Events celebrate the cultural relevance of French sophistication

Photo courtesy of Carine Bourget

Students dance to French music at last year's Francofolies events. This is National French Week, and this year's Francophilic proceedings, including music and sports, will be held on the Mall Saturday.

Speaking French and knowing the nuances of French culture are generally not necessities of daily Tucson life. But this is National French week, when all things French are revered.

Saturday, community French instructors will hold the annual Francofolies event to conclude the annual promotion of French awareness within the community.

Carine Bourget, University of Arizona French professor and third-year Francofiles event coordinator, said the program, which will conclude a week's worth of events, promotes a sense of togetherness for anyone interested in French language or culture.

The Francofolies is a one-day event that begins Saturday on the Mall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"It brings everybody together," Bourget said.

She said all students, faculty and members of the Tucson community are

welcome to the food, fun and festivities.

"There will be games for all ages," she said, "from story time for kids (to)

soccer (to) a waiters' race."

A press release elaborated on the event's description.

"Modeled on the competition held each year on the Champs Elysees in Paris, teams sporting colorful aprons and carrying trays of water-filled wineglasses run a relay race, trying to cross the finish line first without having to stop to replace spilled glasses," the press release stated.

Bourget added that some games are scheduled for set times while others will be played for the duration of the event. Among the scheduled games is soccer at noon and a traditional French game, petanque, at 1 p.m.

Petanque is the French equivalent of Italian bocce ball.

"It's a traditional French game where you have a small wooden ball and then you throw larger metal ones (at the wooden ball)," Bourget said.

She added that other events at the Francofolies celebration include a fishing game, a chance to be photographed while posing in a faux guillotine, chalk re-creations of famous French artistic masterpieces, French cuisine demonstrations and a game, much like horseshoes, where players attempt to "ring" the Eiffel Tower.

The Francofolies event will also feature a variety of musicians, allowing event participants to hear various French styles including Cajun, West African and classical French music.

"The West African drum and dance group has performed the past two years and they are great," Bourget said.

Bourget said the Francofolies organizing committee is comprised of French instructors from the UA, Pima Community College and local high schools. She said the group began meeting in July to plan the event and has met more often as the event date nears.

She added that the most difficult aspect of organizing the event is acquiring local support in the form of funding and donations.

"(The UA) French department always gives support," she said. "We (also) got a grant from the American Association of Teachers of French."

Bourget added that the organization has gained financial support from various local businesses.

As the volunteer coordinator for the Francofolies, Bourget said she is happy with the response of students to volunteer for the event.

"I am happy that we have so many participants," she said, "not just to work but (so) they will have time to go around and participate."