'Go out and have a laugh': Festival of Fools kicks off at The Forks
A beloved circus-themed event has returned to The Forks, offering free children's entertainment for Winnipeggers throughout spring break.
The Festival of Fools kicked off Saturday afternoon on the second floor of the Forks Market.
The week-long event was created by the Winnipeg International Children's Festival.
Executive producer Neil Rempel said the idea came to him while running a circus camp for kids during spring break. "I thought to myself 'we have all this great talent coming from all over the world and from Manitoba, no one gets the chance to see them,' so we created this."
Rempel said all the Festival of Fools performers are also teachers at the circus camp. "They just rotate around, cover off their workshops, come here, do a show, go back to circus camp," he said. "So they're busy."
The festival features three shows a day, at 12 p.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. through Mar. 31.
Rempel said they have a variety of different performers, including jugglers and acrobats, and different magicians, including one from the United Kingdom.
"The next show up is the street circus show … and they're fantastic," said Rempel. "They're climbing and balancing all over each other – feats of strength – it’s a fun show!"
Admission to all shows are free. Rempel said it's important that children's festival events be accessible.
"We try and do that with all of the stuff that we do," he said. "We're open for anybody from any socioeconomic category to be able to come down and still have access to this great world class talent."
He adds it's a great way to keep the kids busy during spring break.
"Kids are not in school. They're at home, they need some place to go, something to do. And it’s a great way to go out and have a laugh, have some fun together at The Forks.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | Trump says he's been indicted in classified documents investigation; U.S. DOJ yet to confirm
Former U.S. President Donald Trump says he's been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former president as he seeks to reclaim the White House.

Freeland's budget bill passes House after Poilievre pledges to block it
The federal budget implementation bill passed the House of Commons on Thursday, after days of Conservative attempts to block it.
Supreme Court of Canada won't hear unvaccinated woman's case for organ donation
The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear the appeal of an Alberta woman who was unwilling to be vaccinated in order to get a life-saving organ transplant.
Special rapporteur David Johnston cuts ties with crisis management firm Navigator
Canada's special rapporteur on foreign interference has ended ties with crisis communications firm Navigator, his office confirmed on Thursday.
Are more interest rate hikes on the way? Here's what experts say
In the wake of the Bank of Canada’s unexpected rate hike, economists are pointing to further tightening in the near term.
'Tremendous amount we could be doing': Expert shares tips for preventing, adapting to wildfires
As wildfires rage across Canada in what’s being called an unprecedented season, one expert says there’s more that individuals and communities can do to adapt and prevent forest fires from causing widespread devastation.
10-year-old girl survives more than 24 hours alone in the rugged Cascade mountains after getting lost while out with her family
Rescuers in Washington state are praising the resourcefulness of a 10-year-old girl who survived on her own for more than 24 hours in the rugged terrain of the Cascade mountains after getting lost while out with her family.
Wildfire battles continue as heat, air quality alerts affect most of Canada
Air pollution from wildfires remained well above healthy levels across much of southern and northern Ontario and several communities in British Columbia and Alberta on Thursday.
4 very young children critically wounded in knife attack in French Alpine town
As bystanders screamed for help, a man with a knife stabbed four young children at a lakeside park in the French Alps on Thursday, assaulting at least one in a stroller repeatedly. The children between 22 months and 3 years old suffered life-threatening injuries, and two adults also were wounded, authorities said.