With less than a year in the role, Pooja Parsan says she’s ready for the Société francophone de Maillardville’s biggest party of the year: Festival du Bois.
The executive and artistic director took over from Joanne Dumas last July to run activities for French-speaking people in Coquitlam and Metro Vancouver.
And she told the Tri-City News on Feb. 20 that she and her team of more than 100 volunteers are looking forward to the 36th annual fete at Mackin Park.
Running from March 7 to 9, this year’s festival is the most accessible yet, with no cost for kids ages 12 and under — making it affordable for families, she said.
“Now, we are hoping we will get great weather for our festival,” Parsan said.
But though Dumas has transitioned from the non-profit, Parsan said she’s taken on a mentorship role for this Festival du Bois and designed the program “that’s absolutely wonderful as usual. She’s come in with her wisdom and artistic flair.”
Parsan said the three-day festival will include both fresh and familiar faces, including Quebec icon Yves Lambert and his seven-piece orchestra; Lambert will have his one and only special concert at Festival du Bois to celebrate 50 years in the music industry. They headline the Saturday, March 8 show at 6:30 p.m.
Other returning musicians include Alouest, the Jocelyn Pettit Band and Will’s Jams while Port Coquitlam’s École des Pionniers students are in the Kids Zone.
And, as in past years, the Sybaritic String Band will lead a free community contra dance from 8 to 9:15 p.m. with caller Katie Pinter. They open at 7 p.m.
Here are the musical lineups for each day at Festival du Bois:
Saturday, March 8
Grand Chapiteau/Main Stage
- 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.
- Festival opening
- 1:15 to 1:55 p.m.
- La Patente
- 2:15 to 2:55 p.m.
- Alouest
- 3:20 to 4 p.m.
- Jocelyn Pettit Band
- 4:20 to 5 p.m.
- La Déferlance
- 5:20 to 5:50 p.m.
- LeFLOFRANCO
- 6:30 to 8 p.m.
- Yves Lambert et Le Grand Orchestre
Petit Chapiteau/Children's Tent
- 12 to 12:45 p.m.
- Profaqua
- 1 to 1:45 p.m.
- Will's Jams
- 2 to 2:45 p.m.
- Micah
- 3 to 3:45 p.m.
- Madam Diva
Workshops at Mackin House
- 12:30 to 1 p.m.
- Micah
- 1:30 to 2 p.m.
- Jocelyn Pettit
- 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- LeFLOFRANCO
- 3:30 to 4 p.m.
- Collage Trad
Sunday, March 9
Grand Chapiteau/Main Stage
- 9 to 10:30 a.m.
- Mass and pancake breakfast (additional cost)
- 10:30 to 11:15 a.m.
- Jocelyn Pettit Band
- 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- La Patente
- 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
- Kutapira
- 2 to 2:45 p.m.
- La Déferlance
- 3:15 to 3:55 p.m.
- LeFLOFRANCO
Petit Chapiteau/Children's Tent
- 12 to 12:45 p.m.
- Profaqua
- 1 to 1:45 p.m.
- Will's Jams
- 2 to 2:45 p.m.
- Micah
- 3 to 3:45 p.m.
- Madam Diva
Workshops at Mackin House
- 12:30 to 1 p.m.
- LeFLOFRANCO
- 1:30 to 2 p.m.
- Alouest
- 2:30 to 3 p.m.
- Kutapira
For advance tickets to Festival du Bois on March 8 and 9, 2025 at $32/$22, visit the fest website. The Tri-City News is a media sponsor of the event, which is funded in part by the governments of Canada, B.C. and Québec, as well as the City of Coquitlam. Mackin Park is located at 1046 Brunette Ave., Coquitlam.
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