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Rue de St. Jean Celebration

The last time my parents visited Geneva, my father was reminiscing about his ski bum days in Northern Vermont 40+ years ago, and the fact that a number of the instructors at that time were from Switzerland. I am often stricken by the similarities between my home state of Vermont, USA and its inhabitants, and many parts of Switzerland.

This weekend of course marks the end to another year of celebrating the Genevoise counterattack against the Savoyards in 1602, to defend the city of Geneva from the interlopers.  In addition to the still awe inspiring historical reenactment of the battle and its Swiss protagonists, I am especially partial to the neighborhood street parades that unfold in the urban villages that make up Geneva, and which remind me of the Bread and Puppet street theatre I grew up with.

In St. Jean, as in other neighborhoods I imagine, the ocassion is celebrated by children (as well as some adults) in full costume, street musicians, and theatrical players.  The crowd typically convenes at the local school, and gathers force as it travels through the neighborhood picking up converts.  This year, my daughter’s school joined forces with two neighboring schools and the entourage took over the streets from Planet Charmille, to the St. Jean Primary School.

Snow Leopard of St. Jean

The parade terminated, and the party began, at the Maison de Quartier, where volunteers served soup from the marmite, and hot wine.  This year, the organizers magnanimously added sausage to the party menu.  Meanwhile, a New Orleans style Dixie land ensemble kept the crowd entertained as we warmed our stomachs.  The musicians were spectacular, both in their enthusiasm, as well as their skill; getting your groove on in sub-zero weather while pleasing a crowd of onlookers is no mean feat, but again I thought of how icy hands and feet are part and parcel of having fun in cold weather climates.

Saxophone and Slide Trombone à l'Escalade

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