Across the constellations: Francophone Manitobans celebrate St-Jean-Baptiste Day

Francophones around the country, and even across the border, are opening a digital door to celebrate St-Jean-Baptiste Day in a unique way.

Saturday's Constellation Francophone event will see more than 400 artists in six Canadian cities connect in person and online to celebrate the French-Canadian holiday.

"It's about just showing ourselves as the various faces that we are. That can mean Franco-Métis, that can mean Métis, that can mean Francophile, that can mean of African descent, of anywhere in the world, basically," said Geneviève Pelletier, the artistic director of Constellation Francophone in Manitoba.

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Constellation Francophone's live events will be shared through six two-hour webcasts, showcasing artists from across Canada, plus a few in Louisiana.

In Winnipeg, the party takes place at The Forks at 4 p.m. It will include 150 canoes coming down the river, a concert at 5:30 p.m., and the live streamed concert at 9 p.m.

With francophones tuning in across Canada and the world, Pelletier said Constellation Francophone organizers wanted to make it feel like one gigantic gathering.

"They wanted to see how they could connect and in this technical age it's not that complicated once you unmask the magic behind it," she said.

Organizers have created "digital doorways" which serve as connectors between communities.

"You will open the door and you may end up in Whitehorse, you may end up in Louisiana, you may end up in northern Quebec, and you can actually talk to people across the country," Pelletier said.

The "digital doors" and streaming concerts will help people see how the idea of francophone culture has changed, Pelletier said.

"I think it's about needing to speak with one another, seeing one another and looking at all the different types of faces, because we come from all different types of backgrounds," she said.

"It's just a beautiful way and a poetic way for people to come together."

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It's also a big day in tiny La Broquerie, southeast of Winnipeg.

The rural francophone community of about 1,400 people is also hosting a celebration for St-Jean-Baptiste Day.

Christian Normandeau, who heads the local St-Jean-Baptiste Society chapter, said the annual celebration of French heritage usually doubles the population of the rural municipality over the weekend.

"It's 120 years we're celebrating this year of the St-Jean-Baptiste [celebrations] here in La Broquerie. It has nice and long roots in La Broquerie as being a francophone community festival," he said.

Sunday's festivities include a parade, games for the kids and concerts featuring Manitoba talent.