Festival du Voyageur releases virtual, COVID-19 friendly program for 2021

H-ho! But make it virtual.

As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, Winnipeg's Festival du Voyageur is taking its 2021 programming online instead of holding the annual winter event in Voyageur Park.

The programming lineup will feature eight nights of concerts that will stream online, two different video series highlighting different aspects of the festival, and traditional meal kits from a St. Boniface-area restaurant.

Though the festivities, which will take place from Feb. 12 to 21,are going virtual, there will be more snow sculptures around the city than in recent years, with 30 in total.

"Even though we can't get together in Voyageur Park this year, we wanted to make sure that February still brought that signature Festival du Voyageur joie de vivre to Manitobans especially now when we all need it the most," said Darrel Nadeau, executive director of Festival du Voyageur in a news release.

"We put a lot of thought into ensuring that every signature element of our festival is reflected in our virtual offerings and we are really excited about what we came up with."

The concert series will include performances from Faouzia, the Carman-raised musician who has become a Spotify star,and Winnipeg's Ariel Posen, who has been hailed among the world's best guitarists.The serieskicks off on Feb. 12 with francophone musicians, including a performance from Marie-Pierre Arthur, a Juno and Polaris Prize-nominated pop singer-songwriter from Quebec.

Programming on Louis Riel Day Feb. 15 and on Feb. 20 will be dedicated to showcasing Indigenous talent, says a news release.

In addition to the take-home meal kits prepared by Promenade Caf and Wine on Tach Avenue, Patent 5 Distillery is preparing cocktail kits, one caribou-inspired and the other maple-inspired, along with ice glasses.

Festival organizers are also holding the beard-growing, fiddling and jigging competitions online.

Teddy Bears' picnic on hold for another year

Meanwhile, another time-honoured Winnipeg tradition is on "paws" for another year due to COVID-19.

The Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba says it won't go ahead with the Teddy Bears' Picnic this year as it's unlikely that large gatherings would be permitted by the spring, or that the dozens of health-care professionals who volunteer their time will be available, given the current strain on the health-care system.

The event usually takes place at the end of May as a fundraiser for projects at the Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg Children's Hospital. Dozens of health-care professionals volunteer their time to look after fur-related injuries.

Though the event isn't going forward this year,the foundation says it's still looking for support topurchasemedical equipment for testing and treatment as well as programs in the Children's Hospital, a news release says.