While Travel Manitoba strongly recommends that all tourism businesses adhere to the operating protocols and capacity restrictions allowed by the Manitoba government, we cannot guarantee the compliance of any business featured in our blog content.
We continue to stay safe, stay home and physical distance in 2021. Here are ways you can explore Manitoba at home and close to home.
From online festivals, art exhibits, and interactive events to outdoor activities, here are 10 things to do this week in Manitoba...
1. Celebrate winter with Thompson Winterfest
Online and Thompson / Treaty 5 territory February 26 to 28
Thompson Winterfest has moved online this year but has just as many events and contests for maximum winter fun. Celebrate winter with online concerts, art exhibitions, children’s story time and African drum workshop. Then get even more involved by participating in the photo contest and jigging contest. And if you live in Thompson, get outside with your sculpting tools and paint and create a sculpture to enter into the snow sculpture contest – this year’s theme: pandemic essentials.
2. Share your poetry — dans n’importe quelle langue!
Online / Hosted on Treaty 1 territory February 24 février | 7 p.m. / 19h
Get creative with language at JUST(e) SLAM!, an evening dedicated to spoken word poetry and sharing words, laughter and emotion. Join the Zoom meet up to listen to others’ works and perform your own poetry pieces. The event is free to all and encourages participants to share their voice in whichever language they’d like.
C’est le moment d’être créative avec le langage lors d’une soirée JUST(e) SLAM!. Cet évènement gratuit et en ligne est dédié à l’art de la poésie orale et vivante. Joignez-vous à la rencontre Zoom pour écouter les performances d’autres personnes et partager vos propres poèmes dans n’importe quelle langue.
3. Find your way through a snow maze
Photo taken in 2018
Saint Adolphe / Treaty 1 territory
The World’s Largest Snow Maze is back this year, and bigger than ever (making it safer!). Wind your way through the snowy walkways as you attempt to find your way to the end of the maze. Then grab hot chocolate or mini donuts to eat “on the go” (there will be no seating areas for eating this year). And don’t forget your toboggan to take a ride down Snow Mountain.
Face masks/face coverings are mandatory and capacity is limited onsite to ensure physical distancing. Buy a ticket and book a visiting time in advance to make sure you get in. See all safety protocols and restrictions on A Maze in Corn’s website before you visit.
Online / hosted on Treaty 1 territory February 27 | noon to midnight
Join in Ai-Kon’s virtual Winterfest for 12 hours of anime and Japanese pop culture events. This online version of the annual event will feature panelist discussions from artists, guest speakers and exhibitors, an online marketplace, streaming featured anime and live gaming on Twitch. Get online and join the fun.
Online / hosted on Treaty 1 territory February 27 and March 5, 13, 19 & 27 | 7:00 pm
Usually the West End Cultural Centre’s Winterruption music series is a reason to get out of the house in the middle of winter, but this year they want you to stay in and enjoy local artists from the comfort of your home. The first of this free five-concert series features The Small Glories on Feb 27 at 7 p.m.
Photo credit: Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba
Online / hosted on Treaty 2 territory February 25 | 2 p.m.
Join the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba in discussion with Alberta-based artist Aidan Stimson. His monochromatic paintings depicting bison in imagined landscapes are part of the gallery’s Prairie Vernacular exhibition. Join this free virtual artist talk to hear how his works evoke ideas of cultural fragility, resilience and nostalgia.
Online \ hosted on Treaty 1 territory Until March 31
Three local playwrights, three perspectives, one city. Prairie Theatre Exchange presents Winnipeg Stories, a series of short audio stories about Winnipeg. Each story comes from a new perspective, each with a slightly different focus — architecture, water, home, memories — but all centre around Winnipeg. These stories are available for free until March 31.
Online / hosted on Treaty 1 territory February 27 | 5 to 9 p.m.
Tune into an evening of music, drag, comedy and “creative chaos” during the first ever Sunshine House Telethon. All the performances are free to tune into but you can support Sunshine House by donating and participating in a 50/50 raffle. You can also enhance your viewing experience by ordering a meal kit that will be delivered to your door by the Sunshine Bunch drag performers!
9. Attend a chat with one of the authors of This Place: 150 Years Retold
Photo credit: Manitoba Council for International Cooperation
Online / hosted on Treaty 1 territory February 23 | 7 p.m.
Explore the past 150 years through the eyes of Indigenous creators with the graphic novel This Place: 150 Years Retold. The illustrated stories are an emotional and enlightening journey through Indigenous wonderworks, psychic battles and time travel. In this online chat, Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair, one of the authors, will discuss how and why the book was written.
10. Unwind with a yoga and wine class
Online \ hosted on Treaty 1 territory February 27 | 6:45 to 8:30 p.m.
Relax and unwind with yoga and wine. Join Into Nature for a virtual yoga class then sip wine from Kenaston Wine Market during this online event. Pay $10 to participate in the yoga class and wine education class or register by February 23 and pay $45 to have a bottle of wine delivered within Winnipeg.
Looking for even more to do this week? Be sure to check out Stay Home - Safe at Home Manitoba frequently for content featuring culture, arts, entertainment, fitness and more.
