COMING UP
Pack up the car and join us for Free Press Field Trip No. 3. On the eve of Islendingadagurinn, the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba in Gimli, we head to New Iceland and explore Arborg and Riverton, with the Icelandic River as our guide. (Longtime Wrap readers will recall Field Trip No. 1, to Snowflake, and No. 2. to Elma.)
After a pandemic-inspired pivot to virtual events in 2021 and a smaller festival in 2022, the 52nd edition of Folklorama features 40 pavilions, up from 24 last year, including the return of the Cuban pavilion.
When the event kicks off on Sunday, superfan Debbie Stern will be first in line. Stern aims to visit every pavilion each year and has devised an elaborate spreadsheet system to track her progress and rate the entertainment offerings. Jen Zoratti and Eva Wasney have the skinny on the long-running multicultural festival, which runs Aug. 6-19, in Saturday’s Arts & Life section.
And: nothing says summer like a giant prehistoric shark movie, unless it’s a giant prehistoric shark movie sequel. The Meg 2 promises some cheesy B-movie thrills along with reliable action hero Jason Statham; Alison Gillmor delivers her verdict in the Weekend Review.
In sports, the best in the west collide in Winnipeg on Thursday night when the 5-2 Bombers host the B.C. Lions (6-1) in CFL action at IG Field. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
On Friday, the Winnipeg Sea Bears host a crucial Canadian Elite Basketball League ‘play-in’ contest when the Edmonton Stingers pay a visit to jam-packed Canada Life Centre. Tip-off goes at 8 p.m., with the winner continuing its playoff push.
And the World Fire & Police Games continue in the Manitoba capital until Sunday.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Despite a reputation as one of Canada’s coldest cities, Winnipeg increasingly has a heat problem. Old, inefficient buildings, a shrinking tree canopy and infrastructure geared at keeping the cold out and the heat in have combined to set a dangerous precedent as the city experiences new temperature peaks.
Like many Canadian cities, Winnipeg has legislation aimed at keeping residents warm in the coldest months, but there are no such laws to keep people cool.
As Manitobans suffer the health and financial impacts of new temperature extremes made worse by a warming climate, a chorus of citizens and policy experts are calling for system-wide adaptations — from residential heat legislation to home energy retrofits.
Julia-Simone Rutgers reviews the situation in her long feature, Degrees of Danger.
ONE GREAT PHOTO
Sam Manchulenko leads a session in Enderton Park (also known as Peanut Park) in Winnipeg, on Monday. Manchulenko — who goes by Sam the Yogi online — meets with people in the park Mondays and Wednesdays at 6 p.m. for open-air yoga. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)
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