Winnipeggers brave the cold at Festival du Voyageur

WINNIPEG – A weekend deep freeze is no problem for many Winnipeggers.

It’s the last two days of Winnipeg’s annual Festival du Voyageur and large crowds are still filling up Festival Park despite the extreme cold warnings.

“We are Winter-peg lets embrace it, let’s tell ourselves this is unique to us and lets make the most of it,” said Ginette Lavack Walters, executive director of Festival du Voyageur.

According to Environment Canada, temperatures are expected to dip into the -30’s Saturday night feeling like -45 with the wind chill. People can get frost bite by being outside for just five to 10 minutes.

“You drink some caribou… that helps you keep warm and just the dancing to the bands,” said Festival staff member Abdellah Bezzahou. “The atmosphere with your friends you totally forget about the cold.”

And experts say the key to making it through the cold is layering up efficiently.

“The first thing that’s key for anybody going out in the cold like this is their base layers,” said MEC Winnipeg staff member Olwyn Friesen. “Having that close to your skin so that it not only provides warmth but also wicks way any moisture from their skin.”

And then of course there is always the old fashioned attire.

“Back in the day… there was no artificial clothing or nothing everything was either fur or leather,” said Festival volunteer Chuck Lewis. “I’m sure we could do it now in modern day right?”