Hého, it’s time for Festival du Voyageur!

St. Boniface

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/02/2024 (621 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hého!

This week marks the 55th anniversary of western Canada’s largest winter festival. Located in the heart of St. Boniface, Festival du Voyageur is a joyous celebration of ‘joie de vivre’ and French-Canadian culture. Through art, education, and culture, Festival shares the history of francophones, Métis and First Nations in Manitoba with over 75,000 annual visitors.

The first Festival du Voyageur was held place in 1970 with the support of 18 community organizations. The following year, a toque and boots sculpture won the Festival’s snow sculpting contest and inspired the Festival’s official mascot and trademark: Lèo La Tuque. Since its conception, Festival has been a monumental landmark in St. Boniface, growing consistently every year and developing new fond memories for all attendees.

For residents of St. Boniface and surrounding francophone communities and towns, Festival offers a space for community building, storytelling, and culture sharing. With entertainment from over 150 emerging local and nationally acclaimed artists, delicious food vendors, fun children’s activities, and friendly beard growing, fiddling, and jigging competitions, the festival truly has something for everyone.

As a proud Métis francophone and longtime Festival du Voyageur attendee, I share in the excitement Manitobans feel for the return of this iconic winter experience. Like many others in St. Boniface, Festival is part of my family’s traditions. It celebrates our roots and reminds us of how far we’ve come as a province through visual art, music, dance and outdoor activities.

This annual event could not be possible without the amazing team at Festival du Voyageur. The staff and volunteers who share their dedication and creativity with Festival are a huge part of what makes this event so magical. Thank you for all the hard work you do throughout the year to ensure a successful weeklong event.

Festival du Voyageur runs from Feb. 16 to 25 at Parc du Voyageur and numerous other venues. I look forward to attending this year’s festivities and I hope to see you all there. If you have anything you would like to share, please email me at robert.loiselle@yourmanitoba.ca