Across Manitoba today, Louis Riel Day is being marked with reflection and celebration recognizing the Métis leader’s role in the creation of the province. More than 150 years after the Red River Resistance, Riel’s legacy continues to shape how Manitoba understands its history and identity.
Riel helped negotiate Manitoba’s entry into Confederation in 1870, leading a provisional government at Red River. He was later executed in 1885 after leading two resistances but is now widely recognized as the founder of Manitoba.
In Winnipeg, that legacy is being celebrated at The Forks, which formally partnered with the Manitoba Métis Federation.
The site hosted a full day of programming, including Métis artisan vendors, traditional jigging, cultural displays and a number of activities teaching children about fur trade history and language.
“The Forks has been a meeting place for thousands of years, so it is really important to celebrate where we came from and where we are going, and continue to invite people here to learn more and celebrate,” said Tineke Buiskool-Leeuwma, communications and marketing advisor at The Forks.
People celebrating Louis Riel Day at The Forks, Winnipeg on Feb. 16, 2026 (Mitchell Ringos, CityNews)
People celebrating Louis Riel Day at The Forks, Winnipeg on Feb. 16, 2026 (Mitchell Ringos, CityNews)
Winnipegger Claudette Delorme said, “I come here today to be a part of the laughs, the fun and maybe learn something new.”
“I think it reconnects me back to where our people came from,” Delorme added.
Another Winnipegger Loraine Kehler, who was also celebrating at The Forks, said, “we lost our heritage and growing up in care we lost everything, so I am learning everything about Metis and being proud of me and I don’t have to be afraid to go anywhere.”
Métis musicians performing on Louis Riel Day at The Forks, Winnipeg on Feb. 16, 2026 (Mitchell Ringos, CityNews)
For Métis musicians Michael Audette and Troy Flamand, performing on Louis Riel Day is deeply personal. Fiddle music has long been at the heart of Métis culture, passed down through generations and playing on Louis Riel Day is a way to carry that tradition forward.
“I can keep playing the same fiddle, this is Grandpa’s fiddle and grandpa’s attire I wear, he is very proud we keep up the Metis traditions and Louis Riel Day what better day to celebrate that,” said Audette.
And performing at The Forks, a historic gathering place with deep ties to the fur trade and Red River Métis history, makes the moment even more meaningful.
“There was always a beautiful culture here, we’ve seen many musicians busking or sharing their gifts with atmosphere and to be involved what the MMF has partnered with is super special,” Flamand said.