Terre pis Ciel

Our Goals

• Build a stronger community through the celebration of folk/cultural art.
• Offer the festival free to the public.
• Make the festival a yearly event.
• Award a scholarship each year using a portion of excess proceeds to benefit a student from the Jay - Livermore - Livermore Falls area studying at UMF and wishing to spend a semester in Québec or France.

  Note: The St. Pierre-Castonguay scholarship was founded in late August, 2003, for $300.00. The criteria was finalized in the summer of 2004 and two scholarships have so far been awarded.

Terre pis Ciel is a festival that aims to celebrate the rich heritage, culture and language of the Franco-Americans living in our towns by bringing all people - old and young, franco or not - together for a day of traditional music, food, art and games. Terre pis Ciel is also a community builder because, through the celebration of one of the particular groups of people that lives in it, it promotes a better understanding between neighbors.

As the creator and director of the festival, I am able to bring my life philosophies to a project that impacts many people. This event allows me to put local musicians in the spotlight, supporting their artistic efforts through a salary and publicity as well as expose local festival-goers to their Quebecois neighbors. It gives me the opportunity to give work opportunities to small, family oriented vendors as well as local organizations like the Daughter's of Isabella or the Knights of Columbus who will in turn recycle the money they make into community causes. The festival creates the kind of space where people can meet in a safe, clean and healthy environment void of corporate advertisement. By celebrating a culture and a language, the festival wishes to build the pride and collective self-esteem of a community.

With excess festival funds, one student at the University of Maine at Farmington will receive a scholarship to help him/her study in France or Quebec, allowing him/her to experience the greater francophone world.

Our next festival is planned for the summer of 2006.

Adèle St. Pierre