Ste. Genevieve gears up for heritage celebration

~ The 10th annual French Heritage festival kicks off this week.

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- Ste. Genevieve is celebrating its 270-year-old history this week with the 10th annual French Heritage festival.

Promenades, videos and lectures, cemetery theater, wine tasting and street dances are all part of the planned activities, which kick off Saturday.

"On this weekend, we mix history with fun," said Donna Charron, festival chairwoman. "We tour the historic French colonial vertical log houses built in the 18th century, re-enact lives of the original French settlers and militia, attend videos and lectures on the French roots.

"Also, we re-enact the French joy of life in music, dance, cuisine and wine tasting," Charron said.

The festival opens Saturday at 7:30 a.m. with bird watching on Audubon's Walk. At 11 a.m., the grand promenade through the historic district takes place. From noon to 11 p.m., music will be provided by groups such as the Peacock Family, Trureaux Cajun Band and Les Petits Chanteurs. At 7 p.m., local residents in period attire demonstrate colonial dances in the herb garden at the Felix Valle historic site. From 6 to 11 p.m., there will be wine tasting and street dances.

Cemetery theater

Also performing will be "DeJa Spirit Reunion", a cemetery theater group portraying historic personages. The group will perform by candlelight at 7 p.m. Friday and at noon Saturday in Ste. Genevieve Memorial Cemetery.

Antique show

Also this week, Ste. Genevieve will hold a weekend-long antique show and sale June 9 to 11 at the Knights of Columbus at 600 E. Market St. The event begins with a public reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.

The show features more than 30 dealers from Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. There will also be "antique talks," food and door prizes at the event.

"Historic Ste. Genevieve is the perfect setting for a quality antique show like this," said Bev Donze, who served on the committee that organizes the show.

For more information, visit www.visitstegenevieve.com.