Bengal's Corner

The group Vishten from PEI will play at the Dublin, Ohio, in the Irish Festival at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, August 1, 2008 and at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 2.

Before the festival, the Dublin Irish Festival Academy offers classes for intermediate and advanced musicians. Instructors will include Grey Larsen (whistle and flute), Kevin Burke (fiddle), John Carty (tenor banjo), Ged Foley (guitar), and Cara Butler (Irish Step Dancing). There are also intermediate level classes in fiddle, bodhrán, and set dancing.

For information on the Dublin Irish Festival Academy, and to register for classes, call (614) 410-4545, or go to:
Dublin Irish Festival

For information on the festival itself, follow this link:

A bientot,
Walt Lankenau

Are you all ready for one of the best festivals in Quebec??

The list of guests this year is great and it counts with many of my favorites: Bernard Simard, Natalie MacMaster, The McDades, La Ratoureuse, Bruno Kowalczyk and Le Vent du Nord.

I know many of you are asking now about my interest in Bruno Kowalczyk. Well, when my friend Teresa grabbed me to participate in these harmonica lessons and I had no scape, I started to go after the tunes of my interest. Bruno's work brings Poland, Ireland, France and Quebec together. It's surprising, creative and fun... Believe me, you will love it!

Memoire et Racines Festival: It will take place on July 23rd till 27th (next weekend) in Joliette, PQ, Canada.

Local:
Saint-Jean-Bosco Park
249, chemin du Golf
Saint-Charles-Borromée (Joliette)
J6E 8L1

Sponsored in part by the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Organized by the Vergennes Area Chamber of Commerce (VACC), a division of the Addison County Chamber of Commerce. Link.

[Thanks, Benoit Pelletier Shoja, for the schedule!]

FRIDAY - July 11

VERGENNES OPERA HOUSE
6-9 pm Veillee with traditional French Canadian supper and featuring Club Carrefour from Quebec.
$15 Admission. Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Save! Purchase Combo tickets to Friday's Veillée and Saturday's performances at the Opera House $25. MC, Visa, Check accepted. Pre-order: $27 includes S/H. Order: 800-733-8376, 802-388-7951, mail: VACC, PO Box 335, Vergennes, VT 05491, email: info@midvermont.com

SATURDAY - July 12

Vergennes Fire Station
7:00-10:30 am French Toast Breakfast

Opening Ceremonies - Bandstand
10:00 am Flag raising, Vergennes City Band, speeches

City Park
10:00 am - 4:00 pm Traditional craft demonstrations;
Vermont French Canadian Genealogical Society;
Reenactors: French soldiers, French Voyager, Comte de Vergennes, and Samuel de Champlain;
Information booth about French groups, events, by Alliance Française, Les Boulangers and the Brandon French Group;
Exhibits;
Farmers Market;
Fencing demonstrations by Vermont Fencing Alliance;
Les Troupes de La Pointe a la Chevelure (1755 Chimney Point Soldiers Reenactors);
Green Mountain Flywheelers Antique Gas & Steam Engine Club;
Buttons for VOH performances on sale at VACC booth;
10:30 am - 4:00 pm Children's Area: coloring table, "Revolutionary" paper hat making, games, hand painting, bubbles
11:00 am - 2:00 pm Horse and Carriage Rides by Thornapple Farm
12:30 pm, 1:30 pm, 3:30 pm Strolling Fiddler, Quebecois style! Lausanne LaBombarde/Rick Ceballos
1:00 pm Walking Tour with Bill Thiess, narrated in French and English—meet at tent on Park Street
1:15 pm Master Storyteller, Memere Catherine Charron telling French Canadian tales and adventures
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Fencing Demonstration by Vermont Fencing Alliance
2:30 pm Bastille Day Waiter's Race sponsored by Black Sheep Bistro
2:30-2:45 pm Children's Drill taught by Les Troupes de La Point la Chevelure

Otter Creek Basin
10:30 am "The Captain Wore Petticoats," historical skit
11:00 am Walking Tour of Otter Creek Basin
11:00 am - 12:30 pm Carillon Cruise - Otter Creek boat tours - RSVP 802-897-5331 or www.carilloncruises.com. $12
1:30-3:00 pm Carillon Cruise - Otter Creek boat tours - RSVP 802-897-5331 or www.carilloncruises.com. $12

Bixby Library
10:30 am Lecture by Julie Dowd, "They Walked with Champlain"
Noon Reading by "Madeline" for children

St. Peter's Catholic Church
10:00 am - 4:30 pm Open for visitation; religious store open
5:00 pm French Mass

Bandstand
11:00-11:45 am Samuel de Champlain historical interpretation
11:45 am - 12:00 pm French sing along w/Les Boulangers & Alliance Francaise
1:00-2:00 pm Young Fiddlers led by Mark Sustic
2:15-2:45 pm Erik & Erica Andrus playing accordion and fiddle

Vergennes Opera House
11:45 am -12:45 pm Green Mountain Cloggers performance and workshop
1:00-1:30 pm France slide show by Erin Conway
3:30-4:30 pm Michele Choiniere
4:45-5:45 pm Chanterelle
6:00-6:30 pm Duo Dumont Morrissette, from Quebec
6:45-7:45 pm Va-et-Vient
8:00-9:30 pm Beaudoin Legacy

Milton Nascimento: chant, guitare, sanfoninha;
Lionel Belmondo: saxophone soprano, flûte alto;
Stéphane Belmondo: bugle;
Eric Legnini: piano;
Thomas Bramerie: contrebasse;
André Ceccarelli: batterie…
Avec les cordes de l’Orchestre National d’Ile de France dirigées par Christophe Mangou.
Arrangements: Lionel Belmondo & Christophe Dal Sasso.

More.

Gadelle is a new four member, all woman, traditional Acadian band that is an evolution from the nucleus of Les Girls, the last musical project that former Barachois members Helene Bergeron and Louise Arsenault have created. Gadelle is an old Acadian word which translates as "wild berries" and also has a connotation of a feisty female. This new group's style of show is delivered with stylistic purity and the stagecraft that Barachois was known for. The four members of the group are: Helene Bergeron (from Barachois)- vocals, piano, pump organ, fiddle, foot percussion and step dancing; Louise Arsenault (also from Barachois)- fiddle, harmonica, foot percussion, step-dancing; Caroline Bernard- primary vocalist, piano, pump organ, accordion and guitar; Paige Gallant- fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bass and step-dancing. Caroline and Paige are in their early twenties and Helene and Louise are in their early 50's so there is an interesting cross generational dynamic which comes out in the context of the show. Gadelle members play with ferocity and stylistic conviction while putting on one heck of a show. A must-see show!

Town Hall Theater, Inc.
68 South Pleasant Street, P.O. Box 128, Middlebury, VT 05753
Office Phone/Fax: (802) 388-1436 Box Office Phone: (802) 382-9222
Temporary Offices: 2 Frog Hollow Alley, across from the Craft Center

Shared by Benoit Pelletier Shoja

** Shared by Benoit Pelletier Shoja **

Thanks, Benoit, for sharing the calendar!
Bengal.

Coming This Summer & Fall

Sunday, July 13, 2008 - Ray Price - Trouz Braz
Noon - 3 PM - A Bastille Day Workshop
5 - 8 PM - A Bal Folk Festival

Saturday, August 9, 2008 - Méchoui & Barn Dance
2 PM - 8 PM Pig Roast - Fiddlers - dancing in Wakefield, RI

Friday, Sept 26, 2008 - Ray Price - Trouz Braz
8 PM -11 PM un Fest Noz

Sundays, 2-4 pm, 9/21, 10/19, 11/16
Family Dance Lessons in French Country Dances

Saturday, October 25, 2008 - Ray Price - Trouz Braz
7 PM - 11 PM A Bal Folk Festival

Saturday, Sept 27, 2008 - "ENVOYE A MAISON"
Canadian Cultural Exchange Project
At St Ann Cultural Center - Woonsocket
2 - 4 PM Crafts Workshop
At Le Foyer Hall
5:30 PM Meet & Greet
6 PM " Envoye à maison " Dinner
7:30 PM Free Concert by Gens d'plaisir du Quebec (Tess LeBlanc, Paul Marchand, Daniel Lemieux, Louis-Simon Lemieux, Stephane Landry and Denis Maheux)