The Festival de cirque Vaudreuil-Dorion and the Fête nationale du Québec attract thousands of residents
The last week of June was particularly lively in Vaudreuil-Dorion, as the City hosted two major events back-to-back: the Fête nationale du Québec, followed by the Festival de cirque Vaudreuil-Dorion (FCVD), held from June 26 to 28.
The Fête nationale du Québec drew between 8,000 and 10,000 people, who came to enjoy a festive evening and a fireworks display that once again thrilled the crowd. This highlight set the tone for a series of activities that kept municipal teams busy throughout the week.
From June 26 to 28, the Festival de cirque Vaudreuil-Dorion celebrated its 20th anniversary, a major milestone for an event that has become a true signature event for the City. The 20th-anniversary zone, set up on the festival grounds, invited festivalgoers to revisit highlights from the festival’s history: the Eugene Chaplin big top, the International Circus Competition, European guests, and performances by renowned artists. A video booth, installed in the center of the zone, invited residents to share their memories of the festival by recording short clips. These clips will be featured in the 20th-anniversary exhibition, scheduled for September at the Municipal Hub.
This commemorative zone also welcomed a distinguished visitor: Yannick Gosselin, founder of the
FCVD, who came to revisit the highlights of the event he directed from 2005 to 2015 and to record his own memories there.
A rich and diverse artistic program
Among the highlights of this year’s festival, two musical evenings stood out in particular: an evening dedicated to rap, featuring Rymz and Loud, who delivered performances eagerly anticipated by the audience; and an evening starring Le Band de la Cité and Garou, who presented a show tailored specifically for the FCVD, with a repertoire ranging from his own compositions to the great classics of French music.
These musical performances complemented a rich and varied program, which offered attendees the chance to enjoy a wide range of shows, including one by Flip Fabrique, a true favorite among many spectators. Festivalgoers also enjoyed a host of free activities, circus performances, and the traditional carnival rides, which remain as popular as ever. The weather was favorable throughout the weekend, allowing the festival to welcome nearly 30,000 people over the three days.
A particularly memorable moment was the return to the stage of Florence and Rosalie Guay, two former students of the Papillon-Bleu school. More than 15 years ago, these twins discovered the circus arts there. Now 23 years old, they form a renowned professional duo known as the Guay Twins. Their show, Duo l’une et l’autre, was received with great emotion by an audience proud to see them perform on the local stage. At the same time, Festi Cirque celebrated its 11th edition, continuing its mission to introduce young people to the world of the circus and give them the experience of performing on stage.
“We are very pleased to have offered the community a festival of this caliber. I would like to highlight the incredible work of the City’s teams and all the vendors involved in this event. Thank you also to our programming partners, thanks to whom we were able to offer a wide variety of activities. For the City Council, it is essential to provide residents with opportunities to enjoy themselves with family or friends. We can say mission accomplished,” said Mayor Paul Dumoulin.
The Ville de Vaudreuil-Dorion’s summer program has officially launched. Residents can continue to enjoy themselves thanks to the rich lineup of events available throughout the city. The program can be viewed on the City’s website at ville.vaudreuil-dorion.qc.ca, as well as in the brochure Sous le soleil de Vaudreuil-Dorion.
