An end-of-the-summer bucket list

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This article was published 19/08/2024 (772 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The end of another fleeting Manitoba summer is fast approaching.

While warm weather is likely to linger well past the September long weekend, many of the province’s seasonal events, businesses and activities are coming to a close over the next two weeks. Fourteen days. Three hundred and thirty-six hours.

That means there’s still plenty of time to soak up some summer fun before becoming preoccupied with back-to-school shopping and a return to regular programming.

Here are a few end-of-summer bucket list ideas from the Free Press’s arts and life department:

Take a river taxi or tour

It’s always refreshing to see your hometown from a new perspective. It’s one of the many reasons I love lacing up my skates and hitting the Nestawaya River Trail in winter — you see Winnipeg from an entirely different viewpoint.

It’s also one of the many reasons I’m hoping to hop on one of the miniature barges operated by Winnipeg Waterways Tours & Transit before the chill of fall kicks in. The water bus provides both fun and function, stopping at seven different locations between the Hugo docks on the Assiniboine River and Stephen Juba Park on the Red River near the Exchange District. It’s $6 for a one-way trip, $10 for a two-way ride (on the same day) or $20 for an all-day pass.

Winnipeg Waterways also offers a 35-minute boat tour of many of the city’s natural and architectural landmarks. Tours depart throughout the day and evening from the dock at The Forks Market; tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for youth ages 2-12 and $17 for seniors. Early birds, take note: tours departing between 9-10:30 a.m. are half-price.

And after a tour of the city on the water, I’d probably head ashore for a chickpea roti from Bindy’s at The Forks and a flight of beer or wine.

— Ben Sigurdson

Attend a Goldeyes game

Biking to Blue Cross Park for a Fish game is something I try to do at least once every summer. I love the atmosphere of the ballpark and the affordability of the outing — you can snag advance tickets for as little as $16.50 and the sightlines from the baselines are just fine. I don’t usually spend much time in my seat anyway, because I’ve got a bucket list to complete within this bucket-list event.

First thing’s first: food. Can’t watch sports without fuel, amirite? The Goldeyes have a top-notch concession area and my go-tos include a hot dog or perogies or noodles from Bodegoes (or all three).

Next, is a visit to the craft beer corner to fill up the impractical novelty bat cup I bought a few years ago. Looks like bevvies from local breweries Devil May Care, Namesake and Sookram’s are on tap for the remainder of the season.

I must also stop by the merch store to see if there’s any swag befitting my casual but passionate fandom — don’t ask me about the standings.

There are seven home games left in the season, which wraps up Sept. 2 with a game against the Lincoln Saltdogs. Visit goldeyes.com for more info.

— Eva Wasney

Catch the Summer Series at Assiniboine Park

Summer at Assiniboine Park has become one of those can’t-miss experiences for me — there’s just something about it that feels like the perfect way to soak up the season. The atmosphere is unbeatable, with free events that cater to every mood. Wellness Wednesdays are a great midweek pick-me-up — whether it’s a yoga mat or Zumba shoes, it’s all about moving under the open sky.

Fridays are all about movies in the park, getting cosy on a blanket with some snacks for a double feature. Families gather for the early show, but staying for the later film under the stars is my favourite way to wrap up the week.

Sundays have a more laid-back vibe, with jazz in the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden providing the perfect soundtrack to a chilled-out afternoon. And the summer concert series at the Lyric Theatre? There’s nothing like the buzz of live music, whether it’s catching a local act or feeling the energy of a tribute band.

The best part? It’s all free, making it easy to just show up and enjoy whatever catches my eye. And afterward, I can always catch a bite at the Gather Craft and Kitchen Bar to top off the day.

Visit assiniboinepark.ca for more info.

— ­Thandi Vera

A roadtrip to the Morden Corn & Apple Festival

Do you want to hear something wild? I have lived in this province my whole life and have never been to the Morden Corn & Apple Festival.

It’s a sunny summer tradition dating back to 1967, originally envisioned as a celebration for Canada’s centennial. Now, the annual festival attracts some 80,000 people to southern Manitoba over three days.

This year’s festival takes place Aug. 23 to 25, and features a whole suite of family-friendly events, including games, street vendors, a farmer’s market, a midway and plenty of live music — including headlining performances by Canadian rock stalwarts the Watchmen and 54-40 on Saturday night.

There’s also free corn on the cob, picked each morning prior to the festival and flash frozen on the field before it’s cooked at the festival site. Doesn’t get much fresher than that.

Also free? Admission.

Visit cornandapple.com for a full schedule of events.

— Jen Zoratti

Walking the Brokenhead Wetland Interpretive Trail

It’s a running joke in my family: every time we drive up Highway 59 to our cabin past Grand Beach, I’ll slow down as we approach the entrance to Brokenhead trail and ask if anyone wants to pull in.

They never do, and I don’t know why — it’s a lovely, accessible, unstrenuous stroll down a rustic wooden boardwalk through an environment that takes you through boreal forest and along the edge of a wetland. At just 2.6 kilometres round trip, it doesn’t take long, but I always feel rejuvenated afterward.

It’s also a wonderful example of a calcareous fen — one of the rarest wetland types of North America. If you go earlier in the season, you can find most of Manitoba’s orchids within the cedar swamp and fen portions of this trail, as well as a number of carnivorous plants including pitcher plant and sundew.

Informative interpretive displays explain the imporance of the flora and fauna, as well as the Indigenous significance of the site.

Maybe this weekend, I’ll be able to convince my passengers to hop out for some restorative tree bathing.

— Jill Wilson

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