Can We Make SJB as Mainstream as St. Paddy’s?

With Mois de la Francophonie coming to a close, did you happen to see more fleur-de-lis or four-leaf clovers? Probably the latter, with Saint Patrick’s Day being the mainstream event every March. Throughout the month, rivers are dyed green along with the beer at every bar. 

So how does one day take over an entire month? June 24 will be here before we know it. So it’s worth comparing the luck of the Irish to Saint Jean-Baptiste Day. How can it become just as widely known? 

Could you imagine seeing a royal blue Niagara Falls? Served blue beer at the bar? Getting in line for a large Saint Jean-Baptiste parade, waving the Flag of Québec in a sea of blue and white? Or even waving the Franco-American flag? 

Of course, Saint Jean-Baptiste Day is already a huge celebration in Québec. But how can we bring that pomp and circumstance to New England? Or even to the United States in general? 

It’s all about messaging. 

Becoming a Loud Presence

Saint Jean-Baptiste Day and Saint Patrick’s Day were created as Christian holidays observed by the Catholic Church. Somewhere along the line, Saint Patrick’s became a household name. Even in the old days.

Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations existed in the U.S. during the 1600s. But it wasn’t as well-known and grand as it is today. But that didn’t stop the Irish. To deflect the poor treatment they received, they began throwing large parties on March 17th to show pride in their heritage. Saint Patrick’s Day didn’t become what we know it as today until the 19th century.

In 1834, French-Canadian businessman Ludger Duvernay attended a Saint Patrick’s Day celebration in Montréal. Inspired by the cultural pride, he thought that French-Canadians should create a similar holiday. Shortly after, the Saint Jean-Baptiste Society was formed. The first official Saint Jean-Baptiste Day was celebrated that same year on June 24.

Duvernay’s idea was a success, but why didn’t our saint’s special day catch on in the United States like it did in Québec?

Those of us in New England are well-aware that Franco-Americans often hid who they were to fit in with their Americanized neighbors. We also know that our ancestors faced discrimination, just as the Irish did. But rather than getting loud and proud, the Franco-Americans decided to assimilate more with each generation. 

So, the takeaway: the Irish got loud, while the Franco-Americans became quiet. 

Igniting the Dancing Flame

Let’s follow the lead of these talented Irish dancers during Embassy of Ireland USA’s Shades of Green Program. Imagine if Franco-Americans, French-Canadians, and Québécois could organize traditional dance academies to strengthen the arts in our community.

The Irish have step dancing, but the Franco-Americans have French-Canadian foot-tapping!

Mainstream American culture loves dance, especially if it has a deep cultural significance. The majority of Americans are well-versed about Saint Patrick’s Day. But they’re fascinated by traditional Irish dance and music. It brings something more to the table than four-leaf clovers and rainbows leading to pots of gold.

And now the Irish have the large parades, endless green beer, and the entire mainstream spotlight in American culture. But this isn’t a jealous statement: it’s admiration. 

It doesn’t mean that there were never any SJB celebrations in New England. They just didn’t receive the mainstream attention that St. Paddy’s began getting over the years. 

The Irish decided to stick it to their haters and show how proud they were of their heritage. Of course, it’s easy for us now to look back and wonder why our ancestors didn’t do the same. We can’t blame them for decisions made. But we can learn some marketing strategies from our Irish friends. 

So, what if we could make Saint Jean-Baptiste Day as well-known as Saint Patrick’s Day? 

We should become a louder presence, but we also need to be smart about our words and actions. We can create and then implement our Franco-American strategy. To start, let’s follow these basic marketing techniques that are used for event promotion.

Share our celebration with the mainstream media. 

Of course, we aren’t going to get a slot on 60 Minutes (yet). But we can all start with our local mainstream media. Contact local reporters and tell them about our Franco-American and French-Canadian holidays. 

Brainstorm similar ideas and show other Franco-Americans what they’re missing out on every day by not being a part of our community. 

Socialize within your circles.

Create flyers and post them in your area. Or share your content through social media. Let everyone know when Joyeuse Saint Jean-Baptiste is coming up and what they can expect.

Include the history of the holiday and your connection to it through your heritage and culture. Repost videos, blogs, podcasts, and other content for your social media friends to see on their feed.

Speaking of our mainstream love for unique cultural dance and music, share the inspiring work of your favorite Franco-American musicians. Check out this musical performance from Franco-American folk singer, Josée Vachon.

Not sure if you can learn the French-Canadian foot-tapping technique? Josée has you covered with her own video explaining the process! It’s not as difficult as it looks: it just takes practice and muscle memory.

Post videos on social media (or do a livestream!) 

Grab your phone and make a quick video about why you want to promote your Franco-American heritage and culture. This will create a personal connection with the people who watch your video.

Did you record a video, but want it promoted to a larger audience? Share it with these active groups on Facebook: Le rêve de Gagnon – French Canadians in Canada and the United States, French-Canadian Descendants, or Franco-American Connection.

Spark FOMO in your social circles.

Do you experience the Fear Of Missing Out? Many people do, especially in this age of social media. If we can see what all of our family and friends (even coworkers or enemies) are up to, why not make them all get a taste of what they’re missing by not celebrating Franco-American culture! 

Promise a great celebration…and ensure you deliver! 

Check out the success behind PoutineFest in New Hampshire. It made the simple promise of providing amazing varieties of poutine for everyone to enjoy. And…it’s been a hit ever since! 

The big win with PoutineFest is spending the day eating dish after dish of decadent fries covered with gravy and cheese curds! The big loss is missing out on the unique twists from local NH restaurants. Plus, the conversations about poutine, Québec, Franco-Americans, and French-Canadian culture are bound to be interesting! 

A young Franco-American decided to contact his local representatives in Woonsocket, RI about bringing SJB back to town. And now, there’s a good chance the holiday will return with full recognition. As he stated in the article,  “It could be almost like a St. Patrick’s Day in a way.”

When contacting your local representatives, be polite and patient. Not everyone has even heard of SJB, so this is a good time to educate and share our culture with our town or city.  

Using that strategy, we need to let other Franco-Americans know what they’re missing out on when they don’t acknowledge their heritage and culture. Wouldn’t be interesting for them to know that their French-Canadian ancestors worked in the textile mills that they drive by every day? Plus, learning French would be a great advantage to their life. Especially on their post-pandemic vacation to Québec! 

Even in New England, we are a lesser-known community. But that doesn’t mean we can’t become loud and proud to make an impact in the future. Let’s create good times and new times by amplifying ourselves and letting people know that Franco-Americans are still here. 

So let’s take these techniques that have effectively worked St. Patrick’s Day into the mainstream and apply them for Saint Jean-Baptiste Day.

If March is green, then we can make June blue! 

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