ABRAM-VILLAGE – Aug. 13, 2018 – The extremely popular pole climbers – Jerry, Marcel and Jeremy Arsenault from the company The Branch Manager – will present their great comedy and acrobatics show twice during the weekend of the Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival in Abram-Village. They’ll amaze and entertain the crowd with their hilarious pole-swinging antics Saturday, Sept. 1, at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 2, at 2:30 p.m.
But a new facet has been added to the show this year: each time the “acrobats” will be preparing for their next stunt, the audience will be entertained by a top-notch woodsmen competition, which will eliminate any downtime. Last year, the woodsmen competition had been revived but took place late Sunday morning; few people got to see it in that timeslot. This year, they’ll be placed essentially before a captive audience already in place to watch the pole climbers.
The pole-climbing show this year will be titled “If You Want To Get To Heaven, You Have To Raise A Little Hell”. The crowd will get to meet an Acadian “priest” who served many years as a missionary in underprivileged, overseas countries. Following a visit to the Vatican, he comes back home to warn the other two pole climbers that there’s only one place left in heaven for the two of them; they’re going to have to compete to determine who is most worthy of that spot with the angels and saints.
Announcers Desmond Arsenault and Raymond J. Arsenault are again going to battle it out to see who should provide story commentary.
As far as the woodsmen are concerned, eight experienced young men will compete in three events on Saturday and in three more events Sunday. Audiences can expect all kinds of races and contests featuring saws, axes and fire. The woodsmen having accumulated the most points during the six events will win interesting prizes.
“We feel these two events are a great match since the pole climbers are actually woodsmen who use modern tools and techniques; contrarily, the woodsmen competition focuses more on traditional skills,” says Festival president Jeanne Gallant. “We are very much looking forward to the combined show and contest this year.”
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CUTLINE: Jerry Arsenault is preparing for his Cotton-Eye Joe dance at the top of his 100-foot pole while competitors Joey Arsenault, left, and Mathieu Arsenault, along with event organizer Edgar Arsenault, prepare the Woodsmen Competition. The combined pole-climbing show and competition will be held Saturday, Sept. 1, at 2 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 2, at 2:30 p.m.
For more information:
Jeanne Gallant, president
Evangeline Area Agricultural Exhibition and Acadian Festival
Home: 902-854-3287
Cell: 902-432-0809
Email: gallant.jeanne22@gmail.com