Join us for a trip to the delightful cosmopolitan city of Montréal, to take part in the festival La Grande Rencontre. Held in the Parc La Fontaine August 5-8, 2010, the festival includes dance workshops, music workshops, concerts and more. Revel in the traditional folk music and dance of Québec and other cultural influences from around the world.

To accommodate everyone's preferences, this is an “à la carte” trip — each of us will make (and pay for) our own arrangements and attend the activities that interest us individually. Susquehanna Folk will facilitate apartment and ride sharing, and opportunities to get together as a group. Knowing your contact information and plans will help us coordinate the group.

• General Information:

  see the Festival Flier »

• Tickets

  can be purchased in advance, or at the festival near the Dance Chalet. An all-festival pass including all activities and meals costs $130 (Canadian). Individual-event tickets (most are $25) and daily passes are also available. See the festival flier (above).

• Accommodations:

  Montreal offers the usual assortment of hotels and B & B's -- but the festival director recommends University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM) housing, with furnished apartments of various sizes. The East and West Lodges are very similar, and convenient. The UQAM West Lodge is closer to the festival (about a 20 minute walk). Note that prices posted on the UQAM residences website are for each bedroom (with one double bed) in the apartment: $67 for a studio to $46 per bedroom in an 8 bedroom apartment. Most rooms have ceiling fans, but not air conditioning. If you encounter web pages in French, click on "English" in the upper right hand corner of the page.

• Travel by Car:

  Susquehanna Folk is coordinating a car pool leaving August 4 and returning August 9. The route is either via Burlington VT (including detour around Lake Champlain Bridge construction, approximately 520 miles and 9.5 hours) or Syracuse NY (550 miles and 10 hours). Estimated gas cost via VT at 23 mpg is $60. Parking across the street from the UQAM Residence is $20 per 24-hour period.
  

  Travel by Air:

  Round trip coach travel via USAIR was $244 on July 14. Transportation from the Montréal airport is available by taxi ($35) or shuttle/metro combination.
  

  Travel by Train:

  The AMTRAK train to Montréal leaves New York before the train from Harrisburg arrives, so travel by train would require an overnight stay in New York.

• Passport Info:

  at the U.S. State Department's website

Trip Coordinator:

• Contact Joan Kolka at 717-763-5598

  or email joan.kolka (at) sfmsfolk.org.

About La Grande Rencontre

Most of the festival's website is in French, but Google Translate can help.

Founded in 1993 by artistic director Gilles Garand, traditional music and dance festival La Grande Rencontre takes place in the magnificent Parc Lafontaine in the heart of metropolitan Montréal. The festival is an exceptional showcase for artists from many cultures, both here and abroad. Highly original programming and themed activities invite participation and initiate audiences to the rich cultural heritage and a wide variety of styles and influences from international artists. Discover traditional music and dance in the outdoor Théâtre de Verdure each evening, dance in the Chalet du Parc, enjoy concerts and workshops in the Centre Calaxa-Lavallée and numerous smaller sites sheltered by tents in a gorgeous park setting. Workshops and Master Classes offer musicians and dancers a chance to try their hand at something new or perfect their technique.

• 8 Traditional Québécois / French Canadian Dance Classes

  with caller-instructors Gerard Morin & Michel Payer

• 4 Stepdance Classes

  (beginner and intermediate/advanced) with instructor Jean-François Berthiaume

• 8 Instrument Classes

  Fiddle / violin - Richard Forest, Nicolas Pellerin, Sinnove Bjorset
  Jaw harp - David Berthiaume
  Harmonica - Bruno Kowalzyck
  Diatonic accordion - Denis Pépin, Gino Lavoie, Susie Lemay
  Flute - Nicholas Williams

• 3 "Veillées" Dance Nights

  with callers Gérard Morin, Michel Payer and Jean-François Berthiaume
  and music by les Mononcles, Crowfoot, Denis Pépin and Susie Lemay, Gino Lavoie with Peter Senn, Swamparella and KV Express

• The Festival's Opening Concert and Festivities

• Cabaret Trad

• and more!