One of the beautiful things about Winnipeg is that the city really knows how to celebrate the beauty of the harsh Canadian winter. There’s no staying inside until Spring. In Winnipeg you embrace the cold and all the fun things that come with that, such as skating on the Assiniboine and Red rivers (there was a 6.1km trail on the Red River last winter, and is sure to be a similarly impressive distance to skate this winter too).
These frozen rivers are also home to some seriously cool annual events, one of which being the Warming Huts Arts and Architecture Competition. Started in 2009, this contest sees artists from across the world compete to design stylized warming huts, with the winners being flow to Winnipeg in late January to build their designs. Once built, the huts are transported to the Red River Mutual Trail where they act as super cool interactive art installation pieces that can be reached by skaters on the river.
Another much loved annual event is Raw: Almond, a pop up restaurant right there on the ice where the Assiniboine and Red rivers meet, in the rather hip area of the city known as The Forks. Set in a heated tent, this incredibly popular restaurant runs for three weeks, from January 25th 2016 through until February 14th. Although the tent is heated, you still need your down parker zipped up tight and big hat and boots on in order to properly enjoy the sub-zero experience. Sadly, the event has already sold out for 2016 – it is incredibly popular with locals.
And because extreme cold is no reason not to party, Winnipeg also has a huge music festival that happens at the end of January, the Big Fun Festival, and some of the live music also happens right there on the ice too. See, there’s no holding people back in this city once it gets really, really, really cold.
Also on the ice at The Forks you’ll find the excellent Arctic Glacier Winter Park, which is currently under construction but last year offered skating trails, toboggan runs, an interactive ice castle to explore, and a snowboard fun park. Lit by festive lights, with music playing all around, visiting here is lots of fun.
Because you’re obviously going to build up quite the appetite taking part in all these fun winter activities, you’ll no doubt want to enjoy some of the excellent food served up at The Forks, whether that be in the form on mini-donuts from a shack by the ice, or a gourmet meal at one of the many fine restaurants around there.
Ready to explore Winnipeg in the winter? Stay at one of our gorgeous suites and you’ll always have a warm and comfortable home base while staying in the city.