Winnipeg
Photo Credit: Assiniboine Park.
Hurray!!! Summer is here! Time for fun and frolic! Here is a list of 50+ things you can enjoy this summer in and around Winnipeg. And the best of all, they are FREE!!!
- Head to the Odena Celebration Circle and enjoy the traditional dance and the drum beats at the Tribal Villages PowWows.
- Enjoy the first days of Summer at the “Saint-Boniface célèbre” festival. June 21 – 29, 2019
- Enjoy free admission (with a donation to the Red River Exhibition Foundation) from 11:00 am to Noon ONLY to Red River Ex on Sunday, June 16 & 23, 2019. A free pancake & sausage breakfast will be served from 11:00 am to Noon ONLY (while supplies last). Kids under 10 years old can purchase a wristband at the Park to ride all they want on Sunday, June 23 (ONLY) for only $18 includes GST. Good for Kiddieland rides ONLY.
- Walk The Loop. It is an 8 km long walk with 49 stops connecting the city’s central neighbourhoods.
- Enjoy traditional stroytelling and games, great food, Pow Pow and more at the Indigenous Day Live. Enjoy the day as The Forks bursts with the sounds of some of the most recognized entertainers in Indigenous music and television on Saturday, June 22, 2019.
- Every Tuesday in June, July and August, enjoy a free concert from a local artist on terrace at Cityplace from Noon – 1:00 PM during the Downtown Concert Series.
- When it gets scorching hot outside, you know its time to take a dip in the pool.
- Have you taken the kids to this mystic magical place that are the home of the elves? The rock gardens at the Viking Park, built around the famous Viking statue, in Gimli are home to the mysterious Huldufólk. According to Icelandic folklore these hidden people, live outdoors in rocky caves and nooks. Take a walk through the park and see if you can catch a sight.
- See some of the world’s best contemporary art works at the Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art.
- Sing Happy Birthday, Canada! There are lots of activities to enjoy this year.
- Enjoy a fun and free community celebration presented by Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries featuring Winnipeg’s top musicians. An array of music celebrating the summer plus Grieg’s classic is accompanied by video animations from Art City, highlighting its tentative opening and frenzied finish. Tickets are free but require advance reservations. Thursday, June 27, 2019
- Winnipeg Fish Festival is here again! This event promises a great time for the whole family including the “how to’s” of fishing, where to fish and how to handle your catch will be some of the seminars offered during the day as well as activities for children of all ages. Saturday July 20, 2019 @ The Forks
- Join for traditional drumming, dancing, singing, storytelling, artisans and more at the Oodena Celebration Circle. June 21, 27, July 1, 20, August 5, 17 & September 2, 2019. Founding Nations Pow Wow
- Attend the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival held from July 17 to 28. The Old Market Square brims with entertainment and activity from noon to midnight every day as it comes alive with incredible music, talented street performers, a variety of food options, beverage pavilions and merchant vendors.
- Early August, ‘Gather as Family’ to celebrate Icelandic culture, heritage, and the joy of Islendingadagurinn. Walk around the Viking Village, enjoy icelandic food and everything Viking during August 2 – 5, 2019.
- Its time for Winnipeg Beach’s Boardwalk Days (July 26 – 28, 2019). You and your kids will have a wonderful time enjoying the live band, the parade and of course, the amazing fireworks display. Fireworks on July 27th at dusk. The midway rides are ticketed.
- Hear the story of The Forks during Oral History Walking Tour. This free 90-minute walking tour is held every Wednesdays in July and is led by two Aboriginal Elders.
- Get a trails’ eye view of Winnipeg. Select from over 30 detailed trails created by Winnipeg Trails Association and the Prairie Pathfinders.
- Petting zoo, Bounce-a-rama, giant parade, face painting are just a few things for kids to enjoy at Altona’s Manitoba Sunflower Festival on July 26 – 28, 2019
- Watch free movies under the stars at Memorial Park every Tuesday in August!
- Enjoy magic shows, live animal displays, safari show, petting zoo, games, obstacle course, and other fun activities at the Winkler Harvest Festival on August 9 – 11, 2019. Headliners: The Bruno Mars Experience, Madeline Merlo, Switchfoot.
- Embark on a journey through Manitoba’s electrical history.
- Attend a free fitness class. These classes are offered daily on weekends from June – August during the noon hour at Memorial Park, Millennium Library Park and Upper Fort Garry. Fitness in the Park
- Get books from the Winnipeg Public Library and read all summer. There are programs for everyone.
- Enjoy free family fun and be entertained at the Summer Entertainment Series at the Assiniboine Park. From movies to live concerts, there is something for every member of the family. June 21 – August 29, 2019
- Fridays in August are movie nights. Movies in the Park screens two free movies every night at the Lyric Theatre.
- Walk amongst Canada’s oldest collection of stone fur trade buildings to experience life of the trappers and traders of the Hudson’s Bay Company at Lower Fort Garry as they lived in the 1850s. Explore the history surrounding the making of Treaty No. 1. In 1871, representatives of the Crown, Anishinaabe, and Muskegon Cree peoples made a commitment to each other with the first of the numbered treaties in western Canada. Join in the Commemoration of Treaty No. 1 on August 3, 2019 (Free admission day).
- Head to Assiniboia Downs for a day of family fun events. There are a whole range of activities including Bouncy castles, face painting, petting farm,pony rides to keep your kids entertained. June 16, August 5, September 2 & 8, 2019
- Walk or Cycle to FortWhyte to gain free admission as part of their ongoing promotion to encourage healthy and climate-friendly living.
- Discover Manitoba’s Ukrainian heritage.
- Celebrate the 13th Annual Monarch Butterfly Festival on Sunday, July 21th. Enjoy presentations by local scientists, crafts, guided hikes, face painting, exhibits, live butterflies, and more!
- Take a Hike . . . on 37 km of Lac du Bonnet Trails.
- Explore magnificently landscaped grounds of the Manitoba Legislative Building. Try to decipher the hidden meaning behind the various displays and statues.
- Enjoy free Brewery Tours most Saturdays at Half Pints Brewing Co. at 1:00 PM.
- This year, La Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Canada’s annual French celebration, will take place on June 24, 2019, from 10 am to 2 pm, in Whittier Park. Several games and activities for children aged 2-10 will take place throughout the day.
- Have a fun day with your family in a park in Winnipeg.
- Put on your dancing shoes and join us every Friday and Saturday evening on Corydon Avenue and dance under the stars! Fridays & Saturdays, June 21 – August 31, 2019
- Have you enjoyed Cool Gardens yet? This public exhibition of contemporary garden and art installations intends to mirror the internationally acclaimed Winnipeg Warming Huts Program. Cool Gardens takes place annually from July until the end of September at The Forks to Provencher Boulevard, and Upper Fort Garry Provincial Park.
- Come explore Winnipeg by bike! Bike Winnipeg offers a number of guided bike tours (1.5 – 3 hour). These tours will be interpreted by lively and knowledgeable experts and guided through the city by ride marshals. A mix of free and paid rides are offered, however all rides require registration.
- Learn the skills your Grandma knew at the Farmer’s Festival . Dates TBA
- Join us for a fun dat at Coronation Park. Featuring activities, artisans, food and great music! Bring a lawn chair and your dancing shoes! June 29, 2019 | 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM. The Grove Saint Boniface Célèbre Festival
- Spend a day at the Assiniboine Park. Admire stunning works of art, relax as your child enjoys the playgrounds or take a stroll through the various gardens.
- Spend the first Fridays at the Exchange. It’s full-on creativity where Galleries, artists, shops & restaurants welcome your visit on the 1st Friday of each month.
- Splash at one of the Wading Pools. They are free for Kids 12 and under.
- Free admission to Provincial Parks on Canada’s Parks Day on July 19 – 21, 2019. Also enjoy free entry during September long weekend August 30 – September 2. Please note that camping fees still apply.
- Enjoy a day at The Forks.
- On August 31st, enjoy free shoreline fishing derby along the Assiniboine River walkway. Registration is free; however donations may be made to Marymound School and Never Alone Foundation.
- Explore Manitoba’s largest open-air market – St. Norbert Farmers’ Market.
- Stretch out in the Transcona Centennial Square with our Free Yoga in the Square! April Baker, a registered Yoga Instructor from East End Community Club, will be leading the one-hour yoga lessons.
- Drop-in your Kids at the Summer Programs at the Transcona Museum. Drop-In programmes run Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in July and August.
- From August 31 to September 1 explore and celebrate Winnipeg’s gastronomic diversity at the Food Trip Fest & Fair.
- Have fun throughout the day at the Portage Potato Fest. The event takes place every year on the second weekend in August. Don’t miss one of the most popular features of the event – FREE French Fries! August 9 & 10.
- Children love folk music too! There’s no time like the present to get our wee folk in the festival spirit! Local family performers will have little ones singing, dancing, and learning, all while having fun. Folk For Families concerts are free and take place on Saturday afternoons at 2:00 PM.
- Visit the Winnipeg Police Museum.
- Explore the Winnipeg Night Market. Open on the last Friday of June, July and August.
- If hot, buttered, Corn-on-the-Cob and the sweetest apple juice makes your mouth water, then its time to take a 90-minute drive to the Morden Corn and Apple Festival held during August 23 – 25, 2019. There are also tons of free entertainment, activities, buskers, parade to enjoy.
- Canadian Museum for Human Rights is free on the 1st Wednesday of every month from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The Level 1 Gallery is closed to visitors on free nights.
- Attend a free Zumba class on Wednesdays at the Kildonan Place.
- There are many activities to celebrate at downtown Winnipeg’s biggest street Festival, ManyFest on September 6 – 8, 2019.
- Have you been to the Public Orchard at The Forks? The orchard contains 61 fruit trees including apple, apricot, cherry, pear and plum, and as many as 75 fruit bearing shrubs.
Photo Credit: The Forks
- Every year the Winnipeg Arts Council offers a diverse slate of Public Art Tours. The summer will be packed with walking and cycling tours all over Winnipeg. Public art tours are for people of all ages and abilities.
- Enjoy a two-hour concert on the Archambault Pavilion Stage at Transcona Centennial Square. Fridays, June 21 – July 12, 2019 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Captain Marvel, Bohemian Rhapsody, Incredibles 2, Casablanca are but few of the movies showing this year at the Transcona Centennial Square.
- Head to Living Prairie Museum on Thursdays, July 11th to August 22nd, 10:00 to 11:00 AM for Thursday Theme Days, which includes a presentation and activity. Suitable for ages 5 – 11.
- Enjoy free family activities and workshops at Cabela’s from June 23 – July 22.
- WSO will be popping up throughout the city for surprise weekend performances during Symphony in the City.