Evangeline Agricultural Exhibition & Acadian Festival slated for Aug. 31 – Sept. 3

ABRAM-VILLAGE – Aug. 10, 2017 – Everyone who enjoys or who wants to discover the vibrancy and energy of the Acadian culture of PEI will get ample opportunity to celebrate and party Aug. 31 to Sept. 3 if they attend the Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival.

“As always, the long weekend is chock-full events designed to highlight the Acadian culture, its music, its ‘joie de vivre’ and its food, but also the traditional, rural way of life,” explains president Alcide Bernard. “This year, as an added bonus, we will also highlight the fact that we are an important part of Canada as our country celebrates its 150th anniversary.”

“And to top everything off, we’ll be officially opening four new facilities that we’ve constructed on our grounds this past year – the outdoor stage, the canteen, the Founders’ Hall (featuring a permanent exhibition) and the Artisans’ Hall, where all kinds of arts and crafts will be displayed.”

Under the theme “Beautiful Acadie, Beautiful Country”, the bilingual weekend will feature a wide variety of talent, a huge array of competitions (including several new ones) as well as a large number of popular events that people expect every year.

Among the featured performers will be PEI’s pride and joy, Lennie Gallant (Saturday afternoon show), New Brunswick country superstar Laurie LeBlanc (Friday night party soirée “Le Djâble dans l’corps), New Brunswick super group Réveil for a 10th straight year (Saturday night’s Evangeline and Gabriel Dance), Carnaval en promenade (various performances and circus-type acts, Saturday afternoon) and The Flyball Dogs (Sunday afternoon).

The much-loved Woodsmen Competition will be making a triumphant return to the Festival Sunday. New contests and competitions this year will include potato peeling, turnip bowling and fishline casting.

Among the other returning favorites on Thursday night are the Acazing Talent Competition and the teen dance.

ON THE SCHEDULE

Other Friday highlights include:
• Children’s Day featuring a variety of games, relay races, pony rides and a show by children’s performer Art Richard (free admission for all school-aged children);
• Judging of various exhibition categories;
• The Provincial Finals of the Youth Talent Competition;
• The Fall Flavour Signature Event « Festin acadien avec homard » (Acadian Feast with Lobster).

Other Saturday events include:
• The PEI Acadian Festival Road Race;
• The PEI Provincial Holstein Show and the Illsley’s Holstein Futurity competition;
• The Strong Woman Competition;
• Clammin’ N’ Jammin’ chefs’ competition;
• The ever-popular pole-climbing show featuring Gerry, Marcel and Jeremy Arsenault;
• The lobster eating contest;
• A horse-pull.

Sunday’s festivities include:
• The boat parade and mass at Abram’s Village Wharf;
• The mile-long parade from Evangeline School to the Club 50;
• The famous fiddlers’ concert;
• A repeat of the pole-climbing show;
• The PEI Boot-Tossing Championship;
• The four-wheeler pulling competition;
• The cow-milking contest;
• The famous cow-patty bingo;
• Show of photos and videos from past festivals
• The popular closing concert featuring the best local talent.

The Acadian of the Year Award and the Young Acadian of the Year Award will be presented during the closing show.

The official host characters of Evangeline and Gabriel (played this year by Odette and Dennis Gallant of Mont-Carmel) welcome everyone to participate in this amazing celebration.

A more detailed schedule can be found at http://www.expositionfestival.com/en/.

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CUTLINE 1: The traditional characters of Évangéline and Gabriel (played by Odette and Dennis Gallant of Mont-Carmel) will welcome everyone to the Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival Aug. 31 to Sept. 3 in Abram-Village.

CUTLINE 2: Island favorite Lennie Gallant will be performing for the first time in many years at the Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival on the afternoon of Sept. 2.

CUTLINE 3: Gerard Arsenault, his son Jeremy and his brother Marcel will all be back to perform some more daredevil stunts during their ever-popular pole-climbing show Sept. 2 and 3.

 

For more information:
Alcide Bernard
President
L’Exposition agricole et le Festival acadien de la région Évangéline
(Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival)
(902) 432-2425
expositionfestival@gmail.com