Happy Friday, Winnipeg!
Halloween weekend is finally here, and the city’s ready for it. From trick-or-treat events and pumpkin drops to haunted houses and fall markets, something is happening on just about every corner.
We’ve rounded up all of them to help you plan your weekend, so whether you’re looking for family fun with the kids or one last fall adventure before the snow comes in.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure to dress warm, take it slow on the roads, and stay safe out there.
Now, in today’s edition:
Winnipeg’s New Plan to Clear Homeless Encampments Starts Next Month
Kyle Connor Scores Overtime Goal to Give Jets 4–3 Win
Indoor Trick-or-Treating Spots Around Winnipeg Tonight
Manitoba Adds 800 New Teachers
50+ Events this weekend & Live Music!
— Jas Singh
News
Winnipeg’s New Plan to Clear Homeless Encampments Starts Next Month
Source: End Homelessness Winnipeg
Back in September, the city council approved a motion to restrict where homeless encampments can be set up. Now, with colder weather settling in, Winnipeg has released a step-by-step plan for how those clearings will start next month.
The new approach focuses on encampments near public spaces like schools, playgrounds, pools, daycares, care homes, transit stops, and bridges, places where safety risks are highest.
Here’s how the process will work:
Step 1: Identifying sites - Encampments can be flagged through 311 calls, city inspections, or field reports.
Step 2: Prioritizing safety - Starting November 17, tents won’t be allowed near schools, playgrounds, pools, seniors’ homes, transit stops, bridges, or other high-risk areas.
Step 3: Assessing risk - Sites are categorized under three levels:
Level 1: Immediate risks like fires or unsafe structures.
Level 2: Larger camps with debris or sanitation concerns.
Level 3: Small, low-risk sites that will be monitored rather than cleared.
Step 4: Providing support - Before any cleanup, outreach teams will offer people transportation, shelter options, and time to move belongings.
Step 5: Coordinating cleanup - Cleanups will only happen during daylight hours, with city staff, fire-paramedic services, and police working together.
Before any site is cleared, outreach workers will offer people transportation, shelter options, and time to move. The city says the goal isn’t punishment, it’s to keep everyone safe while connecting people with the support they need.
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Together with Red River Exhibition Park!
Here’s Everything Happening at The Exhibition Park This November
The holidays are just around the corner, and Red River Exhibition Park is already packing the calendar with festive fun.
From holiday markets with hundreds of local vendors to the return of the city’s biggest drive-through holiday light show, something is happening almost every weekend in November.
Here’s what’s coming up:
Artisan Alley by Inspirations Market (Nov 1–2) - 140 local makers, coffee, and handmade goods that’ll make you want to start your holiday shopping early.
Winnipeg Ice Fishing Show (Nov 8–9) - All your favourite brands, gear, and gadgets for the ice fishing season ahead.
Winnipeg Rock N’ Gem Show (Nov 13–16) - Crystals, fossils, and gems from across Canada, perfect for collectors or anyone who loves a bit of sparkle.
Third + Bird Christmas Market (Nov 21–23) - The city’s biggest holiday handmade market is back, featuring over 170 vendors, food stalls, and festive décor to get you in the holiday mood.
Canad Inns Winter Wonderland (Nov 28–Jan 3) - The countdown to Christmas begins here with over one million lights and 26 themed displays. It’s a drive-through tradition every Winnipeg family should experience.
All events are at Red River Exhibition Park, 3977 Portage Ave, with free or affordable admission options.
Click below to see more details on each event. If you’re planning to go, don’t wait too long and grab the cheapest tickets available now!
Advertise with us by emailing: [email protected]
Community Digest
Kyle Connor Scores Overtime Goal to Give Jets 4–3 Win
Source: Winnipeg Jets
There’s nothing quite like a Jets overtime win to lift your spirits midweek. Tuesday night’s matchup in Minnesota was a nail-biter, but Kyle Connor came through just 46 seconds into Overtime to give Winnipeg a 4–3 victory over the Wild.
Here’s how it played out:
Connor’s game-winner - Off a slick pass from Mark Scheifele, Connor snapped a low wrist shot past the goalie for the win.
Fast start - Goals from Gabriel Vilardi and Vladislav Namestnikov put the Jets up 2–0 early in the first.
Wild pushback - Minnesota clawed back with three goals, including a fluky one that bounced off Hellebuyck’s skate.
Nino ties it up - Former Wild forward Nino Niederreiter buried the equalizer in the third to send the game to OT.
Hellebuyck was steady as ever - 33 saves kept Winnipeg in it until Connor sealed the deal.
Click Here: To watch Kyle Connor’s OT goal!
The Jets are back home tonight, taking on the Chicago Blackhawks as we write this. And by the time you’re reading this, hopefully, they’ve pulled off the win and given us another reason to cheer.
Next up, they’re facing the Pittsburgh Penguins tomorrow night at Canada Life Centre, and it’s looking like it’ll be a good one. If you’re thinking about going, grab your tickets early, as it’s shaping up to be an exciting weekend game!
Click Here: To grab your tickets for the weekend game!
Indoor Trick-or-Treating Spots Around Winnipeg for Tonight
With Halloween landing right in the middle of chilly fall weather, a few indoor spots around the city are making it easier (and warmer) for kids to celebrate.
Whether you’re dressing up your little one or just looking for a cozy place to join the fun, something is happening in just about every part of Winnipeg.
If you’ve got kids, these events are a safe and warm way to make the most of Halloween night without braving the cold.
Here are a few family-friendly options happening tonight:
Garden City Shopping Centre (11 a.m.–2 p.m.) — A returning favourite with candy stations, dinosaur-themed activities, and photo ops. Candy will be handed out while supplies last. (LINK)
Kildonan Place (2 p.m.–4 p.m.) — Kids can go store-to-store collecting treats, perfect for a quick after-school stop. (LINK)
Grant Park Mall (3 p.m.–6 p.m.) — Trick-or-treating across stores plus a pumpkin carving contest in the centre court. (LINK)
St. Vital Centre (6 p.m.–8 p.m.) — Evening fun with costumed guests like Jack Skellington and Oogie Boogie handing out treats at participating stores. (LINK)
Outlet Collection Winnipeg (4 p.m.–8 p.m.) — A big family event with trick-or-treating, face painting, a haunted house photo area, and meet-and-greets with “Wicked” and “Wizard of Oz” characters. (LINK)
Wherever you end up, be sure to bundle up, bring a candy bag, and have a sweet (and safe) Halloween night.
City Updates
Manitoba Adds 800 New Teachers in the Past Two Years
It’s not every day we see this kind of investment in local schools…
The province just announced that more than 800 new teachers have joined Manitoba classrooms in the past two years, part of a $1.8 billion investment to strengthen schools, reduce class sizes, and give students more support where they need it most.
The goal? To give students more one-on-one time, smaller class sizes, and better support all around.
Here’s what’s new across Manitoba schools:
832 new teaching positions since 2023, bringing the total to 13,903 teachers province-wide.
577 new educators added, plus 72 new clinician roles to help with student wellness and learning.
More French-language teachers, with 41 new positions in the DSFM (Division scolaire franco-manitobaine) over the last two years.
And new training and retention programs for teachers, including Indigenous language and French-language education.
The province also increased public school funding by 3.4% this year, bringing the total investment to $1.8 billion.
FortWhyte Alive’s Buffalo Crossing Wins Global Award for Sustainable Design
Source: FortWhyte Alive
Here’s something to feel proud about: Winnipeg’s own FortWhyte Alive has just been recognized on the world stage.
Its Buffalo Crossing Visitor Centre was named one of 20 global winners of the 2025 Holcim Foundation Awards, celebrating the world’s top examples of sustainable architecture.
Here’s what makes Buffalo Crossing special:
Built with mass timber and designed to be energy efficient and low-carbon.
It uses geothermal heating and top-tier insulation to stay eco-friendly year-round.
Reflects Manitoba’s landscape and celebrates Indigenous culture through its design.
The centre is part of a $40-million community effort supported by local donors and all levels of government to expand FortWhyte’s programs and help more people across the city connect with nature.
It’s the kind of place that makes you slow down, breathe, and appreciate the beauty right in our own backyard.
If you haven’t been out there yet, this is your sign to go see it for yourself.
Exciting Events: October 31st - November 2nd
Events marked with ($) require a ticket in advance. Please search them up before going.
Sports🏀
Winnipeg Run Club | 8AM, November 1 (FREE)
Location: The Forks, Canopy
Winnipeg Jets vs Pittsburgh Penguins | 2PM, November 1 ($)
Location: Canada Life Centre
DND Run Club | 9AM, November 2 (FREE)
Location: Saintuary Cafe & Bar
Theme: Wear your fave jerseys!
Community Fun🎆
Boo at the Zoo 18+ Adult ONLY | 6PM-8:30PM, Oct 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.
Life of Pi Play | Oct 31 - 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.
Bonfire Marshmallow Roast | 12PM-3PM, Nov 1 (Tickets)
Location: Fortwhyte Alive
Description: Enjoy the warmth and sweetness of a great day in nature with family and friends by getting outside and roasting some marshmallows!
Create and Connect Crafts Workshop | 1-3PM, Nov 2 (Tickets)
Location: Tannis M. Richardson Classroom at The Leaf
Description: Hands-on crafting using natural or recycled products!
5th Annual Pumpkin Drop | 10AM-3PM, November 2 (FREE)
Location: CF Polo Park Parkade
Description: Mash your pumpkins for a great cause! Bring your Halloween jack-o’-lanterns and launch them from the 2nd floor parkade into the compost truck below!
Markets/Halloween🎡🎃👻
Tyndall Community Market’s Halloween Special | 4-9PM, Oct 31 (More Info)
Location: Tyndall Park Community Centre
Description: Trick-or-treating at their food trucks and vendor stalls, live entertainment and music to keep you spooky and energized! And family-friendly games and activities
HEEBIE JEEBIES | Oct 31 (Sold Out)
Location: Heebie Jeebies, 53071 La Salle Road
Six Pines Haunted Attractions | Oct 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.
2025 Haunted Forest / Corn Maze | October 31 - November 1 (Tickets)
Location: A Maze In Corn
Description: 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.
St. Norbert Farmers’ Market | 10AM-2PM, Nov 1 (FREE)
Location: 3514 Pembina Hwy
Description: Get your groceries right from the source: fresh-harvested fruits & veggies, fungi & herbs, sustainably-raised meat & fish, free-run eggs, raw honey, fresh milk and cheese, preserved foods, home-made baking and more!
Artisan Alley by Inspirations Market | Nov 1-2 (Tickets)
Location: Red River Exhibition Park
Description: Do your early holiday shopping from 200 different makers over the 2 weekends!
Performances🎭
Afterlight Musical | Oct 31 - Nov 2 (Tickets)
Location: Rainbow Stage
Description: A weary vampire, longing for release, encounters a lonely elderly widow who awakens both his hunger and his humanity. Over the course of several surreal nights in her apartment, the two unlikely souls forge a connection that is alternately comic, tragic, and romantic.
Horror at Sorrowtide Manor | 8PM-10PM, October 31 - November 1 (Tickets)
Location: Gas Station Arts Centre
Description: This Halloween, experience a horror story that writes itself live on stage! A classic group of teens—the stoic Knight, the reckless Vampire, the hot-headed Werewolf, and the clever Witch with her pet Seagull.
The Mush Hole Musical | Nov 1-2 & 8-9 ($)
Location: Manitoba Theatre for Young People
Description: The Mush Hole is a powerful performance that uses song, dance and theatre to explore the lives and spirits of children forced to attend Ontario’s Mohawk Institute residential school.
Cello Festival Grand Finale | 7:30PM, November 1 ($)
Location: Centennial Concert Hall
Description: Daniel Raiskin, conductor Colin Carr, cello Bryan Cheng, cello Denise Djokic, cello Alban Gerhardt, cello
Die Harder: A Manitoba Christmas Story | Nov 1 - Dec 31 (Tickets)
Location: Canad Inns Destination Centre
Description: Turns a Winnipeg high rise building into ground zero for festive mayhem; packed with 80’s hits, big hair and even bigger laughs!
Candlelight: Coldplay & Imagine Dragons | 6:30PM, Nov 2 (Tickets)
Location: Crescent Arts Centre
Description: Discover the music of Coldplay and Imagine Dragons at Crescent Arts Centre under the gentle glow of candlelight.
Comedy❗
Paul Myrehaug Comedy | Oct 31 - Nov 1 ($)
Location: Rumor's Restaurant and Comedy Club
Mike Dambra | October 31 - November 1 ($)
Location: Yuk Yuks Comedy Club
Description: Mike's interactive style has earned him rave reviews in every venue and festival he's played in and is known for having audience members come back more than once in a week because the show is always different.
Halloween Hangover Comedy | 8:30PM, November 1 (Tickets)
Location: The Basement Comedy Lounge
Description: Our Official Halloween Comedy Party! Costumes highly encouraged. Featuring some of the best comedians Winnipeg has to offer.
Special Events🥂
Halloween Jazz Night - with The River City Syncopators | 8PM, Oct 31 (Tickets)
Location: The Basement Comedy Lounge
Description: Winnipeg's only 1920's hot jazz band in Winnipeg's only true authentic 1920's speakeasy.
Music 🎵
Events marked with ($) require prior ticket purchase. Other events may require the purchase of food.
Thanks for reading The Winnipeg Digest! Let’s chat again on Monday!
