Festival du Bois is pleased to present a variety of amazing artists from near and far to entertain you over the Festival weekend. Whether it’s under the Big Tent (Grand chapiteau), the Children’s Tent (Petit chapiteau) or the Workshop Tent, there is something for everyone, large and small. For an even more intimate setting, join some of our Festival artists in Mackin House. Feel free to dance, stomp your feet or sing along . . . it’s all good!
Years: 2016
Le Bruit court dans la Ville
Three legends of Québec’s traditional music scene – together! Lisa Ornstein, Normand Miron, and André Marchand have helped define this wonderful music for generation. Guitarist/singer André and fiddler Lisa were members of Québec roots supergroup La Bottine Souriante. Button-accordionist/singer Normand and André were band mates in the amazing a capella trad band, Les Charbonniers de l’enfer (The Coalmen from Hell), among other collaborations. Individually they each exemplify the definition of “master.” Together, they are a force of nature.
Samedi / Saturday 2:00pm
Tente Des Ateliers / Workshop Tent
Samedi / Saturday 4:30pm
Grand Chapiteau / Main Stage
Dimanche / Sunday 11:30am
Grand Chapiteau / Main Stage
Réveillons!
Simmered in the rich stew of Québec tradition, this quartet’s music will wake you up and feed your spirit! Playing jigs, reels, French songs and step dances, every RéVeillons! concert gathers up choice tunes from varied eras and serves them up with a heady joie de vivre. Band members are virtuoso musicians, singers, callers, and dancers: Jean-François Berthiaume (vocals, step dance, foot rhythms, percussion), brother David Berthiaume (voice, guimbarde, concertina), Richard Forest on fiddle, and André Gagné (guitar, banjo, vocals).
Samedi / Saturday 1:30pm
Grand Chapiteau / Main Stage
Dimanche / Sunday 12:45pm
Grand Chapiteau / Main Stage
Dimanche / Sunday 3:00pm
Tente Des Ateliers / Workshop Tent
MAZ
MAZ invites you to hop on a wild flying canoe to a world of original compositions, starting with traditional Québécois music, then traveling through the depths of modal jazz into trance-inducing modern grooves. It’s a bold assertion of francophone acoustic tradition with an electro edge and intense on-stage energy. Collecting a raft of rave reviews, this trad-mod union features Marc Maziade (electric guitar, banjo, foot percussion, programming), Pierre-Olivier Dufresne (violin, mandolin, foot percussion), Roxane Beaulieu (keyboards), and Mathieu Royer (bass).
Samedi / Saturday 7:30pm
Grand Chapiteau / Main Stage
Dimanche / Sunday 2:00pm
Tente Des Ateliers / Workshop Tent
Dimanche / Sunday 3:15pm
Grand Chapiteau / Main Stage
Gabriel Dubreuil Trio
We welcome back a talented BC fiddler who wowed us all in 2015. Gabriel Dubreuil is based both in Boston, where he is studying performance at the renowned Berklee College of Music, and Vancouver. With a musical wisdom far beyond his youthful years, he has a diverse repertoire that draws from Irish, Scottish and North American traditions, as well as from jazz. With numerous recording projects and live performances already to his credit, come see this new star on the rise! Gabriel performs as a trio with Jay Knutson and William Ross.
Samedi / Saturday 1:00pm
Tente Des Ateliers / Workshop Tent
Samedi / Saturday 2:00pm
Mackin House
Dimanche / Sunday 10:15am
Grand Chapiteau / Main Stage
Dimanche / Sunday 1:00pm
Tente Des Ateliers / Workshop Tent
Yoro Noukoussi
Born in North Benin, Africa and chief’s son of the Waama people, this multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter learned the art of storytelling and drumming from his family as they traveled the region sharing their cultural traditions. Now in Canada, Yoro is in great demand as a performer, having mastered the donga (talking drum), kokomba (congas), and djembe. On stage, both solo and with his band, he is a dynamic and mesmerizing performer, drawing you in to the sights, sounds, and rhythms of West Africa.
Samedi / Saturday 3:00pm
Tente Des Ateliers / Workshop Tent
Samedi / Saturday 6:00pm
Grand Chapiteau / Main Stage
Danny Boudreau
One of New Brunswick’s biggest stars, Petit Rocher native Danny Boudreau’s 40-year career has garnered a long list of awards and accolades. This prolific Acadian singer-songwriter has toured Europe, Africa, and Québec, enthralling audiences with his rich voice and well-crafted songs. He brings us his Danny Party, playing everything from folk to country, all with a touch of the traditional. Catch Danny accompanied by the magical fiddling of Justin Doucet, John Boulay (guitar), Jesse Mea (piano, accordion), Luc Roy (drums), and Sylvain Doucet (bass).
Mercredi / Wednesday 6:30pm
DÎner en Plaid
Samedi / Saturday 12:00pm
Tente Des Ateliers / Workshop Tent
Samedi / Saturday 3:00pm
Grand Chapiteau / Main Stage
Sonerion et Les Bretons de Québec
One of the most popular traditional music scenes in western Europe is Fest Noz or Night Party music from Brittany, France. We present North America’s premiere exponents of this genre, Sonerion from Seattle, along with dance leaders Loïc Le Sellin and Marie-Chantal Fortin from Les Bretons de Québec. You can listen and you can dance! Sonerion features the propulsive melodies, powerful instrumentation, and complex arrangements that are the hallmark of fine Breton music. Dance challenged? No problem! The dances will be taught and led by Loïc and Marie-Chantal in a fun, relaxed, don’t-worry-about-making-mistakes atmosphere.
Samedi / Saturday 2:30pm
Tente Des Enfants / Children’s Tent
Dimanche / Sunday 12:00pm
Tente Des Ateliers / Workshop Tent
Dimanche / Sunday 2:00pm
Grand Chapiteau / Main Stage
Alouest

Alouest is a Maillardville-based group that brings their own French Canadian West Coast flair to music ranging from French folk to Celtic, bluegrass and old time, with an occasional sprinkling of Latin and jazz. The band takes care to represent the stories and traditions of the Francophone cultures of North America: Habitant, Acadian, French Métis and Cajun. The group’s energetic performances feature compelling vocal harmonies and an array of instruments and folk percussion.
Samedi / Saturday 12:00pm
Mackin House
Dimanche / Sunday 12:00pm
Mackin House
Le Bûcheron [Gilbert Parent]
Le Bûcheron (the lumberjack), Gilbert Parent, plays the guitar, accordion, musical saw, spoons, and various percussive instruments as he shares the songs and stories that illuminate French Canada’s culture, history, and folklore. And you can join in too!
Samedi / Saturday 1:15pm
Tente Des Enfants / Children’s Tent
Dimanche / Sunday 11:30am
Tente Des Enfants / Children’s Tent
Dimanche / Sunday 1:00pm
Mackin House
Vazzy
From beautiful ballads and lively humorous songs from the French-Canadian tradition, to toe-tapping French, Celtic, Métis and Canadian fiddle and dance tunes, the duo Vazzy’s repertoire reflects their love of Québécois and Acadian music and all things trad. There’s also with a hint of global influence. Suzanne Leclerc and Bryn Wilkin keep the tradition alive and thriving in Western Canada by sharing these wonderful songs and the stories behind them, so everyone can appreciate and enjoy the language, the music, and the culture.
Samedi / Saturday 11:30am
Grand Chapiteau / Main Stage
Samedi / Saturday 2:00pm
Tente Des Ateliers / Workshop Tent
Jean Pierre Makosso
Jean Pierre welcomes you to Makosso Village, a place of mystery and intrigue, hopes, dreams, music, dancing – and stories that will capture your spirit. Fly with the eagles above the jungles of the Congo, where Jean Pierre was born. Roar with the lion, run with the giraffe, and dance with the monkeys. Move to the rhythm of the drums. Jean Pierre will tell you about his home and his people, make you laugh, cry – and show you how to soar!
Samedi / Saturday 2:00pm
Mackin House
Samedi / Saturday 3:15pm
Tente Des Enfants / Children’s Tent
Dimanche / Sunday 12:45pm
Tente Des Enfants / Children’s Tent
Dimanche / Sunday 2:00pm
Mackin House
Roving Performers
Rubber noses? Check. Rubber chickens? Check. Unicycles? Check? Stilts? Check. Dangerous acts of supreme silliness? Check!!! As you wander the Festival site, be prepared to run into all manner of laughter-inducing craziness as our riving performers brighten up our day!

Émilie Leclerc [aka Gretta]
Originally from Québec, follow Gretta in her new fantastic adventures in search of her friend Kiki here in Maillardville! Will we be able to find her? Has she been hiding from us all this time? Using her ukulele and twists of imagination, Gretta will put a smile on kids’ faces, along with all those who are young at heart.
Sand Northrup
A festival favourite, juggler, unicyclist, stilter, clown and entertainer-extraordinaire, Sand Northrup’s One Woman Circus is a wonder to behold. Whether transforming into one of her delightfully foolish characters, telling a story, or just having some silly fun – Sand is sure to charm you, delight you, and tickle your funny bone.

Lexi Calbery
Catch Lexi around Mackin Park over festival weekend, greeting families, engaging children – and just generally delivering a load of fun wherever she wanders. You might find her juggling, spinning ribbons, hula-hooping, stilt walking or even balancing feathers! She might even tell you a story, or ask you to help her with her tricks.
Isabelle Kirouac
Prepare to be thrilled and amazed! Acrobatic stilt-walker, contemporary dancer, and accordionist Isabelle Kirouac creates original and unique acrobatic stilt animations. From street improv to live on-the-spot moments of wonder, her work is engaging and dynamic – integrating choreography, acrobatics, drops, as well as music and poetry into her one-of-a-kind performances.

Tourbillon le Bouffon Bûcheron!
Marcel Lebrun created “The Great Marcello” when he was six, learned to juggle at 10 and unicycle at 16 – and considered running away to join the circus. He was destined to become a performing arts teacher instead. But after adding balloon sculpting to his repertoire, he became a professional clown. “Twister” or “Tourbillon” has been delighting festival audiences ever since.
Theatre Sports
THE IMPROV LEAGUE
Saturday & Sunday in the Youth Zone
The Franco-Columbian Improvisation League (LIFC) is back for another legendary improv tournament.
This year, teams from six schools: Gabrielle-Roy, Jules-Verne, Anse-au-sable, Victor-Brodeur, Carihi, and Pionniers-de-Maillardville will compete in a number of hilarious improvisations. The players will have to use their imagination, talent, and sense of humour to win you, the audience, over – and garner your votes. The art of good improvisation requires players to think quickly, be creative and cooperate, and have lots of fun. Come watch these young Francophone “actors” at play, and make your choice.
Which team will end up winning the oh-so-coveted LIFC trophy? The answer lies in your hands!