Tourism Winnipeg

The city itself, with its elm and ash canopies and ever-winding river trails, is verdant from June through mid-September. One of the best ways to experience this greenery is via the waterways with Splash Dash Guided River Tours. Their fleet of pontoon boats disembark from The Forks' harbour on a regular basis (10 a.m. to sunset) and feature lively captains who will regale you with saucy tales of Winnipeg's history, all while pointing out beautiful features and architecture along the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. On land at The Forks, a great way to explore the city yourself is on one of the many cool cycles from Bee2gether Bikes. Their forte is tandem bikes, but they also have large golf cart-style ones for group pedaling around in style. Bee2gether also has locations in Birds Hill Park and Assiniboine Park. Speaking of Assiniboine Park, what a gorgeous spot it is – especially in the summertime. Of the many activities to be had in this 400-acre park, our can't- miss list includes the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden (home to more than 300 works by the celebrated artist); the English Garden, where your senses will be enveloped by a fantastic array of flora and sweet smells; and Assiniboine Park Zoo – home to over 300 species, including our famous swimming polar bears; lunch at the Qualico Centre while overlooking the duck pond; and strolling the countless tree-lined paths. The kickoff to Fall in Winnipeg is ManyFest (Sept. 11-13), downtown's biggest street festival where marquee events include Food Truck Wars, bike jams, beer and wine gardens, live music, and plenty of family friendly fare. From there, it's onto the start of theatre season, as all the city becomes a stage. When your delegates have a free evening, they can take in multiple shows from performances groups including the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre – who stage plays at both the John Hirsch Mainstage and the more intimate Tom Hendry Warehouse; Prairie Theatre Exchange – a great little venue on the top floor of Portage Place; Theatre Projects Manitoba – whose often provocative performances are housed at the cozy Rachel Browne Theatre; and en français avec Le Cercle Moliere – Canada's oldest continuously running theatre company. Autumn is also the time when Winnipeg's skies are the busiest – and we're not talking about planes. At both FortWhyte Alive and Oak Hammock Marsh, migration season sees tens of thousands of geese and waterfowl descend at dusk on the prairie's wetlands, creating a symphony of sounds and a visual feast. These nature reserves celebrate this spectacle with nightly events in their interpretive centres, including seasonal, multicourse dinners that allow you to dine while looking out onto waterways teeming with birdlife. Fall for our autumn Kristhine Guerrero Robert Tinker Oak Hammock Marsh www.meetingswinnipeg.com | Tourism Winnipeg | 25

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