French Heritage Festival

By Kathy Barnett Managing Editor

The French Heritage Festival in Historic Ste. Genevieve is a vibrant celebration of French culture and traditions. Taking place on June 10-11, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days, this festival commemorates 300 years of French heritage.

During the festival, you can expect a wide range of activities and attractions. Live music performances, featuring French singers and traditional music, will create a lively atmosphere. Children’s activities will keep the young ones entertained, and there will be plenty of festival foods to enjoy. Garden tours, storytelling sessions, and other cultural experiences will allow visitors to immerse themselves in the rich history of the region.

The festival will also feature re-enactors dressed in period attire, adding an authentic touch to the event. Historic home tours, street dances with wine and beer tents, promenades (parades), walking tours, and tea with “Marie Antoinette” at the Guibourd are just some of the many activities available to festival-goers.

The Felix Valle State Historic Site will host La Veillee folk dancing, providing an opportunity to witness traditional dances firsthand. Additionally, the Centre for French Colonial Life, the headquarters for the French Colonial America museum campus, will be open to visitors. The museum showcases exhibits such as “Saving St. Louis,” which explains the role of militiamen from Ste. Geneviève in thwarting a British attack during the Revolutionary War, and “To Shelter and Sustain,” which highlights the construction methods used by early French settlers known as “Creoles.”

$5 for adults and $3 for children. This building also houses temporary and long-term exhibits, a gift shop, and offices.

To visit the Centre for French Colonial Life, admission fees are

Historic Downtown Ste. Genevieve itself is worth exploring, as it is the oldest permanent European settlement west of the Mississippi River. The festival will bring the area to life with French culture and traditions. On Saturday, there will be storytelling sessions, tours, free music concerts, and more. Sunday will offer activities such as the French Colonial Gardens Driving Tour, an Audubon Nature Walk at the Refuge, and tours of historic sites.

For more information and details about the festival, including specific events and schedules, you can visit the website of Historic Ste. Genevieve at https://www.historicstegen.org/ french-festival.

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