Latest news with #BurtonCummingsTheatre
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Free Press Head Start for Aug. 14, 2025
Thunderstorms ending this morning, then a mix of sun and cloud with a 30 per cent chance of showers late this afternoon. Risk of a thunderstorm late this afternoon. Wind from the south at 30 km/h gusting to 50 becoming light late this afternoon. High 29 C. Humidex 37. UV index 7 or high. What's happening today The Burt Block Party kicks off tonight and runs until Sunday outdoors beside Burton Cummings Theatre, 364 Smith St. This year's headliners include Canadian country singer-songwriter Dean Brody (Thursday), Vancouver-based pop-rock band Marianas Trench (Friday), anthemic Ontario rock outfit the Glorious Sons (Saturday) and rock vet Kim Mitchell (Sunday). Tickets: $99.75 per day at Ticketmaster (Friday sold out). For more information, click here. The Burt Block Party has become an annual summer staple. (Supplied) Today's must-read Manitoba has seen an increase of 201 net new physicians practising in the province since the NDP formed government. Another 12 have accepted offers and are set to begin their practices in the coming months, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said in a statement Wednesday. A contract with Canadian Health Labs to recruit 150 physicians that was signed by former Progressive Conservative health minister Audrey Gordon in 2023 resulted in the hiring of two physicians, each from the United Kingdom. Carol Sanders has the story. Doctors Manitoba president and Neepawa family doctor Nichelle Desilets. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files) On this date On Aug. 14, 1953: The Winnipeg Free Press reported thousands would fill the new Winnipeg stadium at its official opening, which would also include a fundraiser by the Shriners for disabled children. The prospect of the worst grain tie-up since the war years faced Canadian farmers, who were preparing to harvest another bumper crop. Searchers near Moose Lake said they had discovered clues as to the whereabouts of an 18-year-old man who had been missing since July 24. Read the rest of this day's paper here. Search our archives for more here. Today's front page Get the full story: Read today's e-edition of the Free Press .
Winnipeg Free Press
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Loyal friend': Cockburn receives key to city on 50th anniversary of first folk fest appearance
A sprawling crowd gathered Saturday afternoon at the Winnipeg Folk Festival's Big Bluestem stage to witness Bruce Cockburn receive the city's highest honour. In a brief ceremony prior to the legendary Canadian musician's concert, Mayor Scott Gillingham presented Cockburn with the key to the City of Winnipeg. 'He has inspired and influenced countless artists, poets and entertainers; his lyrics have stirred us and soothed us and challenged us,' Gillingham said from the stage, alongside festival executive director Valerie Shantz. 'Today, we celebrate Bruce Cockburn as a loyal friend of the Winnipeg Folk Festival for 50 years.' Mike Sudoma/Free Press Files Bruce Cockburn, pictured performing at the Burton Cummings Theatre in 2023, was presented with the key to the City of Winnipeg Saturday afternoon at the Winnipeg Folk Festival Those in attendance gave a standing ovation and cheers of 'Bruuuuuuuuce' rippled through the large daytime crowd. Previous recipients of a key to the city include ballerina Evelyn Hart, hockey player Jonathan Toews, musician Gene Simmons, among others. Cockburn, 80, performed at the first folk festival in 1974 and made his most recent appearance in 2017. The 13-time Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist is a member of the Order of Canada and an inductee into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. 'Thank you for the recognition, thank you for the hospitality that I've experienced over all these years, it's been a pretty good run,' said Cockburn, who was born in Ottawa and first travelled west in a campervan with his wife and dog in 1970. 'The people (of Winnipeg) were so hospitable and so friendly and it opened up a whole life, really, because the travel that that was the beginning of became a huge part of everything I've done since.' Seated on a stool at centre-stage, Cockburn tuned his guitar and told stories between the music, which included Mama Just Wants To Barrelhouse All Night Long (a song he played at the first festival five decades ago) and Lovers in a Dangerous Time. The crowd, one of the largest this reporter has seen at a daytime stage, was quiet and captivated during the set, standing for a second ovation once Cockburn wrapped. The sky was sunny and smoky during the third day of folk fest. While the air quality had improved considerably from the dense wildfire smoke hanging over grounds Friday, many festivalgoers continued to wear masks while taking in the day's music. Amy Attas flew in from out of town to attend the festival with family. 'I live in B.C. now and when it's this bad, I don't usually go outside,' she said of the smoke. 'I'm wearing a mask because it feels like a good balance.' Attas didn't expect the festival to cancel events, but had hoped for more communication about the conditions on Friday and Saturday, when the air quality health index was hovering around 10 — the highest health risk level, during which Environment Canada recommends the cancellation of outdoor activities. The festival had put out three weather updates related to the air quality between both days. 'I don't know if there's anything they could do. I hope they're protecting the performers, especially the older performers,' Attas said. Dennis Kakoske was also visiting from out of town and expected to see fewer people and more masks. 'I thought it was really going to kill the attendance because it was so bad,' he said of the air quality. 'I'm surprised that people are kind of taking it in stride… even young kids don't have masks on.' Kakoske also didn't expect the event to be cancelled. Eva, a volunteer who asked not to use her last name, decided against camping with friends at the festival when she noted the air quality Thursday night. Every Second Friday The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. 'I've been struggling with my asthma and the wildfire smoke for a few years,' said Eva, who was wearing an N95 mask, had packed extra asthma medication and had made safety plans with friends in case of an attack. 'It definitely takes me a while to recover from being outside, even with the mask on.' She uses four different apps to monitor smoke conditions hour-to-hour and was unable to complete her volunteer shift Friday, when ratings were the worst she had ever seen. Eva also didn't expect the festival to cancel. 'It's a difficult call for the festival to make, but I think having an indoor space for people to recover from the air so they can get back to the city safely would be helpful,' she said. '(And) it would be good if there was more of a consensus about being out in the wildfire smoke.' If you value coverage of Manitoba's arts scene, help us do more. Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project. Eva WasneyReporter Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva. Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Work imminent to create ‘more vibrancy' with green space expansion near Burt
Work to revamp an expanded Odeon Park adjacent to the Burton Cummings Theatre should start soon, with a goal to create a vibrant downtown green space. The City of Winnipeg set aside $890,000 to hire a company to redevelop the park, with work expected to begin in the late summer or early fall, city spokesman Kalen Qually said in an email. Last year, the city realigned part of Smith Street toward King Street, closing the street space immediately in front of the theatre, which aimed to improve traffic flow and create more space for Odeon Park. JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Those changes allow the park to grow to 970 square metres from about 335 square metres. 'The well-lit plaza will be about three times larger than the former Odeon Triangle Park, featuring a stage, seating, drinking water fountain and hard surface paving. A large sculptural feature created by a Manitoba artist will be installed, with the site bordered by tree and shrub plantings. The plaza will be available to the public in all four seasons and will be set up to complement programming at the theatre or allow separate events,' wrote Qually. Before the street was realigned, the park was confined to the Smith Street and Notre Dame Avenue rights-of-way. Mayor Scott Gillingham said the project will help add needed green space for downtown residents. 'We may not often think about the fact that the downtown is also a residential area for thousands and thousands of Winnipeggers … People in the downtown also need access to green space near their homes and businesses. So, I'm really excited about the expansion of that park,' said Gillingham. JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS The winning bidder of the contract is expected to demolish many of the park's existing features and prepare it for a future water bottle filling station. The company will also install raised concrete planter walls, benches, a concrete stage with wood decking, a concrete surface, planting beds and plants and lighting, tender documents read. City council's public works chairwoman said she expects the changes will help liven up the area around a popular theatre. 'It's going to add to neighbourhoods, it's going to add to the opportunity to create more vibrancy in our downtown. I know the theatre will be using it a lot for barbecue fests, music fests. It's going to be a great spot to activate, where people can come out and enjoy our city,' said Coun. Janice Lukes. Lukes said the density of downtown can make green space scarce, so she expects the enlarged Odeon Park will also take pressure off other options, such as Old Market Square. Related Articles Bigger park, plaza considered for Burton Cummings Theatre The Burt stretches its boundaries with outdoor event space Scatliff-Miller-Murray developed the urban plaza design, while the park's expansion was deemed a 'high-impact' part of the city's downtown recovery strategy following the pandemic, wrote Qually. True North Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Burton Cummings Theatre at 364 Smith St., had raised the initial request for the city to move the roadway toward King Street, a past city report notes. True North was one of several stakeholders consulted on the park's design, said Qually. The tender calls for the winning contractor to complete the project by Oct. 29. X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne PursagaReporter Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne. Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
