The East Pawtucketville Neighborhood Group is sponsoring a Franco-American Festival on Saturday, May 4,in Gershlot (the parking lot at Gershom and University Ave). The purpose of this neighborhood get together is to celebrate the rich Franco-American heritage of our neighborhood.  This will be an opportunity to hear from and learn from the many area residents who share a French Canadian background.  Today our neighborhood represents many different cultures and languages, and we would like newcomers to have the chance to learn about the roots of this neighborhood.

Plans involve food, fun, and storytelling.  We are hoping to have a DJ who will play French music and other musicians and entertainers who can share Franco-American and/or French culture.  We are looking for restaurants, markets, and others who can share their knowledge of French food.  We know there is a lot of talent in Lowell—old and young—and we invite involvement from anyone who can share about the neighborhood and/or the Franco-American culture. A UMass Lowell class that is collecting ethnographic tales from older members of the neighborhood this semester has promised to set up a storytelling booth where we can record and document many of the stories of the area.