Nuit Blanche Winnipeg celebrates 14th year with new displays, transportation

A beloved annual celebration of arts and culture returns to city streets Saturday night.

Nuit Blanche Winnipeg will showcase nearly 100 events and displays scattered through downtown, the Exchange District, St. Boniface and The Forks.

“We're really championing pedestrian culture and just making an exciting name for everyone,” said Kurt Tittlemier, Culture Days Manitoba general manager.

This year, Nuit Blanche will feature a special installation celebration Winnipeg 150 in Stephen Juba Park, along with another new display by the Winnipeg Arts Council in Old Market Square.

“We also added in water buses,” Tittlemier said, to help get people to-and-from the various exhibits free of charge.

“We really want people to think about coming downtown and using pedestrian culture, but we also recognize not everyone has the same mobility,” Tittlemier said.

Tittlemier also said organizers and artists are championing interactive art this year, which would see visitors push buttons, ask questions and play a part in the presentations.

“We know that many people that come down maybe are not that familiar with contemporary art, and we think a great way to get interested in it is to actually interact with yourself,” said Tittlemier.

Those who want to check out the art are asked to plan their route in advance, “but also let the night take you away,” Tittlemier said. “You're going to see things that you haven't seen before.”

Nuit Blanche Winnipeg gets underway at 6 p.m. and runs until midnight.