Latest news with #Countryfest
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
What's up: Canada Day, Countryfest, Public Domain, art of bonsai, @&% Canada Day
All across the city, Canada Day parties will celebrate the country's 158th birthday with food, fun and, in many cases, fireworks. CHRIS GAREAU / THE CARILLON FILES Winnipeggers can see fireworks at several locations on Tuesday. CHRIS GAREAU / THE CARILLON FILES Winnipeggers can see fireworks at several locations on Tuesday. Transcona BIZ is presenting a two-part Canada Day festival. In the afternoon (1-5 p.m.) check out the Canada Day Market at Transcona Centennial Square (135 Regent Ave. W.), featuring local makers such as BB Tallow Skincare Co., Urban Tails, Shrugging Doctor Beverage Co. and Bet Toba. There will be face painting, games and balloon animals for the kids and, while supplies last, free hot dogs. At 9:30 p.m., the gates will open at Buhler Recreation Park (135 Murdoch Rd.) for the fireworks — bring your blanket or lawn chair and enjoy. Similarly, in south Winnipeg, the River Park South Community Association is presenting a two-part Canada Day celebration of its own. Festivities kick off at Burland Park (150 Burland Ave.) from 4 to 8:30 p.m., with balloon artists, face painting, a craft market, live music and food trucks (including Wagyu Wagon, Engocha Ethiopian Food and the Big Dawg Smokies). The party moves to Highbury Park (99 Highbury Rd.) after dark for the fireworks, which kick off around 11 p.m. near the retention pond. Those living in north Winnipeg can start celebrating Canada Day early at Canada Fest at the Tyndall Park Community Centre (2255 King Edward St.) Sunday and Monday from 4 to 9 p.m. and from 3 to 11 p.m. on Canada Day proper. The event will feature food trucks and stalls at the Food Park (including Kyu Grill, Lobster Bae and Popoy's Golden Chicken), live spray paint art, free zumba classes, prizes and fireworks on Canada Day after dark. In the west end of the city, Assiniboine Park's Summer Entertainment Series continues with a range of Canada Day activities taking place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entertainment on the Lyric Stage includes Mama Cutsworth, Zrada and Neighbour Andy, while food trucks, a bouncy castle and pop-up patio will be set up in the Lyric Field. The outdoor garden at The Leaf will host a citizenship ceremony, salsa dance lessons, fire and tobacco teachings. (For those desperate to catch some fireworks in west Winnipeg, Assiniboia Downs will be lighting up the sky with pyrotechnics after dark.) — Ben Sigurdson Chantelle Dione photo Opaskwayak Cree Nation's Desiree Dorion performs at Countryfest this weekend. Chantelle Dione photo Opaskwayak Cree Nation's Desiree Dorion performs at Countryfest this weekend. Giddy up, country fans — Countryfest is here. Perhaps counter-intuitively, Canada's longest-running country music festival kicks off tonight with … a rock show. The Rockin' Thursday Kick Off Party will be headlined by Vancouver rock band Default, as well as a few bands-as-bands, including Winnipeg's the Haileys as Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and Dauphin's own Kates Outlaw as the Tragically Hip. Canadian singer-songwriter Josh Ross is the Friday-night headliner and American performer Jordan Davis takes top billing Saturday night, both supported by a genre-spanning list of acts — including, on Friday night, singer-songwriter Desiree Dorion who, fun fact, grew up about two kilometres from the grounds of Countryfest. And for those who like their country a little more old school, John Michael Montgomery, Mark Chesnutt and Lonestar are all among the mainstage performers on Sunday. The festival also offers a host of activities, including line dancing, axe throwing and, because it's Dauphin, a perogy-eating contest. Tickets — including weekend passes and camping passes — and the full lineup are available at — Jen Zoratti ALLEN E. MEADOR PHOTO Lady of the Red performs tonight ALLEN E. MEADOR PHOTO Lady of the Red performs tonight Located next door to the former Good Will Social Club, Public Domain is gaining momentum a few months ahead of its one-year anniversary, with its events schedule filling up quickly on its newly launched On Tuesdays, the bar/pizzeria/smashburger headquarters/concert venue hosts its weekly chess club, with a DJ spinning tunes. On Wednesdays, the sign-up list for karaoke is calling. And tonight, there's good music on tap for only $10. Kris Rendina and the Woke Mob headline, with Monday Morning Quarterback (Kieran Bjornson) and Lady of the Red — the updated moniker for local songwriter Larysa Musick — opening. — Ben Waldman SUPPLIED The Bonsai Society of Winnipeg hosts its biennial exhibit at WAG- Qaumajuq this weekend. SUPPLIED The Bonsai Society of Winnipeg hosts its biennial exhibit at WAG- Qaumajuq this weekend. The Bonsai Society of Winnipeg is back for its biennial exhibit at WAG-Qaumajuq. This year's exhibit of tiny trees marks the 40th anniversary of the society, which consists of more than 100 local bonsai enthusiasts. Miniature trees and landscapes, artfully sculpted by society members, will be displayed throughout the gallery. The showcase opens tonight with a ticketed gala. Guided tours of the exhibition are scheduled to run Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. On Saturday, join bonsai artists Trieu Vo and Denis Girardin for a pair of tree-shaping demonstrations in the Ilipvik centre at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., respectively. And on Sunday at 2 p.m., Bonsai Society members will host a presentation about the artform and the nuances of training trees in Manitoba's challenging climate. Visit for more information. — Eva Wasney It wouldn't be a Canada Day party without an anti-Canada Day party. If one were debating Winnipeg's most impactful OG MCs, Nigel Webber's rich Gritty City: An Oral History of Winnipeg Hip-Hop Music 1980-2005 provides ammunition for many sides. But if we're talking after 2005, the question's already settled: Winnipeg's Most. About 15 years ago, the North End rap crew earned tens of millions of streams for its party and thug anthems such as Bang Bang and All That I Know, forging a Prairie hip-hop consciousness that went well beyond the underground. The group — now made up of Charlie Fettah and Jon-C — has been in something like a reunion mode lately, and headline Monday's F@&% Canada Day show at the Exchange Event Centre. Also on the bill are CJ the Grey — a rapper from Cross Lake First Nation who may emerge as this generation's great Prairie boom bapper — Cypha Diaz and Pip Boy. Entry to the show is free before 10:30 p.m. if you RSVP and bring a charitable donation of food or clothing for Main Street Project and Spirit Horse Initiative. Admission is $20 after 10:30 p.m. — Conrad Sweatman
Winnipeg Free Press
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
News briefs for Thursday, June 12, 2025
A collection of breaking news briefs filed on Thursday, June 12, 2025 8:17 PM The Winnipeg Blue Bombers hold a 10-3 advantage over the visiting B.C. Lions after the first quarter at Princess Auto Stadium. Winnipeg got off to a hot start, driving 80 yards in four plays on the opening series of the contest. Brady Oliveria broke off a 43-yard run to put the hosts in scoring position, and Chris Streveler capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass to Nic Demski. Sergio Castillo also connected on a 49-yard field goal. Lions kicker Sean Whyte responded with a 21-yard field goal of his own. The Bombers' defence has been solid, holding the Lions to 48 yards of net offence. Oliveira went to the locker room after the first series and has not returned. 5:59 PM This is one daily double Connor Hellebuyck won't soon forget. The Winnipeg Jets goalie was awarded the first Hart Trophy of his career on Thursday night to go along with his third Vezina Trophy. Hellebuyck became just the eighth goalie in NHL history to capture the Hart Trophy, given to the individual deemed to be the most valuable player on his team, as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. Hellebuyck, who led the NHL in wins, shutouts and goals-against average this season, also captured his second consecutive nod as the best goalie in the NHL, as voted on by NHL general managers. Hellebuyck, who became the 13th goalie in NHL history to win the Vezina Trophy three times, also won the award in 2018-19. Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings were the two other finalists for the Vezina Trophy. 12:55 PM Dauphin's Countryfest is offering complimentary general admission tickets, camping and parking to to individuals and families displaced by the recent wildfires. 'We recognize the immense hardship faced by those displaced from their homes,' said Duane McMaster, president of Dauphin's Countryfest, the annual country music event that runs June 26-29 at the Selo Ukraina site. 'We hope that a weekend at Countryfest will provideextends a brief escape and a chance to create positive memories during this difficult period. It's our way of saying thank you for the support we've received and extending a helping hand.'Evacuees wishing to attend Dauphin's Countryfest are asked to call the office at 204-622-3700 to register. A limited number of tickets and passes are available for this initiative. Headliners at the event include John Michael Montgomery, Jordan Davis and Josh Ross. Eligible towns 12:22 PM One man was shot at and another was attacked with a machete in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation early Wednesday. Nelson House RCMP were sent to a home on Tamarack Crescent at about 2:10 a.m. A resident told officers he saw several males running away after the house was shot at. He told police he chased them, and one turned and fired a sawed-off shotgun at him. He went home and contacted police. As officers were investigating the shooting, RCMP were contacted about another incident in which a man might have been shot at a nearby home. The 19-year-old man, who had been hit with a machete but not shot, was transported to the nursing station with non-life-threatening injuries, where he was treated and released. Police, seeking one man in connection with both incidents, obtained a search warrant for a home and seized a gun. An 18-year-old man was later arrested, and RCMP said in a news release Thursday that he was in possession of a machete. SUPPLIEDRCMP seized a sawed-off shotgun after obtaining a warrant to search a home in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation. SUPPLIED RCMP seized a sawed-off shotgun after obtaining a warrant to search a home in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation. 12:08 PM Winnipeg police are searching for a teepee stolen from the lawn of an elementary school in East Kildonan. Angus McKay School at 850 Woodvale St. reported the teepee stolen Monday, a Winnipeg Police Service spokesperson said Thursday. The teepee was part of a planned two-week installation for National Indigenous History Month and to offer land-based learning, principal Jean-Paul Rochon said in a statement. 11:53 AM Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries says American-made products remain off its store shelves even as 'some Canadian jurisdictions are starting to shift their stance,' a bulletin says. The notice on the continued response to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs was sent to 'all liquor agents and suppliers' Thursday. 'At this time, American products remain unavailable for ordering,' the bulletin said, adding the MLL's business partners will be notified promptly if the government changes its policy.
Winnipeg Free Press
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
What's up: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, cyanotype workshop, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Constantinople, Rodarama
Supplied The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is on its farewell tour. Supplied The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is on its farewell tour. For nearly 60 years, Jeff Hanna has led the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, one of America's proto crossover country acts that gave us such hits as Mr. Bojangles, Fishin' in the Dark and An American Dream. After headlining Dauphin's Countryfest last summer, the band is bidding farewell on its All the Good Times tour, which moves into the Burt this weekend. Maybe the band will dust off House at Pooh Corner in honour of its two-night stand in Winnipeg. Written by Kenny Loggins, the song is sung from the perspective of both Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh and was on Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's 1970 album, Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy. Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards, a draw in her own right, is opening. In March, she released Covers, a collection of her takes on the songs that shaped her, including R.E.M's Sweetness Follows, Paul Westerberg's Only Lie Worth Telling, and the Flaming Lips' Feeling Yourself Disintegrate. — Jen Zoratti Throughout the month of April, the FLASH Photographic Festival has given Manitobans the chance to explore all manners of lens-based image-making. But for Saturday's workshop, led by U of M School of Art photography technician Kristiane Church, no cameras are needed. Supplied Example of a cyanotype Supplied Example of a cyanotype To create a typical cyanotype, artists place objects — shells, leaves, flowers, film and assorted knick-knacks — on specially coated paper. By exposing chemical compounds such as potassium ferricyanide to ultra-violet light, artists can create striking blue and white images. And through the use of natural toners made of coffee, tea and herbs, the colour scheme can shift, allowing the artists to play with expectation. Just add sunlight and see what happens next. Popularized in the 19th century, the cyanotype method is still a favourite for its low-cost appeal and lensless approach, which lends itself well to a late April afternoon in St. Boniface. If weather permits, participating artists will expose their prints right next to the Forum Centre in Coronation Park. Organizers suggest bringing objects such as those listed above, or jewelry, glasses, utensils, mesh, net or crystals to bring the cyanotypes to life. Acetate sheets will be supplied, as will all necessary components for the cyanotype process. They also suggest coming dressed for the weather and for art-making. 'It might be a bit messy!' — Ben Waldman Leanne Betasamosake Simpson book launch Critically acclaimed Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg author Leanne Betasamosake Simpson returns to Winnipeg on Tuesday to launch her innovative new work of non-fiction, which chronicles Indigenous people's relationship with water. Zahra Siddiqui photo Leanne Betasamosake Simpson Zahra Siddiqui photo Leanne Betasamosake Simpson Published on April 22 by Knopf Canada, Theory of Water: Nishnaabe Maps to the Times Ahead combines Nishnaabeg stories with Betasamosake Simpson's experiences with and around water, reflecting on teachings, creative work, stories and more, particularly undertakings by her longtime friend and elder Doug Williams, who died in 2022 at age 81. Betasamosake Simpson's previous work has been nominated for a number of literary awards, including the novel Noopiming: The Cure for White Ladies and her collaborative work with Robyn Harding, Rehearsals for Living, both of which were finalists for the Governor General's Literary Awards for fiction and non-fiction, respectively. In 2021, her album Theory of Ice was named to the Polaris Prize short list. She holds a PhD from the University of Manitoba. Shelagh Rogers will join Betasamosake Simpson for the launch Tuesday at 7 p.m. at McNally Robinson . — Ben Sigurdson Supplied Constantinople is Mediterranean and Middle Eastern medieval and baroque music. Supplied Constantinople is Mediterranean and Middle Eastern medieval and baroque music. A period music ensemble specializing in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern medieval and baroque esthetics may not sound like a formula for global impact. But not many acts sound quite like Constantinople, formed in 1988 by Canadian Iranian brothers Kiya and Ziya Tabassian and based in Montreal. Their lively, original take on such old, distant music has won them hundreds of thousands of fans. (Not to mention the 2024 Juno Award for Best Classical Album.) Leaders in Canada's early music scene, they reach a little more eastern than many other Montreal and Toronto period-music ensembles, pairing the sétar and tombak (Persian) with the viola da gamba and cornett (Spanish/Italian). They play both original compositions and interpretations of traditional music with a Byzantine flavour. The ensemble brings to mind, in spirit as well as name, Constantinople's bustling ports — some of the busiest, most important in the medieval world, whose exchange of goods, cultures and ideas helped set the Renaissance in motion. We're talking nerdy, but the music speaks for itself. On Friday, they play their Traversées concert (with setar, voice, kora and percussion), a recording of which has two million streams on YouTube. — Conrad Sweatman Supplied Rodarama takes place over three days. Supplied Rodarama takes place over three days. The annual indoor car show, now in its 24th year, features about 100 classic, hot rod and special interest cars, along with automotive themed vendors. The three-day event includes a silent auction, a raffle draw for a rebuilt transmission, custom detailed bar fridge and a barbecue and food prize pack. Organized by the Manitoba Street Rod Association (MSRA), the annual Rodarama event is a way for the group to support the Children's Rehabilitation Foundation (CRF). This year the organizers have teamed up with bicycle company Freedom Concepts to manufacture and donate four adaptive bikes to local families. 'We partner with these organizations to bring mobility and confidence to children who struggle with independence,' Tina Demmers from MSRA says. The bike award ceremony is on Sunday at 3 p.m. — AV Kitching
