LEWISTON – The Festival de Joie will present Prelude 2005 on Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 3 and 4. Opening ceremonies will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Courthouse Plaza on Lisbon Street, followed at 7 p.m. by a parade down Lisbon Street, up Main and down Park Street.

During the evening entertainment will be provided by Present Company, Graffixx and Vintage. There will also be vendors, exhibitors and crafters.

Different this year will be a change of venue on Thursday, when the prelude will resume at Railroad Park at 7 p.m. with a concert by Just Us. Gates will open at 6 p.m. There will be an admission fee of $3 a person; individuals wearing a festival weekend button will be admitted free.

Weekend buttons are on sale at several area businesses, including Shaw’s, Victor News, Lisbon Street News, local credit unions and Modern Woodman of America, Webster Street. Tickets for the concert are at Victor News and will also be available at the festival gate the evening of the concert.

Festival volunteers will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, July 18, at the Knights of Columbus hall, East Avenue. It will be the final volunteer meeting before the festival. Volunteers are the backbone of this event and numerous individuals are still needed for committees. Anyone interested is welcome to attend.

More information about the prelude, parade, festival or volunteering is available by calling 782-6231 or going on the Web to www.festivaldejoie.org.