BIDDEFORD — La Kermesse, a local celebration of French heritage and fellowship, returns to Biddeford this weekend for the 37th year, bringing music, food and fun.

La Kermesse, French for “The Festival,” has been a mainstay of the community since its inception.

“I don’t know June without this,” said Jessica Quattrone, president of La Kermesse. Quattrone is a life-long Biddeford resident whose father, Joe LeBlond, has been actively involved with La Kermesse since 1986.

This year’s festival was set to begin on Thursday with a block party, but due to weather it will be canceled. Nonetheless, La Kermesse will bring a whole line-up of activities for people of all ages on Friday through Sunday at St. Louis Field at the corner of Prospect and West streets.

On Friday night, a parade will start at 6 p.m. at the corner of Jefferson and South streets and end at St. Louis Field. The field will open to the public at 4 p.m. with live music beginning at 7 p.m.

One of the highlights Friday night is the Biddeford Hall of Fame Inductees, which will be announced at the cultural tent at 7 p.m. There will also be live music, amusement rides and other activities.

The festival continues at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Louis Field with dance performances, live French music and other activities. The evening will bring professional wrestling and the La Kermesse pageant, both scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., as well  as the music headliner Classic Rock Orchestra at 8:45 p.m.

Sunday’s activities begin at 11 a.m. with a Catholic mass and a crepe breakfast at noon. There will be musical performances throughout the day with wrestling at 2 p.m.

No festival is complete without food, and French Canadian favorites like poutine, homemade pork pie and creton- pork pie filling on bread with mustard – will be available for purchase.

There will also be a cabane a sucre, or sugar shack, which was built on the premises. Maple candy will be made there the traditional way by heating up maple syrup, pouring the thickened syrup on ice and wrapping it around a stick.

There hasn’t been a sugar shack at the festival for about 10 years, and the news that its back has brought a lot of positive feedback, said Quattrone.

“It’s nostalgic. That’s something people remember from 25 years ago,” she said.

The cultural tent is new this year, and another one of the increased efforts to add more French Canadian features that were more prevalent when the festival was in its inception.

This is the fourth year the festival has been back at St. Louis field, and the festival committee has worked to grow the number of activities each year, said Quattrone.

The committee begins planning the festival in August each year, and relies on the help and support of not only numerous volunteers but the city of Biddeford, said Quattrone.

For the full schedule of events, go to lakermessefestival.com.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be reached at 780-9015 or by email at egotthelf@journaltribune.com.