​​L 'Association des Français du Nord

Past Festivals

30 years of AFRAN   1982-2012

1982 - MNHS Traveling exhibit of Minnesota ox cart trails.
1983 - History of a French-Canadian’s and Métis, pea soup cook off.
1984 - Dandeneau family SIX of Winnipeg, Red River Jig workshop.
1985 - Dandeneau family SIX of Winnipeg, history and culture of the Turtle Mountain Mitchif.
1986 - Dandeneau family SIX of Winnipeg, French-Canadian AFRAN book store initiated.
1987 - Music of the Turtle Mountain Mitchif’s with Mike and Dorothy Paige, “People of the Red River” drama.
1988 – Drama of the Old Crossing Treaty “The People of the Treaty of 1863” with the Red Lake Band of Ojibwa.
1989 – Chautauqua.  “Immigration and Settlement... Future of the Valley”, Music of the Turtle Mountain Mitchif’s with                 Mike and Dorothy Paige.
1990 - Music of the Turtle Mountain Mitchif’s with Mike and Dorothy Paige, Louis Riel, James J. Hill, Bridget O’Leary by                Sherry O’Donnell.
1991 - Do you remember? Prize for anyone who knows!
1992 - Suzanne Tupa as Sister Lagrave, Gray Nuns from St. Boniface, Marilyn McGriff as Honeywalker, park tour and history           with Pierre Bottineau by Virgil Benoit, St. Boniface choir at the Gentilly  St Peter’s church.
1993 – Marie-Anne Lagidmodiere, first white woman from Quebec to Pembina, Rev. Lucian Galtier Missionary from France           to St. Paul 1842, Abraham Lincoln by Bruce Hanks, Canadian Errants singers.
1994 – Charles Cavaleer,  first postman west of the Mississippi, Fannie Mahood Heath, Red River Valley 1890’s pioneer                   horticulturist, Fiddler contest.
1995 – Marie-Anne Dandeneau wife of Pierre de La Verendrye, President Theodore Roosevelt, song, dance, and music by             the AFRAN Singers, O’Neil musicians.
1996 – Music by the Bone Tones, “Red River and Beyond” the Huot family history, a Métis perspective, first Mass at the                 shrine.
1997 – Musician Linda Breitag, music by Bandaline, Reuben & Carlos Fasthorse, Jim Huot Vickery.
1998 – Music by Les Louis Boys, Fred Allery Métis Fiddler, fiddlers contest, “Dangerous Traverses” drama.
1999 – Champion fiddler Dean Bernier, Fiddlers contest, Bobby Whitefeather- Chair Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians.
2000 – Musicians les Gilets of Saint Claude, MB, dance at the Eagles, Crx, “The Betrayal” a One Act Play on Métis History,               Rueben Fasthorse of Lakota Culture.
2001 – Sportman’s Park, Champion fiddler Dean Bernier, dancers and musicians from Turtle Mountains, Jeanette Piquette             Cadotte (Sat.) Charles A. Lindbergh (Sun).
2002 – Cajun Hot Soles, Turtle Mountain Square Dancers, Clay Works pit firing,  Jane Peck “Dance Revels Moving History”,              “Coya Comes Back” drama.
2003 – La Bardasse, Winnipeg, “The Flying Canoe” with Jane Peck, Antoine Gingras by Virgil Benoit, Stan Savage of the                   Lewis and Clark Expedition, Winds of Change Blow Across the Prairie.
2004 – Free admission, Saturday only, Cajun Hot Soles, crafts at the Sunview Center, Red Lake Falls.
2005 – Sierra Noble “fifteen year old fiddling sensation”, Virgil Benoit and Dick Dubord speak on French culture, Saturday             only.
2006 -  Clayworks firing pit, Sierra Noble from Manitoba, Fr. Bill Sherman on French-Canadians of ND, Mounted Posse                  appear.
2007 – Coulee, from Saint-Laurent, Manitoba, “Building on Small Town Assets” by Louis Allain, Building an Earth Oven,                    “The Yolks of Civilization” by Virgil Benoit.
2008 – MN Sesquicentennial, Coulee  from Saint-Laurent, Manitoba, first year of bread baking in Quebec style earth                    oven, Bobby Whitefeather- Chair Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Readers theater “ The Story of Old                          Crossing”, Treaty Manuals published, Silent auction for AFRAN.
2009 – L’Angelus at Empire Arts Center and Old Crossing Park,  La Verendrye story by Tracy Potter, Marjorie Schafer and              Jodee Brown- bread bakers, crepes by Pichone’s.
2010 - Coulee at the Empire Arts Center , Virgil interviews Bobby Whitefeather, Bottineau Creamery ice cream, Amoussa             Koriko- African drums.

2011 – La Bardasse and the Red River Dancers, O’Neil family music, Theodore Roosevelt by Dr. Jerry Tweton.

2012 - 30th Annual Chautauqua and French Festival  Aug .25-26 features  Manitoba’s  Back 40  and the Asham Stompers,              George Nelson fur trade clerk, MN artist Wayne Shilson.