Third annual Franco Festival set for Sept. 14-15

La Coopérative d’intégration francophone (CIF) de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard presents the third annual Franco Festival, Sept. 14 and 15, in a number of venues in Charlottetown. Admission to Franco Festival is free, and all are welcome. It kicks off today at 8 p.m. at Upstreet Craft Brewing with Acadian DJ Arthur Comeau. Then on Saturday, Victoria Row will come alive as one big celebration of the music and diversity of the francophone world with a series of concerts beginning at noon. Performers will include Sanza from Montréal, featuring world percussion sounds, Roxanne and Claude with their blend of roots oriented franco folk, local Acadian youth band Les Palourdes, Mary Beth Carty from Cape Breton with her unique mixture of Celtic and Québecois dance music, Bonsa an award-winning griot from Burkina-Faso and his band, and Michael Pendergast with his repertoire of traditional P.E.I. songs from his Acadian roots. This year, Franco Festival has also added a new component especially geared to francophone youth, through a partnership with l’École François Buote in Charlottetown. Students will enjoy a whole day aimed at fostering a better understanding of diversity and multiculturalism through engaging and fun activities.