ABRAM-VILLAGE – Aug. 18, 2016 – When the board of directors of the Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival were trying to come up with people who could play the roles of the traditional hosts Evangeline and Gabriel, they wanted to choose a couple who had a long-time association with this huge, annual celebration.
And then, in a stroke of genius, one of the board members came up with the perfect names: Pierre and Rose Arsenault of Abram-Village!
“Pierre is well-know in the community as a tinkerer – an inventor who designs and builds all kinds of strange and funny vehicles and contraptions for our Festival’s annual parade,” explains president Alcide Bernard. “In fact, he has won the trophy for the parade’s most original entry several times over the years; this trophy is named in memory of his father, the late Alyre Arsenault, since he too was a famous tinkerer who actually started the tradition of making special vehicles for the parade.”
As well, adds Bernard, both Pierre and his wife Rose have done quite a bit of volunteer work at the Festival over the years.
The dynamic duo, dressed in traditional Acadian costumes, will participate in a number of events over the Sept. 1-4 weekend in Abram-Village to welcome visitors and locals alike. They’ll have the opportunity to make several prize presentations and obviously, they’ll be featured prominently in the Sunday afternoon parade at 1 p.m.
“Rose and Pierre’s natural joie de vivre make them an excellent choice to serve as our traditional ambassadors, Évangéline and Gabriel,” concludes the president. “We greatly appreciate the fact they’ve graciously accepted to play these roles.”
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CUTLINE: Rose and Pierre Arsenault of Abram-Village take on the roles of Evangeline and Gabriel, the traditional Acadian hosts of the Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival. This year’s event runs Sept. 1-4.
For more information:
Alcide Bernard
President
Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival
(902) 432-2425
expositionfestival@gmail.com