LEWISTON – Everything’s in place for another fantastic Festival de Joie.

The midweek Prelude 2004 leading up to the festival will feature a concert Tuesday at the Franco-American Heritage Center at St. Mary’s, a giant parade at 7 p.m. Wednesday and block party festivities on lower Lisbon Street on Wednesday and Thursday.

The festival’s main events take place Friday to Sunday at Railroad Park on Oxford Street overlooking the Androscoggin River. It’s a particularly appropriate location since it’s adjacent to the old Grand Trunk Train Depot where thousands of ancestors of Lewiston’s present citizens arrived from Canada.

In all, it’s a six-day celebration of fun and food with Lewiston’s Franco-American heritage as a focal point.

Festival de Joie is built around a program of international music and dance on three large stages, food from morning to night and a festive atmosphere that flows throughout the Twin Cities.

“We’re always hoping for good weather,” says Lewiston Mayor Lionel Guay, who’s been chairman and coordinator of Festival de Joie from its beginning 12 years ago. From its early locations at Kennedy Park and in and around the former Central Maine Civic Center, Guay has seen the event grow to significant regional importance.

Good advance sales

As many as 30,000 people can be expected to attend, but a day of rain can mean a major hit to attendance. That’s what happened last year.

“It rained on Friday, and we lost money that couldn’t be made up in the next two days,” Guay said. However, advance sales of weekend admission buttons have been going well this year, he said.

The weekend Festival de Joie events – July 30-31 and Aug. 1 – at Railroad Park include the popular C’est Si Bon Café, three stages with continuous entertainment, a bluegrass variety show, a craft area, cultural displays, a bean supper, wagon rides and a children’s “funland.”

“We have expanded the children’s funland,” Guay said. “The kids love it and at some games last year we actually ran out of prizes. It won’t happen this year. We’ve got lots of prizes.”

Crepes are a big attraction at the perennially popular C’est Si Bon Café, where admission is always free. This year, Guay said, festival organizers have found enough volunteers so crepes can be served all day long.

The C’est Si Bon Café food tent opens at 7 a.m. for breakfast and serves meals continuously until 7 p.m. Diners can choose from a combined Franco/All-American menu of breakfast crepes, creton, bacon and eggs, tourtiere or salmon pie.

A special Friday afternoon program of lively local talent is planned for invited residents of area nursing and boarding homes.

On Saturday, the C’est Si Bon Cafe features an old-fashioned bean supper from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., or until the beans run out.

On Sunday, Catholic Mass will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m. at the festival. The C’est Si Bon Cafe serves meals from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Festival closing ceremonies will be Sunday at 5 p.m.

New groups, familiar favorites

New musical groups this year include Café Accordion from Minnesota, who will re-create the magic of bistros and sidewalk cafes from Paris to Buenos Aires, and Boréal Tordu performing Cajun music. Also, 9-year-old, country-western singer Brian Philip Wardwell will perform.

Other entertainers include: La Tournée du Bonheur led by dynamic Jean Guy Piché, Debbie Myers and the Debbie Myers Show, French country-western entertainers Gizèle Laliberté and René Turgeon, classic to present-day rock and roll music of The Travelers, Graffixx with harmonies from yesterday to today, the Alpiner Oompah Band, the Mexican music of the Mariachi Brass, the Saucier Family featuring 9-year-old Melanie Dorice Saucier, Josèe Vachon, Greek music of Kosta Taslis, Irish music with Mike and Dave, Scandinavian and Eastern European dance music by Raatikoon, 1930s to present-day songs by Present Company, big band classics with Vintage and Lorraine Ouellette with her accordion and traditional songs.

Guay said a Museum L-A exhibit of Bates Mill memorabilia will be on the grounds, and the Museum L-A in the nearby mill will be open as well. Tours of the Franco-American Heritage Center at St. Mary’s, just a short distance down Oxford Street, also will be offered, as well as tours of Maine Heritage Weaving.

Walking tours of the area, known as “Little Canada,” may also be arranged – if guides can be found, Guay said.

A big, free block party

While the principal Festival de Joie programs take place on the weekend, there’s a lot happening on the three days of Prelude 2004 from Tuesday to Thursday.

Serving as a warm-up to the festival weekend, the Prelude evokes the bustling artistic and commercial atmosphere of Old Quebec City in downtown Lewiston. Historically, the downtown area was a hub of community life.

This year’s first Prelude event will be Tuesday evening when the popular local singing group, “Just Us,” presents a concert of favorite songs at 7 p.m. at the Franco-American Heritage Center at St. Mary’s, Oxford and Cedar streets. Tickets are $8 and are on sale at Victor News and will be available at the door.

On Wednesday and Thursday, lower Lisbon Street will be closed to traffic between Pine Street and Main Street from 5 to 10:30 p.m. for a free block party featuring entertainment on two stages.

Festival de Joie’s opening ceremonies are at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Courthouse Plaza and the Prelude 2004 parade moves through the area at 7 p.m. Wednesday with gala floats, marching units and antique cars. On both Wednesday and Thursday evenings, Prelude 2004’s attractions will include free mini-concerts on two stages, a street artist, sidewalk cafés, strolling musicians, concessions, special storefront displays, historical displays and horse-drawn wagon rides from early evening until after dark.

The loss of Marco’s Restaurant on Lisbon Street in a recent fire “leaves a big hole” in the Prelude’s usual sidewalk café atmosphere on Lisbon Street, Guay said. Organizers hope to fill that with some extra sidewalk tables at Bill Davis Luncheonette.

Admission buttons for the weekend festival activities are $12 in advance and $14 at the door for the entire weekend, or $9 per day. Children 12 and under get in free when accompanied by a paid adult. Buttons are on sale at Shaw’s Supermarkets, Victor News, Lisbon Street News and at most local credit unions.