What to do on Canada Day in Winnipeg and southern Manitoba

Canada Day is fast approaching, here's what's happening in and around Winnipeg on Saturday, July 1 to celebrate Canada's birthday. 

Assiniboia Downs is holding its Canada Day Fireworks and Festival from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. The celebration will feature food, entertainment, artisans selling their wares, and fireworks by Canfire Pyrotechnics.

The Forks also has a full slate of festivities planned, including live music performances on the Forks Market Stage all day long. Indigenous singer/songwriter Darryl Buck will kick things off at noon, with performers scheduled every hour. Folk-pop group Indian City will wrap up the evening at 9:30 p.m.

Instead of fireworks, The Forks' Canada Day celebration will conclude with a drone show finale starting around 10:30 p.m. Dozens of remote-controlled drones equipped with colourful lights will be flown in a coordinated display that pairs ancestral celestial teachings with cutting-edge drone technology.

The drone show – called Acakos, or “star” in Cree - has been curated around the teachings of Elder Wilfred Buck, a member of Opaskwayak Cree Nation. Buck is an internationally known star Knowledge Keeper.

At Assiniboine Park, Canada Day will begin with a citizenship ceremony at the Lyric Theatre at 10 a.m. Various activities are then taking place throughout the park, including bouncy castles and face painting for the kids.

Concerts will be happening at both the Lyric Theatre and the performance garden at The Leaf. A full schedule of performers can be found at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy website.

The Assiniboine Park celebration will also feature a maker's market, as well as fire teachings with Cree Crowchild at the Indigenous Peoples Garden.

Osborne Village is hosting a Canada Day block party for the first time since 2019. The "Summer in the Village" block party runs from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. at two stages along Osborne Street.

The Gas Station Art Centre Stage at the corner of River Avenue and Osborne Street will feature a fashion show and dance party in addition to musical performances.

The Belltower stage at the corner of Osborne Street and Stradbrook Avenue will have groups performing Caribbean, Latin, West African, and Reggae music all afternoon.

Osborne Street will not be closed off to traffic as it has with previous Canada Day events.

Many business improvement zones are holding their own neighbourhood Canada day celebrations, including the West End BIZ, the St. James Village BIZ, and the Transcona BIZ.

Those looking to get out of the city can check out the celebrations at Oak Hammock Marsh or take the Prairie Dog Central to Grosse Isle. Steinbach's Mennonite Heritage Village is also holding a Canada Day Celebration.

Admission is free at Lower Fort Garry on Canada Day. Visitors can experience the era of Canada's birth at the immersive historical site by making their own medicine wheel bracelets and experiencing other hands-on activities, including candle making, bannock baking, and "heritage" ice cream creation.

Selkirk is hosting its annual Canada Day celebration at the waterfront. The day will include cultural programming along with live entertainment, a market, food vendors, and fireworks after dark.

The City of Brandon is inviting its residents to come celebrate Canada Day at the Brandon Riverbank. A full day of free entertainment begins at 11 a.m. with Canine Stars, and continues until the fireworks at dusk.