional SOCAN singer songwriter circle will be held at 8:30 pm at the théâtre l’Escaouette on the same evening. Hosted by Nova Scotia singer Ronald Bourgeois, the evening will feature artists from the four Atlantic Provinces with Pascal Lejeune and Isabelle Cyr from New Brunswick, Colleen Power from Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island’s Angèle Arsenault. The singer songwriter circle is an acoustic event in an intimate setting that gives the public an insight in the creative process of the artists present.

Artistic showcases with some of today’s best francophone musical talents will be take place at the Capitol Theatre from Thursday November 8 to Saturday November 10. On Thursday November 8 at 7:30 pm, the Soirée Alliances will feature artists chosen or invited by RADARTS and its national and international partners. The spotlight will be on Gérald Genty, Hugo Lévesque, ZPN, Les cireux d’semelles, 3 gars su’l sofa, and Alexandre Desilets. Friday November 9 at 7:30 pm, Paul Hébert, Amélie Veille, Martin Giroux, Pascal Lejeune, Hert LeBlanc, and Alfa Rococo will take the stage. On Saturday November 10, also at 7:30 pm, the public is invited to discover the Duo Arka, Nathalie Renault, Danny Boudreau, Jonathan Painchaud, and Caïman Fu et Fun Carmen.

Kids and adolescents will also have the opportunity to discover music and imaginary worlds of all kind during the FrancoFête en Acadie with youth showcases to be held on Friday November 9 at the théâtre l’Escaouette. Performances from 9:45 am to 11:15 am will feature La librairie by the Théâtre du gros mécano, ventriloquist Lise Maurais, and the circus-theatre act Staccato by the company L’Aubergine. Young music fans and others will have the chance to see Brigitte Saint- Aubin, Kulcha Connection, and Aquaplane from 1 pm to 2:30 pm, at the same location.

Two concerts from the Coups de coeur francophones concert series will be held during this year FrancoFête. On Friday November 9 starting 11 pm, Kevin McIntyre followed by 3 gars su’l sofa will be on stage at the Université de Moncton student bar l’Osmose. Jazz pop singer Nathalie Renault will offer a concert on Sunday November 11 at 8 pm preceded by Hélène Godin at the Jeanne-de-Valois concert room at Université de Moncton.

Late evening concerts

For the second consecutive year, the FrancoFête en Acadie encourages people to celebrate day and night... with the Oiseaux de nuit late evenings starting at 11 pm. This year’s line-up features the show Carte blanche aux artistes d’Ode (Wednesday November 7 at the Jeanne-de- Valois concert room at Université de Moncton), Tradition, La Virée, and Swing (Thursday November 8 at the Oxygen), and Pascal Lejeune, Désir et fils, and Tricot Machine (Saturday November 10 at the 7 Hundred).

Urban Trip

Once again, Galerie Sans Nom collaborates with the FrancoFête en Acadie with the Urban Trip event. Interdisciplinary demonstrations will be held in various public places around the city during the FrancoFête. With creative artists and an open minded public, Urban Trip is an event not to be missed.