Meat bingo draws big crowd in Manitoba community

A tradition for decades, residents of Beausejour spent Louis Riel Day competing for choice cuts of meat. Danton Unger reports.

Be it beef steaks or pork chops, residents in Beausejour spent the afternoon competing for choice cuts of meat. It’s a tradition that goes back to the Second World War.

More than 100 people packed inside the Beausejour Legion on Louis Riel Day for a game of bingo. But it wasn’t just any game of bingo—these folks were competing for meat.

For more than a decade, the area’s local legion has been hosting monthly meat bingo events, raffling off choice cuts of beef, pork and chicken.

Beausejour Mayor Ray Schirle said it’s been a big hit for the community.

“The meat draws always bring out a pile of people. People love coming out and trying to win a little bit of taking home,” he said, noting the meat bingo on Monday was a part of the community’s larger Winter Festival celebrated on Louis Riel Day.

“It’s really good,” he said.

Meat raffles became popular during the Second World War amid the food rations.

Beausejour Legion past president Rick Pearse said given how expensive groceries are right now, he’s not surprised to see how popular meat raffles remain.

“Especially nowadays with the meat prices the way they are,” Pearse said. “They’re quite happy to come and support us, but it supports our Legion and the things that we do.”

Gail Bell was among the winners Monday, taking home some chicken. She said the event is a great way to bring the community together, support the area legion, and, of course, win some meat.

“My husband said, ‘Bring home the beef,’ and I did,’” Bell said with a laugh.