AUGUSTA – The State House will celebrate its fifth Franco-American Day today.

The event, which was largely organized by Rep. Ross Paradis, D-Frenchville, honors Maine’s historic connection to French speaking Canadians, many of whom moved to the Lewiston-Auburn area in the 1860s to work in the mills.

Events begin at 7:30 a.m. with a Franco-American breakfast menu available in the cafeteria and French-theme music throughout the State House. Fiddlers from Lewiston High School and Middle School, under the direction of Greg Boardman, will be playing in the Rotunda.

In the House, formal events begin with at 9 a.m. with the presentation of the colors by Franco-American veterans and a bilingual invocation by the Rev. Sylvo Levesque of Hallowell. The national anthems of the United States, France and Canada will be performed.

The Senate will follow a similar schedule when it convenes at 10 a.m.

At 11 a.m., Gov. John Baldacci will hold a news conference with French Consul Francois Gauthier, l’Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie Section President Michel Samson, Quebec delegate to Boston, France Dionne and Richard Coyle, executive director of the Maine International Trade Center, which will also hold a trade conference at 1 p.m. to discuss trade opportunities in the Francophone world.

– David Farmer