Midweek check-in, Winnipeg 💙
We're halfway through the week, and there's plenty happening around the city worth catching up on. A big policy update making headlines, a chance to help our city, and a couple of helpful guides to keep handy as we head into the warmer months.
Grab your coffee, settle in, and let's dive into what's happening around Winnipeg.
Now, in today’s edition:
Manitoba’s Social Media Ban For Kids Could Start In Schools
Help Clean Downtown Winnipeg Next Week
Winnipeg Summer Camps Are Now Open For Registration
A Guide To Winnipeg’s Most Unique Spots For Gifts and Small Finds
Multiple events this week & more
— Jas Singh
News
Manitoba’s Social Media Ban For Kids Could Start In Schools
Source: Medium
Manitoba’s proposed social media ban for kids is starting to take shape, and schools may be the first place it starts.
After Premier Wab Kinew announced plans to restrict kids from using social media and AI chatbots this weekend, the province now says classrooms could be the first step.
It’s still early, but the idea is to start where kids already spend most of their time and where many of these online habits are already showing up in real life.
Here’s what we know so far:
The province is already consulting with school divisions, parents, and communities to shape what the ban looks like
Some educators are supportive, while also noting the need to make sure helpful classroom AI tools aren't swept up in the ban alongside social media
No timeline yet, but early conversations are already underway
Many educators say they’ve already seen how social media can affect focus, behaviour, and how students interact with each other.
There’s still more to figure out, especially when it comes to how technology fits into learning.
But at the core, this is about helping kids grow up with healthier habits and a better balance with the world around them.
A message from Scattered Seeds!
The Best Way to Spend Mother’s Day in Winnipeg
Mother’s Day is one of those rare chances to slow down and make time for someone who’s always doing so much for everyone else.
And sometimes, the nicest plans are the simple ones…
Time together, something thoughtful, and a day that feels a little more special than usual.
That’s what makes Scattered Seeds such an easy Mother’s Day win.
The Scattered Seeds Craft Market: Mother’s Day Special is back May 9 to 10 at Red River Exhibition Place, with 150+ local makers, handmade finds, and enough to turn it into a full day together.
You can shop, wander, stop for tea, and find something she’ll genuinely love.
Here’s what to expect:
150+ local makers and artists
One-of-a-kind gifts made right here in Manitoba
High Tea hosted by Lily Stone Gardens
A mocktail bar by Boots & Banter
A free drop-in craft bar
Tickets are $10 online and include re-entry all weekend.
And as a Winnipeg Digest reader, you’ll get 15% off online tickets with code WPGDIGEST15.
So if you’re planning something thoughtful for Mother’s Day, click the link below and grab your tickets!
Community Spotlight
Help Clean Downtown Winnipeg Next Week
As the snow melts, it tends to leave a bit of winter behind.
And every year, the community comes together to take care of it.
The Downtown Spring CleanUp is happening on May 7, and it’s a chance to help freshen up the heart of the city alongside hundreds of others who care about keeping it looking its best.
Last year, 900+ volunteers showed up, and they’re hoping to do it all again this spring.
Here’s what to know:
Thursday, May 7 from 10AM to 12PM
Meet at Manitoba Hydro Place (360 Portage Ave)
Open to individuals, friends, and teams
All supplies are provided, just show up and help out
It’s a great way to spend a couple of hours outside, meet new people, and take pride in the spaces we all share.
So if you’ve ever walked through downtown and wished it felt a little cleaner or brighter, click the link below to register and be part of it!
Click here: To register and join the Spring CleanUp!
P.S. Share this to all your group chats so you can plan to go together!
Community Digest
Winnipeg Summer Camps Are Now Open For Registration
Source: City of Winnipeg
Summer is coming up fast, and this is one of those things parents will want to get a head start on.
The City has opened registration for summer camps across Winnipeg, with programs designed to keep kids active, trying new things, and making friends along the way.
Camps are available for kids ages 3 to 15, with options that fit all kinds of interests.
Here are a few to look out for:
Sports camps where kids can try different activities each week
What’s Up! Camp with games, crafts, and a mix of everything
Fish ‘n’ Fun Camp combining outdoor play with fishing
L’il Critters camps for younger kids with themed weeks and activities
There are also French-language camps and flexible options like full-day or half-day programs.
It’s a great way to keep kids moving, learning, and off screens during the summer months.
Click here: To browse camps and register early!
P.S. Share this with parents you know, they’ll want to get in before spots fill up!
A Guide To Winnipeg’s Most Unique Spots For Gifts and Small Finds
If you’re ever stuck on what to get someone, this is the kind of list you’ll want saved.
We pulled together some of Winnipeg’s most unique local shops where you can find something a little more thoughtful, whether it’s for a birthday, a last-minute gift, or just because.
Here are a few to start with:
The Stoneware Gallery – handmade ceramics and pieces that feel warm and one of a kind
Whodunit Mystery Bookstore – a cozy little shop filled wall to wall with books you can take your time exploring
Toad Hall Toys – nostalgic games and fun finds that still feel thoughtful
Pineridge Hollow Village Shops – more of a full outing with multiple shops to explore in one place
Black Market Provisions – a cozy Osborne spot with pantry finds, small treats, and easy gift options
And there’s more on the full list, with a few spots that might surprise you.
These are the kinds of shops you’ll keep coming back to whenever you want something that feels a bit more personal.
So if you or someone you know is always looking for unique gift ideas, click the link below to check out the full list!
Click here: To see the full list and plan your next stop!
City Updates
Early Childhood Educators In Manitoba Are Getting A Raise
There’s some well-earned good news for the people who care for our youngest Manitobans.
Early childhood educators across the province are now seeing pay increases, with some wages going up by as much as $7 per hour under a new pay structure.
The changes apply to educators, assistants, and home-based child-care providers working in licensed settings.
Here’s what it means:
Higher wages based on training and experience
Applies across centres and home-based care
Increases include back pay to last year
The province is also putting more funding into child-care centres and training programs, helping bring more people into the field and support more spaces for families.
For many educators, this is about more than a raise. It’s recognition for the work they do, and a step toward making child care stronger and more stable across Manitoba.
Events coming up this week:
This section includes only the major events happening soon. For a complete list of all events, you'll have to wait for future editions!
First Friday in The Exchange | 5PM, May 1 (FREE)
Location: Exchange District
Description: First Fridays in the Exchange is dedicated to bringing together artists, artist-run centres, galleries, businesses and the public for a greater understanding, appreciation and promotion of the arts in the thriving Exchange District community.
468 Main Pop Ups | 5PM, May 1 (FREE)
Location: 468 Main Street
Descriptions: One of the busiest buildings in the Exchange is going all out for First Fridays with something happening on every floor. Stop by for matcha and croffles at Parlour, a Dawned Vintage launch and live DJ set at Archival Studios, vintage drops at Rewind, Eric’s Objects’ $10 rack, Aged and Faded’s grand opening, and a 9PM comedy show at Luci’s.
Tom Green: STOMPIN’ COMEDY TOUR | 7PM, May 1 (Tickets)
Location: Burton Cummings Theatre
Descriptions: Just For Laughs is thrilled to announce that actor, director and broadcaster Tom Green is bringing his unique, anything-goes brand of comedy to 30 cities across Canada.
Candlelight Concerts | May 1 (Tickets)
6:45PM: A Tribute to Taylor Swift
8:30PM: Coldplay & Imagine Dragons
Location: Winnipeg Art Gallery
Descriptions: Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Winnipeg.
Guided Wine Tasting & Winery Tour | 6:30PM, May 1 (Tickets)
Location: Shrugging Doctor Beverage Company
Descriptions: Shrugging Doctor maintains the first and only commercial wine vineyard in Manitoba on our scenic Pembina Valley farm. For the first time, we are opening up our Winnipeg location for a guided tour so you can see how the wine is made!
Old Dominion | 7PM, May 1 (Tickets)
Location: Canada Life Centre
Descriptions: In their early days, Old Dominion was a bunch of friends who bonded while slugging it out in the Nashville songwriting machine. They decided to form their own band and drove a beat-up van around regional tours in the southeastern United States.
Spring Night Market | 5PM-9PM, May 1 (More Info)
Location: 421 Mulvey Avenue East
Descriptions: Back again with another Spring Night Market May 1st inside Mulvey Market. We will be open from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM at 421 Mulvey Ave E.
Art Show & Sale 2026 | May 1-2 (FREE)
Location: Woodhaven Park Community Club
Descriptions: A local favourite is back with over 30 Winnipeg artists showcasing and selling their work all in one place. Stop by to browse paintings, meet the artists, and maybe take something home, plus there’s a raffle happening throughout the event.
Winnipeg Tattoo Show 2026 | May 1-3 (Tickets)
Location: RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg
Descriptions: Winnipeg's biggest tattoo show. Great artists gathered together right here in the centre of Canada tattooing you live over three days!
2nd Annual Grant Park Spring Pop Up | May 1-3 (More Info)
Location: Grant Park Shopping Centre
Descriptions: We are back this spring! Thank You to the community for all your support!
Bloom In The Dark - Night Market | 5PM-10PM, May 2 (Tickets)
Location: West End Cultural Centre
Descriptions: Bloom in the Dark is no ordinary market - it’s an after-dark gathering of mystery, creativity and beautifully strange delights. Step into a spellbound evening filled with moody ambience, curious treasures, and a touch of the otherworldly. Browse a carefully curated selection of local artists, makers, and mystics offering handcrafted goods, unique art, and intuitive readings.
Comedy Battle Royale | May 2 (Tickets)
Location: The Basement Comedy Lounge
Descriptions: Mike Green's long-running Battle Royale has been featured at numerous comedy festivals around the country and has been featured on Bell TV. It's an audience-favourite that pits teams of comedians against each other to test their joke-writing skills and comedic instincts under some seriously high pressure.
Otosan | May 2-17 (Tickets)
Location: Manitoba Theatre for Young People
Descriptions: Featuring puppets, real wildlife footage projections, highly physical storytelling and an original score, Otosan is based on playwright Skizuka Kai’s real life experiences of trying to connect with her father, a dedicated wildlife documentary videographer.
Current Events: April 29th & 30th
Events marked with (Tickets / $) require advance purchase. Double-check dates before heading out!
Community Fun🎆
WAG Wednesday Nights: Kelly Bado live! | 5PM-9PM, April 29 (FREE)
Location: Winnipeg Art Gallery—Qaumajuq
Description: WAG-Qaumajuq transforms Wednesday nights into an after-hours experience designed for people who want more from their week — more creativity, more connection, more inspiration.
Performances🎭
Rubaboo - A Métis Cabaret | April 29 - May 23 (Tickets)
Location: John Hirsch Mainstage
Description: Métis singer-songwriter Andrea Menard's feast for the senses blends master storytelling with the beauty of Métis culture through music, dance and visual art.
Ride The Musical | April 29 - May 2 (Tickets)
Location: The Berney Theatre
Description: Annie Londonderry set out to be the first woman to cycle around the world in 1894 and became an international sensation. This new musical, direct from London’s West End, spins her unbelievable journey into a dazzling, empowering ride through history, media, and reinvention.
MCO 7 / Songs of River & Fire | 7:30PM, April 30 (Tickets)
Location: Desautels Concert Hall
Descriptions: Themes of motherhood, loss, and joy emerge in a program that spans opera, Indigenous voices, and folk tradition, with song and spirit rising together like flame and tide.
Winnipeg International Storytelling Festival | 7PM-8:45PM, April 30 (Tickets)
Location: Prairie Theatre Exchange
Descriptions: This performance art piece is filled with magic, challenges to opposition, and transformation. Audience members have found themselves deep within the story, echoing themes such as immigration, orientation, ability, spiritual freedom, and self-awareness.
The Four Seasons & Other Works | April 30 - May 3 (Tickets)
Location: Centennial Concert Hall
Description: This triumphant trio of ballets runs the spectrum of creative expression, featuring the return of James Kudelka’s masterpiece The Four Seasons, the Winnipeg debut of Cameron sinkʷə Fraser-Monroe’s šɛgatəm and the world premiere of Dwight Rhoden’s Odyssey.
Special Events🥂
Warehouse Scrubs Sale | April 29 (FREE)
Location: Best Western Plus Winnipeg Airport Hotel
Descriptions: Join us for a two-day warehouse scrubs sale with thousands of premium brand scrubs at clearance pricing. Up to 70% off retail!
Mark Forward | April 29 - May 2 (Tickets)
Location: Rumor's Restaurant and Comedy Club
Descriptions: Mark Forward, was born on June 17th, 1974, and was raised in Oakville, Ontario by the lovely Reg and Joanne Forward. After taking Theatre in College, he quickly found himself using those skills to enter into the world of stand up Comedy.
Music 🎵
Thanks for reading The Winnipeg Digest! Let’s chat again on Friday!
