12 Factoids | Volume 6
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The Winnipeg Folk Festival was established
in 1974. Originally planned to be a one-time
event to celebrate Winnipeg's centennial,
this annual event is one of the oldest and
largest folk festivals in the world. *
The city is home to some of the most prestigious
arts organizations in Canada. Rainbow Stage, a
musical theatre production company in Kildonan
Park, is Canada's oldest outdoor theatre still
producing shows. The Winnipeg Jewish Theatre
is the only professional theatre company in the
country performing strictly Jewish themes.
The Exchange District is favoured by Hollywood
as a location setting for period movies, including
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward
Robert Ford, starring Brad Pitt. Other parts of
the city have been locations for major motion
pictures like Capote, starring Philip Seymour
Hoffman and Shall We Dance with Jennifer
Lopez, Susan Sarandon and Richard Gere.
In 1970, "American Woman" topped international
music charts and was the No. 1- selling single in the
world. Winnipeg rock 'n' rollers The Guess Who, who
penned the tune, went on to become one of Canada's
largest cultural exports. That year, they sold more
albums than any other band in the world, including
The Beatles and The Doors.
*
Photo
courtesy
Brian
Goldschmeid
Photo
courtesy
Western
Canada
Pictorial
Index
Inc.
