Hundreds gather at Manitoba Legislative Building for annual New Year’s Levee

It was wall-to-wall attendance at the Manitoba Legislative Building for the annual Lieutenant Governor’s New Year’s Levee.

The event saw attendees dressed up in historical costumes, performances from choirs such as the Winnipeg Police Service choir and free horse-drawn carriage rides.

It’s a chance for people like Andrew Schurko, who grew up in Winnipeg and now lives in Arkansas, to introduce his children to the Legislative Building.

“It’s a beautiful place,” he said. “Just seeing all the statues and how it’s decorated for Christmas. It’s the last bit of Christmas before January fully comes around.

Share this on X Click to share quote on X: "It's a beautiful place," he said. "Just seeing all the statues and how it's decorated for Christmas. It's the last bit of Christmas before January fully comes around.

“Its a good chance to learn a bit about the history, about Manitoba. And maybe getting to see some of the performances today and shake the Lieutenant Governor’s hand and taste a bit of Manitoba.”

Lieutenant Governor Janice Filmon greeted guests in the Blue Room, which is the historic receiving room for guests to the lieutenant-governor’s office.

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Filmon’s chief of staff and private secretary Kate Gameiro was there to mark the occasion.

“I think it’s fabulous,” Gameiro said. “It’s a great way to start the new year. The levee is a tradition that goes back hundreds of years.”

Share this on X Click to share quote on X: "I think it's fabulous," Gameiro said. "It's a great way to start the new year. The levee is a tradition that goes back hundreds of years."

If you missed it this year, Gameiro hopes you will attend in 2020.

“We do this every year on New Year’s Day and we’ve got service groups, people from the military, people here in period costumes,” Gameiro said.

“It’s a great day for the whole family to come out and it makes you proud to be a Manitoban to be here.”

WATCH: Janice Filmon appointed Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba