Garden party raises funds for Assiniboine Park

A Picnic in Provence The Leo Mol Sculpture Garden hosted A Picnic in Provence garden party on Aug. 28. The sold-out event raised funds for Assiniboine Park, Assiniboine Park Zoo and The Leaf. It featured music from the Big City All Star Band and al fresco dining with French flair. The annual fundraiser, co-chaired by Ruth Asper and Neil Wilcox, supports the care and upkeep of the park and amenities, including outdoor gardens and indoor greenery, animal encounters and community gathering spaces.

Read this article for free:


or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/09/2024 (741 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Picnic in Provence

The Leo Mol Sculpture Garden hosted A Picnic in Provence garden party on Aug. 28. The sold-out event raised funds for Assiniboine Park, Assiniboine Park Zoo and The Leaf. It featured music from the Big City All Star Band and al fresco dining with French flair. The annual fundraiser, co-chaired by Ruth Asper and Neil Wilcox, supports the care and upkeep of the park and amenities, including outdoor gardens and indoor greenery, animal encounters and community gathering spaces.

Photos by Brook Jones

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                Singer Sheena Rattai of Big City All Star Band performs during A Picnic in Provence at the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden.

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

Singer Sheena Rattai of Big City All Star Band performs during A Picnic in Provence at the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden.

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                Jane (left) and her friend Candice

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

Jane (left) and her friend Candice

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                From left: Bill Parrish and his wife Theresa Parrish, Deborah Waller and her husband Simon Waller at A Picnic in Provence.

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

From left: Bill Parrish and his wife Theresa Parrish, Deborah Waller and her husband Simon Waller at A Picnic in Provence.

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                From Left: FP Canadian Newspapers Ltd. general partner Bob Silver, Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry city councillor Sherri Rollins and Simon Waller attend the annual fundraiser.

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

From Left: FP Canadian Newspapers Ltd. general partner Bob Silver, Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry city councillor Sherri Rollins and Simon Waller attend the annual fundraiser.

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                Chocolate Zen Bakery owner Barbara Rudiak (right) and Bonnie Greschuk get in the garden party spirit.

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

Chocolate Zen Bakery owner Barbara Rudiak (right) and Bonnie Greschuk get in the garden party spirit.

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                Free Press editor Paul Samyn and his wife Catherine

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

Free Press editor Paul Samyn and his wife Catherine

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                Former Free Press marketing director Marnie Strath (left) and Bob Friesen

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

Former Free Press marketing director Marnie Strath (left) and Bob Friesen

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                Artist Andrew S. Hiebert

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

Artist Andrew S. Hiebert

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                Theresa Epp (second from right) of Independent Jewellers with daughters Molly (left), Emma (second from left) and Abby (right)

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

Theresa Epp (second from right) of Independent Jewellers with daughters Molly (left), Emma (second from left) and Abby (right)

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                Jay Martin (left) and Graeme Sifton

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

Jay Martin (left) and Graeme Sifton

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
                                From left, Blair Henderson, Erica Henderson, Mark Dookeran and Ravi Dookeran

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS

From left, Blair Henderson, Erica Henderson, Mark Dookeran and Ravi Dookeran

If you value coverage of Manitoba’s arts scene, help us do more.
Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism.
BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project.

Report Error Submit a Tip

More Stories

‘She was looking to destroy me’: convicted harasser faces new charges

Dean Pritchard 6 minute read Preview

‘She was looking to destroy me’: convicted harasser faces new charges

Dean Pritchard 6 minute read Thursday, Sep. 17, 2026

When Agnieszka Ciochon-Newton moved into the 55-plus apartment building on Stradbrook Avenue last year, she came across as “timid, soft-spoken and sensitive,” said building manager Tanya Owen.

Little did Owen know the meek-looking 58-year-old woman would soon turn her life and the lives of many of her tenants upside down and threaten her career and family.

“She was looking to destroy me for a simple tenant disagreement,” Owen said Thursday.

Court records show Ciochon-Newton was arrested earlier this month and charged with seven counts of criminal harassment, two counts of uttering threats and one count each of fraud, breaking and entering, attempting to obstruct justice, intimidation of a justice official, mischief and defamatory libel.

Read
Thursday, Sep. 17, 2026

News briefs for Sunday, September 20, 2026

2 minute read Updated: 3:36 PM CDT

A collection of breaking news briefs filed on Sunday, September 20, 2026

Woman charged after Toronto Street shooting

3:18 PM

The Winnipeg Police Service Major Crimes Unit is continuing to investigate a shooting in the 600 block of Toronto Street that took place around 1 a.m. on Friday.

New Jets show promise despite loss to experienced Oilers

Mike McIntyre 8 minute read Preview

New Jets show promise despite loss to experienced Oilers

Mike McIntyre 8 minute read Updated: 9:34 AM CDT

Preseason hockey games are always more about the process than the result, and that’s especially true when the opposing rosters appear to be a major mismatch on paper.

So a 5-2 loss by an inexperienced group of Winnipeg Jets skaters against a star-studded Edmonton Oilers squad on Saturday night in the Alberta capital was neither surprising nor alarming.

There was, however, plenty to like from the visitors’ perspective despite the outcome.

Let’s break it down.

Read
Updated: 9:34 AM CDT

A quick look at where provinces and territories stand on time changes

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

A quick look at where provinces and territories stand on time changes

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

WINNIPEG - Manitoba's government said Thursday the province will be sticking with daylight time year-round, making it the latest jurisdiction to move away from twice-annual time changes. Here's a look at where things stand across Canada:

British Columbia said in March that it was moving to permanent Pacific daylight time. The change also means that parts of northeastern B.C., which have been on mountain standard time year round, are now in alignment with the rest of the province.

Alberta also switched to permanent daylight time this year in what it calls Alberta time. The change means it now has the same time as Saskatchewan year round.

Saskatchewan has been on permanent central standard time since 1966.

Read
Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

Klein has burned bridges with PM, Gillingham says

Joyanne Pursaga 3 minute read Preview

Klein has burned bridges with PM, Gillingham says

Joyanne Pursaga 3 minute read Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

One mayoral candidate accused another of writing a column so critical it could compromise his ability to work with the federal government.

Read
Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

American Hostage stars recall warmth of Winnipeggers during brutal winter

Randall King 7 minute read Preview

American Hostage stars recall warmth of Winnipeggers during brutal winter

Randall King 7 minute read Friday, Sep. 18, 2026

TORONTO — When you stream the eight-part series American Hostage, a sense of familiarity may strike.

That’s because the show was shot in Winnipeg — especially in the Exchange District — from November of last year to the beginning of February, with Winnipeg portraying Indianapolis circa 1977.

The whole world seemed to be watching that midwest American city that year as a hostage crisis unfolded involving one Tony Kiritsis, an angry man who goes ballistic when a mortgage brokerage was poised to foreclose on property he had dreamed of developing into a shopping centre.

Kiritsis kidnapped his mortgage broker, Richard Hall, wiring a shotgun to the back of his head, and demanded a public airing of his grievances, with the reluctant help of popular radio broadcaster Fred Heckman.

Read
Friday, Sep. 18, 2026