No snow? No problem! Festival du Voyageur finding creative ways to make snow for winter sculptures

The Festival du Voyageur isn't letting Winnipeg's lack of snow get in the way of hosting its 55th annual winter festival.

While the festival's executive director was happy to see some snowflakes land in the city this week, she said her team is using snow-making machines to make sure they have enough to create the festival's iconic snow sculptures.

"We're hopeful that we won't have to use it too much. But it is definitely a relief for us to know that we have that snow machine to help us build out some of those iconic staples of Festival," said Breanne Lavallee-Heckert, the event's new executive director.

This is the first time the festival has ever used its own machine to create snow for the event, Lavallee-Heckert said. It has to run about eight hours to be able to make enough for just one sculpture.

The festival will display the sculptures within the park and around the city. There are also plans for 16 sculptors to fly in from all over the world to show off their work in an international snow sculpture symposium, said Lavallee-Heckert.

But there's much more to the festival than the sculptures displayed in Whittier Park during February's 10-day event.

Lavallee-Heckert said they're also using the snow-making machine to create the wintry ambiance inside the park — from snowy walkways to the Christmas trees that are held upright by the icy flakes.

"Snow is really integral for building all aspects of the park, from how people move in the park, to what's visible, to how the park feels, is really determined by how we use the snow," she said.

The team is also considering other materials for sculptors to use, like hay, since they don't want to use too much water from the nearby fire hydrant to run the snow machine.

"[We're] being conscious of the fact that we are pulling water and wanting to make sure that we're also being responsible with that," Lavallee-Heckert said.

"A lot of things up in the air, but we're ready for all of the different ups and downs that'll come with putting on the festival."

Tube slide, Indigenous art gallery

The festival is looking a bit different this year in other ways, said Lavallee-Heckert.

The event will include two tube slides instead of a toboggan run, a change the team thought would be safer for attendees.

"We wanted to make sure that as we're setting up the park that everything from the smallest slips and falls to kids having injuries on the slides. We want to reduce our risk as much as possible," Lavallee-Heckert said.

The fencing around Fort Gibraltar will also look different.The 18-foot wall that used to surround the fort — along with the walkway that collapsed last year and sent 17 children and an adult to hospital — has been replaced with an eight-foot residential fence. 

"Now you see all the different cabins and everything inside of the fort. So it's kind of a neat, neat thing," said Lavallee-Heckert.

An Indigenous art gallery as well as the festival's usual events like the fiddle and jigging contests will also be featured this year.

The festival runs Feb. 16 to 25, but in the meantime, Lavallee-Heckert is crossing her fingers for more snow.

Tickets for the event are available online.