WINNIPEG — Festival du Voyageur kicked off Friday night with the traditional torch light walk from St. Boniface to Whittier Park.

Ally Donnelly sips a Caribou drink from an ice mug during the 51st Festival du Voyageur, Friday night. The St Boniface festival of francophone, Metis and aboriginal culture is western Canada’s longest-running winter festival. (COLIN CORNEAU / CHRISD.CA)

Shayla Loewen (left) and Sydney St. Mars share a kiss during the Yes We Mystic show to open the 51st annual Festival du Voyageur, Friday night. The show was in the new Bell-MTS Red River Tent, the largest venue in the history of the festival, with a capacity of 1,000 people. (COLIN CORNEAU / CHRISD.CA)

Ron Colomy, centre, marches in a candlelight procession to help open the 51st annual Festival du Voyageur, Friday evening on Tache Avenue. Participants walked together from the St. Boniface Cathedral to the festival site in Whittier Park. (COLIN CORNEAU / CHRISD.CA)

Daniel St. Vincent joins other volunteers, guests and participants of the Festival du Voyageur on a candlelight procession to help open the 51st annual Festival, Friday evening. Participants walked together from the St. Boniface Cathedral to the festival site at Whittier Park. (COLIN CORNEAU / CHRISD.CA)

Gabrielle Lisi joins other volunteers, guests and participants of the Festival du Voyageur on a candlelight procession from the St. Boniface Cathedral to Whittier Park, during opening ceremonies for the 51st annual Festival, Friday evening. (COLIN CORNEAU / CHRISD.CA)

The audience forms a circle around a roaring fire during opening ceremonies of the 51st annual Festival du Voyageur, Friday evening in St. Boniface’s Whittier Park. The event is western Canada’s longest-running winter festival. (COLIN CORNEAU / CHRISD.CA)

Yes We Mystic performs at the opening night of the 51st annual Festival du Voyageur, Friday evening at Whittier Park. The festival is western Canada’s longest-running winter festival. (COLIN CORNEAU / CHRISD.CA)

Audience members take to the dance floor during traditional fiddling and jigging music, during the 51st Festival du Voyageur, Friday night. The St Boniface festival of francophone, Metis and indigenous culture is western Canada’s longest-running winter festival. (COLIN CORNEAU / CHRISD.CA)

Clifford Spence sings and drums as aboriginal elders Barb and Clarence Neepinak help open the 51st Festival du Voyageur, Friday night. (COLIN CORNEAU / CHRISD.CA)
The 10-day event is western Canada’s largest outdoor winter festival and runs until February 23.