July 11, 2007 — Peace and goodwill will ring out Saturday night as the Frenchtown Civic Organization and the Committee for the Betterment of Carenage join hands to put on a spectacular celebration of Bastille Day.
It's more than an observation of the traditional holiday; it marks the first time the two Frenchtown organizations have officially partnered on an event. Allan Richardson, speaking for the FTCO said Wednesday, "It's was our goal to get the two groups together." This goal was shared by Jean Greaux, president of the CBC.
With the unity of the two groups, this weekend's celebration promises to be an event to remember. French flags are popping up all over the small community. They adorn the potted plants outside the Frenchtown Heritage Museum; they fly from the Joseph Aubain ballpark; and red, white and blue pennants flap in the breeze over the area which already bears a yellow and white striped tent.
A 25-member delegation arrived today from St. Barthelemy, headed by the island's first elected vice president Yves Greaux, as well as the 17-member Petit Theatre de Francoise, who will perform Saturday night. According to FTCO president Henry Richardson, the group will perform old-time French dances in the costumes of old-style French dress complete with the traditional straw hats. "They will dance right here in the street," Richardson says.
Festivities officially start Wednesday night with an initial performance of the dancers at an opening reception of the Honorary French Consul of the Virgin Islands Odile de Lyrot at the Emerald Beach Hotel at 6:30 p.m. with hors d'oeuvres, music and an open bar.
On Thursday Gov. and Mrs. John deJongh, along with Lt. Gov. and Mrs. Gregory Francis, will hold a reception in honor of French Heritage Week at Catherineberg, the governor's residence, at 6 p.m.
Friday is the registration for the annual Bastille Day Kingfish Tournament held on Sunday, an event that will close out the activities Sunday night with prizes.
The crowning event of the week, however, is Saturday night. It begins with the dedication of the annex to the Frenchtown Museum, a carefully restored two-room wooden French house. The house was donated to the museum by the family of the late Louis Phillipe Greaux. Earlier this year, it was moved from its location atop the hill by St. Anne's Chapel to reside next to the museum. Although the two-room house is humble, its dedication will be accompanied with champagne, wine and a selection of gourmet hors d'oeuvres, compliments of the FTCO.
The action then moves to the ballpark for a concert by the National Guard, a presentation by the Petit Theatre de Francoise, followed by a local scratch band with Richard Berry, Percy Nurse, Ronnie Bryan and whoever else has the will and an instrument. Food and drink will be on sale at the concession stand.
Alan Richardson has been busily getting the little home ready for its new incarnation as a museum piece. In his makeshift outdoor workplace behind the museum, he is cutting a piece of linoleum for the backroom floor. "That's what we used to use, linoleum, and now you can hardly find it; everybody has tiles," he said. "This is the real thing."
Richardson has overseen the transformation of the small structure. It bears a coat of sparkling bluish-gray paint, with white trimmings. "This is the same paint they use in Jamestown, where the queen just was," he says. "All the houses in Frenchtown used to be this color. You know how the French people are, one sees it and the others have to have it."
Inside, the ceiling is a bright yellow; the backroom is green. "They made it colorful inside," Richardson says. A woman stops by to consult on Saturday's menu. "Everyone is helping," he smiles.
"After I finish this, I've still got to build the stage," Richardson says. Will he get it all done by Saturday? There's a traditional old bed to put together, hammocks to hang and linoleum to lay. "Sure," Richardson says, with a big grin. "Saturday is for partying. No work Saturday."
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