The Canadienne-Française de l’Alberta Grande Prairie chapter is hoping mother nature will cooperate for the 22nd annual Maple Sugar Festival.
“Last year we expected about 1,000 people, but because of the very cold weather we had about 300 people, so the hope this year is we get back on track with participation,” says organizer Anna Kouadio.
There will be outdoor activities including maple taffy on snow and sleigh rides as well as indoor activities for the kids.
Kouadio says the festival is also an incredible chance to bring two sets of cultures together and has been told by several in the French community that it is sometimes more difficult for them to settle in the region as English is the dominant language.
“Francophones are the minority in Alberta and Grande Prairie, and the Francophones don’t feel as close as the anglophones do, because when they get here they can’t exchange, speak together or have fun as they don’t speak the [as much] English, so [it’s] hard for them to make friendship with other people,” she says.
“Through a festival, it doesn’t matter [as much] to have something in common, all that matters is having fun, share the delicious maple toffee and other things.”
The Maple Sugar Festival will be held on February 29th at Muskoseepi Park. For more information, head to the ACFA Facebook page.