Say oi: Toowoomba Alliance plans for one big fat French year

Everything you need to know about the Alliance Française de Toowoomba plans for 2021 and why they need your corks!

While you can’t travel to France right now, this isn’t stopping the Alliance Française de Toowoomba from bringing a taste of Paris to the Darling Downs as they plan one big fat French year of celebrations and events for their 60e anniversaire (60th Anniversary).

Since forming in 1960 the Toowoomba Alliance has offered French language classes, petanque tournaments, 14 juillet (Bastille Day) and cultural events including Galette des Rois, French conversational sessions at Café Bla Bla, French film festivals and the Norma Thomas Prize which is awarded to schools for the highest achieving students of French.

The Toowoomba Alliance also hosts a weekly French show each Monday evening on the Toowoomba community radio 102.7 FM.

President Alexis Tacey said the Alliance Française de Toowoomba were making up for the lost year that was 2020 by going all out this year with a French film festival, Bastille Day celebrations in July and offcourse, a three-day celebration for their 60th birthday in October.

“Unfortunately we cannot travel abroad this year, so the AFT has decided to do everything we can to bring a slice of France to Toowoomba,” she said.

“We’ve got lots planned for our Bastille Day celebrations on Sunday, July 18 and our French film festival starts next week at bar Wunder.

“Our 60th birthday festival was to be held last year but was postponed due to COVID so the celebrations, to be held at St Luke’s Hall will begin on Friday, October 8 with a French film in conjunction with Ric Chauvel Carlsson from Ric’s Flicks, followed by a dinner on Saturday with French food, wine, music, dancing, trivia quiz and raffles and then on the Sunday we will hold a petanque tournament which is a French game very similar to bocce.”

Alexis Tacey, president of Alliance Francaise de Toowoomba is asking people to donate their sparkling wine corks to create an Eiffel Tower model for their 60th Anniversary in October. Picture: Nev Madsen.

To bring a slice of the Parisian lifestyle to life, Ms Tacey is planning to recreate the iconic Eiffel Tower out of champagne corks, but she needs Toowoomba’s help.

“We’re going to need somewhere between 1000-2000 corks to pull off a four metre high Eiffel Tower so we’re reaching out to the wider Toowoomba community to contribute their champagne and bubbly corks to a good cause,” she said.

A collection box has been set up outside the Alliance Française de Toowoomba office at 217 Margaret Street and Ms Tacey is hoping to fill it several times over ahead of their 60th Birthday party is October.

Meanwhile, the French film festival is kicking off this coming Monday night, March 22 at Bar Wunder with a showing of the 2019 French comedy Le Meilleur reste à venir (The Best is Yet to Come) staring Fabrice Luchini and Patrick Bruel.

For more information on how to get tickets head to Bar Wunder’s Facebook page.

To stay up to date with all things French in Toowoomba, follow Alliance Française de Toowoomba on Facebook or to get in touch simply email [e-mail].