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Not winter without Festival

Cheery event draws longtime fans back for another year

By: Aldo Santin

Posted: 02/13/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image

The flag-bearers of the torch walk exit the river towards the St.Boniface Cathedral.

Shouts of "hé ho" and a nine-gun musket salute marked the official opening of the 41st annual Festival du Voyageur Friday night.

Several hundred people filled Provencher Boulevard for the formal ceremonies, where they were entertained by fire-stick jugglers, mascots of all sizes and La Compagnie de La Vérendrye, a 10-man contingent of historical re-enactors armed with muskets who posed for photos in between filling the festive night air with musket fire.

Enlarge Image

Flag-bearers of the Torch Light Walk get the Festival off to a colourful start. (TREVOR HAGAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS)

"We grew up here and we come back to the Festival to party every year," Mona Champagne said as she waited for the formal festivities to begin.

Champagne had brought five children to the festivities, aged 11 to 16.

"We've moved to south St. Vital, but my husband and I still work down here and our kids still go to school here," Champagne said. "We wouldn't miss this -- there's nothing like a nice bowl of pea soup and a tourtière."

Although the formal opening ceremonies didn't occur until almost 8 p.m., the crowd began to gather on Provencher, which was closed for the night, two hours earlier. The stage was set up near Rue Aulneau, opposite the old St. Boniface city hall, where four bands entertained the crowd.

Firepits lined Provencher to keep the partygoers warm. Safeway provided free hot chocolate and snow taffy could be had for $2 a pop. Two members of the Winnipeg Police Service were on the scene riding horses, and they, too, posed frequently for photographs.

The traditional Torch Light Walk began from The Forks, where about 100 people dressed in traditional garb walked across the frozen Red River, up to the St. Boniface Cathedral ground and through the arch before the troupe headed down Tache Avenue to Provencher, where they were met by shouts of "hé ho," the Festival cheer.

"We've been coming here for five years and it's always a great time, with great food and music," Mike Livingstone said, as he waited with his sons Keaton, 8, and Taylor, 10.

The two boys said they were looking forward to the activities at the Festival park site.

"I like the toboggan slide the best," Keaton shouted.

"I like the snow maze," shouted older brother, Taylor.

"Oh yeah, I like climbing the walls in the snow maze," Keaton said.

Livingstone said even after five years, the Festival never gets boring.

"There are always subtle differences every year and we've made memories coming here."

The formal ceremonies included greetings from Lieut.-Gov. Philip Lee, Premier Greg Selinger, acting deputy-mayor Gord Steeves and St. Boniface MP Shelly Glover.

The formal ceremonies were followed by a 10-minute fireworks show.

The Festival Park opens this morning at 10 a.m. Festival du Voyageur wraps up Feb. 21.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 13, 2010 B1

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