Story: The Festival Queen goes all out for her 400th Anniversary

The Festival Queen goes all out for her 400th Birthday

by: Ruth and Rich Carlson

It’s hard for me to fathom. I’m turning 50 this year and half-jokingly told my friends to wear black and hold a wake on my big day. But I know one woman who is inviting the world to help her celebrate her 400th birthday! Maybe if I looked as good as Canada’s Quebec City, I’d also invite my friends to a floating dance party on the St. Lawrence river, stage a one time-only Cirque Du Soleil performance and hold a Celine Dion concert just for myself.

This is the year to visit Quebec, (which is known for its festivals) as the year is filled with special events, making it tough for even seasoned locals to keep up the pace.
“One festival at a time is not enough, “ jokes Richard Seguin of the Quebec City Tourism Board. “We’re holding concurrent events.” It’s like adding beads to a Chanel gown!

The closest thing to Europe in North America, Quebec City has mastered all those French beauty secrets. I still can’t figure out they tie scarves even though I bought a special book to teach me--and as much as I love French fries, brie cheese and champagne, I can’t squeeze into their designer clothes.

But Quebec City looks as beautiful as it did 400 years ago. Maybe the wall around the town-it’s the only fortressed city north of Mexico-keeps it well preserved. (If only Renova worked as well on my face). The architecture along the twisting cobblestone alleys is in such pristine condition that UNESCO has named Quebec a world heritage city.

Perhaps it’s because Quebec knows how to relax. Although they speak
French they’re willing to switch to English for monolingual folks, (in other words-- most Americans). It’s French sophistication without the snobbery. “We’re not a business destination, we’re a place for serious pleasure,” says Bard Nordby Tourism Quebec press representative, with a straight face. Similar to the European lifestyle, Québécois view lingering over wine and haute cuisine, as a basic right. “Coffee to go is a relatively new phenomenon and there is no such thing as eating at your desk. Our lunch hour on paper is 60 minutes, but we stretch it to 90.”

This year Quebec is having more fun than usual. Already world renowned for festivals such as the Winter Carnaval featuring dog sled races, the
New France Festival where locals and tourists dressed in 17th century period costumes parade side by side giant paper mache characters on stilts, and a fireworks show, set to music, explodes against a natural backdrop a waterfall taller than Niagara Falls, they could easily rest on their laurels and just hold these events, but they’re adding even more celebrations for their birthday.

>From now until November, they’re holding numerous free, one-time only events.
June kicks off the Summer Festival, designed to turn the old port into a theme park. Every evening a series of grain silos along the river - 2,000 square feet by 130 feet will transform into a screen for the largest multimedia projection in the world, called The Image Wall.

July 3rd is the date that the first permanent French speaking settlement was established on this continent. But one day of revelry is not enough for this birthday-the Quebecois are partying for weeks. In addition to the Quebec holiday, Canada's national holiday takes place during the first part of July. Streets will be closed off and parades ad fireworks will take place throughout the country (including a tribute to their U.S. neighbors on July 4).

Cirque du Soleil, which began in a small town just outside Quebec, will create and perform a 40-minute sound and light show designed to be shown only one evening. “It’s their way of paying back the city,” says Seguin. The St. Lawrence river will be converted into a “floating disco” as large as the state of Kansas with help of huge barges, because as Seguin says, “Without river, the city would not exist. The explorers decided the river made this good place to settle.”

Finally, local singer Celina Dion is returning home after performing sold-out shows in Las Vegas shows for several years. She’ll sing August 22 on the Plains of Abraham, (think Golden Gate Park) which 150,000 people are expected to attend.

IN addition the French government is loaning 270 treasures from the Louvre Museum to the National Museum of Quebec from June until October.

“People love Quebec because it’s only a few hours from America and yet it feels like you are in a completely different world,” Seguin says. This year it promises to be even more exotic and we’re invited. Hmm sounds like a good way to spend my 50th birthday. When you compare it to 400 years old, what’s the big deal?

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Details:
Tourism Quebec
www.bonjourquebec.com

Quebec City Tourism
www.quebecregion.com

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