The 27th La Kermesse festival will be remembered for the wet weather that forced postponement of the opening ceremonies, kept attendance down and resulted to significant damage to Biddeford’s St. Louis Field.

How to pay for the  necessary repairs has not yet been decided. The best outcome for the City of Biddeford and the organizers of the city’s Franco festival would be for insurance to cover the damage caused by trucks and equipment to the soft sod of the fairground.

But it may end up that some share of the cost of repairs ”“ set at $26,000 by the city ”“ will have to be covered by La Kermesse Franco-Americaine, the city or both. It’s a significant expense, but we hope it won’t cause any hitch in the good relations between the city and the festival organization, or interfere with the planning for next year. Both sides should keep in mind the importance of La Kermesse to the city, and the assistance and goodwill the city has provided to the festival. As everyone knows, this is not a fair-weather partnership.

Like the weather, the economy helped dampen this year’s celebration. A lack of sponsorship led the La Kermesse organization to reluctantly cancel the Block Party, diminishing the festival’s downtown presence. The Block Party, along with the parade, has always emphasized the festival’s link with the city,  and we  hope it will soon be back on the program.

If you listen to the voices of the area’s business community, La Kermesse is acknowledged as one of the area’s summer highlights. The Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Old Orchard Beach Chamber  of Commerce both list the festival in their calendars of noteworthy events.

And, as organization President Priscille Gagnon recently noted, the festival has financed specific city improvements over the years, including lights and irrigation at St. Louis Field and a substantial contribution toward installation of an elevator at the J. Richard Martin Community Center.

This year has been difficult because of forces beyond local control. Even so, it might be a good moment for supporters, volunteers and potential sponsors to consider the long-term future of La Kermesse. Now is the time, for instance, to rally support for the return of the La Kermesse Block Party. Any sponsor willing to support the festival and Biddeford’s downtown area will be owed a debt of gratitude.

Even those with no French-Canadian heritage admire the Franco spirit behind La Kermesse. It’s the same spirit that has helped support the city for nearly 200 years.

— Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen Schulze Muszynski or Nick Cowenhoven at 282-1535 or kristenm@journaltribune.com or nickc@journaltribune.com.