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1950s Quebec Winter Carnival queens reminisce: 'Les anciennes reines'

It was a merry fete celebrating pea soup and tourtière. Revellers rejoiced in the culture of les habitants when the Quebec Winter Carnival first began in 1894. In 1955, residents of Quebec City revived the festival with new traditions in the old city. Skilled canoeists raced on the half-frozen St. Lawrence and artists built ice sculptures. But over the years purists say Le Carnaval de Québec has strayed too far from its roots, using gimmicks from Bonhomme to Brooke Shields to attract crowds.

Her dress was so large she couldn't fit into her boyfriend's car, says one 1950s carnival queen in this CBC Radio interview. Four anciennes reines crowned during the first years of the Quebec Carnival recall how prestigious the honour was. But it was, notwithstanding, a lot of work. The women had to "smile, smile, smile" and were afraid of losing their boyfriends because of all the doting men. Queen Pierrette Roy who first sang the carnival song performs it 20 years later.
• At the carnival opening, Bonhomme crowns the new queen and his seven duchesses.

• Duchesses represent their fictional duchies named after Quebec historical figures: Cartier, Champlain, Frontenac, Laval, Lévy, Montcalm and Montmorency.

• In 1996, carnival organizers decided Bonhomme would no longer have duchess helpers because the notion was sexist. Bonhomme's helpers are now the Knuks - a mischievous and colourfully dressed band of jesters.

Medium: Radio
Program: Quebec Now
Broadcast Date: Feb. 19, 1974
Reporter: Gilles de Lalande, Sarah Jennings
Duration: 8:36
Song credit: "Chanson du Carnaval" by Roger Vézina and Pierre Petel, SOCAN.

Last updated: May 14, 2012

Page consulted on March 25, 2013

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