There was so much to take in during our day trip to Festival du Voyageur this past weekend that we had to split the day in half!
After our tour of the snow sculptures, next up was a stop to warm up at the snow bar, and experience a Festival tradition: Caribou! This drink, a delicious fortified wine, was served up in a glass made entirely of ice. Despite the cold outside, the warmth inside the snow bar made this a treat that was to be enjoyed quickly, as we soon realized when our glasses started to melt, making them difficult to pick up! Back in the days of the Voyageurs, this drink used to be made from caribou blood—stay with me!—mixed with alcohol to counter the cold weather. It evolved into a mixture of whiskey and wine, and today, is a commercial drink of fortified wine. Don't worry, you won't find a drop of blood in anything consumed at Festival. (Sorry, Twilight fans!)
We rounded off the day at the Sugar Shack, which was packed to the brim with music enthusiasts there to enjoy the great music of Red Moon Road, a local band consisting of two anglophones and one francophone which truly reflected a truly Manitoban essence. People enjoyed food, drink, jigging, and of course, a festival staple: Maple Taffy! This sweet treat is made by boiling maple sap from Manitoba Maple trees past the point of becoming syrup, but not quite to the point where it becomes maple butter or sugar. A strip of the liquid was poured onto fresh snow, allowed to cool, and then rolled around a small wooden stick to make a melt-in-your-mouth treat that has definitely earned its reputation of being a Festival favourite.
We experienced all this (see previous post for the morning's activities!) in a single day, and the Festival has a plethora of activities and events taking place from now until close on February 23, 2014. Grab your mitts (and Voyageur sash!), enjoy the warm weather this week and take in an adventure that embraces winter and our city's pioneering spirit. Take the kids for a day of hands-on learning or a frolic in the winter playground, or grab some friends one evening, take part in the beard-growing or jigging contests, and catch a show from one of over 85 musical acts, most of which call Manitoba home.
There's a reason Festival du Voyageur has lasted over four decades: its volunteer-driven warmth and hospitality, diverse array of educational and fun-filled activities, and celebration of our winter spirit have shown visitors a great time year after year, and continues to expand. With tickets available online (as well as in person at Safeway, Voyageur Park, the Festival du Voyageur office (233 Provencher Blvd.), by telephone (204.233.ALLO), the centre cultural franco-manitobain (340 Provencher Blvd.) as well as the Club Regent Casino), as well as a free shuttle service, there's no reason to stay inside!
Only in The Peg Chronicles the adventures of the peg family–Missus, Mister and Lil’ Peg as they discover everything there is to see and do in Winnipeg. Follow them at @tourismwpg on Twitter or visit them onFacebook. For even more info on Winnipeg, visit www.tourismwinnipeg.com.
