Sainte Rose en bleu family festival is here to stay!

Although he's waiting for an assessment from a firm that deals in such matters, Mr. Cyr estimates that 60,000 people took part in various activities spread over five days in early August. Some of these activities featured concerts, workshops for kids and young people, and dance, magic, and literature.

"We were quite lucky. Our activities often fell between periods of overcast and rainy skies. We proved that Sainte-Rose en bleu has great potential. It's the planting of an extraordinary seed for Laval and the district to become a tourist attraction," Mr. Cyr explained.

Another good idea: the Danse du monde evening that attracted 400 people. "To see Quebecois de souche (traditional Quebecers) dancing to the folk music of Lebanon or Greece, you couldn't buy that with all the money in the world. It was harmony and amity that's always sought, but not always found, and yet it was an important part of this year's festival and we'll give it even more importance next year."

Of note, the 2008 festival had a budget of $600,000 and early estimates point to a small profit.

This latest incarnation of a festival in Sainte-Rose in early August follows a tradition established in 1989, and since then, under various titles and themes, the people of Laval have gathered in the village in large numbers, year after year, to celebrate summer. "Some changes, like abandoning the inflatable games for children, were not entirely lost," said Guy Cyr, who specified that these activities were taken over by the Laval Firefighters as part of their own annual summer celebration.

An idea that led to a successful festival in blue, with the priceless help of a team of 80 volunteers.