LAC LA BICHE – The rich trapping heritage of the Lac La Biche region was on display during the 2025 Lac La Biche Ice Festival, which took place on March 1 and 2.
The Lac La Biche Trappers Local 1120 had an antique trapper’s tent set up on the ice of Lac La Biche lake. People who stopped by the exhibit could see furs on display, participate in and watch axe throwing, as well as see an old-fashioned 10x16 cabin set up on a trailer that the trappers association brought to the festival for the first time.
While wet conditions on Lac La Biche Lake prompted the cancellation of the festival’s signature ice races and on-ice aircraft fly-in, other events such as the trapper’s display were still a go. To protect the display and people coming to see it, Vic Toutant, president of Lac La Biche Trappers Local 1120, said everything had to be up off the ground.
Organizers with the Lac La Biche Ice Festival provided the use of swamp mats to set up the tent, so that it was off the water.
With winter weather changing frequently from extreme cold to warm temperatures, Toutant said, the Lac La Biche Trappers Local 1120 had to adapt along with it.
“A week ago, Mother Nature tried killing us, and now she’s blessing us with too nice of weather,” he said, with a smile.
The trapper’s display, which has been put on by Lac La Biche Trappers Local 1120 for the past six years is important to have not only because it teaches people about the activity, but also its history and heritage in the Lac La Biche area.
Toutant said members of the Lac La Biche Trappers Local 1120 get some “pretty amazing” reactions from people when they start talking about the history of the fur trade in the region.
“It’s a great way to help people have a better understanding of trapping, and what goes on with it,” he said.
The Trapper’s display attracted curious folks from near and far, including Blair Cebuliak, who made the trip from Edmonton to see the exhibit and the winter festival for the first time.
Cebuliak was very impressed with the Trapper’s display.
“I like it . . . Normally, you don’t have an opportunity of seeing something like this,” he said.
Like many people who are drawn to the long-running community event, Cebuliak was hoping to see the ice races, but understood why they were cancelled.
“I know the warm weather put a little bit of a damper on that, but I’ll take in what I can.”
