TW_Legends & Tales

LEGENDS & TALE S

A writer’s guide to Winnipeg’s most fascinating stories Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | 2024

LEGENDS & TALE S LEGENDS & TALE S

Winnipeg marks its 150 TH ANNIVERSARY

Your Winnipeg STORY GUIDE

Travel media and content creator friends, it’s great to connect! There’s so much that’s new and exciting happening in Winnipeg, as well as on the horizon, and I’m thrilled to share it all with you. Discover new attractions, notable restaurant openings, refreshed hotels and find out how our city is innovating when it comes to sustainable travel.

Whether you’re looking to explore what’s new, find out how Winter-peg embraces its nickname or decoding our unique food lingo, Tourism Winnipeg can help you find the perfect story for your audience and connect you with the right characters to bring it to life.

Join our quarterly travel media e-newsletter list for the latest story ideas. For those interested in visiting our friendly prairie city, please contact me to get the conversation started.

Cover photo courtesy of Dan Harper

Esplanade Riel: Salvador Maniquiz

WINNIPEG

at a glance

Located at the geographic centre of Canada and North America, Winnipeg is Manitoba’s vibrant capital city. Bordered on either side by Ontario to the east and Saskatchewan to the west, Manitoba is considered the gateway to Western Canada and the heart of the nation.

WINNIPE G

The city has more than 6,000 years of history as a result of its significance as an Indigenous meeting place. From the 17th to 19 th centuries, the area flourished as the hub of Canada’s fur trade and then later again as a key site of early railroad development.

With a population of 871,778 culturally diverse people, Winnipeg is a four-season destination with a cosmopolitan flair and warm, welcoming spirit.

Economic Development Winnipeg acknowledges that we are located in Treaty One Territory, the home and traditional lands of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Ininew (Cree), and Dakota peoples, and in the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. Our drinking water comes from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, in Treaty Three Territory.

Calgary

Edmonton Angeles

Las Vegas Minneapolis

Montreal Halifax Ottawa Toronto Saskatoon Regina

Abbotsford Kitchener Hamilton Thunder Bay Rankin Inlet Sanikiluaq

Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq: Maddy Reico Festival du Voyageur: Abby Matheson

WHAT’S NEW | ON THE HORIZON

Michelin-starred chef brings Italian fine dining to Winnipeg’s Castle

The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre launched several new experiences to its roster in 202223 with the addition of Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club, as well as the unveiling of a beautiful renovation of the Oval Room Brasserie (the former Palm Lounge). Fall 2023 saw the addition of Vida Cucina Italia, a partnership between Ida Alba, the owner of the Fort Garry Hotel, and Michelin-starred Italian chef, Rosanna Marziale.

Marizale won a Michelin star in 2013 and is often referred to as “The Queen of Mozzarella,” for her ability to deliciously employ this seemingly simple ingredient in almost anything.

In Vida Cucina Italia’s striking 50-seat upscale Italian eatery, you’ll find Marziale’s Michelin-starred dishes “La Pizza al Contrario” and “Palla di Mozzarella ripiena di Tagliolini”, along with other delights.

It’s all about connections… flight connections

Over the last year, WestJet expanded its flight service out of Winnipeg Richardson International Airport with new, non-stop flight routes to Atlanta (ATL) five times a week and Los Angeles (LAX) on three times a week. With direct routes to the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta, as well as to the bright lights of Hollywood, it’s easier than ever for American and international visitors to explore the heart of Canada!

YWG has also added a brand-new carrier, Porter Airlines, to the flight board. Twice daily flights arrive from Toronto, enabling effortless access to Winnipeg via Toronto for travelers from Eastern cities. In May 2024, Porter is adding non-stop, daily flights to Ottawa.

Maddy Reico Winnipeg Richardson International Airport: Gerry Kopelow

70 years of Rainbow Stage

Top attraction turns ten!

Opened in 2014, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is the first – and only – museum solely dedicated to the evolution, celebration and future of human rights. To mark its ten-year anniversary, Canada’s newest national museum is presenting two fascinating and thought-provoking exhibitions.

Opening early in 2024, Beyond the Beat: Music of Resistance and Change features materials on loan from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, USA; The Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, USA; Canada’s National Music Centre in Calgary and others. Visitors are invited into key moments in history when music played a pivotal role in social transformation and political change.

A threat to their country?, which opens in late 2024, tells the story of the period from the 1950s to the 1990s, when thousands of people in the Canadian military, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and federal civil service saw their careers impeded or terminated because their sexual orientation or gender identity was seen as a threat to national security. The exhibition explores how members of the community resisted this “purge” through legal challenges and political activism that helped to expand legal rights protections for all Canadians.

Canada’s largest and longest-running outdoor theatre, Rainbow Stage, turns 70 in 2024! To celebrate, Rainbow Stage is presenting its first original musical ever, along with a beloved classic.

MA BUHAY! A NEW MUSICAL

June 27 through July 14, 2024

Ma Buhay! is the very first original musical to ever grace Rainbow Stage, plus it’s also Manitoba’s first all-Filipino musical. (Fun fact - Winnipeg boasts the largest Filipino community, per capita, of any other city in Canada!) Set in a reality singing competition, Ma Buhay! has been in development for five years, including sold-out public workshop readings at last year’s Winnipeg Fringe Festival.

MARY POPPINS: THE BROADWAY MUSICAL

August 15 through September 1, 2024

Supercalifragilisticexpialidociousness abounds in this adaptation of the classic 1963 Disney movie and the books by P.L. Travers about everyone’s favourite nanny.

Winnipeg 150

The City of Winnipeg was incorporated on November 8, 1973, with a population of around 2,000 people spread out over five square kilometers (just over three miles). As the first election and first meeting of City Council happened in 1874, 2024 is the official 150 th anniversary of the city.

Throughout the year, expect to see a series of community events and celebrations, making 2024 a banner year to visit. Many existing festivals, events and museums will incorporate the Winnipeg 150 theme: Our shared stories. Our shared future. into this year’s programming.

Mike Peters

Salvador Maniquiz

Kristhine Guerrero

MEET THE NEIGHBOURHOODS

The Exchange District

A National Historic Site that has become a hotbed for creative types and cool stores, The Exchange retains all the charms of its 19th-century beginnings. You’ll find the heart of Winnipeg’s live theatre and concert scene, which includes the jazzy Cube outdoor stage and Pantages Playhouse Theatre. When you stroll along its charming streets you’ll be met with numerous art galleries and design stores, nouveau coffee shops, record stores, pubs, boutiques and an incredible array of restaurants. exchangedistrict.org

Saint-Boniface

Winnipeg’s French Quarter is the heart of the city’s history. Visit Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum and take a trip through Métis and Franco-Manitoban culture. Wander the grounds of St. Boniface Cemetery and Cathedral, the eternal resting place of Manitoba’s founder, Louis Riel. Stroll neighbourhood boutiques and cafes along Provencher Boulevard, then walk over the Esplanade Riel pedestrian bridge to The Forks. provencherbiz.ca

West End

Winnipeg’s West End is alive with the rhythm of many nations and cultures. This ethnically rich neighbourhood is home to a culinary cornucopia of food from countries around the world, specialty grocery stores and live performance venues. Explore the area’s people, history and culture on an award-winning West End BIZ guided mural tour or one of its popular food tours. westendbiz.ca

Kristhine Guerrero Courtesy West End BIZ

Mike Peters

Osborne Village

Just south of downtown, Osborne Village is an invitingly walkable stretch that gives the block a party vibe, especially in summer. Independent fashion boutiques intermingle with some of Winnipeg’s more brilliant restaurants (some with hidden patios) and bars of both the dive and craft cocktail variety. It all makes for a gem of a place to visit, night or day osbornevillage.com

South Osborne

Like its neighbour to the north, the south stretch of Osborne Street is chock full of fantastic casual eateries and used bookstores, along with The Park Theatre, arguably Winnipeg’s busiest venue for live music, film showings and artsy happenings. The neighbourhood boasts one of the city’s most beloved walk-up summertime ice cream spots as well as eclectic restaurants, one of which features a secret cocktail bar hidden behind a shelf of records in a popular tapas spot. southosborne.biz

Corydon Avenue

The spot to be on summer evenings as crowds of people gather to meet, dine al fresco and savour some of the best food and gelati in the city. Once known as Winnipeg’s “Little Italy,” Corydon Avenue now features a wide array of cuisine from regional fare to Japanese to Indian and of course, classic Italian. Whether stopping for a quick espresso or out for a night on the town, Corydon Avenue is sure to delight all of your senses. corydonbiz.com

SERENE STAYS

Winnipeg is home to 7,200 hotel room with more than 21 opening since 2011.

New properties

NEW A new Hampton Inn by Hilton Winnipeg Downtown is set to open mid-March of 2024, located close to Canada Life Centre, the RBC Convention Centre and the Forks.

NEW Also on the horizon is the downtown building conversion that would bring a new boutique hotel to Broadway, just up the street from the Manitoba Legislative Building. With this project, a six-story vacant building will be converted to a 140-room Hyatt Centric Hotel, the first Hyatt Centric brand in Western Canada and only the second in Canada (the other Hyatt Centric is in Montreal).

Unique and recognized properties

The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre is a former Grand Trunk Railway Hotel with more than 100 years of history—and is famous for its haunted residents. The hotel boasts a world-class spa and the recently renovated and rebranded Oval Room Brasserie dining room. YukYuk’s Comedy club is a new addition to the historic hotel.

NEW Winnipeg’s first fine dining Italian restaurant, Vida Cucina Italiana, opened in fall 2023. The innovative menu was created by renowned Michelin-starred Italian Chef, Rosanna Marziale, and is the crown jewel of this historic hotel.

Sparrow Hotels is a local chain encompassing three Winnipeg hotels and three restaurants. Inn at the Forks is an ecofriendly property with stylish rooms; one of the city’s hottest restaurants, SMITH; and Riverstone Spa. The architecturally suave Mere Hotel is located on Waterfront Drive, featuring river views set within a park. Norwood Hotel in Saint-Boniface boasts two stylish new eatery concepts—Pauline’s, a premier brunch spot and comfort food cooked over a wood-fired grill at The Wood Tavern. Managed by Sparrow Hotels, but owned by Long Plain First Nation, Wyndham Garden Winnipeg Airport opened in 2022 and is located on the first Urban Reserve in Winnipeg; the Long Plain Madison Reserve on Treaty 1 territory. The hotel features café, signage and service in Ojibway, Manoomin Restaurant (translates from Ojibway to wild rice), highlighting Indigenous cuisine and local Manitoba Indigenous artwork throughout the hotel.

Brand name hotels include The Fairmont, Radisson, Holiday Inn, Hilton, Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn & Suites, Courtyard by Marriott and more.

Mike Peters

Salvador Maniquiz

The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre: Mike Peters

SIGNATURE ATTRACTIONS

Assiniboine Park & Zoo and The Leaf

This stunning urban park is Winnipeg’s oldest, welcoming visitors for more than 100 years. Bring little ones to its whimsical Nature Playground or stroll through the tranquil Leo Mol Sculpture Garden. Fuel up at Park Café or watch a performance beneath the stars at Lyric Theatre. The awardwinning Arctic species exhibit—Journey to Churchill (also stars in CBC’s Artic Vets tv series) at the zoo allows visitors to not only view Arctic species, but also learn about climate change. assiniboinepark.ca

Opened in December 2022, The Leaf is a $130-millionworld-class attraction that is the first of its kind to tell Canadians’ cultural stories through the world of plants. It features Canada’s largest indoor waterfall and houses four unique indoor plant biomes, including a tropical biome, Mediterranean biome, seasonal display house and butterfly garden. There is also a destination restaurant Gather Craft Kitchen & Bar, which features globally inspired modern Prairie cuisine. It is complimented by Outdoor Gardens offering distinct landscapes and experiences for visitors.

THE FORKS

Stroll the Riverwalk, skate down the trail on the frozen Red and Assiniboine rivers in winter, hop on a guided river cruise, sip craft beer at The Common or on the huge 250-seat licensed outdoor patio and take in 6,000 years of history at Oodena Circle. theforks.com

NEW The Forks Trading Company – Winnipeg’s favourite gift shop – has expanded with a newly designed space for makers, creators and artisans. Here you’ll find five maker booths, hosting a new group of small creative businesses each week.

Salvador Maniquiz

Mike Peters

Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Welcome to the only museum in the world dedicated to human rights education and awareness. Canada’s newest national museum is a stunning architectural icon designed by Antoine Predock. Hundreds of stories – told using the latest technologies, the oldest forms of communication and the power of art—reinforce the importance of rights for all. You can also discover the building’s amazing architecture or learn the seven sacred teachings of the Anishinaabe, Cree and Dakota people on the unique Mikinak-Keya Spirit Tour.

NEW Opened in September 2014, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is marking their ten-year anniversary with two fascinating and thought-provoking exhibitions.

Opening early in 2024, Beyond the Beat: Music of Resistance and Change features materials on loan from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, USA, The Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, USA, Canada’s National Music Centre in Calgary, and others.

A threat to their country?, which opens in late 2024, tells the story of one of the longest running, large-scale violations of human rights in any workforce in Canadian history. humanrights.ca

Winnipeg Art Gallery

The Winnipeg Art Gallery is Canada’s oldest civic art gallery, home to internationally-acclaimed exhibits and more than 27,000 works spanning centuries and media.

View the world’s largest collection of Inuit art, comprising more than 13,000 pieces at Qaumajuq. Upon entering you are greeted by the stunning Visible Vault. A three-story glass vault filled with close to 5,000 Inuit carvings, the Visible Vault features an interactive digital platform where visitors can learn about intergenerational perspectives from Inuit artists, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, storytellers, youth and other community members. wag.ca

Manitoba Museum

The history of the province comes to life inside this stunning museum. Sail aboard the life-sized replica of the “Nonsuch” ketch or stroll the boardwalks of Winnipeg circa 1920. Follow the roots of Canada through the Hudson’s Bay Gallery and travel into the future inside the Science Gallery and Planetarium. The Manitoba Museum has recently refreshed more than 40 per cent of its galleries. The new Prairies Gallery features artifacts and specimens to highlight the diverse geography, plants and animals of the region, while telling the stories of Indigenous Peoples and early settlers. manitobamuseum.ca

Maddy Reico

Salvador Maniquiz

Salvador Maniquiz

TOP FESTIVALS

Manito Ahbee Festival

May 17-20, 2024

Feel the beat of the drums during an international Pow Wow competition at Manito Ahbee. Buy beautiful Indigenous crafts at the marketplace and watch Canada’s Indigenous artists host concerts. manitoahbee.com

Festival du Voyageur

February 16-25, 2024 | February 14-23, 2025

Western Canada’s largest outdoor winter festival channels the spirit of Manitoba’s fur trading past, celebrating the culture, art, food, music and dance of Métis and Franco-Manitoban adventurers. festivalvoyageur.mb.ca

Winnipeg Folk Festival

July 11-14, 2024

Join flower children and beatniks during four days of musical discovery at Bird’s Hill Park. This internationally acclaimed event features more than 70 acts, seven daytime stages, two evening stages, camping and a to-die-for array of local and organic food. winnipegfolkfestival.ca

Ginger Johnson

Dan Harper Maddy Reico

Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival

July 17-28, 2024

Old Market Square bursts with life during North America’s second largest fringe festival, featuring more than 140 local, national and international theatre companies, offering more than 1,000 performances of comedy, drama, improv and dance. winnipegfringe.com

Folklorama

August 4-17, 2024

Experience the energy of the largest and longestrunning multicultural event of its kind in the world. From traditional authentic meals to electrifying performances, Folklorama creates a feast for the senses as you experience 40-plus cultural pavilions. folklorama.ca

OTHER EVENTS & FESTIVALS

Pride Winnipeg Festival

May 24-June 2, 2024

Celebrate the diverse community that supports LGBTQ2 people with a variety of activities. On Sunday, May 31 thousands of people will gather downtown and at The Forks for a Pride Day parade, rally at the Manitoba Legislative Building and the city’s biggest dance party.

Winnipeg International Children’s Festival

June 6-9, 2024

Families head out to The Forks to see zany circus acts, highstrung acrobatics, comic daredevils, pure artistry, absurdity and foolishness, plus musical performances by international artists.

TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival

June 14-22, 2024

The world’s best jazz, blues and urban artists converge on downtown.

Red River Exhibition

June 14-23, 2024

The world’s largest travelling midway features family-friendly attractions, free nightly concerts, Manitoba art, photography and agricultural exhibits.

Nuit Blanche

September 20 - October 13, 2024

Celebrate a free, all-night exploration and celebration of contemporary art as a part of Culture Days. From dusk to dawn you’ll find artists, galleries, cultural organizations and independent curators hosting free events in Saint-Boniface, the Exchange District and downtown.

RAW: Almond

Jan 25 - Feb 18, 2024 | late Jan, early Feb 2025

RAW:almond is a 22-day fine dining festival hosted on the frozen rivers of Winnipeg. World-class chefs gather to create a pop-up restaurant experience like no other.

Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra New Music Festival

Jan 25 - Feb 2, 2024 | Jan/Feb 2025

Composers from around the world perform contemporary takeson classical music.

Salvador Maniquiz

Leif Norman

WINNIPEG STORY IDEAS

The Leaf: Salvador Maniquiz

Journey to Churchill: Mike Peters

Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada: April Carandang Niimaamaa: Mike Peters

INDIGENOUS ROOTS

Winnipeg Indigenous and First People’s roots run deep, dating back thousands of years to when bison hunters flourished on the wide open prairie. Today, the city is home to Canada’s largest per capita urban Indigenous population. From arts to historic attractions and cuisine, there are plenty of ways to explore the city’s Indigenous roots.

Renowned Indigenous Manitoba-founded fashion footwear brand Manitobah Mukluks built its flagship store on the second floor of The Forks Market. They have recently announced their B Corporation™ certification, affirming its commitment to meet the highest standards of social and environmental impact.

Wyndham Garden Winnipeg Airport is a full-service hotel located on the first Urban Reserve in Winnipeg; the Long Plain Madison Reserve located on Treaty 1 territory. The hotel is owned by Long Plain First Nation and is operated by Winnipeg-based Sparrow hotels. It includes Manoomin restaurant (translates to wild rice), where Manitoba ingredients take centre stage. You’ll find numerous dishes highlighting bison, berries, grains, granola, seeds and pickerel on the earthinspired menu, with Executive Chef Jennifer Ballantyne, Opaskwayak Cree Nation (a Red Seal Chef) at the helm.

The Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba (TRCM) opened its Agowiidiwinan Centre. The centre gives visitors the opportunity to learn about treaties through a short tour using visual and interactive tools, showcasing oral history, archival history, and a contemporary understanding of Treaties.

View the world’s largest collections of contemporary Inuit art at the new Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq Inuit art centre, which houses nearly 14,000 pieces. It is home to a stunning three-storey visible vault.

Paying homage to 6,000 years of Indigenous history at The Forks, Oodena Celebration Circle features a sundial, a naked-eye observatory and ceremonial fire pit. The South Point area of The Forks has been officially named Niizhoziibean (phonetically pronounced Nee-zho-zhi-been) to honour the city’s Indigenous heritage and its prominent place alongside the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. The space includes a Wiigiwaam – a traditional lodge amongst the Ojibwe people or Anishinaabe people – as well as benches, tables, grandfather rocks and traditional elements, such as a ceremonial offerings table and a fire pit.

At FortWhyte Alive nature reserve, get a taste of A Prairie Legacy: The Bison and its People Canadian Signature Experience, to discover how the bison shaped the history of Manitoba and lives of the First Peoples.

One of the original Indigenous-owned and operated restaurants in Canada rooted in First Nations cuisine, Feast Café has been hugely successful since opening in 2016, paving the way for an incredible Indigenous culinary scene in Winnipeg. Representing Ojibway and Cree cuisine there’s the city’s first Indigenous-owned hotel, Wyndham Garden Winnipeg Airport, featuring a regionally focused menu at Manoomin. Plus, there’s two pizza joints, Shelley’s Indigenous Bistro and T-Town Style Pizza, along with Métis cafes, Promenade Brasserie and Bistro on Notre Dame doing their own unique takes on breakfast through dinner.

Wander Parks Canada’s Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site, where Treaty No. 1 was signed in 1871—the first of its kind in Canada.

More contemporary Indigenous works can be found at Urban Shaman artist-run centre and traditional art from caribou hair tufting to birch bark biting at Canadian Plains Gallery

Métis leader, and father of the province, Louis Riel plays an integral part in Métis history, and part of his story is presented at Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum and Riel House National Historic Site

Feel the beat of the drums during an international Pow Wow competition at Manito Ahbee. Buy beautiful Indigenous art at the marketplace and watch Canada’s Indigenous artists perform concerts.

Visit Bill Worb Furs , one of the last independent fur and leather houses in Canada, bringing the product of trappers and harvesters of Northern Canada to world markets.

Participate in Indigenous art workshops at Manitoba Museum , as part of the museum’s push towards skills repatriation.

Manitobah Mukluks flagship storet: Maddy Reico

Qaumajuq: Salvador Maniquiz

WINNIPEG STORY IDEAS

Winnipeg Tastemakers

Home to more than 1,100 restaurants, Winnipeg offers a taste for every sensation. Check out some of the city’s leading culinarians who are making an impact in Winnipeg and beyond. For full bios and more information on where to eat, visit tourismwinnipeg.com/eat

1. Christa Bruneau-Guenther

Eatery: Feast Café Bistro

Claim to food fame: Christa is the first in Manitoba to dish up modern fare rooted in First Nations food. Head to this sunny West End café to savour bannock pizza, bison chili and Indian tacos.

2. Mandel Hitzer

Eateries: Deer + Almond, RAW: almond, RAW: Gimli and RAW: Tokyo

Claim to food fame: His restaurant deer + almond is a favourite for local and A-list celebrities, but his biggest claim to fame has been RAW:almond, a pop-up restaurant erected for over three weeks in winter on the frozen Assiniboine River at The Forks.

3. Scott Bagshaw

Eateries: Enoteca, Máquè, Passero/Corto

Claim to food fame: Winnipeg’s resident “bad boy” chef has hit home runs with his three small-plates restaurants, including Enoteca, named one of enRoute Magazine’s Canada’s Best New Restaurants for 2015.

4. Austin Granados

Bakery: Cake-ology

Claim to food fame: Named baking’s golden boy by Skills Canada after his 2015 gold medal win, Austin Granados purchased the notable Exchange District bakery, Cake-ology, in 2021. Having learned from some of the best in the world, including The Four Seasons in Vancouver, the Rosedale Golf Club in Toronto under Bertie Tanaya, New York City’s famed pastry chef Dominique Ansel, as well as a stint in Hong Kong at Michellin-starred VEA, Granados’ take on classic French pastries with an Asian twist, creates combinations that delight.

5. Joseph Chaeban and Zainab Ali

Eatery: Chaeban’s Ice Cream

Claim to food fame: Named Canada’s Best Ice Cream in 2022 by the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, these Lebanese cheese-makers specialize in premium hard ice cream made in house from scratch, with ingredients produced or growns in Manitoba. They also recently launched Chaeban Artisan cheeses.

6. Emily Butcher

Eatery: Nola

Claim to food fame: Chef Emily Butcher, who locals will recognize as the former chef du cuisine at deer + almond and the sixthplace finisher on a past season of Food Network’s Top Chef Canada, offers plenty of nods to her Chinese-Canadian roots with her menu at Nola, a buzzworthy small plates restaurant in Saint Boniface.

DECODING WINNIPEG’S FOOD LINGO

Winnipeggers speak their own food language. Forget fancy food and white linens—this is a chance to savour unpretentious, casual bites that locals have been devouring for years, which you’ll only find in the ‘Peg.

Apple Jack

A local favourite, this apple-filled pastry is sold at Gunn’s Bakery— one of Western Canada’s oldest family-run bakeries.

Fat Boy

Winnipeg is renowned for its mom-and-pop burger shops, and competition often centres around the best fat boy – a burger loaded with all the traditional fixings, then generously smothered in chili.

Goog Special

Head to the institutional Bridge Drive-In (fondly known as BDI) for an upside down blueberry milkshake topped with a hot fudge sundae, bananas and whipped cream.

Jeanne Cakes

This dessert is emblematic of a birthday party in Winnipeg. Jeanne’s Bakery sells these traditional log cakes with shortbread cookie bottoms that have generated many die-hard fans.

Nip

The local chain, Salisbury House, (once part-owned by Guess Who rock ‘n’ roll legend and former resident ‘Pegger Burton Cummings) calls its burger a “nip.” Stop in for a piece of nostalgia and decadent slice of red velvet cake.

Nutty Club

Offering a variety of candy and snack products, they are easily distinguished by the iconic Can-D-Man mascot emblazoned on its packaging.

Old Dutch

This local brand of potato chips is known for the many fun flavours they produce, from Rip-L Au Gratin, to Crispy Bacon, and of course Ketchup.

Russian Mints

These are the prized, top-selling, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate mint creations sold at family business Mordens’ of Winnipeg.

Shmoo

This Winnipeg specialty torte is an angel food cake layered with fluffy whipped cream, nuts and caramel. Baked Expectations is a popular spot for this sweet delight.

WHAT’S BREWING

Craft beer and spirits fans in Winnipeg now have a lot to pour over with a rapidly expanding craft brewery and distillery scene in the last three years. Visit tourismwinnipeg.com/eat-anddrink/breweries-distilleries for the latest updates.

Mike Peters

BDI: Salvador Maniquiz

WINNIPEG STORY IDEAS

URBAN LIFESTYLE & ACTIVE LIVING

Embrace the city’s urban lifestyle attractions from scenic walks to active experiences and spa treatments you won’t find anywhere else.

Spa seekers can unwind at a variety of luxury spas. Get steamy at Ten Spa inside The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre the luxurious hamam treatment combines elements of a traditional Turkish bath with a contemporary twist.

Glo Skin Bar + Dispensary is the latest addition to the offerings at Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre. Glo facials are condensed and targeted with four facials on offer to deliver a specific result: peel; purge; lift; and glo.

Re Sauna is Winnipeg’s first and only infrared sauna studio, where guests can enjoy the health benefits of a private sauna session.

Set outdoors surrounded by nature, the $11-million Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature is inspired by Scandinavian spas and techniques, and uses hot and cold pools, saunas and waterfalls.

Winnipeg’s newest spa Pocca Poca features Ganban-yoku (popular in Japan), which uses rare stones found only in certain areas of the world. They release therapeutic warmth once they are heated in comfortable heated slab beds.

Type Eh Bikes and Kendrick’s Outdoor Adventures are making it easier for tourists to see the city using active transportation. Type Eh is a full-service rental and tour provider offering rentals for every season including kayaks, cruiser bikes, fat tire bikes, snowshoes and

kicksleds. Kendrick’s will get you moving in all four-seasons with e-bikes, canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, paddle boards, fat tire bikes, snowshoes, ice bikes, ice trikes and novelty skating assists.

Rent snowshoes, hike, fish or sail at FortWhyte Alive, a 640-acre nature oasis in the city featuring forest, prairie and wetlands. View an urban herd of 30 bison—North America’s largest land animal.

Cruise through the picturesque Forks area and Assiniboine Park on a bicycle built for two (or more!). Bee-2-Gether Tandem Bike Rentals have tandem, sidecar and buggy bikes available for rent at both sites.

Winnipeg is a golfer’s paradise with 15 public/semi-private golf courses in the city and another 27 courses within 80 kms. There’s also an indoor golf dome where you’ll find a driving range and 18hole miniature golf course.

The Beach Volleyball Centre offers court rentals to play beach volleyball and dodgeball indoors.

Reel in a Manitoba monster channel catfish on a guided excursion with City Cats along the banks of the mighty Red River.

William Au

Glo Skin Bar + Dispensary: Tourism Winnipeg

WINTER WONDERLAND

Winnipeg is a four-season destination but we’re truly famous for how we embrace and celebrate the frostiest of seasons. As snow blankets the city in sparkling white, visitors can take in an authentic winter adventure.

Winnipeg Trails Association has you covered with its Winterpeg website, featuring up-to-date maps showing what trails are groomed, mobile ski libraries, wheelchair skates, by-donation rentals and more. You’ll find the main Winterpeg ski library at The Forks, operating out of one of the antique railcars in the primary parking lot.

Embrace the season with active transportation rentals from Type Eh Bikes (fat tire bikes, snowshoes and kicksleds) and Kendrick’s Outdoor Adventures at the Forks (fat bikes, ice bikes, ice trikes and skating assists) and FortWhyte Alive (fat bikes only).

Other popular ways to keep warm include a hamam treatment at Ten Spa and the thermal cycle of saunas and pools at Thermëa by Nordik by Spa-Nature.

Find your way out of the world’s largest snow maze at A Maze in Corn , where you can also slide down the giant snow mountain, pop into the snow bar and hop on a sleigh ride.

Skate, ski, bike or walk along the Nestawaya River Trail presented by The Winnipeg Foundation, one of the world’s longest skating trails. Dotted along the river trail, stop for photo ops at warming huts that have been created as a part of an annual international design festival. Test out your curling skills at one of the rinks on the river, or play crockicurl, a combination of of crokinole and curling created in 2017 by Public City Architecture.

Festival du Voyageur, Western Canada’s largest outdoor winter celebration, channels the spirit of Manitoba’s fur trading past, celebrating the culture, art, food, music and dance of Métis, Indigenous and Franco-Manitoban adventurers.

Admire Arctic species as they play in the snow in Journey to Churchill at Assiniboine Park Zoo

Rent skis and glide along groomed trails at Windsor Park Nordic Centre

The nature oasis FortWhyte Alive celebrates winter with activities including showshoeing, Nordic walking, cross-country skiing, tobogganing, ice skating and ice fishing.

Held in late January to early February, RAW:almond is a 22-day fine dining festival hosted on the frozen rivers of Winnipeg. World-class chefs gather to create a pop-up restaurant experience like no other.

Nestewaya River Trail: Salvador Maniquiz

FortWhyte Alive: Mike Peters

WINNIPEG STORY IDEAS

FAMILY FUN

Winnipeg is a playground for the young and young at heart, with its interactive experiences, educational attractions, and family-friendly hotels.

Budding pilots can take flight at the stunning new home of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada . With a squadron of pedal planes (available I n the summer months), a kids’ zone for interactive play, hands-on exhibits as well as an observation deck for watching flights take off and land at the neighbouring Richardson International Airport, every plane enthusiast will be flying high after a visit.

Winnipeg’s green gem, Assiniboine Park, is home to the Assiniboine Park Zoo with its specatular, award-winning Journey to Churchill exhibit that educates about Arctic species and climate change. In summer, ride a miniature steam train, stroll lush trails and play in the nature playground.

Aunt Sally’s Farm is the newest attraction at Assiniboine Park Zoo, featuring a barn, barnyard populated with goats, llamas and other domesticated animals, plus colourful playgrounds for little visitors and rainbow bridges for the goats.

Discover an amazing world of critters, put a bird in your hand, or walk along floating boardwalks. There are so many ways to explore the environment at FortWhyte Alive and Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre.

At The Forks, a must-visit is the Children’s Museum with it 12 galleries full of colourful, hands-on fun. For budding thespians, Manitoba Theatre for Young People puts on full-scale productions for little ones to teens. Kids of all abilities can learn about the area’s history at Fort Parka, with free programming offered by Parks Canada.

Take a guided tour and discover where billions of coins are produced each year at the Royal Canadian Mint , where all Canadian coins are made as well as for 80 countries around the world.

For eager minds, head to the Manitoba Museum for interactive and immersive exhibits, including a life-size replica of the Nonsuch ship and 1920s Downtown Winnipeg. Explore the Science Gallery and stargaze at the Planetarium.

Kids climb, crawl and slide at the indoor playgrounds inside Kid City and Hide ‘n’ Seek . Watch them bounce off the walls at the indoor trampoline parks Fun Park Indoor Amusement Centre and Flying Squirrel.

Get into the game with interactive experiences at Activate Games , where players compete in physical and mental challenges similar to an 8-bit video game or take your best shot playing laser tag at Lasertopia .

Add to the family fun by staying at a hotel with water slides and a water park. Canad Inns Destination Centre in Transcona and Windsor Park both feature Splasher’s Pool & Waterslides, a water park with slides, creatively shaped pools, kiddie pools and relaxing hot tubs. Fairfield Inn & Suites has a water park with a slide, fun water features and a hot tub. Holiday Inn Winnipeg – Airport West has a recreation centre which includes a kiddie pool, saltwater indoor pool and three-story Pirates Cove Playland. Travel back in time to the Jurassic period with Dino Beach Pool & Waterslide at Victoria Inn. Incorporating themed murals, life-sized dinosaurs, three slides and waterspouts, this kid-centric pool area provides hours of entertainment.

Aunt Sally’s Farm: Mike Peters Children’s Museum: Kelly Krebs

WINNIPEG BY DESIGN

Winnipeg’s architecture scene is grabbing the attention of the global design community and beyond for its intriguing blend of old and new, with three distinct waves of development: “Chicago-style” influenced turn-of-the-20 th-century architecture, Modernist and today’s “Renaissance” 21st century architecture.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, now an iconic part of the Winnipeg skyline, is celebrating 10 years since opening its doors in 2014. Architect Antoine Predock embedded symbolism within the glass, rock and steel of the entire building, taking visitors on a journey upwards from darkness to light, along softly glowing alabaster walkways. What you see when you look at the building depends upon your perspective.

Winnipeg’s latest addition to its skyline includes the transformational $500-million dollar downtown plaza, True North Square. Here you’ll find Hargrave Street Market, a gorgeous food hall that includes a craft brewery, with office space above and a separate residential tower. In the plaza between the buildings you’ll find different activations year-round, from Salsa Sundays to ice sculptures. Sutton Place Hotels is set to open in 2026 as part of this multi-block development.

The $65-million Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq was designed by US architect Michael Maltzan. Maltzan was inspired by the “light, scale and vastness” of the Arctic landscape when designing this building, while also admitting being “mesmerized by the quality of light in Winnipeg,” which is reflected where the scalloped exterior holds shadows and plays with the sunlight like ice on the tundra.

The Forks is a hive of activity for the world’s hottest architects, who design striking warming huts as a part of an annual, international design competition, which are then displayed along the Nestaweya River Trail. Past invited artists have included Frank Gehry, Étienne Gaboury and Anish Kapoor and designs come from as far away as the Netherlands, Mexico, Estonia, France and Japan.

The Exchange District is a National Historic Site of Canada notable for its astounding collection of turn-of-the-20th century cut-stone and terracotta architecture, as well as the modernist buildings of City Hall and Centennial Concert Hall. Now a thriving dining, shopping and arts and culture district, you’ll frequently find crews in this charming area filming everything from Hallmark to Hollywood movies.

For those who appreciate good architecture with their meals, visit celebrity favourite—the elegantly restored 1912 mansion of 529 Wellington steakhouse.

Stay in a historic property with opulent architecture at The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre, or for more contemporary tastes, check into the Mere or Alt Hotel .

Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature and Park Café at Assiniboine Park took special consideration into creating a calming, seamless environment incorporating the outdoors in their designs.

Winnipeg Design Festival is Manitoba’s largest design event, showcasing the province’s boundary pushers in the fields of fashion, furniture, graphic arts, landscape, architecture, urban planning and more through various activities.

Qaumajuq: Darcy Finley Downtown architecture: Salvador Maniquiz

WINNIPEG STORY IDEAS

Sensational Shopping

From big-box stores and popular brand name retailers to one-of-a-kind treasure troves, Winnipeg’s shopping scene caters to all tastes.

Boho Osborne Village is renowned for its trendy fashion, gift and jewellery boutiques. For posh threads, beauty pampering, and specialty foods, head to Academy Road in the upscale River Heights neighbourhood. The artsy crowd flocks to the Exchange District for local artworks, boutiques and funky vintage shops.

Browse the two-storey Forks Market and Johnston Terminal for global goods and made-in-Manitoba food souvenirs. Newer shops include Coal & Canary, McNally Robinson Booksellers Manitoba Mukluks and Jenna Rae Cakes.

The $200 million Outlet Collection Winnipeg is Central Canada’s only dedicated outlet shopping centre. The 400,000 sq. ft. retail development has 100 retailers featuring six anchor tenants.

The city has a variety of markets offering local produce, food, ceramics, clothing and gifts, including Le Marché St. Norbert Farmers’ Market (open yearround); pop-up events like Third + Bird and Luckygirl Markets; plus night markets held at Outlet Collection Winnipeg, in Chinatown and Assinboine Downs.

HEART OF THE ARTS

Known as the cultural cradle of Canada, Winnipeg’s arts, music and theatre scene is alight with talent and star power. Discover the stunning artists and arts groups— many of Canada’s oldest and most prestigious—that call this city home.

Begin by exploring the historic Exchange District , Winnipeg’s arts and culture hub. Hop around local art galleries, including Mayberry Fine Art , the renowned Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art Gallery and Fleet Galleries

Head downtown to the Winnipeg Art Gallery to view the world’s largest collection of contemporary Inuit art at Qaumajuq . Then, stop by the cutting-edge Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art next door.

In the evening, take in a performance at one of the city’s renowned theatres: Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Le Cercle Moliere (Canada’s longest-running theatre company) or Prairie Theatre Exchange

Watch the graceful steps of Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet , view rehearsals at the downtown studio, or book a group tour for a behindthe-scenes look at the costume closet. For one of Canada’s oldest modern companies, experience the Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers

Music buffs soak in the sounds of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Manitoba Opera or a top-notch musical at Rainbow Stage – Canada’s oldest outdoor musical theatre, celebrating 70 years in 2024.

The city is teeming with live music from local bands filling up all the hip joints, to touring bands that stop by the West End Cultural Centre, to headliners who sellout one of the busiest venues in North America, Canada Life Centre Times Change(d) High and Lonesome Club, Burton Cummings Theatre for Performing Arts, Club Regent and the historic Park Theatre are among the city’s most popular live performance venues.

Kristhine Guerrero

Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra: Matt Duboff

Canadian Signature Experiences

SUSTAINABILITY

Winnipeg is home to a variety of attractions that not only offer memorable experiences, but also prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility .

With almost four million visitors a year, The Forks is Winnipeg’s number one tourist destination. With their Target Zero initiative, The Forks has set a boldly impressive goal of zero garbage, zero water waste and zero carbon emissions. It is leading the way for sustainable and eco-friendly operations with initiatives that include switching heating to a geothermal heat pump system, onsite composting of bio waste from the food hall, a robust recycling program, and using waste vegetable oil from onsite restaurants to power ice clearing and utility vehicles.

The world’s foremost Arctic species exhibit, Journey to Churchill at Assiniboine Park Zoo houses the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre. The scientists and researchers here study polar bear denning, diets and behaviours, all while alerting the public to the climate issues that the bears and other Arctic species face in the ever-heating wild. Its team are such experts that they’ve gone on to star in two seasons of Arctic Vets on CBC Television, and you can often learn in-person from some of them at this state-of-the-art research facility on northern animals and ecosystems. Other initiatives by the Assiniboine Park Conservancy include their onsite Biovator, which converts animal manure from the zoo into compost used by the horticulture team and two electric vehicle charging stations located in the park, plus one in the zoo.

Located within the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, The Leaf, planted with more than 12,000 trees, shrubs and flowers in four separate indoor biomes, is Winnipeg’s newest attraction. The building’s unique spiral pattern was inspired by the Fibonacci sequence and designed for LEED silver certification. The stunning roof is an important part of the building’s eco-system and optimizes solar gain (heat and light), while reducing the need for mechanical systems to control the environment, optimizing building performance and maximizing sustainable building operations.

FortWhyte Alive is all about 'connecting humans with nature.' Located in the south end of the city, this gorgeous area is home to lakes you can traverse on canoe or sailboat; aspen forests brimming with trails for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, skiing and birding; North America’s largest urban bison herd; a farm that specializes in teaching inner city kids about agriculture and countless programs that promote a sustainable future for the region. Its recently remodeled Richardson Interpretive Centre has reduced electricity consumption by 36 per cent with fossil fuel-free geothermal systems that run under the forest, using the land to heat and cool the building.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights contains numerous exhibits that illuminate the connection between human rights and sustainability, posing questions like “how does a healthy environment contribute to human rights?” The building itself is an architectural marvel and a green one at that! A LEED certified building, it captures rainwater for air conditioning and toilets and has a side roof seeded with prairie grasses and plants that are indigenous to Manitoba. The Boutique contains only fair-trade, ethically sourced and eco-conscious items.

The Leaf: Salvador Maniquiz

WINNIPEG STORY IDEAS

Winnipeg Quirky Story Starters

Manitoba’s capital city has a storied past that overflows with characters, anecdotes and happenings that have made Winnipeg one of Canada’s most intriguing and welcoming of cities. Here are a few fun “did you know?” stories to get your creative juices flowing.

Louis Riel

Métis leader Louis Riel was hanged in 1885 for treason after leading the NorthWest Resistance. Today, that opinion has changed and with the passage of The Louis Riel Act on December 7, 2023, Louis Riel has been recognized as the honorary first Premier of Manitoba. His life is commemorated during Louis Riel Day, which is a provincial holiday celebrated annually on the third Monday of February.

Historic park

Upper Fort Garry is Manitoba’s newest provincial park. This former Hudson’s Bay Company fort is the place where Louis Riel formed the Provisional Government, which led to Manitoba entering Confederation as a province. Newly reclaimed, Upper Fort Garry is now an interpretive park with a 440-foot artistic steel wall that tells its story through various mediums. Download the free app and visit the site for a fun new historical interpretation experience.

Winnie the Bear Ghostly Venues

When Harry Colebourn bought a small black bear cub and named it after his hometown of Winnipeg, little did he know that he would be setting the stage for one of the most beloved characters of children’s literature, television, and film to come to life and inspire millions. Winnie the Bear is commemorated in his hometown with a statue at Assiniboine Park, as well as The Pooh Gallery, which houses a collection of artifacts and memorabilia telling the history of that “silly old bear.”

The city’s dark side can be explored on numerous ghost tours and vigils. It is said The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa, and Conference Centre is haunted by a ghostly woman in a ball gown, a phantom diner and a mysterious ghost light that traverses the halls of this Grand Trunk Pacific Hotel. Le Musée de Saint-Boniface Museum is known for its connection to the spirit world where apparitions of children, nuns, nurses, patients and even a feisty voyageur have been known to roam the building’s nooks and crannies. Take a tour or book a reading at Hamilton House, the former home of world-renowned Spiritualist Dr. Thomas Glendenning Hamilton, best known for the thousands of photographs he took during scéances held within the home in the early 1900s. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Homes series, famously attended one Hamilton’s home circles and the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections houses the fonds containing all the records and photographs of the family’s paranormal research.

Courtesy Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre

Tyler Walsh

Salvador Maniquiz

Kristhine Guerrero

Strike!

The Winnipeg General Strike is Canada’s best-known general strike and for a brief period of time in the summer of 1919, it was capturing all the headlines. Labour leaders complained that wages were not high enough, at least 30,000 people were off the job, inflation was high and unionism was inspiring unrest. An art installation in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District commemorates the event, which celebrated 100 years in 2019. The Exchange District BIZ offers Strike! The Walking Tour in the summer months.

Rock History

As the home of Neil Young, Randy Bachman, Terry “Seasons in the Sun” Jack and Burton Cummings, Winnipeg occupies a special place in rock history, but do you know about our rock history? No, that’s not a misprint, we’re known for our stone! Tyndall Stone, a highly fossiliferous limestone dating back 450 million years and mined exclusively in Manitoba, was first used to build the warehouse and walls of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Lower Fort Garry in 1832. The stone can now be found in buildings around the world. In Winnipeg, the stone is widely used in buildings that include the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, City Hall, the Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Union Station, St. Boniface Cathedral, the Manitoba Legislative Building, and more. In 2023, Tyndall Stone was designated a Global Heritage Stone Resource (for context, Carrera Marble, a key material of the Roman Empire, has the same designation). Take a walk through downtown and you’ll easily spot the fossils that are dotted throughout buildings made from this unique stone.

Bond, James Bond

His legacy continues to be celebrated in Winnipeg through a library named for him and life-sized bronze statue near the Manitoba Legislative Building by celebrated artist, Leo Mol, a miniature version of which is displayed within the Atrium Sculpture Hall in CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

CONNECT WITH US

Stay up to date with the latest information by connecting with Tourism Winnipeg

Website & online image gallery

Tourism Winnipeg’s website is your comprehensive guide to Winnipeg from 101 things to see and do in Winnipeg, to top 10 must-sees, to themed culinary trails leading you through the best places to eat. Explore the city virtually by visiting tourismwinnipeg.com. For hi-res images, b-roll, story ideas, the latest press releases, media trip request forms and more, visit tourismwinnipeg.com/media

Newsletter

Find travel story inspiration with Tourism Winnipeg’s quarterly travel media e-newsletter highlighting what’s new in Winnipeg, upcoming events, the latest in lifestyle, meeting and convention, culinary and sport tourism developments and other story pitches catered to travel media. Visit tourismwinnipeg.com/media/contact-us/ enewsletter-signup

Lifestyle guide

Only in the Peg shares the latest event, arts, culture, attraction, shopping, hotel and festival news and reviews to inspire visitation to Winnipeg. Subscribe to onlyinthepeg.com

Culinary guide

Peg City Grub is the city’s premier source for showcasing Winnipeg’s culinary sphere with great imagery and engaging dialogue revealing the latest food trends, new restaurants, hot spots and profiles of local chefs each week. Subscribe to pegcitygrub.com

Socialize with us

Courtesy Travel Manitoba

Karen Allen