June 10, 2004
Who would have imagined that locally produced gourmet foods from two sides of a provincial border would attract 12,000 people to the shores of a Northeastern Ontario lake? Such was the case when the second annual Foire Gourmande Festival was held in August 2003 in Ville Marie, Quebec on the shores of Lake Temiscaming.
Foire Gourmande is a new and exciting tourism initiative sponsored by the South Timiskaming Community Futures Development Corporation, FedNor and Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. This two-day festival features cooking demonstrations, food sampling, music and fun. At the same time, it gives agri- food entrepreneurs from Northeastern Ontario and Abitibi-Témiscamingue a superb venue to taste and market their products.
Foire Gourmande’s original purpose was to introduce consumers and potential buyers to regional foods, but it has become a showcase for regional food producers and their products. Maurice Laudriault, who coordinates the project says, “This is truly a community event. When Foire Gourmande is on, the provincial border is erased. Not only is it entertaining and tasty, it gives our local food producers the exposure they deserve.”
Pierre Bélanger, a bison Farmer who helps to organize the event as well as participate in it, says, “Since participating in Foire Gourmande, I have seen my bison sales grow. My bison has made its way to the menus of local restaurants and I have had opportunities to subcontract with local producers of other regional foods.”
Prior to Foire Gourmande, there was little opportunity for the area’s agri-food entrepreneurs to market their products. The festival has gone a long way in raising people’s awareness of the areas vast range of gourmet choices. How many people knew that Lake Timiskaming has a vineyard, that sturgeon caviar is harvested out of Lake Timiskaming, that a Manitoulin trout fishery supplies filets to Costco, or that basil mixed with blueberries makes a wonderful vinaigrette?
Foire Gourmande has inspired other local events to promote locally grown food. There have been gourmet food cruises on Lake Timiskaming, as well as gourmet dinners showcasing our local producer’s foods. Pierre Bélanger says, “When people think of Europe, they automatically associate certain foods with different countries. There is no reason why we can’t make that association happen for Northeastern Ontario. There is a tremendous wealth of food products from this region.”
Foire Gourmande is a prime example of partnerships and collaboration, bringing together private sector companies with public sector organizations towards a common goal of showcasing the region’s tastiest products.