French Sister City delegates to visit Glen Ellyn

Glen Ellyn residents soon will get to say bonjour to visitors from their Sister City at a welcoming ceremony and village French market.

Representatives from Le Bouscat, a French town near Bordeaux, will arrive April 14 in downtown Glen Ellyn to experience all the American village has to offer.

The visitors, including Le Bouscat's mayor, will arrive at the downtown Glen Ellyn train station at 9:30 a.m. The public is welcome to attend the ceremony, where the Glenbard West High School band is expected to perform the French national anthem as the delegates step off the train.

The visitors will get a tour of village sites and businesses, and taste the cuisine of some of Glen Ellyn's restaurants. They're also scheduled to drop by Glen Ellyn's Market Francais event on April 15.

The French market, to be held at the Civic Center from 4 to 8 p.m., will feature local vendors such as Marcel's Culinary Experience, Olive n' Vinnies and Cabernet & Company.

Guests will be able to enjoy food, beer, wine, culture and items for sale, but with a French flair.

"It's also an opportunity to showcase our local businesses and give them the opportunity to market themselves and to grow their customer base," Assistant Village Manager Al Stonitsch said.

Market Francais also will feature a French antique Bugatti, an accordion player who will serenade guests, and children's activities and prizes.

Glen Ellyn's Sister City partnership with Le Bouscat officially formed last year.

"It's a global economy now, it has been for a while, and we're becoming a global community," Stonitsch said. "I think our board felt it was an important thing to have this relationship with another community that certainly has some similarities to our community and to be able to share kind of some cross-Atlantic culture, history and cuisine and ideas."