The Jalbert Orchestra, 1920s. The children of Arthur and Célina Simard Jalbert, L-to-R: Fern, Germaine, Conrad, Judy, Gertrude, and Gabriel. Louis Jalbert, who would later become known as Maine’s “Mr. Democrat” and represent Lewiston for 38 years in the Maine Legislature, played drums in the group with his brothers and sisters but is not pictured here. (photo courtesy of the Franco-American Collection, University of Southern Maine Lewiston-Auburn College).
Each month we present La Rencontre (French for “the gathering”) as a way for our extended Franco-American family in the area to reconnect with each other and with our neighbors. Meals and stories are shared, friends are reunited, and memories are made.
We offer a fully catered luncheon, followed by a performance. Both the menu and the entertainment vary each month. The charge to attend is $7 and the public is invited; however, reservations are required at least four days in advance by calling the Franco Center Office at 783-1585, so that we can order and prepare an appropriate amount of food.
Traditionally in Franco culture, big celebratory meals of this sort would include live music provided by members of the family and their neighbors. Many families like Lewiston’s Jalbert family (above photo) made sure their kids each learned an instrument in order to entertain at such gatherings — and so, accordingly, we invite local musicians to provide live music for our guests. And each spring the young students of L’École Francaise du Maine, a French-immersion elementary school in nearby Freeport, produce a wonderful play (in French, of course) that they spend months preparing for and that is adorable almost beyond words.
To find out about dates, upcoming performances and luncheon menus, check the Event Calendar.
Doors open at 10:30 a.m., lunch is served 11:30 am. Entertainment gets underway at around 12:30 and continues until 1:30 pm. La Rencontre is not restricted to French-speakers or even those of Franco descent. All are welcome.
At the same time, part of our enjoyment of this gathering is knowing that most of those in attendance come specifically to converse in French, a practice that was officially forbidden at many workplaces in the last century and that was, under a 1919 Maine law, prohibited from being spoken in schools except specifically in French classes. And so if English is overheard being spoken, its speaker may be asked to make a small donation of a quarter; all in good fun, of course, while also serving as a reminder of those days — which are thankfully over — when speaking French openly might earn detention for a student or a reprimand from a supervisor.
This is our family table, and we invite you to join us to share your own stories. La Rencontre is funded in part by generous support from TV5MONDE, whose monthly printed viewing guides are available at each event.
