Just over a month before its launch, the team of the Mtl en Arts festival, an urban, inclusive, and immersive festival that democratizes the arts, announces that comedian and host Dany Turcotte will serve as the new spokesperson for its 25th edition, which will be held from June 27 to July 1, 2024, on the pedestrianized Sainte-Catherine Street in the Village!

For this significant anniversary, the organization wanted to go all out by partnering with a public figure who shares the same values and passion for art.

“I've been following this festival for a few years now, which I've always liked, by the way, and I see an opportunity to help restore the reputation of the Village, which has suffered a lot in recent years. Moreover, I will have the chance to once again give visibility to an organization like Interligne, which is still dear to my heart. I can’t wait for June 27,” said Dany Turcotte.

“It was very important for us to have a spokesperson who shares our values regarding inclusion and diversity. Someone who also understands the importance of supporting the Village. We were already in discussions with Interligne before approaching Dany Turcotte, and when he accepted, we were really happy. Let's just say it was a happy coincidence. We are very fortunate to have a spokesperson of his caliber,” explains Stéphane Mabilais, General Director of Mtl en Arts.

Mtl en Arts takes place between St-Hubert and Papineau streets, in the Village in Montreal: 5 days, 50 visual and craft artists, emerging and professional artists from here and elsewhere. It includes animation, games, contests, participatory spaces, community organizations, diverse artistic styles, and much more.

The friendly and relaxed atmosphere of the event provides a fertile ground for exchanges and meetings between the public and artists, and it allows for an exercise in awareness and initiation to art. Mtl en Arts makes art accessible to the general public. Many of the exhibiting artists participate in its impressive exhibition-sale, while others offer a series of multidisciplinary and interactive performances.

Mtl en Arts 2024
25th edition
June 27 to July 1, 2024
mtlenarts.com
(514) 370-2269

Early one morning in early May, over coffee at Adorable Chocolat in Shediac, Acadia, his hometown, Julien Cadieux agrees to share a portion of his already extensive experience as a filmmaker, screenwriter, director, and editor.

Quickly, the issue of inclusion arises and almost becomes the central point of this interview. Because for him, that's what motivates his work as a filmmaker: giving voice and exposing the experiences of people who face issues related to their identity, origins, sexuality, interactions with institutions and organizations, social justice, among others.

 
Since 2008, after studying film at Concordia University in Montreal, he has taken on numerous projects and productions, some of which have been awarded and have been highly successful among various communities. "Cinema in Acadia has a real impact on the community. People need to see themselves in cinema. That's what drives me first in my productions," he assures.

He has personally scripted, edited, and directed a dozen productions, most related to Acadian subjects, the best known of which are Y'a une étoile (2023), Daniel Le Tisserand (2023), Farlaques (2021), Métisser une rivière (2020). In Quebec, his documentary Guilda: elle est bien dans ma peau (2014) about this famous Montreal transformist artist of French origin, a true pioneer of sexual diversity for sixty years.

 
Many of these films have been awarded at film festivals here and elsewhere, in Quebec, Canada, and even in France and the United States. It is particularly his queer-themed films that receive greater visibility and recognition. Precisely because they give voice to or highlight specific situations related to members of various LGBT communities.
Julien Cadieux has also contributed to the editing and scripting of about twenty other film or video productions since 2006.

 With Dan Robichaud, from the film Daniel Le Tisserand

Is there a queer life outside of big cities? To this question, Julien Cadieux responds that it is possible, but that various constraints may discourage those who wish to continue their life in rural areas, for example in Acadia, where LGBT-friendly healthcare services are almost non-existent. Many therefore choose to leave the regions to live in urban areas, such as Moncton, even though not everything is easily accessible there. These are the kinds of issues he addresses in several of his documentaries.

The issue of inclusion particularly interests him. In this context, he is soon to undertake a film about an immigration project in the Cap-Pelé region where many temporary foreign workers from Mexico, Jamaica, and the Philippines, among others, face difficult inclusion situations. The case of LGBT individuals among them is also of concern, according to Julien Cadieux.

 
In his film "Y'a une étoile," we meet Samuel Leblanc, a young transgender musician, who embarks on a journey with his friends from the band Écarlate through the work of Acadian artist Angèle Arseneault. Originally from a small village, Samuel has long questioned his queer identity and cultural identity. Through his double minority and the journey of young people like him, we discover that despite the obstacles, "there is a star for each of us."

This film is a very frank evocation of what Julien Cadieux wishes to demonstrate and present in his documentary cinema, in connection with Acadia, queer identity, the reality of the arts that fascinates him, and the human encounters he makes throughout his journey.

It should be noted that Julien Cadieux was named "Artist of the Year in Media Arts," specifically for the film Y'a une étoile at the Les Éloizes 2024 ceremony, the annual gala of the Association acadienne des artistes professionnel.le.s du Nouveau-Brunswick, in Shediac last Sunday, May 12.

Julien Cadieux, filmmaker
Shediac, NB
facebook.com/julien.cadieux

Nothing seems to dampen the enthusiasm of entrepreneurs Sébastien Després and Heather Wright (photo), the owners and shareholders of Shediac Wonderland. After the Auberge Le Griffon, the Moque-Tortue restaurant, and the Adorable Chocolat café-chocolaterie, they are now embarking in 2024 on the revival of the Neptune drive-in theater, its canteen, and have become concessionaires of the Parlee Beach canteen at Pointe-du-Chêne Provincial Park.

The announcement of the drive-in reopening on May 17 received positive feedback from the community and the region. “This addition to our collection of Alice in Wonderland-inspired establishments will keep its historic name (Neptune) while adopting the imaginative fantasy that has made Shediac Wonderland renowned, our company that oversees all these establishments,” say Sébastien and Heather. In this spirit, the drive-in and beach canteens will be named Morse et Marteaux.

The drive-in and Parlee Beach canteens will be called Morse et Marteaux

A Wood-Fired Meat Smoker
Additionally, Sébastien Després dreamed of a Texan-style meat smoker to supply his Moque-Tortue and Adorable Chocolat kitchens. After visiting numerous places that used such a smoker, he decided to build his own with one of his artisan-handymen. Installed at the drive-in canteen from May, it will be used to smoke wood-fired chicken and beef, which will be served at both canteens as well as in his two Shediac restaurants.

This type of equipment sells for around $30,000 in specialized businesses. The Acadian entrepreneur plans to use the experience of this first model to produce a second one that will be mobile and used to offer smoked meat barbecues from fall 2024. He already has orders for such activities at major events.

Thus, the menus at Moque-Tortue and the Adorable Chocolat café-chocolaterie will be modified to include smoked meat dishes. The second floor of Moque-Tortue will be freed from its sweet products kitchen to accommodate the meat preparation for all the establishments. Similarly, all sweet product production will be centralized in the Adorable Chocolat kitchen.

“The Neptune opportunity goes beyond just a drive-in accommodating 350 cars and screening films projected with an ultra-modern 4K projector. We saw it as the perfect opportunity to add equipment that will enhance the on-site dining offerings, as well as those of our other restaurants,” explains Sébastien Després.

An Anticipated Cinema Season
From May 10, the Neptune drive-in will welcome its first moviegoers in two years. This popular spot for several decades is already delighting many outdoor cinema enthusiasts, come rain or shine. Not to mention that evening activities are few in Shediac during the summer.

Visitors will enjoy quality sound technology via the FM band of car radios. Contracts signed with a dozen distributors will allow exclusive screenings of new releases as well as classic films that people love to rewatch during the peak tourist season. Occasionally, themed weeks will be presented, along with a big Halloween party at the end of the season. Moviegoers are expected to arrive early in the evening to enjoy the new culinary offerings while ensuring a prime spot for the screening starting after sunset.

 Sébastien, Heather, and their children.

All these transformations in the Shediac Wonderland universe mean that the company will manage more than 75 jobs over the coming months. Moque-Tortue boasts a quality kitchen team that delights its owner and will allow for the creation of new dishes, such as meat pies, among others. For the Adorable Chocolat café-chocolaterie, preparations are underway to offer a bar service.
Sébastien Després explains that he is confident that 2024 will mark a major turning point for Shediac Wonderland. Is he worried about facing significant challenges? “If I can't be the best in the region at what I do, I don't do it,” he answers without hesitation.

Neptune Drive-In
neptunedrivein.ca
506 351-0367
691 Main Street
Pointe-du-Chêne (Shediac), E4P 4Z9

Cantine Morse et Marteaux
parcsnbparks.info
506 351-0367
Parlee Beach Provincial Park
45 Parlee Beach Road
Pointe-du-Chêne, NB E4P 8V5

Shediac Wonderland
thewonderland.ca
506 351-0367

Sign of the times, the non-profit organization Le Pays de la Sagouine in Bouctouche, which launched its 2024 program on May 1st, is a victim of its own success after 32 years of existence. In just a few minutes, on Thursday, May 3rd, all $100 tickets for Zachary Richard's show "La Louisine au Lumina," scheduled for the evening of August 9th, including a festive Louisiana-flavored dinner, an intimate performance with the artist and his musicians, sold out.

Nevertheless, the executive director of the organization, Monique Poirier, reminds us that the 2024 program offers a large number of activities for everyone from May 4 to December 21, 2024. The program includes theater, entertainment, and music for the whole family, new texts, and more activities on the terrace.

Although the Ile-aux-Puces and the Terrace are open from June 23 to September 1, the full program started on Saturday, May 4, and runs until December 21, 2024.

Some new features are added in 2024: a grand show "Au pays imaginaire," Nounours Theater "L’heure du conte Bouton d’Or Acadie," two more days of music on the terrace on Wednesdays and Sundays, and new adaptations for the Clin d'œil à la Sagouine.

 
Le Pays de la Sagouine is a cultural destination where Acadian traditions are alive and joy prevails. For over 30 years, the small theatrical village located on an island in the middle of Bouctouche Bay has been buzzing all summer around the imagination of Antonine Maillet, creator of La Sagouine and many other beloved characters.

It is a unique tourist attraction in Canada. Indeed, it is entirely derived from a literary work. More than 150 people contribute their talent and energy to ensure presentations throughout the season on the mainland site and at Île-aux-Puces.

Le Pays de la Sagouine is open from Wednesday to Sunday but will be closed on August 16 due to the Acadian National Holiday.
For ticketing (site visits and shows), visit the website www.sagouine.com, the offices of Le Pays de la Sagouine, or purchase by phone.

For those planning to visit in November or December 2024, Le Pays de la Sagouine presents its 25th edition of its traditional Christmas dinner show from November 14 to December 21. Details (dates and information) are available at www.sagouine.com in the ticketing section.

Le Pays de la Sagouine (administration)
57, rue de l’Acadie
Bouctouche, NB E4S 2T7
1-800-561-9188
(closed between noon and 1 pm)

Akadi Lumina: Shedding Light on the Culture
From May 17 to October 14, in the evening after sunset, Akadi Lumina offers a magical 1.5 km nocturnal journey to encounter a vibrant culture. For a second year, the public is invited to discover a multimedia entertainment path designed by Moment Factory, a luminous and immersive trail, the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada.

No one leaves indifferent to this experience that combines light, projections, special effects, soundscapes, and original music, all in a real forest specially designed for this purpose.

Inspired by Acadian culture and history and the region's iconic landscapes, the presentation follows a walking trail near the Pays de la Sagouine site. The whole family will undoubtedly enjoy this sensational show.

Check the full schedule and rates on the website akadilumina.ca or by phone at 1-800-561-9188.