A wise wolf once said … have a great time

Norwood

St. Vital

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/02/2024 (594 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Organizers of one upcoming official Festival du Voyageur-related event are hoping guests have a howling good time.

Relais du Vieux Loup – Wise Wolf Trading Post is a volunteer-run event founded in 2016 by former Festival du Voyageur board members Christian Robin and Daniel Damphousse.

At www.vieuxloupfdv.ca, the trading post is described as a “family friendly mash-up of a classic Manitoba social, a cozy neighbourhood pub, and a late-night party.”

Robin said FDV-partnered trading posts are important off-site venues as they’re “always intended to bring Festival du Voyageur to the community.”

This year’s Wise Wolf Trading Post is at the Wood Tavern, in the Norwood Hotel, at 112 Marion St.

Robin, who lives in St. Vital, said the event started off as a one-night affair and has since evolved into something bigger.

Previous venues include the Belgian Club and the Heather Curling Club.

“We have a modern take on Festival crossed with the nostalgia of the 1990s and 2000s,” said Robin, a Collège Louis-Riel alumnus.

“We’ve seen that lots of people like to let loose in a kitchen party environment, and we saw the event begin to grow based on demand. It’s a very welcoming event,” he said.

There are six events on the schedule this year, including Fiddle Night Fever (18+) featuring Jason Lepine and Lionel Desjarlais on Friday, Feb. 16, when the trading post will be open from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Admission is free.

Classic Canot Night — named for the old Le Canot bar at Le Rendez-Vous — will run on Saturday, Feb. 17 featuring fiddler Mark Morriseau and multi-instrumentalist Brad Moggie. Admission will be $10 for adults or $5 with a voyageur pass, and for those under 18.

The trading post will offer a free pancake breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 24 (all ages welcome). Alexandre Tétrault will provide the entertainment.

Robin said it’s a boon that most of the six events are free, and he’s excited to once again to be part of an event that celebrates music and francophone culture.

“When we started thinking about how we could help out Festival du Voyageur in 2016, we started to think about where else people could go to see family and get hugs,” Robin said.

“Since then, it’s been very successful, and everyone’s welcome. And we’ve found people who come always come back.”

Visit Relais du Vieux Loup—Wise Wolf Trading Post on Facebook or Instagram for more information. You can also find details at the official Festival du Voyageur site, heho.ca