Best of the Best: Rating the Contests and Competitions   

Black and white photograph taken outdoors of a couple dressed in wedding attire. The man wears a tailcoat and a top hat while the woman wears a dress and a hat decorated with a veil. A priest in a cassock is at their side.

An old-fashioned wedding at the Fêtes du Vieux Saint-Eustache, 1978

The week of the Fêtes flies by. Every day, you meet up with your neighbour and her gang in Old Saint-Eustache. You notice that some of her friends spend more than an hour on their bikes to get to the event. You suspect that they are motivated by more than just the activities and the buckwheat pancakes. No doubt some new relationships will have formed by the end of the Fêtes!

You listen to your new friends discuss their top five competitions and contests since the beginning of the event. Numbers five, four and three are hotly debated, but when it comes to the top two, they are unanimous: nothing comes close to those activities!

A black and white photograph. In the foreground, a woman standing on a podium is waving. Behind her, around ten other women are holding drums. They are all dressed in uniform that include boots and a white hat. They are on a grassy field.

A bugle corps competition, 1978

5. The bugle corps competition (1976 and 1979)

Bugle corps are groups of around ten people whose performances include music (brass and percussion) and very precise choreography. On two occasions, Saint-Eustache hosts the provincial bugle corps competition. Other big competitions include show jumping with horses, a marathon and a canoe race.

4. The Rock-a-thon (1974)

A waist-up portrait of a woman with short, curly hair, wearing glasses. She is seated and knitting, her eyes focused on the needles.

A participant in the Knit-a-thon, 1980

Here’s an unusual competition that’s perfect for thrill-seekers! In the Rock-a-thon, competitors must rock non-stop for 24 hours. Their rocking chairs can never stop moving. If they get tired, they can have someone come and rock the chair for them, but they cannot have anyone replace them; otherwise, they are disqualified! A few years later, the Rock-a-thon is succeeded by a Crochet-a-thon and a Knit-a-thon.

3. The bed race (1973)

In the middle of the black and white photograph is a hospital bed, with metal bars, on wheels. One person is sitting while another appears to be adjusting a wheel. A small crowd is watching them.

The bed race, 1973

The perfect activity for lazy folks, you’re thinking? Not at all! One person sits on a metal bed on wheels while their four teammates push the bed to the finish line as fast as possible. If your teammates aren’t very experienced, we strongly recommend wearing a helmet!

2. The old-time contests (1976-1981)

A black and white photograph of a man lifting a wheelbarrow containing more than ten sacks of flour. We can tell from his tensed expression that it is very heavy. A large crowd can be seen behind him.

The flour sack lift, 1979

Called the Olymbûches or old-time contests, these competitions are made up of a number of events with a historical flavour. Whether they pit people from different neighbourhoods or different occupations against each other, these events are extremely popular! Among the various challenges are the classic flour sack lift, the pillow fight over water, the tug-of-war, the very challenging greased pole climb and… the pig catching competition (the pig requires no greasing!) This simply involves catching a pig with your bare hands in a closed pen. People say even the mayor, Guy Bélisle, tried his luck at catching a pig in 1977.

1. The soapbox race (1973-1981)

Six men from the Optimist Club greet the camera during the construction of the wooden ramp, which is around three metres high.

Building the ramp for the soapbox race, circa 1980

The soapbox or “woodbox” races are often organized by the Optimist Club; many children look forward to them all year. To participate, they have to build – with their parents’ help – a small, motorless wheeled vehicle that they can sit in.

The photo is taken at the top of the soapbox ramp. A small vehicle is entering each of the two sections of the ramp. More than a hundred people are gathered on either side of the road, up to the finish line. The spectators are separated from the route by bales of hay.

Soapboxes hurtle down the ramp, 1981

On the day of the race, the children are in their vehicles on top of an impressive ramp. Bales of hay are arranged on either side of the route to prevent accidents. A little push, and they are off! Competitors use their ingenuity and creativity to build the most aerodynamic and personalized soapboxes.

Your neighbour and her friends have all attended the soapbox races every year of the Fêtes, and you can see why. The atmosphere at this highly popular event is like nothing you’ve seen before.

History on the Big Screen Spectacular Celebrations