1. Celebrate multiculturalism during
Folklorama,
where you can check out authentic cuisine, cultural displays and live
entertainment at 40-plus pavilions representing cultures from around the
globe (August 4-17).
2. Snap photos of waterfowl afloat in the expanded duck pond at
Assiniboine Park.
3. Sit at communal tables while chowing down on vegan burgers at
Boon Burger.
4. Take in concerts at
MTS Centre, featuring mega music stars such as Fleetwood Mac and Carrie Underwood (May 12 & 15).
5. Plan a date with lady luck and try your hand at poker, VLTs, keno and more at
McPhillips Station Casino and
Club Regent Casino.
6. Watch history come to life in the St. Boniface Cemetery during a
Theatre in the Cemetery performance, and learn about French Canadian and Métis heritage.
7. Sip wines from the featured New Zealand region and from around the world at the
Winnipeg Wine Festival’s public tasting on May 3 & 4 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre.
8. Explore a Plains Cree Tipi and Pioneer Sod House at
FortWhyte Alive.
9. Head to
Carnaval Brazilian BBQ—Winnipeg’s only churrascaria offering an authentic dining experience.
10. Cheer on the CFL’s
Winnipeg Blue Bombers as they play at their new home, Investors Group Field.
11. The
Winnipeg Art Gallery’s
100th anniversary culminates in the historic show 100 Masters: Only in
Canada, where 100 masterworks borrowed from 28 museums in Canada and two
in the United States are presented (May 11-August 18)
12. Relax with appetizers, friends and cold drinks on one of the many
patios found in Winnipeg’s unique neighbourhoods, including
The Forks and
Osborne Village.
13. Ride the Ferris wheel and more than a dozen other kid-sized rides at
Tinkertown children’s amusement park.
14. Chuckle at top comedians as they perform their funniest material at the
Winnipeg Comedy Festival (April 8-14).
15. Join in the festivities during Pride Winnipeg’s
2013 Pride Festival, featuring a parade, rally and live entertainment at The Forks to celebrate Winnipeg’s LGBTTQ community (May 24-June 2).
16. Sing along to the popular musicals The Buddy Holly Story (June
11-July 4) and Mary Poppins (August 9-29) performed under the dome of
Rainbow Stage in Kildonan Park.
17. View the city’s sights and get historical commentary while cruising down the Assiniboine and Red rivers on a
Splash Dash River Boat Tour.
18. Drive up to the
Whistle Pig Drive-Inn in Transcona for a comfort food feast of hamburgers, hot dogs, battered mushrooms and breaded dill pickle spears.
19. Unleash your inner thespian as you take in plays at venues around the Exchange District during the
Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival (July 17-28).
20. Hop aboard the
M.S. River Rouge or the
Paddlewheel River Boats for a leisurely dinner cruise down the Red River.
21. Climb and zipline down a challenging ropes course, or try cable wakeboarding at
Adrenaline Adventures.
22. Chill out to the sounds of soulful jazz and blues performances taking place during the
TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival (June 13-22).
23. Taste the flavours of Mexico at one of the many new Mexican restaurants in Winnipeg, including
Burrito Splendido,
Modern Taco Company and
Taco del Mar.
24. Stroll along the peaceful Riverwalk at
The Forks for picture perfect views of the city’s landscape.
25. Improve birding knowledge while watching
Oak Hammock Marsh’s resident naturalist identify and band birds.
26. Chow down on BBQ, watch pitmasters battle in a Kansas City Barbecue
Society-sanctioned competition, and groove to blues at the Winnipeg BBQ
& Blues Festival held at Red River Exhibition Park (Aug 16-18).
27. Bring the family to watch the
Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball team step up to the plate at Shaw Park.
28. Browse local farmers’ markets, such as ones in
St. Norbert, Wolseley and
Red River Exhibition Park, for local produce, meat, baked goods and crafts.
29. Relive the days of the Roman Empire with a performance of Julius
Caesar at the Trappist Monastery Provincial Heritage Park by
Shakespeare in the Ruins (June 5 - 29).
30. Get swept up in fast-paced stock car and pro-racing excitement at
Red River Co-op Speedway race track.
31. Learn the fascinating history and wild stories of the city’s past
aboard a heritage trolley on a “Heart of the Nation” city tour offered
by
Winnipeg Trolley Company.
32. Sneak a peek into the city’s grandest buildings both new and old,
including City Hall, Grant’s Old Mill and Millenium Centre, during
Doors Open Winnipeg (May 25 & 26).
33. Unwind at Winnipeg’s newest retreat this summer,
Nordik-Spa Nature, where Nordic baths offer a complete relaxation experience in nature (opening in summer)
34. Munch on popcorn and sip martinis while watching a flick in the comfort of cushy seats at the new
Cineplex Odeon 18+ VIP Cinemas on McGillivray Boulevard.
35. Meet
Assiniboine Park Zoo’s newest residents—Hudson the polar bear and a seasonal display of red kangaroos, emus and African black-footed penguins.
36. Pop over to Two Rivers gift shop at
The Forks to pick up souvenir postcards, apparel, magnets and candles as a memento of your visit.
37. Shop till you drop at Canada’s newest
IKEA location for stylish home decor, kitchen gadgets, trendy furniture and more.
38. Admire the accomplishments of and memorabilia from the province’s
top athletes, such as Clara Hughes, Cindy Klassen and Bobby Hull, at the
recently reopened
Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame.
39. Let the kids run around and learn about Manitoba’s history at the
Variety Heritage Adventure Park, an interactive playground at The Forks where history meets play for children of all abilities.
40. Pull up a provided chair and join the downtown lunch crowd at Air
Canada Park for free concerts starring local musicians during the “
Out to Lunch Concert Series,” held at noon on Wednesdays in June, July and August.
41. Check out the Celebration Village at The Forks for unique food, authentic art and live entertainment as part of
Aboriginal Day Live & Celebration (June 22).
42. Spend a beautiful summer evening at the
Winnipeg Art Gallery
for its “Live on the Rooftop” concert series, featuring a range of
music genres performed by local musicians (June 20, July 5, August 8,
15, 29).
43. Zoom down waterslides for all ages, splash around on bumper boats and play mini golf at
Fun Mountain Water Slide Park in summer.
44. Share appetizers from mussels to fries to pulled pork nachos inside the grandeur of
The MET, a newly restored historic theatre.
45. Catch free quality entertainment for every taste and age at
Lyric Theatre in Assiniboine Park—events include Ballet in the Park, Movies in the Park, and jazz, symphony and opera performances.
46. Take a guided outdoor “Rights All Around Us” tour of the site at the
Canadian Museum for Human Rights, where you will learn about this iconic building and more.
47. Show your little ones a great time at
Kidsfest,
where they can get their faces painted, enjoy hands-on activities and
watch talented children’s entertainers perform (June 6-9).
48. Customize burgers and hot dogs with a variety of toppings at popular chain
Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
49. Roll up for the
Magical Musical History Tour, where local music historian and author John Einarson covers the city’s illustrious rock ‘n’ roll history on a guided bus tour.
50. Discover the history of The Forks at the
Wall Through Time,
a graphic retelling of historic events in the area, and the Oodena
Celebration Circle, a natural, shallow amphitheatre that pays homage to
the 6,000 years of aboriginal people here.
51. Bust out your skateboard or BMX and ride at Canada’s best and largest urban skate park and bowl complex, the
Skateboard Plaza at The Forks.
52. Tuck into perfectly baked empanadas and pizzas inspired by Argentina at
Corrientes Argentine Pizzeria.
53. Stargaze while taking in a show at the
Planetarium, where the projection system has been upgraded to offer high resolution, full-dome video playback.
54. Check up on the health of your little one’s favourite stuffed
animal and participate in family-friendly fun at the 27th annual
Teddy Bears’ Picnic at Assiniboine Park (May 26).
55. Practice batting skills in the batting cages at
Grand Prix Amusements.
56. Slither down slides, crawl through willow tree tunnels and swing on basket swings at the
Nature Playground located inside Assiniboine Park.
57. Swig back a freshly pulled pint while watching a hot ticket sports game inside the bustling new pub
Fox & Fiddle.
58. Leave a handprint on the pin screen inside Mellow Marsh at the
Children’s Museum.
59. Lick sticky sweet sauce off your fingers after devouring tender barbeque ribs at new restaurants
Woody’s Bar-B-Q,
Famous Dave’s and
Danny’s BBQ & Smokehouse.
60. Dance to the pounding beats of cutting-edge electronic music played by top DJs during the
Manitoba Electronic Music Exhibition (MEME) (August 15-18).
61. Cast your line into the Red or Assiniboine rivers for channel catfish.
62. Grab a bite to eat from burgers to breakfast inside Assiniboine Park’s newest restaurant,
Park Cafe, housed in
Qualico Family Centre.
63. Purchase authentic aboriginal art, crafts, clothing and jewellery
at the Indigenous Marketplace and Trade Show taking place during
Manito Ahbee (Aug 16-21).
64. Hike along the city’s trails with Winnipeg’s premier walking group,
Prairie Pathfinders.
65. Sample the culinary creations of the city’s budding chefs and hospitality students at
Jane’s restaurant, the new eatery at Red River College’s Paterson GlobalFoods Institute.
66. Gather a group for a night of entertaining dinner theatre featuring familiar songs and comedy at
Celebrations.
67. Aim for a hole-in-one while putting amongst vibrantly coloured dinosaurs and sea creatures at
U-Puttz Black Light Mini Golf.
68. Don your flashiest threads for a night on the dance floor at LGBTTQ-friendly night clubs
Club 200 and
Fame.
69. Travel back in time and discover what Winnipeg was like in the roaring ‘20s at
The Manitoba Museum.
70. Photograph city icons, such as the
Esplanade Riel and
Canadian Museum for Human Rights, while meandering through The Forks.
71. Eat at buzzworthy restaurants and shop at funky boutiques packed into
Osborne Village, which was recently named Canada’s Greatest Neighbourhood by the Canadian Institute of Planners.
72. Browse the
Exchange District’s numerous galleries for works by talented local and Canadian artists.
73. Admire marvellous statues created by master sculptor Leo Mol in the tranquil
Leo Mol Sculpture Garden.
74. Lay out an evening picnic and watch a flick in the great outdoors during “
Movies on Memorial,” a free weekly family-friendly movie-screening series held in Memorial Park (August 6, 13, 20, 27).
75. Bite into a trendy Japa Dog covered in unique toppings from wakame to pickled daikon to sweet mayo at
Blufish.
76. Embrace your inner flower child while watching top folk musicians sing and strum at the 40th edition of the
Winnipeg Folk Festival at Birds Hill Provincial Park (July 10-14).
77. Crack the numerological codes and freemasonic symbols inside the Manitoba Legislative Building while on a
Hermetic Code Tour.
78. People-watch from the packed patios lining
Corydon Avenue.
79. See how money is made at the
Royal Canadian Mint.
80. Scream yourself hoarse as you cheer on racing thoroughbreds at
Assiniboia Downs.
81. Stroll down Corydon Avenue with a cup of creamy dulce de leche gelato from
Eva’s Gelato.
82. Ditch the diet for a creamy cool summer treat from ice cream shops
Sub Zero,
Omand’s Creek Ice Cream,
Banana Boat and
Sweet Tops.
83. Hunt for one-of-a-kind antiques at boutiques, such as
Antiques & Funk, in the Exchange District.
84. Make plans for lunch on Broadway, where street food vendors line
the road dishing up everything from waffles to poutine to Pinoy
barbeque.
85. Pick up flirty sundresses at independent shops, such as
Paperdoll Clothing,
Loka and
Mad About Style.
86. Work on your swing at one of the city’s unique golf courses, including
Crescent Drive and
Windsor Park.
87. Paddle a canoe down the swiftly moving Red or Assiniboine rivers.
88. Race your friends to the finish line of a go-kart track at
Thunder Rapids Fun Park.
89. Rollerblade along trails in one of the city’s many parks, such as
St. Vital Park or
Kildonan Park.
90. Pack a picnic and celebrate Canada’s birthday with family
activities and fireworks at Assiniboine Park’s Canad Day Picnic in the
Park (July 1).
91. Win prizes at the midway or fly high in the sky on rides at the annual
Red River Exhibition (June 14-23).
92. Hit all the major city sites, including Assiniboine Park, The Forks and St. Boniface Basilica on a
Winnipeg City Tour offered three times a week by O Tours.
93. Spot a flying saucer, fly a plane and conquer the wind at the kid-friendly Skyways gallery at the
Western Canada Aviation Museum.
94. Track down hidden geocaches scattered throughout St. Boniface using rented
GPS technology from Tourisme Riel.
95. Pass by a plethora of colourful murals in Winnipeg’s West End neighbourhood on a
West End BIZ Mural Walking Tour.
96. Participate in a prairie planting workshop at
Living Prairie Museum, where you’ll learn about prairie plants and receive supplies to grow them (April 3, 7, 11, 13 and May 1).
97. Tour the city’s dark side with a
Haunted Winnipeg Bus Tour that takes you to local haunted spots.
98. Bounce, climb and run around the 8,500 sq. ft. indoor three level play structure at
Kid City.
99. Go for a railroad adventure to Grosse Isle aboard the
Prairie Dog Central Railway, one of the oldest regularly scheduled vintage operating trains in North America.
100. Smell beautiful blooms and pick up gardening supplies at
Shelmerdine Garden Centre.
101. Listen to a plethora of buskers at The Forks Market as they audition for a 2013 busk pass during the annual
Buskers Festival (May 3 & 4)
