New: All week long, you can participate in a free family rally. It can be picked up at the chapiteau on Sunday, July 6th (50/50 table), and returned no later than 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 12th (50/50 table).
Saturday, July 5th
- 10:30 a.m. - Planetarium presented by Science East at Salle Denis-Richard (registration required: 506-542-2704)
- 1:30 p.m. - Planetarium presented by Science East at Salle Denis-Richard (registration required: 506-542-2744)
Sunday, July 6th
- 9 a.m. - Meditation "Prends soin de toi pour prendre soin des autres dans ta vie" with Camille Arsenault at Scène Danny Boudreau (free)
- 11 a.m. - Mass at St-Polycarpe Church in Petit-Rocher
- 1 p.m. - Official Opening followed by the Défi des rames at the Chapiteau behind École Le Tournesol
- 7 p.m. - Music with Léo and Jeannot at the Chapiteau (free)
Monday, July 7
- 10 a.m. - ISANERGIE on the Danny Boudreau stage (free)
- 1 p.m. - Bean Bag Tournament at Salle Blanche (organized by Club de l'Âge d'Or de Petit-Rocher, $10 per person, registration required: André Boudreau 506-226-1792)
- 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. - Bouncy castles at the Parc de la plage (free)
- Happy Hour (5-7) with Roger Chamberlain at Scène Danny Boudreau (free)
Tuesday, July 8
- 10:30 a.m. - Storytelling for Kids at the Petit-Rocher Library (in French, registration: 506-542-2744)
- 1 p.m. - Cultural Workshop (traditional dance and singing) with Shelly-Ann Robichaud, Fancy Shawl Dancer, at Scène Danny Boudreau (free)
- 1:30 p.m. - Songs and Rhymes with Parle-moi at the Petit-Rocher Library (in French, registration: 506-542-2744)
- 7:00 p.m. - Le juste prix (The Price is Right) at the Chapiteau ($10, organized by the Club Richelieu Chaleur)
Wednesday, July 9
- 10:00 a.m. - ISANERGIE at Scène Danny Boudreau (free)
- 1:00 p.m. - 50/50 Bingo (8 games, bring your marker) at Salle Denis-Richard
- 1:30 p.m. - Free Coloring at the Petit-Rocher Library (registration: 506-542-2744)
- Happy Hour (5-7) - Music and "Come Meet Our Rowers" at the Chapiteau (free)
- 6:15 p.m. - Family Activity at the Petit-Rocher Library (registration: 506-542-2744)
- 6:30 p.m. - Card Night (45) at the Salle Blanche (organized by the Club de l'Âge d'Or)
- 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. - Marc Melanson & The Bandits at the Chapiteau (free)
Thursday, July 10
- 10 a.m. - Step Aerobics with Sophie Roy at Scène Danny Boudreau (free)
- 10:30 a.m. - Storytelling and Crafts at the Petit-Rocher Library (in French, registration: 506-542-2744)
- 1 p.m. - Come Discover XITE at the Chapiteau (free)
- 1:30 p.m. - S.T.I.A.M at the Petit-Rocher Library (registration: 506-542-2744)
- 7 p.m. - Music with Stéphane Comeau and André Degrâce at the Chapiteau (free)
- 7 p.m. - NEW craft beer tasting evening at the Salle Denis-Richard in Petit-Rocher. Tickets are available for $50 at Amigo Pièces d'Autos in Petit-Rocher, from members of the Club Richelieu Chaleur, or by email at richelieuchaleur@gmail.com. Limited number of tickets!
Friday, July 11
- 9:00 a.m. - Tennis tournament at the Petit-Rocher courts (register with the Chaleur Tennis Club)
- 10:00 a.m. - Children's movie at École Le Tournesol's gymnasium (in French, free, bring your own chairs or cushions)
- 10:30 a.m. - Storytelling and crafts at the Petit-Rocher library (in French, registration: 506-542-2744)
- 1:00 p.m. - La Poule Dorée Richelieu (Poule aux oeufs d'or) at the Chapiteau ($10, organized by the Club Richelieu Chaleur)
- 1:30 p.m. - Family activity at the Petit-Rocher library (registration: 506-542-2744)
- 8:30 p.m. - Country Night with Brand New Band, Tribute to Brooks & Dunn, and Coco Country Band at the Chapietau. Tickets are $30 until July 5th, then $40 after. Ages 19 and up. Doors open at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 12
- The Crossing: Departure from Bonaventure is at 7:30 a.m. (NB time). The first boats should arrive in Petit-Rocher around 10:30 a.m. The medal ceremony will take place after all the boats have arrived.
- 8:00 a.m. to noon - Mind at Peace Centre activities at Place des Rameurs: Osteopathy Discovery ($20 for 20 minutes). Yoga session ($10) from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Art and Wellness Activity ($10) from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Music Therapy - Drum Circle (donation) from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Wellness Jeopardy (free) from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- 9:00 a.m. - Washer Tournament at Place des Rameurs (registration starts at 8:30 a.m., $5)
- Starting at 9:30 a.m. - Activities for everyone at Place des Rameurs: face painting for children, Henna, crafts with library students, Rue des artisans
- 10:00 a.m. - Tarot card reading at Place des Rameurs ($5 per card)
- 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Café-terrace, music with Évolution from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Chapiteau (free)
- 1:00 p.m. - Arm wrestling competition at Salle Denis-Richard (weigh-in at 11:00 a.m., competitions begin at 1:00 p.m.). Free admission, $20 to participate (Info: Joey Thibodeau 506-647-0908, organized by l'Association des bras de fer du NB)
- 1:30 p.m. - Blanket Bingo at the Salle Blanche (organized by the Club de l'Âge d'Or)
- 8:30 p.m. - Dancing with Country Land at the Salle Blanche (organized by the Club de l'Âge d'Or)
- 9:00 p.m. - Rowers' Night with "Lendemain de Veille" and "La Chicane" at the Chapiteau. $50 tickets until July 5th, $60 after. Ages 19 and up. Doors open at 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 13
- 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Brunch-breakfast at the Salle Blanche ($12 for adults, $6 for children 5 and under, organized by the Club de l'Âge d'Or)
- 3:00 p.m. - Parade: Departure at 3:00 p.m. from Salle Denis-Richard (706 rue Principale) and arrival at Parc de la plage (353 rue Principale)
- 6:00 p.m. - Show with Art Richard at Parc de la plage (free)
- 6:00 p.m. - Photo Booth by Acadie Nouvelle at Parc de la plage (free)
- 7:15 p.m. - Music with Stéphane LeBlanc and his musicians at Parc de la plage (free)
- Around 10:00 p.m. - Closing of the 56th Festival des Rameurs with fireworks at Parc de la plage
Tickets for Friday and Saturday are on sale at Dépanneur D.R. in Petit-Rocher, at Épicerie Frenette in Beresford or online on the SCRN website.
Follow the Festival des Rameurs Facebook page for more information.
About the Festival des Rameurs:
In 1967, on the occasion of the Centenary of the Confederation, the parish had a plan to organise the crossing of the «Baie des Chaleurs» by rowing boat. This event was such a success as came the desire to see it renewing yearly. In the reception given in favour of rowers, Mgr. Arthur Gallien, priest at that time, had assured us that we would have our Festival and that it would be called «Festival des Rameurs». The next year, in 1968, our Festival is born under the presidency of mister Edmond Boudreau with the help of Mgr. Gallien.
Every year, good or bad weather, the competition brings thousands of persons in the site of arrival called «Place des Rameurs» to welcome these audacious rowers.
Here are some points which marked the crossing. During one of the first crossings, a time of 3 hours and 27 minutes had been recorded what, in this epoch was a remarkable time. But with years and new technologies, record is now of 2 hours and 36 minutes and 07 seconds. This record was established in 1996 and is kept by The «Intermarché». It’s only since 1994 that the women participate in the race and the record is held by Roy’s Trucking with a time of 3 hours, 0 minute and 24 seconds.
Our festival is an annual sport and cultural event held for a five days surrounding the second Saturday of July, when we have our main activity of crossing the «Baie des Chaleurs», a distance about 35 kms (22 miles), from Bonaventure, Quebec to Petit-Rocher, N.-B.
In the course of the years, it was necessary to put back crossing sometimes because of the bad weather, but no major incident arrived during these tests.