Maple taffy cooled on snow — a French-Canadian tradition. | Photo courtesy of Festival du Bois.

When spring arrives in March you may want to tap those feet and clap to a beat, and you might as well add clanging spoons and a crashing tambourine. French Canada’s festive spirit swirls into the Lower Mainland this time of year, and encourages everyone to wear a plaid shirt and loosen their belt for poutine and pancakes!

The Festival du Bois returns on Feb. 28 with a “Go back to the woods” theme, and brings music and spirited merrymaking for families, francophiles and newcomers – French-Canadian style.

To celebrate its 25th year, everybody is encouraged to come in plaid shirts: the traditional clothing of the French-speaking lumberjacks who came from Eastern Canada in 1909 and started the community of Maillardville.

“There will be big prizes [for] those who wear the best plaid costume, and giveaway prizes for those who dress up à la lumberjack,” says Sabrina Cerclé, community outreach person for the festival. This year the festival is about coming back to these roots.

French-Canadian tradition strong in the Francophone community

Johanne Dumas, executive & artistic director of the festival, says the meaning of this year’s theme “Go back to the woods“ is rooted in tradition.

“[The expression] comes from French. It means there’s still a lot of work ahead of us,” says Dumas. “From generation to generation French Canadians have had that reputation of a people who forge forward.“

The Francophone community throughout the Lower Mainland is true to this resilient spirit. They keep their culture strong with the help of bilingual schools and celebrations such as this festival.

“Living in a minority situation as we do in B.C., there’s challenges that we have to deal with. So we’re ready to face those challenges in a positive way, in a fun way,“ says Dumas.

A day at the festival offers many long-time favourite activities. Folksy live music enchants families and friends to dance under the Grand chapiteau (Big tent). People munch on freshly flipped pancakes and savour poutine, a Québécois comfort food of fries, gooey cheese curds and hot gravy. Kids lick sweet maple taffy candy: syrup drizzled on snow and wrapped around a stick. This year artists exhibit exquisite wood-inspired art. Families can use teamwork to saw a log with a real lumberjack saw and vendors sell unique crafts, including the “signature headgear” of the festival: hand-knitted toques with a frog design.

With an average of 15,000 visitors, the festival is doing well considering it is hosted in a distinct community within a suburb and celebrates a culture that makes up a relatively small percentage of the Lower Mainland. The roots of the Festival du Bois’ popularity are from the efforts of the Francophone community, but also a large part from people outside the Francophone community who contribute to the festival’s exciting atmosphere and continued programming.

Multicultural music: Berimbaus, bluegrass, accordions and more reflect festival’s fanbase

“Between 50 to 60 per cent of people who attend are not Francophone,” says Dumas. “That’s great for [the Francophone community] because we want to share our culture, so in a sense it is mission accomplished.“

Dumas says previously the music lineup included a local Iranian band that performed traditional music, drawing people in from the Iranian community. It is instances like these that inform people outside of Coquitlam of the strong French Canadian culture in Maillardville.

“Had we not had the support of those outside of Francophone community who are curious about our culture and want to experience that sense of joie de vivre at any festival, this festival probably would have died a long time ago. That’s why we continue to thrive,“ says Dumas.

Anywhere between 12,000 and 17,000 people attend the two-day festival every year (more people come in years with nice weather).

The festival opens on Feb. 28 with an evening concert  featuring the award-winning Alexis Normand and continues through the weekend of March 1 and 2 in Mackin Park, Coquitlam. http://www.festivaldubois.ca.

Québécois fiddler from De Temps Antan Trio | Photo courtesy of Festival du Bois.