Canada Day What’s Up

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/06/2016 (3692 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Forks

Good times and patriotic fervour meet at the conjunction of the Assiniboine and Red rivers on July 1 with a day-long schedule of festivities including music, art, activities and a climactic fireworks show.

On the program:

• Grab your windsocks! The Winnipeg Art Gallery pitches a red tent outside the Forks Market tower atrium and invites visitors to create their own whimsical windsock, from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

• Music in stereo! The Forks hosts two different stages. The Under the Canopy stage (where you’d find the skating rink in the winter) starts at 12:30 p.m. with acts including Roger Roger, Micah Visser and Ghost Twin. The main Festival Stage kicks in at 6 p.m. with performances by Mariachi Ghost, Duotang, Kendra Kay and Mise en Scene, culminating at 10 p.m. with Don Amero and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, followed by fireworks at 11 p.m.

• From 1 to 6 p.m., the IMPACT Obstacle Course challenges kids with a sliding/hopping/crawling workout at Buskers Lookout (beside the stairs to the Assiniboine River). Complete the course and get a photo taken with IMPACT ambassadors’ Obby Khan and Reid Carruthers from 1 to 3 p.m.

• Remember the occasion with free family photos at the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Photo Booth from 1 to 9 p.m. at the Forks Market Plaza.

• Founding Nations Tribal Village invites participants to traditional drumming, dancing, singing, and storytelling from noon to 9 p.m. at the Oodena Celebration Circle.

• The Canadian Museum for Human Rights offers a $5 admission (if you’re wearing red and white or the maple leaf) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and tours at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

• The Children’s Museum invites kids and parents to create their own Canadian beaver puppets from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the museum’s regular hours from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with regular admission.

— Randall King

 

St. Boniface

St. Boniface will be bumpin’ this Canada Day, celebrating our nation’s birthday with free events that showcase all the area has to offer.

Tourism Riel is offering the chance to get to know the neighbourhood better with two free walking tours of old St. Boniface that depart from 219 Provencher Blvd at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Many museums are offering free admission for the day, such as the St. Boniface Museum, La Maison Gabrielle-Roy and Fort Gibraltar, and a free shuttle service (provided by the Winnipeg Trolley Company) will be available to move visitors from site to site.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be a farmers market in Provencher Park, and starting at noon on the Esplanade Riel, visual artists doing live paintings and buskers will be on hand to entertain those trekking across the bridge. On the East Plaza, La Belle Baguette and Riel Smoothies will be providing yummy treats, and patriotic tattoos and pins will be doled out by Tourism Riel ambassadors.

At the Heritage Garden/Archbishop’s residence, a series of historical interpretations will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and from 6 to 9 p.m., there will be animations and performances.

The party continues into the evening, with Promenade Café and Wine hosting a parking-lot party complete with food, bar service and live entertainment, which runs from 7 p.m. until midnight.

Promenade Cafe, as well as Esplanade Riel, are also optimal spots to view the annual fireworks display at The Forks, which is scheduled to begin at 11 p.m.

— Erin Lebar 

 

Osborne Village

Every birthday needs a party, and just as it always does, Osborne Village has done a pretty good job of planning a big blowout for Canada’s annual cake-and-candles celebration. The always-popular Osborne Village Canada Day Street Festival runs for 2 1/2 days, beginning Thursday, June 30, at 7 p.m. and continuing until Saturday, July 2, at 11 p.m., attracting more than 70,000 patriotic and party-prone people to a kilometre-long fest zone (from River Avenue to McMillan Avenue) in the heart of the Village.

Among the highlights on this year’s Street Festival schedule are the SkyZone Family Zone, which will feature a petting zoo, pony rides, inflatable bounces and slides, a giant hamster-ball obstacle course, face painting and a roster of children’s entertainers, and the Village Market, showcasing the wares of more than 40 local artisans and craftspeople whose artwork, clothing, kitchenware, soaps and assorted foodstuffs are available for sale. This year’s event also includes the first-ever Canada Day farmers market.

If you’re feeling a bit more competitive, try your luck in the Big Steel Box Adventure Zone, where you can test your skills on NBA basketball courts, toss some high heat at the baseball dunk tanks, measure your downfield accuracy in the football-throw challlenge or test your physical limits at the Snap Fitness Bootcamp. Then again, maybe the heaviest thing you’re looking to lift fits on the end of a fork — if that’s the case, the Flavours of Our Culture food courts might be what you’re after. A diverse menu of offerings ranging from European to Latin to Caribbean and beyond, will be available at two food-court locations.

Eat. Drink. Be merry and festive. And while you’re at it, wish Canada a very happy birthday.

— Brad Oswald

 

CanCon Bands as Bands

Local acts will pay tribute to some of the country’s seminal ‘70s rockers at the Good Will Social Club (625 Portage Ave.) this Canada Day.

The club’s continuing Bands as Bands series has seen local groups play cover sets of artists such as David Bowie, Depeche Mode and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. This time around the series goes full Canadian content.

Local classic rockers the Guess Who will get the cover treatment from an amalgamation of Ultra Mega and Surprise Party. Singer-songwriter Micah Erenberg will take on songs by the godfather of grunge, Neil Young. And while Levon Helm was American, the rest of the Band was from the Great White North; Robbie Robertson and company get the cover treatment from Roger Roger on Friday night.

Doors open at 9 p.m., and tickets are $10 at the door.

 — Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson

 

Assiniboine Park

Family is the watchword at Winnipeg’s largest Canada Day celebration in Assiniboine Park, organized by Canad Inns.

Free activities for children get underway at the Adventure Kids Club at 1 p.m. with inflatable rides, ballons, face-painting, organized games, magicians and clowns, as well as a chance to win a treasure trove of toys.

Also starting at 1 p.m is the musical entertainment on the Lyric Stage, featuring local acts Chuck Copenance Band (1 p.m.); Kimberley Dawn (1:50 p.m.); the Asham Stompers (2:40 p.m.); Purple City (4:15 p.m.); Marc Labossiere (5:15 p.m.); Danny Kramer Band (6:15 p.m.); Free Ride (7:15 p.m.); Joey Landreth Band (8:15 p.m.); and Leanne Pearson (9:30 p.m.).

After the opening ceremonies at 3:30 p.m., Canada Day Cupcakes will be served. There’s also a Fun Food Fare on site, with offerings from Garbonzo’s, Aalto’s, Tavern United and Splasher’s Sweet Shop.

Finally, at dusk, Canfire Pyrotechnics will present a fireworks display set to music.