BIDDEFORD — For the 30th year, La Kermesse Franco-Americaine festival will celebrate Biddeford’s Franco heritage, beginning Thursday. Last year, after some missteps in the past, the festival began rebuilding in its new downtown location at Mechanics Park.

This year, La Kermesse is continuing to reinvent itself.

Organizers joined forces with other local groups to expand the festival to be more inclusive of other cultures, and added some new activities.

“This is getting the festival back to the original vision of Joseph Plamondon,” the festival’s founder, said President of the Board of La Kermesse Jessica Quattrone. He wanted the festival to celebrate the full range of Biddeford’s cultural heritage, she said.

While Yarmouth has its clam festival, and Rockport has its lobster festival, the hope is that Biddeford will be known for its cultural festival as a way to draw more people to the city, said Quattrone.

With the new events added to the festival, “it will position Biddeford as a cultural destination,” said Heart of Biddeford Executive Director Delilah Poupore.

The downtown revitalization organization is one of the local groups that is working to help this year’s festival become bigger and better, and has taken the lead in ensuring other ethnic groups are represented.

Poupore said her organization has booked numerous musical groups to perform on the World Stage at 100 Main St., on Friday from 3-6 p.m., Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3:30 p.m.

On Friday afternoon, an Irish group will kick off the musical performances from around the world. Other bands and musicians representing the city’s Italian, Greek, Jewish and other cultures will also perform.

There will also be more Franco music than ever, said Quattrone.

In addition to expanding the cultural component of the festival, more groups are getting involved. Numerous nonprofit organizations will set up on lower Main Street and host children’s events as well as educate people about their missions.

Other events are also being held in conjunction with La Kermesse.

The Downtown Development Commission will be hosting a car show on Main and Laconia streets Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon; Pepperell Mill Campus, one of the mill developments, will be hosting “Hands-On Heritage Days” Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at North Dam Mill.

Saco has also come on board. At the Saco Transportation Center on Main Street, the Saco-Biddeford Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in conjunction with the Northern York County YMCA, will host some children’s activities. The Saco Sidewalk Art Festival will also take place Saturday.

Of course, many of the tried and true events associated with La Kermesse will continue. And features like a fireworks display will return after a several-year hiatus.

Quattrone said she’s “very excited about this year’s event.”

Last year, she said, there was a very good response to the festival, despite the move to the downtown from its former home at St. Louis Field. With financial problems that plagued the festival in the past behind it, Quattrone said she hopes the festival will continue to grow in the future.

“Our vision is to create a great event for Biddeford and Saco,” she said.

The La Kermesse fairgrounds at Mechanics Park open Thursday at 4 p.m. Each day there will be petting zoo, food and product vendors, and performers, as well as some special events. On Thursday, Brew Fest will begin at 5 p.m. with a live band at 6 p.m. On Friday at 6 p.m., there will be a parade; it will start on Jefferson Street in Biddeford and proceed down Main Street into Saco, ending on Beach Street. On Saturday, a fireworks display will begin at 9:30 p.m.

The festival ends Sunday; there will be a Catholic Mass at 10 a.m., a performance by the Alumni Band at 11:30 a.m. and the La Kermesse Idol competition finale at 4 p.m. with a reunion of past Idol winners at 5 p.m.

While many events are free, to enter the La Kermesse fairgrounds at Mechanics Park the cost is $12 in advance, or $15 on the weekend, for a 4-day pass, and $5 for a day pass. For more information and a complete schedule of events or to find out where to purchase tickets, visit the La Kermesse website at lakermessefestival.com.

The La Kermesse fairgrounds at Mechanics Park will be open: Thursday from 4-11 p.m., Friday from 4 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.