A celebration of everything Métis is making its way to Bonnyville March 23rd. The first annual “Métis Fest” will highlight Métis culture, music, food and more. Regional Youth Project Coordinator Sarah Johnson says the celebration will be a way for the area to learn a little bit about what it means to be a Métis person in Alberta.
“We have distinct music with a fiddle and we have our distinct dance with the Red River Jig. It’s unique to our own culture and we just want to spread the word.”
The gathering at the Beaver River Fish and Game Building on 54th Avenue starts at 9 am and will include showcases of jigging and fiddling as well as other live music and a stew and bannock lunch and dinner. Johnson says the details are still being put in stone but the music will be provided by a well-known group in the province.
“We have ‘The Nicely Put Together Band’. They’re a pretty well known Métis band in Alberta.”
Other celebrations will be held in places like Lac La Biche as well as a provincial party in Edmonton. A jigging contest with a $5000 grand prize is also being hosted in each of the regions across the province. The day is completely free to attend.