Three days of music and multiculturalism began on Friday, June 26 and continued until Sunday, June 28, in downtown Hawkesbury.
The Festival Multiculturel de Hawkesbury Multicultural Festival began in 2021 as part of Hawkesbury’s designation as a Communauté francophone accueillante or welcoming francophone community.
“The festival has a special place in the community,” said Glengarry-Prescott-Russell Member of Provincial Parliament Stéphane Sarrazin at the opening ceremony on the main stage a Place des Pionniers.
Sarrazin noted that the Province of Ontario did provide $20,000 in funding for this year’s festival.
Hawkesbury Mayor Robert Lefebvre said the event is more than a multicultural festival. He described it as a gathering that brings the community together. Lefebvre said he wants Hawkesbury to be a diverse and inclusive place.
The festival featured 17 different performers of various ethnic and culturally based musical genres for three days, both on the main stage and other smaller stages nearby. On Friday evening, Héloïse Yelle opened the festival and was then followed by Mélissa Bédard, Martin Deschamps, and Ludovick Bourgeois.
On Saturday night, Michel Mpambara performed on the main stage before the Boogie Wonder Band capped off the evening’s entertainment.
On Sunday, the festival ended with a final concert on the main stage at 1 pm.
The Hawkesbury Multicultural Festival is funded by many corporate sponsors, and financial support from the federal, provincial, and municipal governments.
Lefebvre is hopeful the festival will remain as a regular tradition in Hawkesbury.
“It’s not finished. It will continue!” he said.
Photos: James Morgan
Photos: Gabriel Landriault
