Festival des Rameurs includes race, musical performances and entertainment for children

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By James Mallory

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Petit-Rocher hopes to continue to ride a wave of sporting momentum when they host the 43rd Festival des Rameurs next week.

Enlarge Photo

Glen Vienneau/Special to The Northern Light

Rene Doucet and his team are shown training near the Petit-Rocher Wharf for the annual Petit-Rocher dory race on July 12. Shown from left are Marc-Antoine Grant, Michel Frenette, Daniel Hache, Stephane Doucet and Doucet.

The festival, being held July 9 to 12, comes on the heels of the Acadian Games, which saw hundreds of tourists come into the village last week. Festival des Rameurs president Alma Jeanne Morrison said the Acadian Games was a great attraction and she doesn't want the influx of people to stop just yet.

"It's been wonderful how the people come to the festival," she said. "We're going to be waiting here for them with big smiles."

The festival gets under way on July 9 with Star Acadie at the Petit-Rocher arena. The performance starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $6.

The next day, the GTO Band plays at the arena at 9 p.m. at a cost of $10.

On July 11, the beach area behind Le Tournesol Petit-Rocher will act as a welcoming area for dory racers concluding the race across the Bay of Chaleur from Bonaventure, Que. The racers leave Bonaventure at 8 a.m. and are expected to start arriving in Petit-Rocher shortly after 11 a.m.

While residents wait there will be music, artisans and a clown show for children. At noon, the local musical duo Denise and Collette will perform.

Later that evening, one of the biggest concerts to hit Petit-Rocher will take place at the arena at 8 p.m. Featured acts include the reunited Acadian rock group 1755, Jean Francois Breau, Acadia, Danny Boudreau, Denis Richard and Pascale LeJeune. Tickets are $20 or $30 at the door.

The event concludes the following day with a parade starting at 6 p.m. Music will also be featured at Parc du Plague and a fireworks display concludes the event at 10:30 p.m.

Ms. Morrison said 10 teams from Quebec and Northern New Brunswick have signed up for the dory race. She said the race covers 21 miles or 35 kilometres in distance.