Winnipeg, Manitoba

Winnipeg Rocks!

Seasonal variety and a friendly hometown atmosphere is what make living in Winnipeg such a pleasure. We aren’t just a prairie city in the middle of nowhere; that would be Regina, Saskatchewan. Kidding!

Anytime during the summer months, you will find hoards of ‘Pegger’s at our fantastic beaches or provincial parks, soaking up the sun and enjoying camping, fishing and seeing who has caught the largest mosquito, afterwards, sitting around a roaring campfire, singing songs and relaxing. We have the best street festivals too, closing off 10 city blocks or more so that we can walk freely while listening to great live bands and dancing with your friends, always enjoying a massive fireworks display after each. The best festival during the summer would have to be Folklorama though, a tribute to our many cultures in the city where for $20.00, you can go to Ireland, Africa, Greece and many more, taste their foods, listen to their music and watch them perform cultural dances. Another fun place during the summer is to hang out on Corydon Avenue. The women are all beautiful and the men Hollywood handsome, everyone dressed to the t’s and each lounge having outdoor cafes where you can sit with your latte and people watch, checking out the awesome vehicles cruising down the street.

When fall comes around, our rustic natures come out, with many heading for the wooded areas to hunt and pick mushrooms. With the kaleidoscope of colours from the changing leaves and the smell of wood stoves filling our noses, it refreshes our souls to be out. The absolute best thing to do in the fall would have to be driving out to a vast open field where no trees, buildings or wires obstruct your vision and watching those enormous fall suns set, it’s blazing fiery orange painting the sky with pinks, violets, yellows and blues.

And yes, we do have brutally cold and long winters, sometimes dipping down to -35 with the windchill factor, I am so not kidding! But there is so much to do during this time. You just have to dress for it. The trees are loaded with white snow. We have sleigh rides and skating on the pond at the Forks and the Festival du Voyageur. It’s awesome! People from all over the world come to create snow sculptures for awards and they’re displayed throughout the grounds with floodlights illuminating them. Fort Gibraltar, also part of the festival grounds, was created so that when you walk through it, it makes you feel like you’ve walked back in time to when the voyageurs would bring their goods and furs and the Hudson’s Bay Company did their trading, everyone staying completely in character with their French, Metis and Scottish accents. There’s wild fiddling music and loads of pea soup and taffy made from maple syrup.

One of my favorite things about my city in the winter is when the temperatures warm a bit, the air becomes moist and we get hoar frost. It covers the trees, park benches and bridges with furry white frost, thick and sparkling icy white. It looks just like a painting and is especially pretty when going for a walk through Assiniboine Park. It makes you feel like you’re walking through a Russian fairy tale. Oh, and just to let you know, because of our long, cold winters, our city puts out the best bands!

I am skipping spring because we usually wear parkas until May and then 2-weeks after that, it’s +30.

There is so much more that I can say about our city; our amazing symphony, we’re home to the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and our theatre productions are outstanding, but there is a word limit and I’d better stop! We have hearts of gold and love when people come to visit, wanting to share with you our hospitality and open spirits. We are known throughout the country for our charitable ways and willingness to roll up our sleeves and help out wherever that need is required. No, we aren’t the most progressive city in comparison to Montreal, Vancouver or Toronto, but what we do have is that small town feel, a smile for everyone and a broad range of cultural activities that is sure to please everyone. Winnipeg leaves you with the feeling that your family is safe here and you can talk to your neighbors, something that doesn’t happen too much anymore and we have a visionary of a mayor who wants nothing but the best for our city, although some may disagree with me! All in all, I think our city is an excellent place to be and this is my home. Come see us sometime!

Janice G

Submitted: Monday 26th January 2004, 8:57 PM

Privacy - Submit - Prizes - Conditions - Contact Us - HOME