Festival du Voyageur 2022: the pleasure of live, the advantage of the virtual

A positive return to live events

The Festival du Voyageur organizing team and festival-goers are very happy with the winter festival, which was on the verge of not being held this year, according to Darrel Nadeau, general manager of the Festival.

At the beginning of December, we were hoping to have a full festival, but the Omicron wave hit in December and January. At this point, we thought we would have to give up hope of having a live festival, but here we are with a lot of festival-goers this weekend and last week. So we are very happy.

” The results are very positive. People are very happy to be able to participate in face-to-face activities. “

Festival-goers are indeed very happy to have been able to attend the concerts and the Parc du Voyageur, as Lisabeth Comeault confesses: We are happy to be outdoors and enjoy the music. I like it very much. I loved being able to see the music live in person. This is excellent.

The Parc du Voyageur sold out this past weekend. We were very happy to welcome 1000 people in the morning and 1000 in the afternoon.says Darrel Nadeau.

Sold-out concerts

The usual six stages were replaced by the song box and the Franco-Manitoban Cultural CenterCCFMAs a result, this year’s Festival was limited to fifty local artists. As a result, there were only about 50 local artists this year, whereas the Festival usually features 150 artists.

This change in strategy brought about by the Omicron wave did not prevent the Festival from being in full swing and bringing its share of success.

In the Jean-Paul-Aubry room of the European Parliament, there was a lot of excitement in the air. CCFMCCFM. The artists could be heard warmly thanking the audience and the Festival du Voyageur for allowing them to return to the stage, sometimes for the first time in two years.

For other artists, it was a way to reconnect with the community before embarking on long-awaited tours.

Le Relais du Voyageur, provided by the Franco-Manitoban Cultural CenterCCFMSold out for three of the main concerts.

And for those who were not lucky enough to attend in person or who wish to relive the concert, all 12 shows are now available for free on the Festival du Voyageur website (New window).

An inclusive festival through the virtual

One of the successes of the Festival du Voyageur 2022 is that it has been able to include the entire community, despite the challenges of this edition.

For Darrel Nadeau, the virtual world has made this inclusion possible. Face-to-face activities were offered to. Franco-Manitoban Cultural CenterCCFMWe also had activities at home for those who maybe weren’t yet ready to go out to big events with other people. We had something for everyone.

The virtual program made the Festival more accessible, including seniors, people in rural areas, people with mobility difficulties, and people who had moved from Manitoba. All of these people appreciate and love the Festival and want to celebrate it with us.notes the general director.

Darrel Nadeau plans to maintain virtual programming in the future, in addition to face-to-face.

” The virtual format will allow them to enjoy the festival with us. We must not forget this audience. It is a lesson, it is a way to reach out to the community. “

Manitoba’s Francophonie, awarded throughout Canada.

The school program, which normally welcomes 10,000 children to the park for five school days, was offered virtually for the second year in a row.

This initiative was a great success in schools across Canada.

The virtual school format allows us to reach all schools and teach Manitoba’s francophone heritage. For us, it is essential to continue this. It broadens our audience and allows us to promote the Manitoba francophone community.says Darrel Nadeau.

A deficit that promises to be limited

Although it is too early to give figures, the general manager of the Festival du Voyageur is confident despite the announced deficit. This year we are prepared for a deficit because the infrastructure is smaller, the Festival is smaller. But we have also reduced the facilities, the size of the park, and that will protect us financially and minimize the deficit.

The most important thing for Darrel Nadeau is to have been able to relaunch the Festival this year. It’s an investment in the joie de vivre of the community. It’s an investment in the rebirth of the Festival, in the French-speaking community in Manitoba after COVID. So, for us, even though we have a deficit, it’s worth launching the reopening of the Festival this year.

With information from Godlove Kamwa