15 years of partying!
We’ve danced there, made unforgettable memories there and enjoyed a feast for the ears for the past 15 years, and Le Festif remains as popular as ever!
Le Festif!
of Baie-Saint-Paul
The dopamine released over these 15 years of partying in the heart of the festive and cultural city of Baie-Saint-Paul still seems to be flowing. This is evidenced by the throng of festivalgoers who flock there with renewed enthusiasm year after year, decked out in their best festival attire and loaded up with camping gear for a weekend that will not soon be forgotten!
Just like its funky posters, Le Festif has been spreading colour and confetti since 2009, and has welcomed over 750 artists. Many Quebecers, of course, but also artists from Ukraine, Nigeria, Australia, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Spain, Ivory Coast, the United States, Vancouver and Japan. Getting emerging talent discovered and showcasing artists who locals have never heard of before are extremely important goals for programming director Clément Turgeon. He started Le Festif with his best friend Anne-Marie Dufour to liven up their small rural town and bring back the fairground vibes from the early days of Cirque du Soleil.
Headphones on, he places a vinyl from his impressive collection on the turntable, a reflection of his commitment to rooting out the rare names, raw sounds and catchy vibes that have made the festival so popular.
A Ukrainian group in traditional attire in the priest’s garage: Le Festif de Baie-Saint-Paul really shines bright in these tiny impromptu, surreal moments.
The Festif team will have put on over 1,000 shows over the past 15 years, and beyond the big stages, what makes this festival unique are the shows that occupy every nook and cranny of the town, creating magical moments and unparalleled settings. Private backyards, a floating stage on the Rivière du Gouffre, the priest’s garage, the fire station and the bowling alley, not to mention the pier or the sand pit…All in all, some sixty-odd sites have hosted artists over these past 15 years.
400,000. This is the number of festivalgoers who have attended one of the 15 editions.
400 000! A figure that fills Clément with gratitude. Gratitude for having a career so exciting and inspiring that at 36, he sees himself doing it for years to come. He’s also proud to have, along with his team and approximately 2,500 volunteers over the years, attracted crowds and put together an epic party with amazing impacts here in Baie-Saint-Paul.
And for the fifteenth? This edition is looking promising with 18 international artists on the program. This record number has likely been bolstered by Clément’s travels to festivals abroad to seek out musical talent, as well as to gain even more inspiration for offering “experiences” to festivalgoers. It’s important to the team to offer what they call “golden moments”—like Klô Pelgag playing solo piano in the middle of the street last year, for example. You can expect unique performances with even more off-beat offerings this year through a partnership with the website Urbania. A clue? Supermarket!
In 2024, Le Festif will also revisit Charlevoix’s “trad” musical heritage with something new: les Jams de l’arrière-pays [the Backcountry Jam Sessions]. You’ll get a feast for your ears with new music from two artists who will be debuting their as-yet-unreleased records. Your ears will enjoy their lovely sounds, as well as the relaxing music space with its atmospheric feel. Lastly, we’ll be celebrating our 15 years there with the production of a documentary about this incredibly popular festival celebrated for its vibrancy, eccentricity, fanfare and surprises!
An intimate acoustic show at sunrise in a makeshift campground in the fields, a disco ball in a sand pit, beanbags and a fake lawn on the church square, a surprise concert on a balcony through the laundry lines: there’s no doubt that at 15 years old, Le Festif is still young, still inspired, still partying away….and buzzing with an energy that will never die!
The party goes on even after summer’s end with Le Festif à l’école, concerts presented at 80 schools in Quebec, Le Cabaret Festif for up-and-coming artists and even the Parvis in wintertime.
