The seventh annual Louis Riel Day celebration drew another large crowd to Stride Place in Portage la Prairie yesterday.

Manitoba Metis Federation Local Chair Kerri Vandenberg loves how the community's embraced the day.

"And get to experience some of what our history is for the Metis," she says, "So this is one way that we educate some of the community, and the youth, and hope to bring more involvement into our Metis history."

Kim Chipman organized this year's event, and says it's changed since the first one, when they were hampered by a storm.

"So to see it grown from then until the seventh year, it's really been amazing," she says, "We used to just occupy the small multi-purpose spot here at Stride. But now we're in the bigger arena, we're using the atrium for vendors, and we hope to grow year by year."

Portage Mayor Irvine Ferris calls the celebration important.

"Today we celebrate not only Louis Riel, but also the contributions that the Metis people have made to our city, and our community, and also the province," he says, "Those contributions from those folks have been significant."

Here are pictures from the event.