Happy New Year, Winnipeggers!

Welcome to 2025! We hope you had an amazing 2024, and we want to start by thanking you for reading our newsletter and supporting us throughout the past year. It means so much to us, and we’re excited to keep helping you explore everything Winnipeg has to offer in the year ahead!

In today’s edition, we’ve got all the details on what’s open and closed in the city so you can plan your day with friends and family. It’s a bit quieter right now as the new year kicks off, but things will start picking up in the coming weeks—stay tuned for all the events, updates, and hidden gems coming your way.

Cheers to a fantastic 2025! 🥂

In today's edition:

• What’s Open and Closed on New Year’s Day?

• Charity of the Week

• Forks River Trail Opens Up for Skating

• Rainbow Stage Audition for Young Stars

• Multiple events this week & more!

— Jas Singh

News

What’s Open and Closed on New Year’s Day?

Once again, Happy New Year, everyone! With everyone off from work and school, I’m sure you’re wondering what to do today. We’ve got you covered with a rundown of what’s open and closed in Winnipeg to help you plan your day.

Shopping Malls

• Outlet Collection Winnipeg: Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• CF Polo Park: Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• St. Vital Centre: Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Kildonan Place, Grant Park, and Garden City: Closed.

Grocery Stores & Retailers

• Walmart: Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

• Costco, Superstore, Safeway/Sobeys: Closed.

• Manitoba Liquor Marts: Closed.

Museums & Attractions

• Manitoba Museum, Children’s Museum, FortWhyte Alive: Open for family-friendly fun.

• Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq: Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Canadian Museum for Human Rights: Closed.

City Services and Transit

• Civic Offices: Closed on New Year’s Day.

• Garbage & Recycling: No collection today. If today’s your pickup day, it’ll happen tomorrow.

• Pools & Arenas: Closed today. Arenas reopen Jan. 2, with Ab McDonald Arena open over the winter break for casual rentals.

• Transit: Operating on a Sunday schedule.

• Brady Road Landfill and 4R depots: Closed.

And just like we mentioned in the last edition, The Forks is also hosting a full day of activities—skating lessons, live music, and games. It’s the perfect spot to spend the day with family!

Be sure to make the most of the day, and don’t forget to start the year by spending quality time with loved ones. Cheers to 2025!

A message from Canlan Sports!

Play Hockey and More at Canlan Sports! 🏒❄️

With winter in full swing, my friends and family are always looking for fun things to do—and Canlan Sports has quickly become a favorite spot.

Here’s why it’s worth checking out:

• Adult Hockey League: A great way to stay active and competitive this season.

• Youth Skating Lessons & Hockey Programs: Perfect for kids just starting or looking to sharpen their skills.

• Ice Rinks for Rent: Ideal for family skates, friendly games, or even birthday parties.

And the best part? They even have a restaurant where your friends and family can relax, grab a bite, and watch all the action on the ice.

If you’re looking to make the most of winter, Canlan Sports has something for everyone. Check out their programs, grab your skates, and hit the ice! 🥅⛸️

P.S. Looking to advertise in the Winnipeg Digest? Reply to this email or reach out at [email protected]!

Charity of the Week:

Harvest Manitoba

With the new year kicking off, if you’re looking to make a direct impact on a large part of our local community, here’s how you can help. Harvest Manitoba is a name almost every Manitoban knows. They’re more than just a food bank—they’re a lifeline for over 108,000 Manitobans every single month.

How You Can Help:

• Donate Money:

  • Call: 204-982-3581

  • Email: [email protected]

  • In-Person: 1085 Winnipeg Ave, Winnipeg Free Press (1355 Mountain Ave), Bomber Store (315 Chancellor Matheson Rd).

• Volunteer Your Time:
  Gather your family, friends, or coworkers and help with sorting food or other tasks.

• Donate Food:
  Non-perishable items go a long way in ensuring no one goes hungry.

Harvest Manitoba makes giving back easy. Whether you donate money, time, or food, every bit of support goes directly toward helping our neighbors in need. So start the year by making a real difference—because hunger doesn’t take a holiday, and neither should kindness.

Click below to see how you can get involved!

City Updates

Holiday Checkstop Program – Week 3 Results

As we’ve been saying all holiday season, please be careful out there and avoid impaired driving—it’s completely preventable. The city even offered free transit last night for New Year’s Eve, and I hope many of you took advantage of that.

Still, it’s disappointing to see incidents continuing to happen. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about protecting lives and keeping our roads safe. Let’s start the new year by making better choices and looking out for one another.

Here’s what happened during Week 3 of the Checkstop Program:

• 784 vehicles stopped

• 37 impaired driving incidents, including:

  • 4 Criminal Impaired Driving charges

  • 33 Immediate Roadside Prohibitions

  • 5 failed drug screenings for cannabis

• 23 traffic offense tickets issued

We can do better, Winnipeg. Let’s make 2025 a year of safety and accountability. Stay safe, and let’s look out for each other.

Nestaweya River Trail Opens at The Forks

The first part of the river trail (the Port Rink) is now officially open! This exciting addition joins the already-open skating trails, giving us even more reasons to lace up and enjoy the great outdoors.

With the holidays wrapping up, it’s the perfect time to grab your skates and hit the ice. Whether you’re out with friends, family, or just taking some time for yourself, this is a classic Winnipeg winter experience.

Let’s hope the rest of the river trail opens soon so we can enjoy even more of this iconic tradition for the months ahead. Until then, bundle up, and make the most of these chilly days on the trail. Winter fun is officially in full swing!

Community News

Rainbow Stage is Calling Young Stars

Got a young performer in your family? Rainbow Stage is casting for its Manitoba premiere of Frozen this summer! As reported by CTV News, they’re looking for three girls (ages 8–15) to play young Anna and Elsa, including one understudy.

• Auditions: January 25-26

• Sign-Up Deadline: January 6 at 5 p.m.

Frozen is already shaping up to be a hit with tickets even crashing their system when sales opened. If your little one loves to perform, this could be their big moment!

Be sure to check out more info below and share this with anyone you know who might be interested!

Jets’ Big Win to Close the Year

We’re ending the year on a high note, folks! The Winnipeg Jets shut out the Nashville Predators 3-0 in their final home game of the year, with Gabriel Vilardi scoring twice and Connor Hellebuyck locking in his fifth shutout of the season. What a way to finish!

As I’m writing this, the Jets are getting ready to face the Colorado Avalanche. Let’s hope they kept the momentum going and you’re reading this with news of a five-game winning streak. Fingers crossed!

The Jets have been on fire with a 27-10-1 record. Here’s to an even better 2025—go Jets go!

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 | 5-9PM, Jan 3

  • Location: Across the Exchange District

  • Description: On the 1st Friday of each month, Galleries, Artist-Run Centres, Studios, Shops + Museums stay open late for free!

• Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | 7PM, Jan 3 (Tickets)

  • Location: WAG-Qaumajuq

  • Description: Catch the screenings of the best films from the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity!

• DJ Skate Night | 5:30-7:30PM, Jan 3 (More Info)

  • Location: Glenwood Community Centre

  • Description: We will be offering two time slots (5:30pm - 6:30pm and 6:30pm to 7:30pm) - please sign up for only one time slot)

• Jim Jefferies & Jimmy Carr Comedy | 7:30PM, Jan 3 (Tickets)

  • Location: Canada Life Centre

  • Description: The Charm Offensive Tour! Two headliners, one ticket & lots of laughs!

• Zoo Lights, After Dark 18+ Night | 7-11PM, Jan 3 (Tickets)

  • Location: Assiniboine Park

  • Description: Enjoy live music inside the Marquee tent, drink specials throughout the evening, and get your photos with winter characters throughout the Zoo. It's everything you enjoy about Zoo Lights and more - just without the kids!

• Winnipeg Jets vs Detroit Red Wings | 6PM, Jan 4 (Tickets)

  • Location: Canada Life Centre

• Harlem Globetrotters | 3PM, Jan 5 (Tickets)

  • Location: Canada Life Centre

  • Description: You’ll see all the amazing basketball spins, slams, and dunks that you’ve come to expect at every Globetrotters game, PLUS new trials as players face-off to see who can pull off astonishing trick shots and more!

• Manitoba Museum Bead-A-Thon | 10AM - 3PM, Jan 5 (Tickets)

  • Location: Manitoba Museum

  • Description: Featuring Métis beadwork artist Jennine Krauchi and Indigenous Programming Head Tashina Houle-Schlup. This welcoming community event includes beading tutorials, pop-up historical beadwork displays, an “Artist Open Mic,” and delicious food from local vendors like Sharecuterie and Anishinaa-Bakes.

Exciting Events: Jan 1st & 2nd

Music 🎵

• New Year's Day at The Forks | 11AM, Jan 1 (More Info)

  • Location: The Forks

  • Performers: Jade Turner / Morgan Grace / Kelly Bado / Boogey The Beat / Quinton

• WackyDoodle Dance Party for Kids | 1:30PM, Jan 1 (Tickets)

  • Location: Park Theatre

Sports🏀

• Winnipeg Jets vs Anaheim Ducks | 7PM, Jan 2 (Tickets)

  • Location: Canada Life Centre

Family Fun🎆

• New Year's Day at The Forks | 10AM - 4PM, Jan 1 (More Info)

  • Location: The Forks

  • Description: Filled with brunch, cultural celebrations, performances, yoga, board games, crafts, and winter activities.

• Watt a Season | Jan 1-11 (More Info)

  • Location: Manitoba Electrical Museum (680 Harrow St)

• Zoo Lights | Jan 1-5 (Tickets)

  • Location: Assiniboine Park Zoo

  • Description: Wander through a winter wonderland and enjoy stunning light displays, tasty treats, and endless joy and cheer.

• Canad Inns Winter Wonderland | Jan 1-4 (Tickets)

  • Location: Red River Exhibition- Exhibition Place

  • Description: Manitoba’s largest drive-thru light show.

Special Events 🎨

• STEM-inspired holiday programming | Jan 1-5 (More Info)

  • Location: Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada

  • Description: Two STEM-inspired activities to engage young minds. The first is an airplane obstacle course that will wind its way throughout the museum. Kids will be challenged to navigate through the course and safely land their plane at the end. Complete the obstacle course and enter to win prizes!

• Lev Fer Comedy | Jan 2-4 (Tickets)

  • Location: Rumor's Restaurant and Comedy Club

  • Description: Lev was featured in the New York Comedy Festival, where he was named a “Comic to Watch” and is now regular at the Skankfest Comedy Festival.

CHEERS!

Thanks for reading The Winnipeg Digest! I’ll see you again on Friday!

P.S. Want to sponsor our newsletter? Email us at [email protected].