BIDDEFORD — More than three decades ago, Joseph Plamondon had a vision of a festival that would celebrate Biddeford’s Franco heritage and bring the community together. Through his hard work and the hard work of many others La Kermesse Franco-Americaine Festival was born  in 1982, and it will take place for the 36th year this weekend.

Over the years, the festival has had its ups and downs and has moved around the city, but Board of Directors President Jessica Quattrone is hoping that this year’s festival will be better than ever, and live up to its motto, “c’est le temps,” French for it’s the time.

“Things are coming together nicely,” Quattrone said in a telephone interview on Tuesday. Set up for the festival began last week.

Quattrone, who took the helm for the 2011 festival, has been helping it grow, after several missteps in 2009-2010 caused record low turnouts for the 28th festival. The festival, which had been held for decades at St. Louis Field was moved to the Biddeford Ice Arena after storms the previous year caused major damage to the field, which is used for summer and fall sports.

“We’ve moved several times and with each move we’ve learned, Quattrone said.

Three years ago, the festival returned to St. Louis. “I’m not looking back, I’m looking forward,” she said.

Quattrone said she’s not interested in growing the festival to handle the many thousands who visited La Kermesse in past years.

“Too big is too easy to swindle,” she said, referring to her predecessor, Priscille Gagnon, who was convicted of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the festival in 2010.

“I think staying small is in the best interest of the community,” Quattrone said.

Though on a smaller scale, the schedule and layout of the festival is similar to what it was like in its heyday.

The unofficial start of the parade is Thursday with a free block party at Mechanics Park in downtown Biddeford featuring cajun and other music, food and rides, and fireworks at  at 9:30 p.m.

The fun starts at 4 p.m. Friday at the field, with a parade at 6 p.m. starting at Jefferson and South streets, preceding on Jefferson and turning right on Alfred Street to Graham Street Extension. It will turn left onto West Street and continue to the field.

The opening ceremony starts at 7:30 p.m. and at 8 p.m. will be the presentation of the first ever Biddeford Cultural Heritage Center Hall of Fame Recognition Awards.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday there will be food, rides, entertainment, craft tables and more.

Some of the local entertainment includes performances by The Sellam Circus School located in Biddeford and skydivers from Skydive Coastal Maine based at the Biddeford Municipal Airport, and local dance companies.

A Catholic Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Sunday followed by a crepe breakfast at noon.

One glitch for this year’s festival is that rides that had for the past two year been located on Waterhouse Field cannot be placed there this year because a new synthetic turf is going in.

Board Vice President Raymond Gagne said that volunteers mapped out a way to keep the heavier rides off the field, with some on the sidelines and others off the street, to prevent the damage that occurred in 2009.

“I think we’re going to have a very safe and I hope very good festival,” Gagne said.

“I know we have concerns about the field,” Councilor John McCurry said at a council meeting earlier this month. “They work diligently … everythign we ask them to do they do.”

“I think the festival is coming back more than before and I’d like to see that,” he said.

“I think people are starting to see the value again of La Kermesse,” Quattrone said.