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The Kick-Off Show

The year 2008 began with an opening ceremony for the anniversary celebrations. The show, titled Coup d’Envoi (Kick-Off), directed by Denis Bouchard was performed outdoors at Place d’Youville from 11:15 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, and ran until midnight. The celebration organizers described the stage as the biggest one ever assembled, measuring 60 metres (180 ft) wide by 7.6 metres (25 ft) high with many levels. There were numerous pyrotechnic and laser effects used; images were projected on the snow as blown by a snow cannon. Denis Bouchard addressed themes of longevity of the French language and the population despite the harsh weather, the gathering of different people in Quebec City, and the bombardment the city endured.

The show was made up of seven “movements”. The opening number was put on by traditional Quebec music groups Les Batinses and La Bottine souriante, accompanied by 400 “toe-tappers”. Afterwards, singers Claire Pelletier, Florence K, and Jessica Vigneault performed several songs related to Quebec City, followed by a rap song about streets in Quebec named after Catholic saints. Gregory Charles performed at The Capitol de Québec theatre and at Place D’Youville, singing Robert Charlebois’ Si j'avais les ailes d'un ange (If I Had the Wings of an Angel). Fire eaters and acrobats took to the stage followed by comedian Stéphane Rousseau who performed his skit Rico, in which he plays a seductive Latin character. At Palais Montcalm, Bruno Pelletier, accompanied by the Chœur de Québec and Les Violons du Roy, performed 400 ans de rêves (400 Years of Dreams): a song created especially for this occasion by songwriter Marc Chabot and composer Jean-Fernand Girard. The countdown to the New Year was accompanied by fireworks. Pascale Picard closed the show.

The organizers did not reveal the content of the show until it was too late. There was less than a month before the kick-off and the official announcement had not yet been made. A “survival kit” should have been given to spectators at the beginning of the show to participate, and the animation should have taken place on-site before 11:00pm.

There was a considerably larger crowd than the organizers anticipated. They anticipated 15,000 people, the capacity of Place D’Youville; however, over 50,000 people wanted to attend. This resulted in problems of accessing the site and pushing back thousands of revelers in the National Assembly of Quebec. Despite the great turnout, several criticisms made of the show included: some disorganization, a few minutes delay in the new year countdown, a lack of real security and crowd control, faulty sound and visual systems, questionable musical choices for the show, and a lack of connecting wires between the screens (in retrospect, the show was considered to be a “failure” after the celebrations in 2008). Presented as a success by stakeholders and mayor Régis Labeaume, the show was equally valued by numerous participants. The arrival of Daniel Gélinas as head of the 400th  was associated with a willingness to instil a “new energy” in the celebrations following this semi-success. Despite the criticism, plans were carried out within the allotted $2.5 million budget.

400 Years in Time

In early January 2008, artistic director Nancy Bernier led 150 artists from Quebec City in creating the first activity of the 400th anniversary celebration, Parcours 400 ans chrono (400 Year Journey): a large artistic installation stretching across 0.9 km of the city during the evenings of January 5th and 6th. Spectators could stroll around 13 different stations that told the history of Quebec organized by theme at the following locations: the National Assembly of Quebec, Esplanade Park, Kent Gate, Saint-Jean Gate, the Maison Dauphine (Dauphine house), the old bar of Auteuil, and the Artillery Park Heritage Site. One path exhibited comedians reciting original poetry from the town, another displayed quotations by historical figures about Quebec, and so on including: fire-eaters brightening up a station with projections of flames that struck Quebec, a trench telling the story of events from the war in Quebec, a projection illustrating Quebecois spirit on packed snow and, lastly, a slide towards the Artillery Park leading to a dance floor and an ice bar. The event kept within its $800,000 budget.

Parcours 400 ans chrono was the first successful event; 20,000 people took part in the journey, after waiting up to three hours to participate.