Such a wonderful super fun festival, I'm so glad we went!! This is a combination of amazing…read moremicrobreweries from across Quebec, a few cool artisans and some awesome local producers doing free tastings, food trucks, and then the Beauce Fair rides with the perfect fun rides you expect at a country fair like the Pirate Ship, a Ferris Wheel, and a bunch for the little kids too. There's also a stage with live music in the evenings, and inside La Place pour les Citoyens there's very clean bathrooms and a really comfortable Mama Baby room with everything you might need for changing diapers and feeding and giving a small kid a bit of a brain break from the commotion outside.
We went with our neighbours who had a couple pro tips: for one, we went early, like from 11-2pm. By the time we left we couldn't get strollers through the crowds, and the alcoholism that can live unobserved in quaint country towns was beginning to make itself visible, but while we were there it was perfect. We also parked our cars in one of the lots outside town and took advantage of the free shuttles. These were school buses dedicated to bringing people in and out, helping relieve congestion in the narrow streets of sweet Ste-Adele. They came every couple minutes and meant we didn't have to deal with trying to find parking or maneuvering in town. Smart.
My three small suggestions for improvement: I'd love to see more local artisans spotlighted and fewer importers, I'd love to see one cool vegan food truck, perhaps in place of one of the 27 poutine trucks (I kid, but not much) and in the amusement park it would be great to have one or two more spots to by tickets for the rides since there was some real congestion and confusion there.
Overall though, a spectacular festival in a beautiful spot, really well organized. I definitely plan to make it an annual rendezvous for our family.