French Heritage Day
Sunday, June 29, 2025 | 10am-2pm
Winooski Farmers Market at 20 Winooski Falls Way, Winooski
Now in its 20th year, French Heritage Day celebrates Vermont’s rich French history and heritage, as well as Québecois culture. The festival started in 2005 in Vergennes and moved to Winooski in 2015 where it took up root at the Winooski Farmers Market. The event has welcomed many different performers, ceremonies, and activities over the years.
We invite local historians and friends of all backgrounds to join us in celebration with music, cuisine, education, and activities!
Help Us Make Magic Happen
Learn how you can help us make these events happen at no cost to the community.
What's Going On
Performances
10–11:30 Music TBA
11:45 A speech from Revolutionary War General Marquis de Lafayette
12:30–2 Déjà-Nous
Activities
11–11:30 Pouding Chômeur & French Bread Baking Contest
12:00 Junior and Professional Waiter Races
All day:
- Guest French vendors and organizations
- Lawn games including French Petanque
- En Plein Air painting
- Genealogy resources and educational activities
- French language speaking
- Local history museums open onsite
Baking Contest
After many years of judging Vermont’s best tourtière, we’re shaking things up! The categories for this year’s baking contest are French Bread and Pouding Chômeur (“Poor Man’s Pudding”). Have a recipe you love? Come show us your stuff!
Contest MC’d by Thomas Renner (Deputy Mayor of Winooski)
Contest Judged by Lise E. Veronneau (Honorary Consul of France in Vermont), Amanda Marquis (Local Musician), & others TBA!
Rules
Entries should be:
- homemade
- delivered in a food-safe container
- dropped off at judge’s tent between 10–11am on June 29th
Prizes
In Each Category:
1st Place: $60 cash, 1st Place Ribbon, Engraved Server
2nd Place: $40 cash, 2nd Place Ribbon
3rd Place: $20 cash, 3rd Place Ribbon
Waiter Races
We are excited to bring back an event that first made an appearance at French Heritage Day many years ago: waiter races! Inspired by the legendary Paris waiter races, we’re bringing this exciting event to Winooski. Waiter races require participants to balance a serving tray loaded with items as they race to be the first across the finish line. There will be two races: an open junior race and a professional race featuring familiar faces from Winooski bars and restaurants.
Race MC’d by Thomas Renner (Deputy Mayor of Winooski)
Junior Race
The races will kick off with a Junior race open to youth participants! Sign up at the market manager’s booth between 10–11:45am on June 29th to participate.
Depending on sign up volume, we may run multiple junior races divided by age group.
The junior race is just for fun and bragging rights, but each contestant will get to eat the croissant they carried through the race!
Professional Race
After the Junior race concludes, the Professional race will commence!
The winner of the Professional race will be awarded a medal, and the business they represent will be given an award to proudly display!
Stay tuned for a list of participating businesses!
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Presented by
Presented by
Contest Sponsor
Activity Sponsor
Activity Sponsor
Market Sponsor
Market Sponsor
French-Canadian Genealogical Society
Space Provided by
