Spend your summer in the heart of city enjoying exciting events, rooftop patio dining and fabulous shopping.

The Exchange District comes to life as Old Market Square and the eye-catching cube stage are home to great festivals and life music all summer long. Wander through this historic area taking in the stunning architecture and unique shops and boutiques selling funky vintage finds, one-of-a-kind fashion and local art. Have a bite to eat with eclectic offerings like trendy French plates at the Peasant Cookery, hip vegan fare at Mondragon, sweet treats at Cake-ology and a dozen different kinds of poutine at Smoke’s Poutinerie.

Folklorama kicks off in August at The Forks when the food, art and music of cultures from around the world are brought to life. Pavilions scattered throughout the city welcome you to partake in a round-the-globe adventure.

The Forks also offers sensational shopping and diverse culinary options including large patios overlooking the river, ethnic eateries, an organic bakery, as well as sumptuous fine dining and family-friendly restaurants. Activities abound at The Forks where you can stroll the riverwalk, hop on a water taxi, take in the history of the area, gaze upon wild prairie gardens, and watch the tricks at the urban skateboard plaza.  Read more about what do to at The Forks here.

Kids will love the newly-renovated Manitoba Children’s Museum where they can climb a four-storey Lasagna Lookout as they dodge meatballs and crawl through a fettuccine tunnel.  Read more about the Children’s Museum here.

Get the best view of the city on Tavern United’s rooftop patio and kick back with a pint while you watch the big game on a towering 24-ft screen at 4Play Sports Bar. For elegant fine dining slurp back oysters at Lobby on York and snack on creative plates perfect for sharing at Eat! Bistro.

Come September, Broadway comes to life during ManyFest when a dazzling light display, music, food, wine and a bike festival hits the streets.

While you’re downtown, be sure to check out some of the city’s top attractions including the world-renowned Winnipeg Art Gallery famous for its collection of modern Inuit art or the Manitoba Museum where history comes to life with dramatic walk-through settings of a 17^th century ship and a life-sized model of Winnipeg circa 1920.

For more information on downtown events, shopping and dining visit www.tourismwinnipeg.com.

After extensive renovations, the new Children’s Museum is sure to provide hours of fun in its 12 permanent galleries. Staying close to its roots as a former train repair facility, the museum’s focus is on interactive exhibits, hands-on activities and learning through creative environments.

At the Lasagna Lookout, instead of playing with your food, this food plays with you! The Rigatoni Rollers, Spaghetti Forest and Ravoli Rollers offer a lesson in tasty textures. The Illusion Tunnel might play tricks on the eye, but the kids are in on the joke inside the giant slide that plays with their sense of perception.

A lab coat slicker is required when entering the Splash Lab. From the enormous bubble wall to water table – there is water everywhere!  Kids can get behind the Cow Controls in the Milk Machine – a giant cow cube – to see what a cow sees and hear what a cow hears. At the Tot Spot, getting there is all the fun – especially for the littlest museum visitors. Tots ride, walk or crawl their way over bridges and through a tunnel, exploring a miniature version of the museum.

At the Engine House, kids can get a look at the insides of an actual train engine, with its gears, pipes and pulleys, and even get in the conductor’s seat. Junction 9161 is all about the train – the powerful locomotive that forms the spine of the museum experience. Standing inside or out, kids can explore the enormity of this great machine.

In the Tumble Zone, kids are encouraged to play architect and builder and construct part of a cityscape using strange and unusual pieces that replace traditional building blocks. And then comes the fun part where they can knock it down and start all over again. Every town needs a central meeting place to share exciting stories, to rest up before the next big adventure or to plan out another series of explorations – kids can synchronize their watches at the Time Squared Clock Tower and get going.

The Pop M’Art lets kids “shop” for supplies to make their own art, and with the continuously changing stock, they can make something new every time they visit. Ride the train on the literacy-based Story Line. Six destinations transport visitors anywhere imaginable – from outer space to deep beneath the sea. And when it’s time to take a break, the Mellow Marsh is a quiet, cozy cocoon where bug-sized visitors walk under the giant leaves to admire the flowers of this “organic” cube.

Bring the kids for a day of exploration, adventure and creativity. For more information go to www.childrensmuseum.com.

This summer, put Winnipeg’s casinos on your list of sights to see. Bring your friends and relatives from out of province to the Casinos of Winnipeg this July and August for a night of unforgettable entertainment.

 With our “Friends & Relatives” promotion, you will receive $5 in Gold Play on your existing Club Card for each out-of-province friend or relative who signs up for a new Club Card with the Casinos of Winnipeg.  Plus, your friends and relatives will receive $10 in Gold Play as a special welcome to Winnipeg!

 So visit the Players Booth at either casino to enroll, and enjoy some slot play on us!

 Please remember that Manitoba law only allows adults over the age of 18 to enter the casinos, and that photo ID may be required.

For more on this great promotion and other offers from the Casinos of Winnipeg, go to www.mlc.mb.ca.

While we think of the Exchange District as a place for great shopping, dining and special events, this 30-block-area filled with turn-of-the-century architecture has played a central part in the city’s history. Get a better understanding of the places and people that shaped the Exchange District on a walking tour of the area.

 A tour of the West Exchange will take you past the architectural gems on the west side of Main Street, including turn-of-the-century hotels and one of the earliest car dealerships in Western Canada. You’ll also go inside Red River College’s Princess Street Campus to see how heritage and innovative building design can coexist with incredible results. When touring the East Exchange, you’ll visit 9 of the remaining 20 banks that once lined Main Street between Portage Avenue and City Hall. You’ll also tour the developments along Waterfront Drive and the Grain Exchange. You can also choose a specialty walking tour, such as the Death and Debauchery Tour, which focuses on The Exchange’s deepest and darkest secrets or The Exchange’s brushes with stardom as a movie set on the Real to Reel Tour. There are also tours that focus on the Theatre District, the Winnipeg General Strike and even Green Buildings & Sustainable Land Use. All tours depart from Old Market Square at the corner of King and Bannatyne and are offered until August 31.

Book your tour at www.exchangedistrict.org.

The Forks is Winnipeg’s number one gathering place, and it has been for more than 6,000 years. Spend a day at The Forks, soaking up the history, the sun and the fun. As a National Historic Site, Parks Canada offers two great ways to learn about The Forks. Take a walking tour that will take you back in time as a costumed interpreted will share colourful stories and share curious objects as they bring history to life. Or you can track down history using a GPS and a self-guiding booklet that will lead you to a hidden geocache.  You can also get a different view of the historical importance of The Forks on a Splash Dash tour boat. These half hour tours depart every 15 minutes and offer commentary and information as you travel Winnipeg’s downtown waterways.

With almost 75 shops on site, offering everything from fresh produce to jewellery antiques and wine, The Forks is a great shopping destination.  It also offers a number of restaurants catering to every taste and budget, plus some of the best patios in the city. After dinner, don your dance shoes as Salsa Sundays continue until July 24. Dance demonstrations and free instructions along will give you the confidence to get moving. And don’t miss the Barge Festival, August 19-21. A floating stage in the Historic Port will showcase Winnipeg’s incredible artists and performing arts groups, including a performance from the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

Find out more about what’s on at The Forks, go to www.theforks.com.

Extend your summer fun with a trip to a summer festival in Manitoba. For more summer festival ideas, go to www.travelmanitoba.com.

5^th Annual GPS Challenge – Farmers’ Market Extravaganza

Now-August 27, 2011

This 12-week challenge continues as participants make their way to farmers’ markets in the Eastman, Interlake and Central Plains regions by using GPS coordinates. Challengers will search for the answer to a question about the area and market vendors at each location. 

Threshermen’s Reunion & Rodeo

July 28-31, 2011

Manitoba Agricultural Museum Grounds, Austin

See farm equipment up close and personal with ploughing, threshing and horse power demonstrations. Peruse the farmer’s market and catch the parade of vintage farm machinery.

Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival

July 29-31, 2011

Selo Ukrainian Festival Site, Dauphin

Experience the tastes, culture, music, history and hospitality of Ukrainians. Fill up on borscht and perogies and then dance the night away.

Islendingadagurinn – Icelandic Festival of Manitoba

July 29-August 1, 2011

Gimli

Relive history at the Viking Encampment, enjoy the flavours and culture of Iceland and have fun at the midway, parade, beach volleyball tournament, sand castle building contest and tons of other activities.

Winkler Harvest Festival and Exhibition

August 12-14, 2011

Winkler Parkland, Winkler

Bask in the bounty of harvest time with family-friendly events like free live music performances, petting zoo, agricultural displays, parade, rodeo and midway.  

Morden Corn and Apple Festival

August 26-28, 2011

Downtown Morden

Come for the free hot buttered corn and free ice cold apple cider, but stay for the great line-up of activities, including show and shine car show, parade, mud racing, live music, farmers’ market and midway.