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Organizers, vendors, entertainers delighted with support for ManyFest

By: Katherine Dow

Posted: 09/9/2012 10:00 AM | Comments: 0

A crowd fills the street with light at ManyFest 2011. (JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Photo Store

THROUGH howling winds and overcast skies, more than 1,000 Winnipeggers still managed to flood Broadway on Saturday for the second-annual ManyFest, a community street party boasting free entertainment, an outdoor wine fest, a farmers and artisans market and a dance party.

Stefano Grande, executive director of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, said he’s not surprised by the support the festival garnered from its many attendees, sponsors and vendors.

"It’s one of those events that seems to be growing organically. The flavour of ManyFest is all about the community, art and culture and active living," Grande said. "Despite the weather last night, it was probably one of the best Friday attendances that we’ve had. I’d say there were roughly 600 or 700 people showed up to our Wine Fest and our Movie on Memorial," Grande said.

On Saturday, K.S. Cho Taekwondo College hosted a festival demonstration showcasing some of their students and giving instruction to anyone interested in learning more.

Cameron Teichroew, 6, who has been learning taekwondo at the college for about a year, was putting his skills on display as he attempted to break a wood block apart with a single kick.

"I couldn’t do it," he said afterwards, blushing slightly. "But I will someday." Agatha Wiebe also got a moment in the Many-Fest spotlight. Wiebe performed with the T.J.

Square Dance Club in front of the Memorial Stage. Clad in a full, hot pink chrinolin circle skirt and a white blouse, Wiebe busted her best moves along with about 12 other seniors.

"It was really fun. We performed here last year and obviously it was a bigger-sized crowd because of the weather, but it really is so much fun for us to perform for such a big audience," Wiebe said.

Lori Hopkins, a vendor of vintage clothing that tours outdoor festivals in Winnipeg, had a booth at the festival both last year and this year.

Hopkins said she returned to the event because it draws a nice crowd with a good appreciation for vintage clothing.

"The start today with the wind is a little tough.

But it will get going. The people are already out and wandering around. I know it can be tough for people when they’re closing down roads. But I just think that we do so much indoors and our winters are so long, I just think outdoor festivals are important and also it’s great to get people downtown," Hopkins said.

Today, ManyFest will host some hopefully better weather and a score of events that promotes active living. Back again this year is Ciclovia, which shuts down the north side of Broadway from Osborne to Main Street, in order to show a vision of a car-free city.

But not all cars will be banned from the festival this afternoon.

The soapbox cars were already on display Saturday afternoon in promotion for today’s derby the proceeds of which go to Ace Art.

"I’m thinking the rat is the front-runner," said Andrew Moreau, a director on Ace Art’s board.

He was referring to the car nicknamed Rat Fink, named after the popular ’60s British cartoon of the same name. The one-seater car is decorated as an ode to the vermin, with the head of the car decorated with bulbous eyes, a pointed nose, fur and whiskers.

"I don’t like to be overly confident, myself. But other members of the team have been trash-talking some other teams," said Ray Peterson, one of the artists that helped build the car out of steel tubing, fun fur, bicycle wheels and foam. "We’ll have to see how it goes tomorrow."

katherine.dow@freepress.mb.ca

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