PRESS RELEASE

Montreal, May 13, 2008 - With A Cultural Feast, Pointe-à-Callière showcases the reality and plurality of Montrealers, highlighting the culinary heritage, games, and music stemming from the cultural traditions of people of diverse backgrounds that make up the city’s urban landscape. A Cultural Feast is also one of the not-to-be-missed centrepiece events of the 22nd Montréal Museum Day, taking place on Sunday, May 25.

A free event open to the general public, A Cultural Feast takes place within a lively atmosphere in which visitors can stroll among some fifty kiosks that bring to life the celebrations, festivities, and culinary traditions of Montrealers of all origins. What music, dances, and songs are a part of Montrealers’ holiday celebrations? How have new arrivals influenced the celebrating and eating habits of long-established groups in Montréal? And, for their part, how have they integrated the holidays we celebrate here? Over the course of two days, this event will be a place for citizens of Montréal, as well as for tourists, to discover the city’s richness and diversity.

“A Cultural Feast provides an excellent opportunity to foster meetings and exchanges with local artists, creators, and chefs who are witness to the extraordinary ways in which Montrealers of various origins contribute to the city’s richness,” stated Francine Lelièvre, Executive Director of Pointe-à-Callière.

The Chefs’ Tent

Several chefs from Montréal restaurants have been invited to come share their secrets. They will prepare a range of foods, inspired by many different culinary traditions. Demonstrating their skills under the Metro Tent will be chefs Franck Le-Cunff from the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec, Olivier de Volpi from Aix Cuisine du Terroir Restaurant, Gaëlle Touchard from Narcisse Bistro, cook and presenter Jean-Louis Thémis, originally from Madagascar, Arturo Rodriguez caterer from Los Remedios, Pierre Lavallée from L’Arrivage Restaurant as well as Albert Simon.

Tribute to France

A Cultural Feast will pay particular attention to the presence of French citizens in Montréal in a special salute to France. Over the course of 2008, the Museum is highlighting four centuries of French settlement in North America with thematic programming inspired by its exhibition France, New France, Birth of a French people in North America, opening on May 21.

During A Cultural Feast, accordionist Luc Lopez will create a lively ambience in a Parisian bistro with his musette trio. There will be an area dedicated to quintessential French games such as pétanque, foosball, and tops. Chefs will also pay special attention to French gastronomy during certain presentations. The Massillia Bistro, where people can play pétanque, will most certainly be serving Ricard… as well as a completely original creation to be enjoyed as an aperitif, Québécard! And of course, A Cultural Feast will also feature a selection of sweats, as well as French wines and cheeses.

Music, front and centre!

Music will truly add to the liveliness and ethnic flavour of this event, joyously enlivening the proceedings and brightening up the ambiance from the Loto-Québec stage.

The spirit of Eastern Europe will be well represented by Gadji Gadjo, six local musicians who have become completely enthralled by gypsy and klezmer music.

The vibrant energy of taiko — Japanese drums — is not to be missed: the group Arashi Daïko, which means “storm drums” in Japanese, features close to 30 drums from Japan whose booming sounds will resonate throughout the site.

Flamenco and tango are also on the programme: the Centre de danse flamenco Julia Cristina, whose namesake acquired a great part of her flamenco dance training with some of the great masters in Seville, Spain, presents a show that fully exemplifies the intensity of the art form. Also, recreating the atmosphere of a milonga in Buenos Aires, the group Tango Libre promises to convey the passion of this spirited and sensual Argentine music.

36º Rythmik — five musicians for whom African music is more than a passion — will embody the rhythm and heat of West Africa.

Barbara Ruiz, a native of Cuba who now makes her home in Québec, and whose unforgettable voice is often compared to that of the legendary Celia Cruz, will be on hand with her group to transport you to Cuba: make way for the warm rhythms of the cha-cha, salsa, mambo, merengue, and rumba.

BardeFou, a group of six musicians, will treat us to a festive time and an infectious energy that combines Québec and Celtic traditions with those of world music.

And jazz music has not been forgotten, thanks to the group JAAK, four Quebeckers who have come together to form an astonishing vocal jazz quartet. They will sing a cappella, in the style of a Barbershop Quartet, with a promise to bring smiles and laughs to the crowd.

Tasty Tales for kids

Children always play a major role in Pointe-à-Callière’s events. And A Cultural Feast is no exception, offering kids tasty tales from around the world, presented by Sylvi Belleau and Elsa Perez. These tales recount the adventures of a cunning fox who becomes an eel thief, suggest a sip of stone soup, and clear a path for a trip to Hansel and Gretel’s gingerbread house.

Puppeteer Salim Hammad presents his show, Pain Chantilly, which tells the story of a chef who is constantly disturbed by his assistant. Catastrophes, comedy, and culinary confusion are on the menu at this performance.

Other not-to-be-missed attractions for youngsters include outdoor entertainers, a magician, a fabulous fishing hole, and an array of games such as Mexican Train dominoes and the African games Awale and Yoté.

A lively and colourful ambience

Over the course of an entire weekend, A Cultural Feast will be a truly lively area overflowing with some fifty kiosks that are the perfect place to meet merchants offering traditional products, play games, and take part in presentations and demonstrations. The whole event is an immense, weekend-long cultural fair that provides a snapshot of the city’s incredible cultural diversity.

A Cultural Feast is in keeping with Pointe-à-Callière’s mission to increase awareness and foster an appreciation of the Montréal of yesterday and today through presentation, education, conservation and research activities revolving around Montréal’s archaeological and historical heritage; the museum also strives to build links with regional, national, and international networks in these fields, for the benefit of the public. The birthplace of Montréal, on which the Museum is located, has for over three centuries been witness to the arrival and settlement of thousands of immigrants from the four corners of the globe.

In creating this event, Pointe-à-Callière hopes to bestow the historic quarter with a unifying, high-spirited, festive, familial, and welcoming event that brings to life the area around the museum as the tourist season begins.

This activity benefits from the financial support of the Department of Canadian Heritage and of the Old Montréal Business Development Corporation. A Cultural Feast thanks its sponsors: Loto-Québec, Unibroue, Metro, Vinerie du Kildare, and Domaine Pinnacle. The Museum would also like to thank La Presse, The Gazette, Hebdos Transcontinental, CJNT Montréal, and Radio Centre-Ville for their support in promoting this event.
 
The Museum is subsidized by the city of Montréal.

Information:  
Catherine Roberge
Communications Co-ordinator
Tel.: (514) 872-7858
croberge@pacmusee.qc.ca

Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History
350 Place Royale
Old Montréal, Quebec
H2Y 3Y5
Tel.: (514) 872-9150
Website: www.pacmuseum.qc.ca

Photographic material available from croberge@pacmusee.qc.ca