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French Heritage Day Celebrates Layers of Culture

Tuesday July 17, 2012

By Cookie Steponaitis

A blissfully cool wind stirred the leaves and toned down the heat while hundreds gathered in the green in Vergennes for the French Heritage Day. To even the most casual observer, it was evident that there was a party going on linking generations, geography, culture, food, music and fun. When Little City Mayor Mike Daniels welcomed the assembled crowd he encouraged the locals and visitors alike to, “stop and have a conversation with the people here today, because they have so much to share about not only how we live today, but the wisdom of the people who settled this region. Take a few minute and just talk to others.”  In addition to thanking Addison County Chamber of Commerce dynamo Marguerite Senecal and event sponsors for putting together a celebration including fiddling and Indian storytelling, learning French response song and step-dancing, meeting re-enactors, sampling French food, seeing antique vehicles and engines, watching fencing demonstrations, exploring exhibits and having access to such groups as local historic societies and the Canadian Genealogical Society, Les Chapeaux Puppet Theater, walking tours, piano concerts, the lighting of the Vergennes Falls and even a traditional Quebecois supper, the opening ceremonies raised the flags of both America and Canada.

Wandering the square and listening to the flow of conversation in two languages and witnessing the exhibits linking past and present offered so much more than just a daylong celebration of all that is French. It offered the realization that the Champlain Valley is steeped in history, bridging time and bringing together generations in a shared culture and heritage.  And besides that, it was just plain FUN!     

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