Centre Acadien, Université Sainte-Anne

Music Festivals in Clare- In the early 1970s, music lovers founded the "Festin de musique de la Baie Sainte-Marie" Association to work towards the development of the musicians in Southwest Nova Scotia, and to promote Acadian culture.

Seeking to unite and develop local artists, the group organized several shows and disco parties, as well as workshops. In addition to fostering creative exchanges, these activities gave several local artists the opportunity to perform in public. Some of them went to become professional musicians: Herb LeBlanc, Johnny Comeau, Jackie Comeau, Kenneth Saulnier and Marcel Aymar, to name a few. All forms of artistic talent were supported. The now world-famous tap dancing group "La Baie en Joie" performed during these shows.

To provide artists with the largest possible influence, the Festin also welcomed other French-speaking artists in Clare, as well as English-speaking artists: Garolou (Quebec), 1755 (NB), Beausoleil Broussard (NB), CANO (Ontario), Angèle Arsenault (PEI), Marty Reno (PEI) and Noël Harrison (London), among others.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Acadians were still singing traditional songs from France, but after being exposed to radio stations such as the one that broadcasted out of Wheeling, West Virginia in the 1940s and 1950s, they began to play country music and bluegrass, and to sing in English. Thanks to the “Festin de musique”, local musicians began to sing in French again. Towards the end of the 1970s, Herb LeBlanc formed the group "Les Tymeux de la Baie", an innovative group for Nova Scotia, because it interpreted original songs in French.

The Clare Acadian Festival (mentioned in another part of this exhibition), and more recently, bluegrass and country festivals, among other events, continue to promote local musicians.

Topic: Arts and Culture

Date: 31 May 1979

Reference: Fonds Festin de musique Centre Acadien Journal le Courrier de la Nouvelle-Écosse, le jeudi 31 mai 1979, p. 3

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