Celebrate the season at Sainte-Rose en Blanc

As they do each year, a large crowd of Laval residents braved the mid-winter cold last Saturday evening to gather in Laval’s historic Vieux Sainte-Rose village for the official opening of the seventh annual Sainte-Rose en Blanc winter carnival.
Taking place from Feb. 4 to 13, there is still time during the festival’s final weekend to get out and enjoy a truly unique celebration of winter in this part of the world.

Laval’s birthplace
Mayor Gilles Vaillancourt, who addressed the crowd at the Berge-des-Baigneurs behind Ste-Rose-de-Lima Church just before the fireworks were set off on Saturday evening, perhaps best summed up why Sainte-Rose is the most appropriate place to hold such an event.
“Ste-Rose is the birthplace of history, the birthplace of history in Laval, and it’s become a place that is much appreciated by the population,” he said. Vaillancourt said he met people that night walking through Ste-Rose’s streets who came out to enjoy the carnival, even though were not from Laval. “And tonight everyone from Laval and everyone from outside Laval is from Ste-Rose,” he added.

More this weekend
Sainte-Rose en Blanc’s main entertainment event was a concert this past Thursday evening, given by songwriter/ performer Anne Bisson. She established her name playing one of the lead roles in the 1987 version of the hit Québécois musical Starmania. Bisson performed cuts from her latest album, Blue Mind.
The main show in Ste-Rose-de-Lima Church last Saturday evening following the fireworks was a band known as the Gitans de Sarajevo. Their style can certainly be called unique, combining and old world sound (lots of brass and strings) with gypsy influence. There’s still plenty to see at the festival during this closing weekend — including a giant ice castle maze, snow sculptures, and of course all the charming boutiques and restaurants in the heart of Vieux Sainte-Rose.