An afternoon of PEI-style festivities, featuring concert headliners Sirène et Matelot (Patricia Richard and Lennie Gallant) and other Acadian performers, will help celebrate the Acadian National Holiday on August 15, from 2–5 pm at the Village musical acadien in Abram-Village (behind the main building, on the bluegrass festival grounds).

Mélina pi Gélina (Samantha Arsenault and Debbie Rousselle-Montgomery) will cohost the free annual event, which will feature some distinctly Acadian humour—one never knows what the two will say or misunderstand about their hosting duties.

Also contributing to the festivities are local fiddler Gilbert Arsenault, the Miscouche father-and-son duo Michael and Samuel Richard, and Evangeline singer Keera Gallant with backup musicians.

Barbecue and ice cream will be available on the grounds. For children, there will be bouncy inflatables and guided arts-and-crafts activities with artist Lynn Gaudet.

Marcel Bernard, president of the Village musical acadien, invites Acadians and non-Acadians to participate: “For many people, August 15 is an opportunity for us to celebrate that we’ve survived here on PEI for several centuries and we’re still going strong.”