The summer of 2014 will see the birth of a brand new, unique festival in Quebec: La Grosse Lanterne. Taking place in the middle of a forest in Béthanie, located in the triangle formed by Granby, Drummondville and Sherbrooke, La Grosse Lanterne is a unifying event that aims to promote music, visual arts, gastronomy, ecology and the outdoors. Music lovers are invited to live a different festival experience on Saturday, August 9th. Lit until the wee hours of the morning with low-energy equipment, the event's site will offer diverse activities to the public.
La Grosse Lanterne's site will be host to over ten bands for its first edition, booked by Bonsound Concerts. The day will kick off on the main stage at 3pm with rising rock acts Le Trouble, Solids and Suuns. Dead Obies, Alaclair Ensemble, Boogat and Radio Radio will follow each other with various flavors of hip-hop. The evening will continue at the L'Auberge stage with the lighting of the woods surrounding the two stages. It's within this unique and visually impressive setting that the public will get to hear DJ sets by KenLo Craqnuques (Alaclair Ensemble) and Yes Mccan (Dead Obies), as well as a live set/DJ set mashup by Pierre Kwenders and The Posterz.
Early in the evening, local food and products will be on sale at the Place du Marché, a spot where festival-goers will also be able to cook their own meal on the supplied BBQs. Nearby, a campsite bordering a shallow river will accommodate those who wish to stay for the night. A local merchant will be selling coffee and crepes in the morning. La Grosse Lanterne’s main goals are to encourage the purchase of regionally-produced products, to have a minimal environmental footprint and to limit energy consumption, while having as much fun as possible.
Rain or shine, La Grosse Lanterne hopes to welcome as many music fans as possible. Please note that places for this first edition are limited; tickets are on sale now!
Of course, a large-scale event of this kind would not be possible without great partners. Thanks to Delyla (a Montreal textile manufacturer, for the promo t-shirts and the on-site visibility), LDI Technology Design (for the LED lighting in the forest), Airstar Canada (for the decorative lighting) and MOOG Audio (L'Auberge stage sponsor).
La Grosse Lanterne’s site is located at 1801 Chemin Béthanie, Béthanie (Québec), J0H 1E0.