Cassandra and Erika Carlson were spotted, along with many others this afternoon, celebrating St-Jean-Baptiste Day and French-Canadian culture at the Roberta Bondar Pavillion.
"I can learn French and have fun and do face painting," said Cassandra, who was sporting her favorite pink shirt.
Cassandra is just beginning to learn French, said her father Mike Carlson.
"They pick it up good when they're young," Carlson said.
The family spent all day at St-Jean-Baptiste Day last year, he said, the first year that the local celebration went bilingual to encourage non-francophones to join in.
Christine Ouimette, organizing president of the local St-Jean-Baptiste Day celebration, could not be happier with the influx of non-francophones joining the festivities.
"Last year over 1,000 people came out, which was incredible in terms of our numbers - doubled from previous years," Ouimette said.
"This is the one celebration that happens yearly where everyone can get together and celebrate francophone culture," Ouimette said.
Even Ward 2 Councillor Susan Myers got in on the spirit of the event by resuscitating her Grade 11 French.
Myers wished those in attendance "bonjour et bienvenue" on behalf of the City of Sault Ste. Marie and spoke for a few minutes in French before switching back to English.
"Our aboriginal history and our French-Canadian is so much a part of [our city's] history," Myers told SooToday.com.
As proof of this history, Myers pointed to the name Sault Ste. Marie, 'which means the tumbling waters of St. Mary.'
"What I find engaging about French-Canadians that I am sooooo embracing of is that they love to celebrate and engage life with passion, and we need that," Myers said.
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