Midweek check-in, Winnipeg!

Winter’s just around the corner, and you can feel it in the air. The mornings are colder, the evenings darker, and that first step outside makes you wish you grabbed a warmer jacket.

It’s been a week of rain and grey skies, but that doesn’t mean it has to feel gloomy. In today’s edition, we’ve got plenty to lift your spirits, from cozy fall markets and local plays to Halloween events popping up across the city.

So pour yourself a warm drink, get comfy, and let’s make this chilly week a little brighter together.

In today’s edition:

• Matt Rife to Headline The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival 2026

• Winnipeg’s Biggest Fall Event Is Here This Weekend

• Winnipeg Police Searching for Missing 12-Year-Old Bella Cook

• 328 Health Care Workers Invited to Stay in Manitoba

• Multiple events this week & more

— Jas Singh

News

Matt Rife to Headline The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival 2026

One of the biggest names in comedy right now is making his way to Winnipeg next summer, and he’s taking the stage at one of the city’s favourite outdoor spots. Matt Rife is officially headlining the 2026 Great Outdoors Comedy Festival at Assiniboine Park.

There’s something about live comedy under the prairie sky that just feels like summer in Winnipeg. Now add a huge name like this, and it’s shaping up to be one of the best nights of the season.

Here’s what we know so far:

• Matt Rife performs Sunday, July 19, 2026, at Assiniboine Park

• Part of the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival’s 3-day run, July 17-19

• More performers to be announced soon, so expect a full lineup

• Presale starts October 16, with general tickets available October 17

Matt’s last visit to Winnipeg in March 2024 saw both shows sell out in minutes. And with his viral clips all over social media and a hit Netflix special under his belt, it’s easy to see why tickets won’t last long.

It’s a full weekend of stand-up under the trees with snacks, drinks, and maybe even a few familiar faces in the crowd.

We’ve still got a long winter to get through, but this feels like a pretty great reason to start looking forward to the next summer already.

Click Here: To get ticket info and sign up early for presale access!

Together with Scattered Seeds Craft Market

Winnipeg’s Biggest Fall Event Is Here This Weekend

The smell of pumpkin spice is in the air, sweaters are out, and fall feels officially here. And there’s no better way to celebrate than at Scattered Seeds Craft Market, happening this weekend at Red River Exhibition Place.

It’s your last chance to grab discounted tickets and this is one fall tradition every Winnipeg family should experience.

Here’s what you’ll find inside:

• Over 300 local vendors filling the halls with handmade treasures

• Candles, florals, jewelry, and home décor that make your space feel warm again

• Unique gifts and sweet treats you won’t find anywhere else

It’s the perfect weekend outing. Go with your whole family, make it a date with your partner, or take your mom for a cozy afternoon out.

Wander the aisles with a coffee, a glass of wine, or even a cold beer in hand, find something special, and soak in all those fall feels together.

Tickets start under $10, kids under 12 get in free, and you can still save 20% with code WINNIPEGDIGEST at checkout.

📍 Red River Exhibition Place
📅 Oct 17–19 & Oct 24–26
🎟 Use code WINNIPEGDIGEST for 20% off

Grab your tickets while the deal’s still live and share this with your family or friends so no one misses out on Winnipeg’s favourite fall market.

Advertise with us by emailing: [email protected]

Community Spotlight

Winnipeg Police Searching for Missing 12-Year-Old Bella Cook

It’s something no family should ever have to go through. A 12-year-old girl from Winnipeg, Bella Cook, has been missing since last week. And right now, her loved ones, neighbours, and the police are asking for help to bring her home safe.

She was last seen on the evening of October 6 in the Deer Lodge area, and concern is growing with each passing day.

Here’s what to keep an eye out for:

• Bella is 12 years old, about 5'6", with a thin build, brown hair, and brown eyes

• She was last seen wearing a grey sweater, pink tank top, grey sweatpants, and black-and-green runners

• She may also be carrying a black backpack

• Last spotted around 10 p.m. in the Deer Lodge neighbourhood

If you think you may have seen Bella or know anything that could help, even a small detail might make all the difference. Let’s help spread the word and show what this community can do when it looks out for one of its own.

Click Here: To view the full report and contact the Winnipeg Police with any information.

City Updates

New Clubhouse Coming to Wildewood Golf Club by Spring 2026

Wildewood has always been one of those hidden gems in Fort Garry, a quiet course with a loyal community around it.

And now, just in time for its 75th season, the City of Winnipeg and Wildewood Golf Club have officially broken ground on a brand-new 2,300-square-foot clubhouse that will include a restaurant, patio overlooking the ninth fairway, and pro shop.

Backed by $1 million in city funding and additional support raised through community-led efforts, the new clubhouse is part of a broader push to keep community spaces like Wildewood thriving for years to come.

It’s always heartening to see longtime spaces get the care and attention they deserve. This project is a nod to the past, but more importantly, it’s a promise to the future: to keep this space going for another generation of golfers, families, and quiet Sunday walkers.

Click Here: To stay updated on what’s happening in Wildewood Golf Club.

328 Health Care Workers Invited to Stay in Manitoba

In a time when consistent health care can feel out of reach, especially in smaller towns, this bit of news is worth holding onto: hundreds of health-care workers who’ve already been serving in our hospitals, care homes, and clinics have just been invited to stay in Manitoba permanently.

• 328 temporary foreign workers have been invited to apply for permanent residency

• That includes 187 health-care aides, 21 physicians, and 11 registered nurses

• Two doctors already serving in Killarney were among those invited

The goal is simple: to help skilled workers put down roots here so they can keep caring for patients in the places that need it most. From hospitals to long-term care homes, these are the people making sure Manitobans get the help they need close to home.

It’s a quiet but powerful win for the communities they serve. And a reminder that a strong health-care system starts with the people who show up every day to care.

Click Here: To read how this will support care in your area.

Community Digest

Jets Break the Streak With a Big Thanksgiving Win in New York

Thanksgiving Monday came with an extra treat for Jets fans: our first road win over the Islanders since 2018. It wasn’t just a solid game; it was one of those wins where the whole team showed up, and you could feel the momentum growing.

Here’s how it played out:

• Morgan Barron opened the scoring with a beauty off a pass from Cole Koepke

• Jonathan Toews picked up his first point as a Jet, helping set up Nino Niederreiter’s power play goal

• Logan Stanley joined the rush and found the back of the net for his sixth career goal

• Tanner Pearson tapped one in after a heads-up play from Niederreiter coming out of the box

• And lastly, Mark Scheifele iced it with an empty-net goal, thanks to a slick steal by Kyle Connor

Comrie was solid in net with 33 saves, and the team looked sharp all the way through. It’s early in the season, but wins like this make it easy to feel hopeful.

The Jets are building momentum early, and if they keep this up, we might be in for another fun season.

Click Here: To see the highlights and full game recap!

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!

• Topical Storm Comedy | 8:30PM, Oct 17 (Tickets)

  • Location: The Basement Comedy Lounge

  • Description: One of Winnipeg's longest-running (and most popular) theme shows, Jon Wilson's Topical Storm features the city's best comedians dishing on current events. It's easily the funnest way to find out what's in the news.

• Candlelight: Kings of R&B: Usher, Mario, and More ft Del Hartley | Oct 17 (Tickets)

  • Location: Crescent Arts Centre

  • Description: Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Winnipeg.

• ELTON ROHN - The Premiere Tribute to Elton John | 7PM, Oct 17 (Tickets)

  • Location: Club Regent Event Centre

  • Description: Experience the magic of Elton Rohn, the world-class tribute that captures Elton John’s voice, style, and energy. From the hits to the showmanship.

• Scattered Seeds | Oct 17-19 (Tickets)

  • Location: Red River Exhibition Park

  • Description: Celebrate 30 years of craft market. Each weekend hosts it’s own set of over 160 vendors.

  • Note: Use code WINNIPEGIDGEST for the cheapest tickets.

• Witchy Wonderland – A (not-so) Fright Fest | Oct 17 & 18 (Tickets)

  • Location: Red River Exhibition Park

  • Description: All the thrills, chills, and giggles to keep every ghost, goblin, and grandma grinning from ear to ear. Rides, costumes, face painting and more!

• Wine Tasting and Latin Music - Ague' Coco Band | 8PM-11PM, Oct 18 (Tickets)

  • Location: Shrugging Doctor Beverage Company

  • Description: Entry 23 into the "Sip & Strum" series where we highlight Manitoban music in the winery. Come enjoy local wine, cocktails and beer on tap.

• Winnipeg Jets vs. Nashville Predators | 6PM, Oct 18 (Tickets)

  • Location: Canada Life Centre

• Gather | 7PM, Oct 18-26 (Tickets)

  • Location: Manitoba Theatre for Young People

  • Description: When their town goes into a deep freeze and everyone is stuck inside, people start to lose their connection to the world and to each other.

• Winnipeg Professional Wrestling - RUMBLE IN THE BURT
  | 7PM, October 19 (Tickets)

  • Location: Burton Cummings Theatre

  • Description: Shotzi Blackheart makes her long awaited returns and Former WWE Tag Team Champions and Bullet Club originals The Good Brothers make their WPW debut.

Current Events: October 15th & 16th

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

Community Fun🎆

• Wild Kratts Live 2.0 | 6:30PM, Oct 15 (Tickets)

  • Location: Centennial Concert Hall

  • Description: The Wild Kratts LIVE! stage show that has kids across North America buzzing is back with an ALL-NEW show: “Wild Kratts LIVE 2.0 – Activate Creature Power!”

• Corn Maze | October 15 - November 2 (More Info)

  • Location: A Maze In Corn

  • Description: Enjoy the country views while wandering through the corn maze, climb the giant bale pyramid, and visit the petting zoo.

• Boo at the Zoo | Oct 15-31 (Tickets)

  • Location: Assiniboine Park Zoo

  • Description: All aboard, the train’s ready to go to a town where Halloween spirits roam! Welcome to a mysterious land where fall festivities are in full swing.

• Sunset Goose Flights | 5:30PM-8PM, Oct 15-19 (Tickets)

  • Location: FortWhyte Alive

  • Description: Take in the sounds of the season and watch the sky come to life as thousands of geese land after sunset in this breathtaking autumn ritual.

Performances🎭

• Life of Pi Play | Oct 15 - Nov 8 (Tickets)

  • Location: Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre - John Hirsch Mainstage

  • Description: Based on the best-selling novel, this epic story of courage, faith and survival roars to life with riveting storytelling and stunning puppetry.

• Wonderful Joe Play | Oct 15-26 (Tickets)

  • Location: Tom Hendry Warehouse Theatre

  • Description: Joe and his dog Mister lose their home, and facing separation, head into the world for one last grand adventure. The world seems broken, but Joe sees magic in the mundane, beauty amid brutality, and life in the lost and lonely.

• Liars at a Funeral Play | Oct 15-26 (Tickets)

  • Location: Prairie Theatre Exchange

  • Description: A hilarious comedy about family & falsehoods

    How do you get your dysfunctional, estranged family together in the same room? Pretend you’re dead and invite them all to your funeral, of course! Mavis, the matriarch of a family of misfits, fibbers, schemers and identical twins, has a plan to reunite them once and for all.

Special Events/Comedy🥂

• Nazareth Concert | 7:30PM, Oct 15 (Tickets)

  • Location: Burton Cummings Theatre

  • Description: Scottish rock legends Nazareth return to the stage, bringing decades of classic hits, raw vocals, and timeless energy that defined an era of rock across Canada and beyond.

• Erica Sigurdson Comedy | Oct 15-18 ($)

  • Location: Rumor's Restaurant and Comedy Club

  • Description: Erica is most recognizable from over 50 appearances on CBC Radio’s hit show The Debaters.

• Khachaturian & Bernstein | 7PM, Oct 16 (Tickets)

  • Location: Centennial Concert Hall

  • Description: Daniel Raiskin, conductor Alexandra Conunova, violin Aram Khachaturian: Violin Concerto Leonard Bernstein: Symphonic Dances, from West Side Story

• Lea Salonga | 7PM, Oct 16 (Tickets)

  • Location: Club Regent Event Centre

  • Description: Musical theatre royalty and official Disney Legend Lea Salonga is bringing her acclaimed Stage, Screen & Everything In Between tour to North America!

• 2025 Haunted Forest | October 16 - November 1 (Tickets)

  • Location: A Maze In Corn

  • Description: It's time, The Haunted Forest is waiting for you! Join us for an interactive, outdoor experience that you won't soon forget. Enter at your own risk as our resident creatures of the forest come alive and lure you in with their haunting humour.

• HEEBIE JEEBIES | Oct 16-31 (Tickets)

  • Location: Heebie Jeebies, 53071 La Salle Road

  • Description: One of the most terrifying Halloween experiences and haunted houses near Winnipeg, Heebie Jeebies is back for its annual scare-fest.

• Six Pines Haunted Attractions | Oct 16-31 (Tickets)

  • Location: Six Pines

  • Description: Six Pines Haunted Attractions has continuously strived to offer Manitoba’s haunt enthusiasts an ever-changing range of haunted houses since inception.

• Death at Dalnavert | 2:30PM, Oct 16-30 (Tickets)

  • Location: Dalnavert Museum

  • Description: On the Death at Dalnavert tour, learn all about Victorian funeral customs and practices, superstitions and spiritualism. With the (allegedly haunted) historic house as your backdrop, explore Victorian mourning culture and death.

• Blue Rodeo with Adam Baldwin | Oct 16-17 (Tickets)

  • Location: Burton Cummings Theatre

  • Description: Canadian icons Blue Rodeo are celebrating 40 years of timeless music with a coast-to-coast tour, joined by Adam Baldwin for a night of songs, stories, and nostalgia.

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].