50th Twinning Anniversary - 4.

Sunday afternoon...
We didn't get a couple of hours of peace after all - just 45 minutes before sound-checks/rehearsal by a different group of live musicians.

So - on to the afternoon's activities...

At 2.00.p.m., a total of 350 participants in a parade of bands, adults and children, horses, tractors, trailers - led of course by Les Grognards with their drums and very loud cannon! - left the secondary-school gymnasium, down the main road and into centre ville.  As each group arrived at the roundabout that links the two places was introduced, over a mic, applauded and if music was involved they performed and were applauded again.  But the organisers had got the timing spot on as the parade ended, as planned, at 3.30.p.m. There was then a release of balloons into the blue sky, the benches were soon filled, the low wall around the statue used by the overflow, the bar van and refreshments bar opened, while some of the bands again entertained from the dance floor before vocal groups took to the stage.

Jules Bastien-Lepage paintings.

The German band delighted all with La Marseillaise..

Ron decided to get into the carnival spirit.

Country & Western dancers.

We had a little dance to their "Brazil".

At 5 o'clock "Hymn of Joy" was sung from the stage by Damvillois la Chanterie and the delegation of Zierenberg - and very good they were too but without microphones and with the constant buzz of the crowd one had to be near to hear, which was a shame as they deserved that wider audience.

Immediately afterwards, the disco music returned...and everybody could hear that!

Also the visitors from Belgium and Germany departed but the "locals" stayed to let the celebrations continue.

Seems as it may be another late and noisy night for us if we were to stay at home but we have been invited to nearby friends for a BBQ in their garden.  No doubt we'll still hear the music - but at a distance.

One thing's certain - Damvillers really knows how to party and have done the Twinning Association proud.

p.s. Soon after 9p.m. the music quietened to unaccompanied, quieter classic French songs sounding lovely on the evening air and by 9.30.p.m. the celebrations were at an end.