Le Patro de Fort-Coulonge/Mansfield hosted its second annual Carnaval de Patro over the weekend.
Friday night kicked off with a talent show, live music and the adult 2v2 hockey tournament which ran until very late in the evening, with a team put in by Mathis Boisvert taking home the first place prize.

Suzie Lavigne, organizer of the event, said that there were 20 kids who participated in the talent show and over 75 people who came out to watch.

Saturday featured outdoor carnival games, entertainment by Echo the Clown, and the youth 2v2 hockey tournament, which was won by the Serge Duval Construction team, captained by Felix Lavigne.

“It was a busy week getting everything ready,” said Suzie Lavigne. “The hockey schedule, reserving all the activities, the talent show and the clown were a lot of moving pieces.”

The hockey tournament was a big part of the event, with 12 teams taking part in the youth category.
Jordan Evans and Kayla Soucie both had kids participating in the tournament. Evans said she saw a post on Facebook about it, and when her older kid wanted to participate, the younger one did too.

“They all love hockey,” Soucie said. “And the weather is perfect, it’s a lot of fun for them to play.”

Around lunchtime, the two pairs of siblings on the teams faced off. Despite the younger kids scoring the first goal, the older brothers and sister took home the win.

“They’re taking the hockey tournament really seriously,” Lavigne said. “It’s nice to see it all come together.”

Just up the hill from the ice, Anthony Romain and Jeanne Durand, both volunteers from École secondaire Sieur-de-Coulonge, were showing kids how to play an inflatable carnival game.

“It’s actually pretty hard,” Durand said. “But the kids really like it.”

“It’s fun, it’s a good time,” Romain said. “We’re glad to help out the kids if they need something.”