Midweek check-in, Winnipeg 💙

First off, thank you for the incredible response to the Winnipeg Dinner Club we shared on Monday. The messages, sign-ups, and excitement have been so fun to see. It really means a lot, and we can’t wait to share more soon.

Today’s edition is packed with a few things worth knowing and looking forward to. We’ve got new shows coming to the city, details on the Jets alumni game, and a couple of other updates that have been buzzing around Winnipeg this week.

So stay warm, grab a coffee or something cozy to sip on, and let’s jump into it.

Now, in today’s edition:

  • Two Big Shows Just Announced for Winnipeg in 2026

  • Live Pro Wrestling Is Coming to Winnipeg This Weekend

  • Jets Alumni Game Set for October

  • Manitoba Launches New Fund to Help Places of Worship Against Hate

  • Multiple events this week & more

— Jas Singh

News

Two Big Shows Just Announced for Winnipeg in 2026

Source: Canada Life Centre

If winter’s been feeling a bit long lately with the cold weather and snowstorms, here’s something genuinely nice to look forward to.

Two major tours just added Winnipeg stops for 2026, both landing at Canada Life Centre, and they bring very different kinds of excitement.

First up, a night that’s all about laughs.

Gabriel Iglesias is bringing his brand new tour to Winnipeg this spring, fresh off the success of his latest Netflix special and packed with all-new material.

Here’s what to know:

  • Friday, March 13, 2026

  • Canada Life Centre

  • Tickets go on sale this Friday, January 23 at 9:00 am

  • Expect storytelling, crowd work, and a full night of comedy

Comedy shows like this tend to sell out quickly, so this one’s worth planning ahead.

And if comedy isn’t your thing, there’s a big summer concert on the way too.

Creed is bringing its Summer of ’99 Tour to Winnipeg after huge demand across North America, with special guests Mammoth.

Here’s the rundown:

  • Tuesday, July 14, 2026

  • Canada Life Centre

  • Presale access available before general tickets

  • One of the biggest rock tours hitting the city this summer

If you’re hoping to go, presale is your best bet.

Two very different shows, two very different crowds, and a good reminder that even in the middle of winter, there’s always something to look forward to in Winnipeg.

Winnipeg’s First Dinner Club Is Filling Tables Fast

Making new friends isn’t always easy. Life gets busy, routines settle in, and meeting new people can start to feel harder than it should.

That’s exactly why we created the Winnipeg Digest Dinner Club.

Nearly 100 of you are already booked for upcoming dinners, and it’s been genuinely exciting to watch this little idea turn into something real. Small tables. Thoughtful matching. Local restaurants. And conversations that don’t feel forced.

Each dinner brings together six people at one table, matched through a short quiz so you’re not walking in blind. And because we host these on Wednesday nights, it also helps support local restaurants on a quieter evening.

A few things that make this one of a kind:

  • Curated groups based on shared interests

  • Small tables that make conversation easy

  • Support for local restaurants and the local economy

  • And an optional bar meetup after, where guests from all tables can gather

If you’re thinking about joining, don’t wait too long. As we need time to book reservations and make it easy for the restaurants hosting us.

Community Spotlight

A Wrestling Fundraiser Happening This Weekend

Source: The Dream Factory

This weekend is shaping up to be a fun one, especially if you’re looking for something lively that also gives back.

Wrestling For A Cause is back with its annual live pro wrestling fundraiser, bringing together local talent, big personalities, and a crowd that’s there for a good reason.

For the fourth year in a row, Manitoba wrestlers will step into the ring to put on a memorable show while raising money for The Dream Factory.

A local organization that helps families across Manitoba create meaningful experiences for kids facing serious illnesses, and this event helps make those moments possible.

Here’s what to know before you go:

  • When: Saturday, January 24. Doors open at 6:30 pm, bell time at 7:00 pm

  • Where: Assiniboia Downs, 3975 Portage Ave

  • What: Live pro wrestling, a Lifetime Achievement Award presentation, and a first-ever Wrestling For A Cause title tournament

  • Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the door.

    Call 204 391 0215 or purchase online

It’s shaping up to be a fun night out that combines live entertainment with a chance to support kids and families in our community.

Community Digest

Jets Alumni Game Set for October

Source: nhljets

The Heritage Classic weekend is already shaping up to be a special one for Winnipeg hockey fans, and the Jets are adding an extra moment of nostalgia before the main event.

Ahead of the Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium on Oct 25, the Jets will host an alumni game on Oct 24, bringing some very familiar names back together for one night.

The alumni game will feature former players from Winnipeg and Montreal, giving fans a chance to see past favourites share the ice again before the rivalry resumes the next day.

Here’s the Jets alumni roster announced so far:

  • Blake Wheeler

  • Dustin Byfuglien

  • Andrew Ladd

  • Bryan Little

  • Mathieu Perreault

  • Paul Stastny

  • Chris Thorburn

For longtime fans, this feels like a full-circle moment. It’s a chance to celebrate the players who helped shape modern Jets history, reconnect with those memories, and kick off a big weekend at Princess Auto Stadium in the best way possible.

Manitoba Launches New Fund to Help Places of Worship Against Hate

For many communities, places of worship are more than just buildings. They’re spaces where people come together, support one another, and feel grounded.

With hate-motivated incidents becoming more common, the province says it wants to help protect those spaces.

Manitoba has announced a $1 million Security Enhancement Fund aimed at helping places of worship and cultural organizations improve safety and recover after hate-related incidents.

Here’s what the funding can help cover:

  • Security upgrades like lighting, cameras, alarms, and controlled entry systems

  • Safety training and community-based security planning

  • Repairs to property damaged by hate-motivated vandalism or intimidation

The province says application details and timelines will be shared in the coming weeks. In the meantime, organizations can already reach out by email to get more information.

City Updates

Winnipeg Among Canada’s Fastest-Growing Cities

Winnipeg just hit a milestone that feels worth pausing on.

New data from Statistics Canada shows our city’s population has officially passed 850,000 people, a sign of how much momentum Winnipeg has right now.

Here’s a quick look at what the numbers tell us:

  • Winnipeg’s population is now 850,260

  • More than 8,200 people moved here in 2025

  • That growth placed Winnipeg fifth among Canada’s fastest-growing municipalities last year

Scott Gillingham says this kind of growth reflects growing confidence in Winnipeg as a place to put down roots, build careers, and raise families. He also pointed out that growth brings responsibility.

As more people call Winnipeg home, the focus stays on getting the basics right. Things like housing, transit, and long-term infrastructure that support everyday life and help the city grow in a way that feels sustainable and fair.

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!

  • Blueprints | 2:30PM & 7:30PM, Jan 24 (Tickets)

    • Location: Gas Station Arts Centre

    • Description: The Professional Program presents "Blueprints". SCD's annual student composition show features emerging choreographers and all student casts!

  • Secrets & Spectres: A Dalnavert Mystery Adventure | 6:30PM-8:30PM, Jan 24 (Tickets)

    • Location: Dalnavert Museum and Visitors' Centre

    • Description: Join us for Secrets & Spectres: A Dalnavert Mystery Adventure, when the candlelit halls of the Victorian mansion become the stage for a chilling puzzle adventure steeped in classic Victorian horror.

  • Winnipeg Jets vs Detroit Red Wings | 7PM, Jan 24 ($)

    • Location: Canada Life Centre

  • Wild Dogs of Manitoba | Jan 24 (More Info)

    • Location: Living Prairie Museum

    • Description: Learn more about foxes, coyotes, and wolves by exploring artifacts and info. Understand how we can safely share our city with wild dogs and create a take-home button of your favourite canine.

  • Living Prairie Museum Snowshoe Saturday | 11AM-3PM, Jan 24 (FREE)

    • Location: Living Prairie Museum

    • Description: Free snowshoe rentals available between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Learn to snowshoe on the prairie and then warm up with hot chocolate!

  • Learn to Winter Activites | 1-4PM, January 24-25 (FREE/More Info)

    • Location: Multiple Locations

    • Description: Discover the joy of winter with The Forks Learn to Winter programming!

  • Stardew Valley: Symphony of Seasons | 3PM, Jan 25 (Tickets)

    • Location: Centennial Concert Hall

    • Description: Step into a musical journey of Stardew Valley , with the FILMharmonique Orchestra performing brand new arrangements of the game’s soundtrack while gameplay videos play on screen!

  • Winter Birds Presentation | 11AM-1:30PM, Jan 25 (Tickets)

    • Location: Oak Hammock Marsh

    • Description: Learn about the birds that stay in Manitoba and visit feeders during the winter, discover how important bird feeding can be, and take home your handmade pinecone birdfeeder to hang in your yard.

Current Events: January 21st - 22nd

Events marked with (Tickets / $) require advance purchase. Double-check dates before heading out!

Sports 🏀

  • Winnipeg Jets vs Florida Panthers | 7PM, Jan 22 ($)

    • Location: Canada Life Centre

Community Fun🎆

  • WAG Wednesday Nights | 5-9PM, Jan 21 (More Info)

    • 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.

  • Moonlight Snowshoe Walk | 7:30PM-8:30PM, Jan 21 (Tickets)

    • Location: Oak Hammock March Wetland Discovery Centre

    • Description: Explore the Marsh on snowshoes with our guide and experience the wetland by moonlight followed by a bonfire.

  • 2026 Roblin Park Winter Carnival | Jan 21-25 (Tickets)

    • Location: Roblin Park Community Centre

    • Description: Every January, families from all over the city come to join in on the fun, food and community spirit of the carnival, which includes a house league hockey tournament for our U9 and U7 hockey players.

  • Fleurs de Villes | Jan 21-25 ($)

    • Location: The Leaf

    • Description: Fleurs de Villes - Wonder is a fresh floral celebration of the natural wonders of the world brought to life by Winnipeg’s talented floral designers.

Performances🎭

  • Murder on the Orient Express Play | Jan 21 - Feb 7 (Tickets)

    • Location: John Hirsch Mainstage

    • Description: Detective Hercule Poirot is aboard the Orient Express when a fellow passenger is murdered. As the famous detective investigates, he encounters a cast of intriguing passengers, including the glamorous Mrs. Hubbard and the enigmatic Princess Dragomiroff.

  • Big Stuff Play | Jan 21 - Feb 1 (Tickets)

    • Location: Prairie Theatre Exchange

    • Description: Keep, or toss it out? Real-life married couple and celebrated comedy duo (who met while performing with Toronto’s Second City) Baram and Snieckus take on all of the “stuff” that accumulates in our lives.

  • Winnipeg New Music Festival (WNMF) | Jan 21-29 (Tickets)

    • Location: Centennial Concert Hall, Desautels Concert Hall

    • Description: The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s annual Winnipeg New Music Festival (WNMF) is one of Canada’s premiere cultural events dedicated to contemporary art, and the largest festival of its kind in Canada dedicated entirely to contemporary art music.

  • WINTERRUPTION 2026 | Jan 21-25 (Tickets)

    • Location: Various venues

    • Description: Winterruption is a multi-venue music and arts festival that brings warmth, energy, and community to the city every January, transforming the West End, West Broadway, and South Osborne into a hub of live music, performance, and connection.

Special Events🥂

  • The Leaf After Dark: Fleurs de Villes | 7PM-9PM, Jan 21 (Tickets)

    • Location: The Leaf Assiniboine Park

    • Description: Enjoy a relaxing, adults-only evening at The Leaf, surrounded by stunning works of floral art during Fleurs de Villes WONDER! Sip a glass of wine, unwind, and let nature work its magic.

  • Those Who Made The Winter - Walking Tour At The Forks | Jan 21 - Mar 31 (Tickets)

    • Location: The Forks - Explore Indigenous Space

    • Description: Those Who Made the Winter is an Indigenous-led walking tour at The Forks that brings winter survival to life.

  • Emmanuel Lomuro Comedy | Jan 21-22 ($)

    • Location: Rumor's Restaurant and Comedy Club

    • Description: His style has been described as high energy with the ability to relate to many different types of people, sometimes called a comedic chameleon.

  • Oyster Nights Under Patio Lights! | 5PM-8PM, Jan 22 (FREE)

    • Location: The Forks Market

    • Description: Patio season doesn’t have to end in summer. Join us every Thursday this winter for fresh oysters and seafood paired with a drink from The Common. Whether you are skating in or stopping by, settle in by the fire and enjoy the winter ambiance.

Music 🎵

Thanks for reading The Winnipeg Digest! Let’s chat again on Friday!

P.S. Want to get your business in front of thousands of local Winnipeggers? Email us at [email protected].

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