Lower Fort Garry: A Day of Historical Adventure for the Whole Family

Just 30 minutes north of Winnipeg, Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site is approaching its 200th anniversary. Founded in 1826 on the banks of the Red River, this fort with its stone buildings (a rarity in Western Canada) has been the setting for some of the most significant moments in Manitoba’s history.

“This is where Treaty No. 1 was negotiated and signed in 1871—the first numbered treaty in the West—between the Crown and the Anishinaabe and Cree nations,” recalls Marc-André Belcourt, the site’s interpretation coordinator.

What makes the visit particularly enriching for Francophone families is that the majority of the staff are bilingual. The site’s Francophone history delights Marc-André Belcourt, who mentions his favorite historical figure: Ambroise-Dydime Lépine.

“He was Louis Riel’s right-hand man. He was imprisoned in the early 1870s, right here in this jail. He’s just one of the many figures we don’t usually hear enough about, but whom we can learn more about here at Lower Fort Garry.”

On-site programming changes every day. Wednesdays are Kids’ Days: at each stop on the site, hands-on activities await them, such as doing laundry with a washboard, setting up a teepee at the Indigenous camp or participating in races. On Saturdays, a series on sharing Indigenous knowledge invites First Nations and Métis guests to share beading techniques, culinary traditions and much more.

Admission to the site is completely free this year thanks to the Canada Strong Pass. Allow at least 2 hours. Open 7 days a week, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., through September 7, 2026.

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Saint-Leon Interpretation Center: Nature, Science and Francophone Heritage

Less than two hours southwest of Winnipeg, in the small Francophone village of St. Leon, a one-of-a-kind interpretation center awaits visitors of all ages. Its four interactive galleries—on salamanders, wind turbines, birds and sustainable development—are all bilingual and child-friendly.

“The community here is primarily Francophone and so is its history,” explains Lorraine Mabon, the center’s president. “We try as much as possible to involve local students, most of whom speak both languages.”

For families, there are plenty of attractions: a large indoor mural by a local artist featuring a built-in treasure hunt, on-site creative workshops, kayaks for rent on the lake, binoculars for birdwatching from the observation tower and a 2.9-km trail around the lake with more treasures to discover along the way. Little ones love the salamanders in the terrarium—one of the only places in Manitoba where you can see some. It’s also one of only two places in Manitoba where you can see wind turbines!

Open July and August, 7 days a week. St. Léon, Manitoba.

Sports en français: Play And Come Together—in French!

The mission of Sports en français is: “A Francophone community that gets active, plays and comes together.” Summer is no exception! Every week this summer, Sports en français organizes sports and outdoor camps for children aged 5 to 12 in Winnipeg and in rural Francophone communities throughout Manitoba—from Laurier to Thompson, including Ste. Anne, St. Pierre-Jolys and St. Jean-Baptiste.

On the agenda: outdoor activities, arts and crafts, a water day on Friday and all kinds of sports, including soccer, bike rides, basketball and even fencing or taekwondo workshops, depending on the session. For Chantal Young, executive director of Sports en français, camps are a highlight of their programming:

“For some young people, especially those in rural areas, this may be their only chance to speak French all summer long. That’s why every week, there’s a camp in Winnipeg and at least another one in a rural area.”

For Francophone families in Winnipeg, there are also basketball nights every Thursday at the Notre-Dame Recreation Center in St. Boniface, as part of Jeudis Franco Thursdays, as well as a Francophone canoeing and kayaking nights on September 4.

Register here

An Immersive Métis Experience for the Whole Family in the Heart of Nature

To wrap up the summer in style, the Union nationale métisse Saint-Joseph du Manitoba is organizing the Fires of Tradition camp from September 4 to 6, 2026, at St. Malo Provincial Park. Open to all generations and all ages—Métis or not—this unifying event encourages families to enjoy an immersive experience in Métis culture: music, crafts, traditional knowledge, food and community sharing moments. A wonderful way to end the summer by learning about something deeply Manitoban.