by the way
and heritage
are on full display each winter in The Pas. As an
early 20th-century fur-trading hub, the town once
teemed with trappers seeking hefty fees for their
pelts—and lasting glory with boasts of their rugged
life in the wild. The Northern Manitoba Trappers’
Festival has celebrated this spirit since 1916. At first,
the event’s focus was its highly competitive dog sled
race. A number of big races are still run every year, but
NortherN MaNitoba’s ProUD cUltUre
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winter 2016
cAA MAnitOBA
there’s now so much more to see, do and taste: Cheer
as contestants test their frontier skills in traditional
events like trap setting, flour packing and moose
calling; check out award-winning wordworking,
knitting and more at the arts and crafts show; and try
to land a big one in the family ice fishing derby. After,
warm your belly with hearty fare like perogies and
smokies or chili and bannock. This winter’s festival
runs from February 15 to 19, 2017. —Craig Moy
letitiA ferlAnd
Make Tracks to Trappers’ Fest