Happy Friday, Winnipeg!
It has been a hot one out there, and the city is under a yellow heat warning right now. So keep that water bottle close, find some shade when you can, and check in on the older folks, little ones, and pets in your life.
The good news? There is a ton happening this weekend. If you are making plans, plan ahead a little. Grab your tickets early, pack the sunscreen, and have a cool spot in mind for when you need a break.
In today’s edition:
Free Outdoor Gear Is Coming to Winnipeg Neighbourhoods
Homes of the Week
Downtown Winnipeg Is Looking for Local Talent
Winnipeg's Neighbourhood Fix-It Crews Are Back
50+ Events this weekend & Live Music!
— Jas Singh
News
Source: Exchange District
Free Outdoor Gear Is Coming to Winnipeg Neighbourhoods
Heading out for a bike ride or a family ski sounds simple, until you start adding up the cost of gear.
Skis, bikes, helmets, trail tools. It all adds up fast. And if you are new to the city or watching your budget, getting outside can start to feel like more trouble than it is worth.
A new project called GearBox wants to change that.
The Manitoba government is putting $100,000 behind the Winnipeg Trails Association to set up pop-up gear stations right in our schools, community centres, and public spaces. The idea is simple: more Winnipeggers outside, fewer reasons not to be.
Here is what you need to know:
Borrow gear for free, including skis, bikes, and trail tools, at everyday community spots
Stations stay stocked year round, from summer cycling to winter skiing
Programs run right out of the stations, including tree planting, trail building, and bike repair
Open to families, youth, newcomers, and people of all abilities
Whether you have lived here your whole life or just landed last month, this is one more way Winnipeg is making sure everyone gets a fair shot at enjoying the outdoors together.
Click here: To learn more about the program!
A Message From Crescent Financial Group
The Free Retirement Guide Every Winnipegger Should Read
For most Winnipeggers, retirement always feels far away, until one day it doesn't. And by then, the question hits hard: did I save enough?
You're not alone. It's the kind of thing most Winnipeggers carry around for years without saying out loud. The numbers feel fuzzy, the decisions feel big, and life keeps moving.
That's why Crescent Financial Group put together a FREE retirement planning guide for Winnipeggers who want a clearer picture of where they actually stand, before that "one day" arrives.
Inside, you'll find honest answers to the questions most people lose sleep over:
When should I take CPP and OAS?
Am I saving enough, and where should my money be?
How do I make sure my money lasts?
How do I pay less tax in retirement?
The folks who feel most at peace heading into retirement aren't always the ones with the biggest savings. They're the ones with a plan.
This is a calm, no-pressure place to start building yours.
Homes of the Week:
Home 1: Under $450k
Price: $239,900
Address: 103 176 Thomas Berry Street / St Boniface
Details: 878 sqft / 2 Bed / 1 Bath
Built in: 1986
Click here: To view the full house & plan your showing!
Home 2: $450k - $650K
Price: $499,990
Address: 154 Leahcrest Crescent / Maples
Details: 1269 sqft / 4 Bed / 3 Bath
Built in: 1984
Parking Type: Attached Garage
Click here: To view the full house & plan your showing!
Home 3: Over $650k
Price: $4,500,000
Address: 1421 Loudoun Road / Charleswood
Details: 5453 sqft / 5 Bed / 6 Bath
Built in: 2015
Parking Type: Attached Garage, Other
Click here: To view the full house & plan your showing!
Community Digest
Downtown Winnipeg Is Looking for Local Talent
Most people who perform have a story about the time they almost went for it. The open mic they talked themselves out of. The audition they never booked. The act they only ever rehearsed at home.
Plenty of Winnipeggers have that talent. And now there is a stage waiting for it.
Downtown Winnipeg BIZ just launched Downtown Live, a brand new program opening the stage to local musicians, singers, dancers, theatrical performers, storytellers, and everything in between. Polished acts, emerging artists, the unexpected. It is all welcome here.
Here is what you need to know:
Open to all ages and every performance style
Live public auditions on June 27 at the outdoor plaza outside the Burton Cummings Theatre
Selected artists join a paid roster for downtown bookings all summer
Top performers in each category earn a spot at the Burt Block Party (August 13 to 16), four days of live music, food, and activities that pull over 15,000 people into the heart of the city
There is something special about watching your own city show off what it can do. The neighbour you never knew could sing. The coworker who turns out to be a natural under the lights. It is the kind of thing that makes a summer downtown feel alive, and it only happens when people decide to step up and share what they have got.
Applications close June 14, so if this sounds like you or someone you know, consider this your nudge to finally go for it.
City Updates
$1.5M to Feed, Teach, and Hire Seven Oaks Kids
Any parent or teacher will tell you the same thing. A hungry kid has a hard time focusing on much of anything, never mind a spelling test or a science class.
For students in Seven Oaks, that is about to get a whole lot better.
The Schroeder Foundation is putting $1.5 million into the Seven Oaks School Division ahead of the 2026-2027 school year, with the money going to Collège Garden City Collegiate and Elwick Community School.
It starts with feeding kids.
But it does not stop there. Students will also learn to cook, earn paid work experience in their own school kitchens, and get a real reason to show up every morning.
Here is where it is going:
$300,000 for a dedicated food program kitchen at Garden City Collegiate
$250,000 to rebuild culinary classrooms where students work as interns and part-time staff
$70,000 in kitchen upgrades at Elwick Community School
$200,000 in donated kitchen equipment
$270,000 a year for up to 160 weekly food hampers for local families, year-round
Free and subsidized meals, plus outreach to help students who have been missing class find their way back
Infrastructure work starts in June, the hamper program launches in July, and full programming rolls out in September.
If you have kids in Seven Oaks, or know a family who does, this is the kind of support that does quiet, lasting good. A full stomach, a new skill, a first paycheque, and a kid who feels like school is a place they belong.
Winnipeg's Neighbourhood Fix-It Crews Are Back
If a pothole on your street has been sitting there testing your patience, help is on the way.
Winnipeg's Neighbourhood Action Teams are back for their second year, and this time the program is a whole lot bigger.
Five seven-person crews will rotate through all 15 wards between May and October, spending about four weeks in each area. Last year it was three teams of six, so this is a real step up.
Here is what they take on:
Pothole patching and sidewalk repairs
Broken or missing street signs
Fallen tree branches and boulevard maintenance
The work plans come from 311 requests, local councillors, and community input, so the crews stay focused on what each neighbourhood actually needs.
Right now they are working through Old Kildonan, North Kildonan, Point Douglas, Mynarski, and Elmwood-East Kildonan, with more wards to come through October.
Exciting Events: May 29th - 31st
Events marked with ($) require a ticket in advance. Please search them up before going.
Sports🏀
Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. BC Lions | 7:30PM, May 29 ($)
Location: Princess Auto Stadium
Winnipeg Run Club | 8AM, May 30 (FREE)
Location: The Forks
Community Fun🎆
North End Neighbors Culture Fest | 12PM-4PM, May 30 (More Info)
Location: Ukrainian Labour Temple
Description: We will have food, performers, community booths & more! Join us as we share our cultures and build relationships!
Doors Open Winnipeg 2026 | May 30-31 (FREE)
Location: Various venues
Description: This is your opportunity to explore built heritage treasures, cultural institutions and historic streetscapes – all for FREE! There are lots of places to discover from the heart of the city all the way out to Birds Hill Park, so start making plans to join us!
Markets / Festivals🎡
Western Canada Rib Fest Tour | May 29-31 (FREE)
Location: The Plaza at Red River Exhibition Park
Description: Come hungry and dig into fall-off-the-bone ribs, smoky brisket, and all your BBQ favourites from top pitmasters. Kick back with live music, cold drinks, and a lively festival atmosphere the whole crew can enjoy.
IKEA Family Fun Fair | May 29-31 (Tickets)
Location: 500 Sterling Lyon Pkwy
Description: Enjoy a weekend of thrilling rides, tasty treats, and unforgettable family fun. Plus, IKEA Family members enjoy an exclusive 10% off on unlimited rides admission!
Flatlanders Beer Festival | May 29-30 (Tickets)
Location: Canada Life Centre
Description: Come down to Winnipeg’s largest beer and beverage festival featuring beers from local, national, and international brewers, along with a variety of ciders and the season’s latest ‘Ready to Drink’ beverages. (55 beer booths on the concourse)
St. Norbert Farmers’ Market | 8AM-2PM, May 30 (FREE)
Location: Le Marché St Norbert Farmers Market
Description: For more than thirty years the St.Norbert Farmers’ Market has been serving Winnipeg and the surrounding area with fresh farm foods and handcrafted goods made in Manitoba.
Taste of Asia | 12PM-9PM, May 30-31 (FREE)
Location: Memorial Park
Description: The annual Taste of Asia Festival showcases the richness and diversity of Asian cultures through food, performances, and community experiences.
Performances🎭
Daan: A Journey Through Song | 7:30PM-9:30PM, May 30 (Tickets)
Location: John Hirsch Mainstage
Description: This one night only concert blends beloved Broadway hits, exiting contemporary works from Filipino-Canadian canon, and a thrilling sneak peak from Rizal, our upcoming musical about the life and times of Jose Rizal, with book and music by Winnipeg's own, Joseph Aragon.
Buena Vista Social Club Tribute with Amber Epp & Papa Mambo Trio / Jazz Night | 8:30PM-11PM, May 30 (Tickets)
Location: Garrick Hotel
Description: Welcome to the Jazz Night at Garrick Hotel - the most unique up close and personal Jazz experience in Winnipeg. This evening is a special tribute as we celebrate 30th anniversary of Buena Vista Social Club album (recorded in March 1996).
A Taste of Ireland | 7:30PM, May 30 (Tickets)
Location: Burton Cummings Theatre
Description: Direct from Off-Broadway and London’s West End, the internationally acclaimed A Taste of Ireland Company returns with its flagship production.
The InClines - Sweet Dreams of Patsy Cline | 2PM, May 31 (Tickets)
Location: Club Regent Event Centre
Description: Celebrating 25 Years! The InClines’ “Sweet Dreams of Patsy Cline” is a musical celebration of the life and times of the legendary Patsy Cline. Through narration and song, The InClines revisit Patsy’s life from her humble beginnings to the tragic accident that took her life on March 5, 1963.
Comedy❗
Joe Avati | 8PM-11PM, May 29 ($)
Location: Centro Caboto Centre
Description: Joe Avati will make you laugh hysterically as he makes you relive the Good Old Days! This is a family friendly show enjoyed by all ages!
Rita Rudner Comedy | 7:30PM, May 29 (Tickets)
Location: Burton Cummings Theatre
Description: Rita Rudner, a house-filling favourite in Las Vegas since she opened as one of the hottest tickets in town in June 2000, is known for her epigrammatic one-liners.
Greg Warren | May 29-30 ($)
Location: Rumor's Restaurant and Comedy Club
Description: Greg Warren is a beloved stand-up comedian known for his sharp, relatable humor that resonates with everyday families across the country. Warren recently released his latest comedy special, The Champ, produced by Nate Bargatze via Nateland’s YouTube channel.
ImproVision | 8:30PM, May 30 (Tickets)
Location: The Getaway Cafe
Description: They’ll make stuff up on the spot based on suggestions from the audience (that’s you!) using puppets, clothespins, phones and more! It’s like Whose Line Is It Anyway had a baby with Reservoir Dogs.
Special Events🥂
Pride Winnipeg Festival | May 29 - June 7 (More Info)
Location: Various Venues
Description: Celebrate the diverse community that supports LGBTTQ* (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit, and queer) people. Festivities include a flag-raising at City Hall, sports tournaments, barbecues, art shows, live entertainment, artisans, Queer Beer Tent for adults, the city's biggest dance party and much more.
RWB School's Dance Spectrum | May 29-30 ($)
Location: Centennial Concert Hall
Description: Dance Spectrum is the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School’s annual year-end showcase that celebrates the hard work and dedication of all the Recreational Division students.
2026 Agassiz Chamber Music Festival | May 29-30 ($)
Location: Laudamus Auditorium, Canadian Mennonite University
Description: This year's theme, Quartetfest, celebrates the power and intimacy of the quartet. From opening night to the closing concert, each day brings fresh encounters with this remarkable format — string quartets, jazz quartets, and everything in between.
Table for 1200 | May 30 (Tickets)
Location: A SURPRISE and will be announced on event day
Description: Storefront's Table For 1200 brings together architecture, design, and the culinary arts to create a spectacular 'pop-up' outdoor dining experience with entertainment and stimulating conversation in an absolutely unique setting.
Manitoba Motorcycle Ride for Dad | 8AM, May 30 (More Info)
Location: Earl’s Kitchen & Bar
Description: The Motorcycle Ride for Dad raises funds for prostate cancer research and education through the Prostate Cancer Fight Foundation.
2026 Manitoba Dragon Boat Festivals | 9AM, May 31 (More Info)
Location: 80 Churchill, Drive
Tunerbash | 12PM-5PM, May 31 (Tickets)
Location: Red River Exhibition Park
Description: Experience high-energy drag races, a full-throttle burnout competition, and a packed show-off area featuring some of the region’s best builds.
Music 🎵
Events marked with ($) require prior ticket purchase. Other events may require the purchase of food.
