QUEBEC CITY - Celine Dion didn't bake a cake but she wished the provincial capital a happy 400th birthday Friday night as she took the stage for a packed concert on the historic Plains of Abraham.

"Happy Birthday, Quebec! Are you ready?" Dion shouted before swinging into the first song of the evening to get the event off to a rocking start.

She kicked off the show 20 minutes late with one of her French-language hits, but didn't waste any time once she hit the stage, marching around and pumping the air with her fist as she sang.

The free show is part of year-long birthday celebrations being held to mark the 400th anniversary of the provincial capital.

The crowd for the show was estimated at around 250,000.

One Dion fan drove for 10 hours from Long Island, NY, to Quebec City to see the superstar.

"I think that she's got an incredible voice," said Lois Morales.

"She loves her family, that's very important to me, and she's a very good humanitarian. I just think that she's very balanced since she had her son. I think that in all aspects of her life she's been very grateful for the gift that she has and she shares with other people. I just think that's great."

Diana Farnham, of Weld, Me., got the trip to Quebec City to see Dion as a birthday gift from her husband.

"My birthday was in June so he booked this trip because he knew Celine was going to be here," she said. "She has such a beautiful voice. It's just so peaceful. It seems to be so natural."

The accolades were echoed by Al Penner of Smithville, Ont.

"She is the best female singer in the world," he said.

"When she opened up the Olympics in Atlanta, I believe it was in 1996, that's what the co-ordinator said -- `We have the best female singer in the world.' She is the best. No question."

A number of fans had been awaiting since midnight to be the first in line to get the closest to the stage.

The gates allowing access to the site opened around mid-afternoon.

Officials had originally expected 200,000 fans for the show, which will also feature popular Quebec singer Ginette Reno and several other acts.

They said the crowd could be as large as the one on hand for a Paul McCartney concert several weeks ago, which was also held on the Plains of Abraham.

The concert is a break for Dion from her multi-night run in Montreal, where she is headlining in her worldwide "Taking Chances" tour.

The tour marks Dion's return to the road after a five-year gig in Las Vegas.