The 28th Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France offer free access to history
Cassandra Kerwin
cassandra@qctonline.com
Quebec City is once again preparing to celebrate its rich history. From Aug. 7 to 10, Quebecers will step back into the 17th and 18th centuries for the 28th Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France (FNF).
Once again, the FNF is work- ing in partnership with various historic sites to offer visitors an interesting and interactive journey through history. In Lower Town, for the second straight year, the Îlot des Palais will host the Last Intendant’s Treasure activity for $50 per backpack ($20 off with the medallion).
In Upper Town, the Cathe- dral-Basilica Notre-Dame de Québec will offer self-guided tours, while the Garrison Club hosts history lectures for me- dallion holders. The National Assembly offers similar lectures for free.
The highly popular FNF Treasure Hunts at the Jardins and Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville are returning with five free new quests for children ages five to 13. At the same location, people will discover a range of audiovisual tours for all ages in the evening.
“Although access to our main sites is free this year, people who purchase the iconic medallion for $20 will receive benefits, including augmented reality with the Scan Your History app access and discounts,” said Marie-Ève Jacob, executive director of the festival. “By opening the sites to free admission, we are making it easier for the high number of tourists in Quebec City.
We can share our history and heritage with more people. It is a calculated risk.”
“It is really breaking away from traditional methods of presentation and present- ing history differently,” said Jérôme Déchêne, director of programming. “Yes, we have historical events; yes, we have musical performances; yes, we have more traditional activities, artisans, of course, but we try to surprise people.”
For more information, visit nouvellefrance.qc.ca/en/programmation.
