Festival du Voyageur ready for another year with music at the forefront

The 55th edition of Festival du Voyageur is just around the corner and organizers unveiled what this year's event will be all about.

It will be running from Feb. 16 to 25 and this year music will be taking the mainstage, as there will be over 150 artists featured.

Breanne Lavallée-Heckert, the executive director of Festival, said there will be artists for everyone to enjoy, from The Strumbellas and K'naan to Noah Derksen and Pow Wow 101.

"It's going to be a great, great year for great music at the festival," she said.

It won't just be the music that will draw people to the more than week-long showcase. There will be a new Indigenous art gallery that features local artists.

As well, people can enjoy sleigh rides, sliding tubes, snow sculptures, and dance shows.

"There's all sorts of activities. We have the pea soup contest, the beard-growing contest, the fiddle and jig contest. So a lot of those returning favourites…There will also be activities at Fort Gibraltar during the festival. All of the education and cultural experiences will be returning, which we're really excited about."

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

With the official launch, Lavallée-Heckert said they are still looking for more volunteers to help run activities.

"We still have a lot of heated positions available where you can stay warm during them. If folks want to check out the programming, see what days you want to be at the festival, see what days you might want to volunteer and (I) just encourage people to sign up.

She said there are around 200 volunteer positions that still need to be filled.

More details about volunteering, tickets and a new 50/50 can all be found online.