It was a packed house for the Portage Regional Recreation Authority's fifth annual Louis Riel Day celebration Sunday at Stride Place.

There were many different types of entertainment throughout the day including Johnny Dietrich, Troy Flamand, the Nash Brothers dance troupe, and Melissa St. Goddard.

"This is the fifth time the PRRA's done this special event here in Portage to celebrate Louis Riel Day, and this is by far the best one," boasts Ian Wishart, MLA for Portage la Prairie. "A really good crowd, great music, and a lot of cultural events that are special to the Metis. I'm really glad to see it as successful as it is, really impressed."

Flamand on stage performing for the Louis Riel Celebration at Stride Pace Feb. 20, 2017. (Photo by Aaron Wilgosh)

"There's no better feeling than playing for a hometown crowd," says Portage musician Troy Flamand. "Especially when you have such a great turnout for an event like this. There's a lot of my family here, and familiar faces. The (PRRA) put on a real good event and when I was asked to perform I jumped at the chance."

There was also a free skate, hay rides, and a few other activities for anyone who stopped by.