Saint-Lambert Days
A quick look back at a great event!
From August 21 to 23, Saint-Lambert came alive with the 50th edition of the Saint-Lambert Days!
For three days, Victoria Avenue and downtown were brought to life by performances, family activities, entertainment, the big street fair, and above all, by the many people who came together to celebrate this anniversary edition.
A huge thank you to the participating businesses and organizations, as well as to everyone who contributed, in any way, to the success of the festivities.
Thank you to Caisse Desjardins Charles-LeMoyne, the Réseau de transport de Longueuil (RTL), the ministère de la Culture et des Communications, Morin & Associés, and all our partners and collaborators for their invaluable support.
And now, relive the best moments of this memorable edition with this recap video.
A Bit of History...
Origins of the Event
According to Jack Dunfield, a city council member from 1967 to 1974, the Saint-Lambert Days began in 1972* as a result of the city council’s desire to restore harmony among residents, who were then divided by a referendum on the construction of Champlain College on the site of the Seaway Park.
A meeting was therefore organized, bringing together representatives from all of the city’s organizations to determine which activities each would be willing to sponsor.
Among the activities organized were sports events, dance parties, concerts, bingo, a corn-on-the-cob festival, a pancake breakfast, and even a large ecumenical religious ceremony!
The merchants’ big street sale, which had been held on Victoria Avenue since the late 1960s, joined the festivities the very next year.
* The Saint-Lambert Days were created in 1972, but we will celebrate the 50th anniversary in 2026 since, in the past, four editions were not held for various reasons (renovation of Victoria Avenue, pandemic, etc.)
50 Years of Activities and Discoveries
In the early years, the festival officially opened with a speech by the sitting mayor and the release of pigeons!
Over the past 50 years, we’ve seen just about everything:
- from bed races to amusement park rides;
- from equestrian competitions to disaster drills
- from the circus to the antique fair;
- from bridge to skateboarding;
- from classic cars to parades featuring marching bands and floats;
- from a bike tour to admire the flower-decorated houses to a historic bus tour of the city;
- from an open-air city council meeting to a one-day council session with young people!
An event that extends beyond downtown
The area covered by the Saint-Lambert Days wasn’t limited to Victoria Avenue and its cross streets. Did you know that a shuttle from La Ronde transported residents between Seaway Park and Place du Village?
This made it possible to host sports tournaments and larger-scale activities: kite flying, helicopter rides, and hot-air balloon flights.
Beach volleyball, meanwhile, took place only once, on Elm Street, thanks to the impressive amount of sand that had been brought there!
Moments of Togetherness for Everyone
Throughout these four days of annual festivities, Lambertois residents danced to rhythms from all corners of the world: disco nights, Bavarian dances, line dancing, street dancing, merengue, and Latin rhythms.
Professional artists, amateur members of cultural organizations, and students from nearby schools also performed on the many stages: dance and puppet shows, jazz concerts, big band, barbershop, sacred music, symphony orchestra, and rock music.
To recharge, the culinary offerings from local businesses and associations have always played an important role: lunches, brunches, BBQs, spaghetti dinners, and the traditional corn roast, which—after a few years’ absence—is back for this 50th edition!
Acknowledgments
The Ville de Saint-Lambert would like to extend its warmest thanks to Entreclefs for its in-depth research into the history of this flagship community event.