Happy Friday, Winnipeg!
The weekend's looking good. Sitting around 23 °C both days, barely any rain, and no shortage of things to do.
So let's help you make some plans.
Grab your coffee, settle in, and let's dive into what's happening around Winnipeg
In today’s edition:
Canada's Largest Asian Grocery Chain Is Coming To Winnipeg
Homes of the Week
Winnipeg Is Getting a $267 Million Lab to Fight Future Pandemics
Winnipeg Just Named A Park After An Olympic Champion
Something the Whole Family Can Actually Do This Weekend
50+ Events this weekend & Live Music!
— Jas Singh
News
Canada's Largest Asian Grocery Chain Is Coming To Winnipeg
There's a space in the lower level of Polo Park that's been sitting empty since Sears left in 2019.
After years of Winnipeggers asking, it's finally getting filled.
T&T is opening a 48,000 square foot store there in spring 2028, its first in Manitoba. The CEO says she's been getting letters from people here for fifteen years wondering when it would happen.
Here's what's going in:
A hot food bar and Asian barbecue station
Live seafood, a full bakery and fresh Asian produce
A beauty section stocked from China, Korea and Japan
And it's not a small change for the city either. The company figures around 70% of what they carry isn't on a shelf in Winnipeg right now.
Getting here took some doing. The nearest T&T is over a thousand kilometres away, so the chain had to build a regional warehouse before Winnipeg made sense.
P.S. Share this with the friends and family who've been waiting on it too.
Together with Artistly!
30% Off Your Next Haircut and All Services
Three months of sun, chlorine, lake water and heat.
It's dry at the ends, the colour's gone brassy, and the cut you got in May grew out somewhere around July.
Then September shows up. School photos, work back in full swing, the first weddings of the fall. Everyone's suddenly seeing you again.
Whether you want a whole new look or just a refresh, Artistly is giving first-time clients 30% off, with everything under one roof on St. Anne's Road.
The reset cut: women's cuts, wash and style, trims, men's cuts, beard trims, the full grooming package, and kids' haircuts before school starts
Colour back to where it was: balayage, highlights, root touch-ups, full colour, and men's colour for greys
Repair for what summer did: keratin and protein smoothing, deep hydration for dry hair, and perms for men and women
Skin and brows: facials, targeted skin treatments, brow shaping, tinting, threading, and waxing
More than 250 Google reviews and a 4.8 star rating from people who kept going back after their first visit.
Use code DIGEST30 when you book. It's only for people reading this, so you won't find it anywhere else.
Book now and you're walking into September looking like you planned it.
📍 567 St. Anne's Road
Homes of the Week:
Source: Realtor.ca
Home 1: Under $450k
Price: $449,900
Address: 51 Mager Drive W / Elm Park
Details: 1904 sqft / 2 Bed / 2 Bath
Built in: 1920
Parking Type: Attached Garage
Click here: To view the full house & plan your showing!
Home 2: $450k - $650K
Price: $489,900
Address: 738 McMillan Avenue / Crescentwood
Details: 1800 sqft / 5 Bed / 2 Bath
Built in: 1910
Parking Type: Parking Pad
Click here: To view the full house & plan your showing!
Home 3: Over $650k
Price: $1,499,800
Address: 175 Waterloo Street / River Heights North
Details: 2553 sqft / 4 Bed / 4 Bath
Built in: 2023
Parking Type: Attached Garage
Click here: To view the full house & plan your showing!
City Updates
Winnipeg Is Getting a $267 Million Lab to Fight Future Pandemics
Winnipeg is home to the only lab in Canada cleared to study the world's most dangerous pathogens. The ones with no known vaccine and no known treatment.
Now it's getting a neighbour.
The federal government is building a $267 million research lab right behind the National Microbiology Lab on Arlington Street, and its whole job is to get ahead of the next outbreak instead of scrambling after it.
What it'll actually do:
Develop experimental vaccines, treatments and testing tools
Make small test batches to figure out what works before anyone scales up
Build on decades of know-how already sitting next door
The doors are expected to open in 2033, and the first piece is already moving. A $10.2 million design contract went to Architecture49, a firm based right here in Winnipeg.
That's a long way off, but the payoff starts sooner. Construction work, technical jobs, and a real shot at pulling more life sciences companies here.
Winnipeg has quietly been doing this work for years. Nice to see the rest of the country finally noticing it.
Click here: To see what's planned inside Winnipeg's new lab and how it could help stop the next major outbreak!
Winnipeg Just Named A Park After An Olympic Champion
Kaitlyn Lawes grew up in Linden Woods, running around neighbourhood parks like every other kid here.
One of them now has her name on it.
The former Lindenwood Drive West Park is officially Kaitlyn Lawes Park, near Lindenwood Drive West and Lindmere Drive.
Why her:
Gold at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the first Manitoba curling team ever to win it
Gold again in 2018, making her the first Canadian curler to win at back-to-back Games
A world championship and three trips to the Olympics
Medals aside, it's nice to see the city celebrate its own.
From playing in these parks as a kid to having her name on one. Full circle for a Winnipeg girl.
Community Digest
Two Charity Bikes Were Stolen In Winnipeg, And Now We Need Your Help
Two men riding across Canada for charity made it all the way to Winnipeg. Then someone took their bikes.
Val Duquenne and Thomas Clark were cycling for Men Don't Ride Alone, a campaign raising money and awareness for men's mental health. Their bikes were stolen near Portage Avenue on July 24.
The good news is Winnipeggers showed up. Local businesses and residents chipped in so the pair could keep going. But the original bikes are still out there, and police are asking for help.
Here's what they're looking for:
The two bikes are worth about $15,000 together
Police want footage from the 500 block of Portage Avenue
Anyone nearby that day should check dashcam, security or phone video
Police have also shared images of the person they're trying to identify.
If you recognize them, spot either bike, or have footage from the area, call 204-986-2426 or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
Something the Whole Family Can Actually Do This Weekend
It's the hardest thing to plan for. The kids want to run around. The grandparents can't be on their feet for four hours. Somebody's picky about food. And whatever you pick, half the group is bored within the hour.
So most weekends you don't pick anything, and Saturday goes by on its own.
But this market has something for everyone.
The last Summer of Locals market of the year runs Saturday and Sunday, August 8 and 9. Free to get in, outdoors, and easy to bring anybody to.
80+ local makers, most of them people who started in a kitchen or a garage and saved up for the table
Food trucks, so everyone picks their own thing and nobody's cooking
Live music all weekend, easy to sit near and talk over
Bouncy castles and face painting to keep the kids going
Free to get in, so you can stay two hours or twenty minutes
Nobody has to commit to anything. Show up when you feel like it, walk around, eat something good, and leave whenever the group runs out of steam.
It's the last one until next summer.
Exciting Events: Aug 7th - 9th
Events marked with ($) require a ticket in advance. Please search them up before going.
Sports🏀
Manitoba Harness Racing at The Loop | August 8 (FREE)
Location: Red River Exhibition Park-The Loop
Description: Join us at The LOOP at Exhibition Park this summer for heart-pounding action, exhilarating finishes, and unforgettable moments on the track!
Courtside Bash | August 8 (FREE)
Location: The Picklr
Description: Celebrate National Pickleball Day, free, open play, food, music, and more. No registration, no paddle, no partner needed.
Winnipeg Run Club | 8AM, August 8 (FREE)
Location: The Forks (Canopy)
DND Run Club | 8:30AM, August 9 (FREE)
Location: The Forks (Canopy)
Community Fun🎆
First Friday in The Exchange | August 7 (FREE)
Location: Various businesses in the Exchange District
Description: FIRST FRIDAYS offers a perfect opportunity to explore all the Exchange neighbourhood has to offer.
Come and take part in one of the most engaging and inspiring arts events in our city.
Folklorama 2026 | Aug 7-15 (Tickets)
Location: Multiple Locations
Description: Explore 45 unique ethno-cultural Pavilions throughout the city and enjoy authentic cuisine, immersive experiences, curated cultural displays, and captivating performances.
Open Corydon – Little Italy | 10AM-8PM, Aug 9 (FREE)
Location: Corydon Avenue between Lilac St and Daly
Description: Open Corydon – Little Italy transforms one of Winnipeg's most popular entertainment districts into a vibrant, car-free destination every Sunday throughout the summer.
Markets / Festivals🎡
Falljam Field Of Rock Music Festival | August 7-9 (Tickets)
Location: FallJam Field of Rock Music Festival
Description: Experience the thrill of live music as you immerse yourself in the dynamic sounds of rock.
Mega Island Fest | August 7 & 8 (Tickets)
Location: The Cube
Description: Mega Island Fest 2026 is the ultimate summer destination for every festival fan, featuring a powerhouse lineup of Djs and High-energy performances with non-stop vibes.
Pineridge Hollow Market | August 8-9 (More Info)
Location: 67086 Heatherdale Road Oakbank, MB R0E.
Description: Wander The Village at Pineridge Hollow to browse through 9 stores operated by locally owned businesses offering clothing, antiques, specialty foods, plants, Indigenous-made goods, wellness supplies, home decor and more.
The Summer of Locals Market | August 8-9 (FREE)
Location: Outlet Collections Mall
Description: Winnipeg’s biggest outdoor summer market! It's a 2-day weekend celebration of all things local, including food, drink, music, vendors, makers, kids activities and much more.
St. Norbert Farmers’ Market | 8AM-2PM, August 9 (FREE)
Location: Le Marché St Norbert Farmers Market
Performances🎭
Candlelight: Coldplay & Imagine Dragons | August 7 ($)
Location: Winnipeg Art Gallery
Description: Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Winnipeg.
“Burlesque in the Basement” Cabaret | August 7 & 9 (Tickets)
Location: The Basement Speakeasy
Description: Travel back in time to the 1920’s when you enter Winnipeg’s newest speakeasy. The Basement also provides a prohibition inspired cocktail list with a story behind every recipe!
2026 Corydon Avenue Concert Series | 7PM-10PM, Aug 7 & 8 (More Info)
Location: Hugo St North & Cockburn St. N
Performers: Love Letters & BLUE FX w/ STEVEN LAW
Description: Corydon concerts continue to attract thousands of people. Bring a lawn chair and sit back and enjoy the warm Winnipeg nights with the sounds of Jazz, Rock, Pop, Soul and Blues music (or hit the dance floor and practice your best moves).
Bed By 10 | 4PM, August 8 (Tickets)
Location: The Park Theatre
Description: Bed By 10 is a chance for ravers over 30 to relive the peak of the 80s, 90s & early 2000s clubbing scene! Expect crazy visuals, confetti showers, Co2 cannons and more as our resident DJ spins all the club classics
K-Pop Takeover | 12PM, August 9 (Tickets)
Location: Park Theatre
Description: Get ready for the loudest, brightest, most high-energy K-Pop party the city has ever seen.
Jazz in the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden: Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra Ensemble
| 12PM-1PM, August 9 (FREE)Location: Assiniboine Park
Description: Music, movies, fun, and wellness take centre stage at Assiniboine Park's Summer Entertainment Series!
Comedy❗
Ben Walker | August 7 & 8 ($)
Location: Rumor’s Comedy Club
Description: Ben is a veteran comedian whose quick off-the-cuff style engages himself to the audience. A three-time semi-finalist for Sirius XM’s Next Top Comic, Ben has performed all over Canada.
Special Events🥂
Cars & Bars - Street Party, Car Show, Concert | 5PM, August 7 (Tickets)
Location: Princess Audio Stadium
Description: Cruise through epic rides in the car show, jam to live music at the main stage, and chill with friends at the ultimate auto/music experience
8th Annual Winnipeg Tattoo Convention | August 7-9 (Tickets)
Location: Red River Exhibition Park
Description: HIGH-CALIBRE, WORLD-CLASS ART & TATTOOS! 250+ Tattoo Artists, Artists from Around the World, unique art and merch, Music, Market, Beer Gardens, Food Trucks, and more
Ethiopian Basket Weaving Workshop | 3-4:30PM, Aug 8 (FREE)
Location: The Community Canopy
Description: Join Netsanet for one of two summer basket weaving workshops. This beginner-friendly session introduces participants to traditional Ethiopian basket weaving techniques.
Music 🎵
Events marked with ($) require prior ticket purchase. Other events may require the purchase of food
