'Roll with the punches': Lack of snow forcing Festival du Voyageur to get creative

They’re a familiar sight in Winnipeg in February. However, recent weather may have scuttled some plans for a popular Festival du Voyageur attraction.

Due to the ongoing mild weather, the snow sculptures are not likely to appear this year, even though the festival is two weeks away.

“We have grass at Parc du Voyageur, so it’s definitely different from the snow we’re used to seeing in the park,” said Breanne Lavallée-Heckert, the executive director of festival.

Parc du Voyageur is pictured on Feb. 1, 2024. The warm weather is impacting the possibility of snow sculptures at Festival du Voyageur, forcing organizers to get creative. (Image source: Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg)

The festival was making snow earlier this month, and are still hopeful for some in the next two weeks, but are pivoting to a contingency plan for the sculptures, which would normally be out across the city right now.

“We’re looking at pivoting to new mediums, and we’re really actually kind of excited to be innovative and creative,” said Lavallée-Heckert.

Some of the mediums being proposed include straw, wood and other materials.

“Most of our snow sculptors that come in are really talented artists that are multidisciplinary, that engage in all sorts of mediums for creating their art,” said Lavallée-Heckert.

The warm weather could also have a positive impact on the festival, Lavallée-Heckert said, noting it could bring more people to the park and drive up attendance.

“We're up against grass and it's February, so that's where we're at, but we're looking forward to rolling with the punches and joining everybody here at the parks in a couple of weeks,” she said.

Festival du Voyageur begins on Feb. 16.