Translucent maze, giant spheres set to illuminate Winnipeg at Nuit Blanche

A design rendering shows what the new moonGarden installation will look like at Old Market Square on Sept. 28. (Nuit Blanche Winnipeg)

Winnipeg's annual all-night party of contemporary art installations and performances is set to light up the city once more.

Nuit Blanche Winnipeg (NBW) returns Sept. 28, taking over four zones; the Exchange District; downtown; St. Boniface; and The Forks.

According to organizer Culture Days Manitoba, the event brings together pieces and performances from Winnipeg's most venerated arts institutions, independent curators, and 30,000 art animators in one night.

Hamideh Behgar's "The Light Within" is one of many art installations set to appear at Nuit Blanche Winnipeg on Sept. 28, 2024.

New this year – a bilingual installation called "Open-Air Corridors/Corridors Ouverts," which commemorates Winnipeg's 150th anniversary.

The installation will feature a maze of translucent corridors at the western edge of the Provencher Bridge in Stephen Juba Park.

"Animated with immersive projections and sonic landscapes crafted by local artists, this ephemeral structure of light and sound mirrors the city’s shape, inviting visitors to find their own vantage point within it," organizers said in a news release.

Back by popular demand - the Winnipeg Arts Council's Public Art Program will host another major installation in Old Market Square. This year, visitors are invited into the enchanting world of "moonGarden" and experience "Spectra," described as an illuminating artwork that brings the cosmos to life.

"Inspired by myths and folktales, "Spectra" celebrates themes of unity and transformation with a magical dance of light and shadow," the news release said.

All zones will be connected by free trolley rides. Also new this year – free boat rides with Winnipeg Waterways.

NBW general manager Kurt Tittlemier says it's good to keep an open mind when checking out the night's many festivities.

“Some people may be uncomfortable with the genre “contemporary art” and feel it is not for them,” Tittlemier said. “However, year after year, we have attendees who have never been before tell us what a great time they had. How they felt at home and how they plan on coming back (and) that feels great.”

The event is free and open to all ages.

More details can be found on Nuit Blanche Winnipeg's website.