The French Market is a fun way to celebrate culture, connection, and community, right here in Albion on June 21st from 4 PM to 7 PM! Starting in 2012, the French Market is organized by the Sister City Committee in association with the Farmer’s Market. It’s an annual event that brings a French twist to the weekly Farmer’s Market.
The Sister City Committee is chaired by Dr. Dianne Guenin-Lelle, Mary Slater, and Mae Ola Dunklin who help create connections and opportunities for the citizens of Albion and citizens of Noisy-le-Roi and Bailly, France. Guenin-Lelle emphasized that there are thousands of ways to connect, hosting French citizens when they visit, travelling to France, interning opportunities, and so much more. The Sister City Committee gives adults and youth the opportunity to experience the French culture.
The French Market helps provide these opportunities through raising money for the Sister City Committeethrough bake sales, raffle tickets, and crêpe sales. This year, the bake sale is specifically supporting the youth trip of 2024. Travelling to France is not cheap, but with fundraisers such as the French Market Bake Sale, it is more accessible.
This year’s French Market is special because it falls on the same day as Fête de la Musique. As Slater explained, Fête de la Musique started in France to promote music as a universal language on the longest day of the year, so it is annually on June 21st. With Albion’s French connections and worldly cultural interests, Albion started participating in Fête de la Musique in 2014. The Fête de la Musique celebration will be primarily on Superior Street, downtown Albion, on the 21st from 5 PM to 9 PM. There will be a variety of musicians and styles.
In coordination with these events, Galazio of Albion is having a Soirée from 6 PM to 9 PM, including immersive French culture through cuisine and wine pairings.
Have a full French night with all these wonderful events occurring right here in Albion, and as Guenin-Lelle exclaimed “it’s an Albion thing!”
