Vive les Voyageurs in Fort Langley

The Fort Langley National Historic Site hosts a number of events each year including Vive Les Voyageurs which celebrates French-Canadian culture in January.

In 2023 the event took place at the fort on the weekend of January 21st and 22nd. It will likely happen at around the same time again in 2024.

See the official Fort Langley website for details about the event.

Vive Les Voyageurs at Fort Langley

The Fort Langley National Historic Site hosts special events at different times of the year. For example, in the summer, there are Canada Day and Brigade Days celebrations. In the fall, there are Grave Tales Walking Tours, the Fort Langley Cranberry Festival and Douglas Day celebrations. In the winter there is also the Vive Les Voyageurs Festival. It’s an annual French-Canadian cultural event.

Vive Les Voyageurs is a chance for everyone to discover and experience a selection of French-Canadian traditions and activities. The festival is family-friendly and features various things to do.

There are educational and interactive presentations throughout the event. Live music is performed by French-Canadian artists as well. There is also a play area for children. Food is another component of the festival. At the event there is a tasty selection of French-Canadian favourites including poutine and maple taffy.

2023 marked the 12th annual Vive Les Voyageurs Festival. The event ran on Saturday, January 21st, and Sunday, January 22nd. All festivities are held at the Fort Langley National Historic Site located at 23433 Mavis Avenue in the Town of Fort Langley.

Indigenous Elder at Fort Langley

2023 Event Schedule

In 2023 the site opened for the event at 10:00 am and closed at 5:00 pm on both the Saturday and Sunday. The schedule of festivities is below. It was the same on the Saturday and Sunday. (Note: Exact times and details were subject to change.)

10:30 am – Métis Moose Hide Coat Presentation
11:00 am – York Boat and Red River Cart Presentation
11:30 am – Beaver Trapping Techniques
12:00 pm – Spoon and Jig Demonstration
12:30 pm – Live Music with Michael Viens and Rosie Carter
1:00 pm – York Boat and Red River Cart Presentation
1:30 pm – Spoon and Jig Demonstration
2:00 pm – Métis Moose Hide Coat Presentation
2:30 pm – Live Music with Michael Viens and Rosie Carter
3:00 pm – Spoon and Jig Demonstration
3:30 pm – Métis Moose Hide Coat Presentation
4:00 pm – Beaver Trapping Techniques

All of the above workshops, performances and presentations were very interesting. Attendees learned so much about French Canadian culture and what life was like at the fort and for Métis fur traders.

Vive les Voyageurs Presentation in the Theatre

Admission Costs

Full access to the Vive Les Voyageurs Festival is included with general admission to the fort.

Daily prices vary depending on your age. As of early 2023, tickets for adults between the ages of 18 and 64 cost about $8.50 each. Tickets for seniors ages 65 and above cost $7.00 per person. Everyone under the age of 18 can enter for free.

See the official Fort Langley website for full details about the event.

Maple Taffy Shack at Vive les Voyageurs

School Programs

There are special programs available for students of all grades in 2023. Teachers could register their classes to visit the fort during the week before or after the Vive Les Voyageurs Festival. The programs ran between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm on all weekdays from January 16th until the 27th. All levels of French were welcome.

Participating classes were divided into four groups and there were four different stations to rotate through. Students learned all about Métis jigging, rope weaving, canoe voyages and maple taffy.

To learn more about this French Canadian-themed field trip opportunity click Fort Langley School Programs.

Vive les Voyageurs at Fort Langley