As part of its sesquicentennial celebration, the village of Bourbonnais will host French Heritage Day beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday at The Grove.

Among the events planned is Hooray Bourbonnais II/Deux, a pageant highlighting the history of Bourbonnais. It begins at 6 p.m. on the stage at The Grove. The all-day event is free.

Jim Paul of the Bourbonnais Grove Historical Society directs the historical pageant. It brings to life the village’s early years.

“This event will give our community the chance to learn about another dimension of our local history,” Paul said. “So much has been written about the facts as we know them, but [for] the French Heritage Day, including the Hooray Bourbonnais II/Deux history pageant, audience interactions will encourage another level of learning our history. The pageant has given me an opportunity to convey my interpretation of local history, which includes the human turmoil of making life-changing decisions.”

There will be performances by the Theatiki Fife and Drum Corps, French cuisine and French-themed books and other items, live reenactments, traditional music, and games for kids.

Tours of the historic LeTourneau Home and 1837 Log Schoolhouse will take place between 1 and 4 p.m.

The full schedule can be viewed at villageofbourbonnais.com/sesquicentennial-150th-celebration/french-heritage-weekend.

Frank Koehler was part of a delegation that traveled to Quebec, Canada, earlier this year to meet with officials. They also toured historic sites.

Some local residents can trace their ancestors who traveled from Quebec to the area.

“The event is important for any number of reasons,” Koehler said. “It allows us to celebrate our shared history and to tell the story of the French explorers, such as [Father Jacques] Marquette, [Louis] Jolliet [and Robert] LaSalle, who led the way for the French Canadians who followed.”

“[It also allows us] to acknowledge the hardships the early settlers endured not only in traveling to the Kankakee River Valley but to create permanent towns and settlements,” Koehler continued. “[We can examine] the courage it must have taken to leave your friends and family behind to travel to an unknown destination; to further solidify the efforts of the village of Bourbonnais to celebrate its involvement in the French Heritage Corridor and the French Heritage Society; and to create ongoing connections between Bourbonnais and communities in Quebec, Canada, and Normandy, France.”

Koehler said there are countless families who can trace their lineage back to not only Quebec but to the area of Normandy, France.