C’est le temps: La Kermesse Franco-Americaine Festival set for June 19-22

La Cuisine food truck will offer pork pie, poutine and other French Canadian favorites at La Kermesse. COURTESY PHOTO

Ann Fisher, Contributing Writer•

Sat, Jun 14, 2025

The 42nd La Kermesse Festival opens Thursday, June 19, with more performers focusedon French music, a new parade route, and first-time events that include a BubbleBonanza and Touch-A-Truck.

This year’s festival at St. Louis Field not only honors the city’s French heritage, but it also honors Age Friendly Biddeford and their mission to create a livable community to those growing older.

“This year we wanted to focus on Age Friendly, because those in the senior community are the ones who built and supported our festival,” said Ray Gagne, Vice President of the La Kermesse Franco Americaine Heritage Festival’s Board of Directors. “This year, we wanted to thank them for how much they do to advocate and aid our community’s seniors.”

The parade, set to begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, will follow a different route this year due to road construction. The parade will line up at Biddeford Middle School, head north on Hill Street toward West Street, where it will turn left and end at the Prospect Street Gate at St. Louis Field.

Paul Gagne, longtime volunteer and La Kermesse board treasurer, is the parade grand marshal.

With around 1,000 visitors expected this year, attendance has “gone up significantly,” according to marketing coordinator Abigail Worthing. “We’ve seen a steady increase every year.”

In 2022, there were about 660 guests on Saturday, the biggest day; in 2023 there were a little under 800, and in 2024 there were about 875 on the Saturday of the four-day event.

Worthing, who is in her 30s, said she’s seen a lot of people of her generation attending. “I remember going when I was younger, going there and speaking conversational French, and the pride,” she recalled. “We’re trying to impart that to the younger generation.”

New acts for 2025 include Alex Silver, a contemporary folk singer who also teaches French in Saco. “I’m especially honored to play at La Kermesse Franco-Americaine Festival this year,” Silver said on his website. “A lot of my middle school students and their families know it simply as their local fair.”

Silver will be playing a 90-minute set of his own music and covers – “perhaps some in French!,” he said – starting at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

“I’m thinking especially of ‘Le temps de vivre’ by Georges Moustaki. One, because it’s the summer solstice; and two, because the festival’s motto is C’est le temps: It’s time.”

Linda Puliot will take the stage from 3-5 p.m. Saturday to share originals, French classics, blues greats and the Great American Songbook.

“She’s a really great French singer,” Worthing said.

As far as what’s new, a Bubble Bonanza will be on Saturdayand Sunday, with “really big bubbles and a bubble machine,” said Worthing. “We have really great things for people to be outside.”

Touch a Truck is kicking off this year, and will be available from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday on Prospect Street.

All that family fun will surely whet your appetite, and with nine food trucks, there’s plenty from which to choose.

La Cuisine food truck will offer its own version of pork pie and poutine, and an open-faced burger with gravy and onions. The “very specific blend for poutine and burger” is a traditional quebecois gravy imported from Canada, Worthing said.

Banded Brewing will be serving craft beer and food in the main tent. There will also be 15 crafters and four merchants.

A free crepe breakfast will be served from noon to 1 p.m. Sunday, and, of special note, aspaghetti supper will be served instead of a bean supper Saturday night from 4:30-6:30.

This year’s grand marshal of the parade is Paul Gagne, longtime volunteer and La Kermesse board treasurer.

“This is my favorite time of year,” Worthing said. “I literally get to be with kids I watched grow up.”

Highlights of the four-day event:

Thursday, June 19

● Cruisin’ Night Car Show, 4 p.m. to dusk

● Golden Oldies with DJ Dr. Dave, 4-7 p.m.

● The O’Harrows, 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Friday, June 20

● La Kermesse Parade, 6 p.m.

● Opening ceremony, 6:30-7 p.m..

● Robert Sylvain, Mitch Reed, Jim Joseph, 7-8:45 p.m.

● Studio Two – The Early Beatles Tribute, 9-11 p.m.

Saturday, June 21

● Alex Silver, 2:30-4 p.m.

● Northern Explosion Dance Studio, noon to 1 p.m.

● Blue Hill Brass, 2:30-7:30 p.m.

● Spaghetti Dinner, 4:30-6:30 p.m.

● Fireworks, 9:30-9:50 p.m.

Sunday, June 23

● Catholic Mass, 11 a.m.-noon

● Free crepe breakfast, noon-1 p.m.

● Touch-A-Truck, noon- 2 p.m.

● Closing ceremonies, 5-5:30 p.m.

For a complete schedule, see https://www.lakermessefestival.com/schedule

Ann Fisher is a freelance journalist based in Saco. She can be reached at 432-7483.