Staff Writer

 The creativity of New England’s Franco-American population will take center stage at City Theater during a three-day celebration of culture and spring.

La Fête du Printemps – best translated as “Celebration of Spring” – is expanding this year to include music, theater and visual arts. Now in its third year, the festival has expanded from one day to three and is free.

John Maxon, president of La Société St. Jean Baptiste de Bienfaisance, said the event will be free because of grants from the society, La Centre de la Francophonie des Ameriques, Heart of Biddeford, Biddeford-based Engine arts organization and the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance.

Maxon said the festival was expanded and given a new name this year as organizers look to highlight more of the strong cultural arts tradition.

“We wanted to focus on French-Canadian culture through the arts,” he said. “It’s a big part of the culture.”

Maxon, a Biddeford native who now lives in Bar Mills, said the arts tradition used to be stronger in Biddeford, but has weakened because many in younger generations don’t speak French.

Biddeford City Manager John Bubier said it is exciting to have this type of cultural event take place at City Theater. He said he would like to see the festival expand further to include more events.

“I think it’s going to work really well,” he said. “It’s going to be very exciting.”

The festival will open March 25 with a reception at the Heart of Biddeford office that will feature sculptures by Adelard Coté. The Biddeford native and folk artist lived from 1889 to 1974 and created wood carvings of people.

Performances throughout the weekend will feature music, theater and storytelling in both French and English. Boréal Tordu on Friday will play a mix of traditional French Canadian and original compositions. On Saturday, Michel Parent of Lewiston will present his comical story of growing up playing hockey in Maine.

The third day of the festival will feature theatrical performances presented entirely in French. Anika Lirette of Moncton, New Brunswick, is set to perform, as is Maine-based Franco-American troupe Du Monde d’à Côté.

Theatrical performances on Sunday will feature a group of students from Biddeford High School. Three advanced French students will take the stage to perform the one-act play, “Les Trois Anges” (The Three Angels), said teacher Dean Morin. The play was written by Paul Paré.

Amethyst Hersom, an 18-year-old senior, said the play is about three angels and focuses on the role of languages. Ben Cote, a 16-year-old junior, said his character advocates for a strict interpretation of the French language, not the mix of French and English used by many Canadians.

Cote and Hersom, who have practiced with classmates for three weeks, said it is challenging to learn lines in French.

“It’s hard enough to remember English lines for a play, let alone French lines,” Hersom said.

Hersom, whose mother was born in Canada, said she sometimes speaks French at home, but looks forward to using it more. She thinks the festival will remind people in the city of their cultural roots.

“I think it’s a great thing they’re doing because a lot of people forget Biddeford is a French-speaking community. It’s important to show we haven’t completely gone way from our roots,” she said.

Cote, whose father and grandparents also speak French, said participating in the festival is “quite an opportunity to expand my language skills.” He said he is honored to take part in the performance, even though it is difficult to memorize long passages in French.

“It shows our community our heritage is important,” he said.

Morin said he was approached by event organizers about involving youth in the festival. He said his students are excited for the opportunity and readily agreed to perform the one-act play and songs in French.

“It’s good to have some resurgence of the Franco-American pride and history,” Morin said.

Morin said learning a song or play in French helps his students “improve their cognitive skills and open up their level of thinking.”

“I believe it gives them a chance to do something special, to do something different than just being in a classroom,” he said. “It gives them a chance to really share something they’ve learned with the community.”

Tammy Ackerman, Heart of Biddeford president and founder of Engine, said the festival is the “perfect cultural event” for the city.

“It’s important to celebrate the history of the city, but also to engage others in the community to show Biddeford has a lot to offer,” she said. “We’re trying to put Biddeford on the map in terms of cultural heritage.”