Latest news with #FolkFest
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Wildfire impacts, security committee, parole denied, 50th folk fest underway
Photography by the Winnipeg Free Press: In pictures: Fifty years of Folk Fest The Winnipeg Folk Festival celebrates its 50th year running in 2025, and the Free Press has been there since Day 1. Here are a collection of photos from the earliest days to today, commemorating the past five decades of festivities at Birds Hill Park and the community that resulted. Read More
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Wildfire smoke over Winnipeg akin to having a cigarette
Even if you never smoked a cigarette, you basically had at least one on Friday because of dense smoke from wildfires wafting over Winnipeg. Winnipeg reached its highest smoke particulate count of the season between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. For much of the day, Environment Canada air quality warnings urged everyone to limit time outdoors and reschedule or cancel outdoor sports and activities. Christopher Pascoe, an associate professor in the department of physiology and pathophysiology at the University of Manitoba, said the city's particulate count was at 372.6 micrograms per millilitre cubed. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Wildfire smoke shrouds downtown high-rises as a cyclist makes their way along a bike path beside the Red River Friday morning. 'The current Canadian limit for daily exposure is a total of 27 — that's 15 times higher than the acceptable daily limit,' Pascoe said. 'At that time, if you were out in it for eight hours, that would have been the equivalent to smoking six and a half cigarettes.' Pascoe said by mid-morning the particulate count had dropped more than half, to 146.8. 'That's still seven times the Canadian daily limit and, if you were outside for 24 hours, it is the equivalent of smoking three cigarettes. If you were out for eight hours, that's one cigarette.' Pascoe said more research needs to be done on the short-term and long-term health effects of breathing in that much smoke. He said people at outdoor events, including the Winnipeg Folk Festival, should do what they can to limit their exposure. 'They should wear a mask. You don't actually get symptoms right away; they can come later after the exposure. You cough, you get wheezy. It is very unhealthy to be outside for that long period of time.' At 10 a.m., while the smoke was still listed on the air quality health index at 10-plus, instead of cancelling or postponing the event, the Folk Fest put out a statement urging festival-goers to 'take necessary precautions based on your own needs and reduce strenuous activities when possible. 'Stay hydrated to avoid throat irritation. Wear a mask if necessary. If you are experiencing air-quality related symptoms, please seek medical attention.' By late afternoon, the air quality index had Winnipeg at six, meaning a moderate health risk, with only vulnerable people needing to consider reducing or rescheduling strenuous activities. The Assiniboine Park Conservancy announced at noon it had made the 'proactive decision' to cancel Friday night's Zoo Nights event. 'We apologize for the inconvenience and thank our guests for understanding,' the conservancy said in a statement, adding ticket purchasers can watch their emails for refund and exchange information. Three more nights scheduled on July 25, Aug. 8 and 22. As for the animals in their care, Daniel Collicutt, the curator of behavioural husbandry at the Assiniboine Park Zoo, said whether it is extreme heat or cold — or now smoke — they monitor them closely. 'It depends on the species,' Collicutt said. 'For the animals outside, we went to make sure they are healthy and happy, not open-mouthed breathing, and they have places to go inside. If an animal appears uncomfortable or shows signs of distress, we can move them into buildings with air filtration.' Collicutt said none of the animals showed any signs of distress. While many would think larger animals, including polar bears and tigers, would be most at risk, it's actually some of the smallest. 'Birds are our highest priority,' he said. 'They have air sacs for flying, but that puts them at risk so we have to monitor them especially close. Juliette Mucha, president and CEO of the Manitoba Lung Association, said when smoke levels are high, Winnipeggers should limit their time outdoors. 'When I saw what it was like today, I made the decision to work at home instead of going to the office,' Mucha said. 'It all goes into your lungs and to your overall system and it has such a negative effect. We are seeing 10-plus levels so high and so often now. People are being exposed and they don't even realize they are doing damage to their lungs.' Mucha said she especially is worried about people at outdoor events when smoke levels are high. 'If they can, they should give their lungs a break,' she said. 'Wear a N95 mask. Instead of a beer, drink two bottles of water to help your lungs. They should go to their car and run the air conditioning and press recirculating mode. Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. 'I'm sure first aid (staff) will be busy with people experiencing respiratory issues.' Mucha said if people want to monitor the air quality in Winnipeg and Manitoba, they can go to the association's website and click on the air quality link to see a map of sensors in various communities. Overall, Pascoe said unfortunately Winnipeggers are going to have to get used to smoke. 'It's an unfortunate reality of our summers that this is not going to go away and smoke knows no provincial or federal borders.' Kevin RollasonReporter Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press's city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin. Every piece of reporting Kevin produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Folk Fest, Ai-kon and Rodeos: What's on this weekend in Manitoba
Daniel Halmarson shares some of the events taking plavce across Manitoba between July 11 and 13, 2025. Here is a list of events taking place across Manitoba between July 11 and 13, 2025. Birds Hill Park July 10-13 Folk Fest is celebrating its 50th anniversary with over 70 acts on eight stages, a photo exhibit, and a family area. RBC Convention Centre July 11-13 Celebrate anime, Japanese culture and more with a gaming room, panels, performances and a marketplace. Selkirk Park July 11-13 The St. Andrews-St. Clements Agricultural Society hosts its annual Triple 'S' Fair & Rodeo Exhibition with broncs, barrel racing, and a bull bash. There's also a children's festival, live performances, a midway and more. Gilbert Plains July 11-13 The Gilbert Plains–Grandview Ag Society has a full weekend of rodeo action, chucks and chariots, tractor pulls, and more. Peacock Days and Fair Souris July 11-13 A parade, kids zone, barrel race, peacock calling competition, and pancake breakfast highlight this summer fair. Pipestone July 12-13 Pipestone invites you to its Homecoming, featuring a variety of family-friendly fun. Killarney July 12-13 Two days of family fun, including an antique tractor pull, demonstrations, children's activities and more. Carman July 10-12 One of Manitoba's oldest running fairs, the event has a midway, livestock shows, competitions, and live performances. West Hawk Lake July 11-13 A sand sculpture competition, races, and BBQ are a few of the activities taking place during Meteor Fest in West Hawk Lake. Mitchell July 12-13 Fun activities for the whole family, including a parade, chainsaw carving competition, show and shine and more. Letellier July 11-12 The Letellier Volunteer Fire Department presents children's activities, a family baseball tourney, and water wars. Cuthbert Grant Day 50th Anniversary Celebration Grant's Old Mill Museum July 12 Celebrate the history of Métis leader Cuthbert Grant with live entertainment, a pancake breakfast, and period reenactments. Red River Exhibition Park July 11, 5 p.m. Combining street-style drag racing with high energy in a legal environment. Soul in the Square True North Square July 12, 4 p.m. Live outdoor performance featuring Canadian R&B and soul artist Glenn Lewis. Hosted in partnership with Black History Manitoba. CCFM July 12-13 Experience two full days of Latin American music, culture, and more. Kenora July 12, 11 a.m. A mix of magic, balancing acts and comedy, Dr. Von Houligan's Family Extravaganza will leave audiences laughing and filled with intrigue. The Forks July 12 Learn about the world of fishing with a variety of activities, including clinics, demonstrations, kids' casting, a pickerel rig tying contest, and more. The Loop, Red River Exhibition Park July 12, 1 p.m. A summer of sulkies and standardbreds hit the track for some exciting racing. Driven Canadian Aftermarket Car Show Red River Exhibition Park July 12, 1 p.m. Show cars, exhibitors, and special guests are the highlight of this one-day event. Second Saturdays at Dalnavert Museum Dalnavert Museum July 12, 12 p.m. Step back in history at Dalnavert Museum on the second Saturday of the month. WAG-Qaumajuq July 13 Explore thousands of carvings, paintings, and intriguing art for free on the second Sunday of the month. Assiniboia West Recreation Association July 12, 1:30 p.m. Watch model pups strut their stuff at the Soap & Pooches first annual Furry Fashion Show. Shop local vendors or meet a new furry friend. Proceeds support Grateful Friends Animal Rescue. Sagehill Stables July 13 Stop by Sagehill Stables to learn about grooming, meet miniature horses Zip and Elsa, and take a pony ride. Registration required. IKEA Winnipeg parking lot July 12-13 Enjoy live music, admire classic cars, or savour some fantastic food. St. Vital Centre parking lot July 4-14 Acrobats, illusionists, mysterious creatures, and more, all in a spooktacular setting. Tickets required. No one under 13 admitted. Rainbow Stage June 25-July 12 The story of a small-town girl and city boy set to an '80s rock soundtrack that will make you want to sing along. Tickets required. Oak Valley Outdoor Theatre, La Riviere July 11-13 Experience Manitoba's Passion Play in the great outdoors. The production is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025. Tickets required. National Bank Tennis MB Hub @ West St. Paul July 6-13 Over 60 players vie for tennis greatness. WNBC is the first stop on the Challenger outdoor series. Tickets required. Corydon Ave. & Lilac St. S. July 11, 7 pm Band: Cheers to the 90's Corydon Ave. & Hugo St. N. July 12, 7 pm Band: Soul Seed Enjoy live music and the other sights and sounds of Corydon Avenue. Winnipeg Beach July 12, 7 p.m. Band: Crossroads Enjoy an evening of music steps away from the Winnipeg Beach boardwalk. Rockin' Gimli Harbour Concert Series Gimli Harbour July 12, 7:30 p.m. Band: Main Street Exiles & Ramble Tamble Gimli Harbour acts as a backdrop for this summertime concert series. Summer Entertainment Series Assiniboine Park Concert Series Lyric Theatre July 13, 7 p.m. Band: Brazilian Vibe curated by Folklorama Garden Concerts Performance Garden, The Leaf July 5, 11 a.m. Band: Benjamin Hill Jazz Concert Leo Mol Sculpture Garden July 13, 12 p.m. Band: Danny Carroll Postmodern Jukebox Burton Cummings Theatre July 12, 8 p.m. Modern-day pop is reimagined in classic styles. Brian Posehn Rumor's Restaurant and Comedy Club Tickets: July 10-12 A stand-up comic, writer and actor, Brian Posehn has had recurring roles on 'The Big Bang Theory,' 'Just Shoot Me,' and 'The Sarah Silverman Program,' among others. Abdullah Usman The Basement Comedy Lounge July 11-12 A highly acclaimed stand-up comedian, Abdullah Usman draws on his tales as a Pakistani immigrant, some hijinks, political banter and crowd interactions.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Cheers to 50 years of the Folk Fest — & 50 more
Opinion Five years ago, there were no festivals. It was the summer of 2020, and the COVID-19 pandemic meant no live… anything. No music. No theatre. All the festivals that have come to define summer in Manitoba were purged from the calendar. Organizations did their best, of course, offering smaller, virtual presentations for a time defined by staying home. But it wasn't the same. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Lineups stretch far past the entrance before the gates open at Folk Fest on Thursday. Five years on, music festivals, in particular, are still feeling the aftershocks of that time, owing to both financial losses sustained as well as increased operational costs in a post-pandemic landscape. A spate of cancellations of American music festivals last summer prompted NPR to call it 'the festival recession.' It was a trend we saw on this side of the border as well. Just for Laughs cancelled its 2024 events in Montreal and Toronto. And some of these festivals — popular, beloved festivals, even — never recovered. The Regina Folk Festival, which was supposed to celebrate its 53rd year in 2025, announced it would be permanently shutting down in March after going on hiatus in 2024. The Vancouver Island MusicFest is not happening this year, while the 2025 edition of the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival could be its last. It's against this backdrop that the Winnipeg Folk Festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend. Fifty years is an incredible — and, these days, an increasingly improbable — run. Especially since it was supposed to be a one-off, originally conceived by founders Mitch Podolak, Ava Kobrinsky and Colin Gorrie as a celebration for Winnipeg's centennial in 1974. But a legacy festival isn't built by mere endurance — or survival — alone. It's built by people who have a vision for it, who can recognize both where it came from and where it could go. MANITOBA ARCHIVES Winnipeg Folk Festival founders Mitch Podolak (left) and Ava Kobrinsky in 1977. It's built by the generations of people who have grown up with it, who take their kids or grandkids to Birds Hill Park every second weekend of July. It's built by the people who dedicate hard-earned vacation days and money to attend every year, regardless of who is performing. It's built by the people who volunteer their time and energy to making sure the whole thing runs as planned and can pivot when it doesn't. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Festivals need stewardship. We all saw the grotesque failure of Woodstock '99 and its wholesale abandonment of the peace and love ethos that made the 1969 event so iconic; organizers didn't care about making it a safe temporary community. So much of what makes folk fest what it is is exactly that: community. Sure, there's the annual kvetching about the lineup — someone's best-ever year is always someone else's worst-ever and vice versa — or even the definition of 'folk 'music. But even that is part of the ritual. Creating the kind of place where people want to return again and again, year after year, decade after decade is no small feat and it doesn't just happen. Nor will it continue to happen if we don't keep supporting it and our new normal will look a lot like that summer of 2020. Crowds at the Little Stage on the Prarie during the 2011 Folk Festival. Folk fest is special and rare and ours. Cheers to 50 years — and here's to 50 more. Jen ZorattiColumnist Jen Zoratti is a columnist and feature writer working in the Arts & Life department, as well as the author of the weekly newsletter NEXT. A National Newspaper Award finalist for arts and entertainment writing, Jen is a graduate of the Creative Communications program at RRC Polytech and was a music writer before joining the Free Press in 2013. Read more about Jen. Every piece of reporting Jen produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print – part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Gallery: Folk festival opening always special
The Winnipeg Folk Festival opened Thursday night to sunny skies and a flock of fans eager to snag 50th-anniversary keepsakes. A line hundreds of people deep formed in front of the merch tent shortly after the gates opened. Mementoes were the first order of business for Ally Robertson and Todd Angus. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Lineups stretch far past the entrance before the gates open at Folk Fest on Thursday. 'We came in and immediately got in line, this is not the year to miss out on something you might want,' Robertson says. The couple waited for more than an hour to get their hands on a commemorative bandana, hat, T-shirts and patches. They also made sure to buy a mug to add to their collection, which dates back to their first festival, and the beginning of their relationship, in 2008. To Robertson, the pile of green, red and gold clothing in her arms is more than just stuff. They're tangible reminders of good memories made with friends. 'It becomes part of your history,' says the perennial festival camper. 'Some day at our memorial service or whatever, half the pictures are going to be from folk fest. It's just part of us.' Nearby, Ali Cameron bounded over to her friends triumphantly. She had secured the goods: a baby blue Peach Pit shirt and an orange tee with the silhouette of a yellow cat, a holdover from Fred Penner's recent Cat Came Back tour. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS The merch line at Folk Fest on Thursday. 'It's something I hold very near and dear to my heart because my mom had the cassette and she used to play it for us when we were little,' the 21-year-old says, pointing to her sister Katie Fleming. Penner's main stage set could be heard wafting over the trees and the group had just wrapped up an animated singalong to Sandwiches. 'I'm so glad they put him on the main stage,' Fleming says. 'He deserves it, he's a legend,' adds friend Aaron Feuer. The Winnipeg-born musician and beloved children's entertainer has appeared at the festival on nine separate occasions between 1978 and 2011, but never on the main stage. Judging by the reaction from fans, it was about time. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Ali Cameron shows off her classic Fred Penner t-shirt at Folk Fest on Thursday. Cheers of 'We love you Fred' could be heard during his performance, which opened with a cover of (Ghost) Riders in the Sky and featured an array of originals from his wide, feel-good catalogue, including, of course, The Cat Came Back. Penner's knack for audience engagement shone as listeners young, old and in-between sang and clapped along to his cues. The show was a star-studded, family affair with backing vocals from two of Penner's four children, Hayley and Kendra. Al Simmons and Allison Russell joined in for the finale, a cover of The Circle Game by Joni Mitchell — a moment Russell later described as a 'surreal childhood dream.' The weather was hot and muggy as Thursday's event opened with a blessing from Grandmother Chickadee Richard and a sweet performance by young singers from Winnipeg's Ojibwe bilingual program, Giinawind Riverbend Community School Abinoojiiyag Nagamog. Russell returned to the stage after a tweener performance by Manitoba two-piece Slow Spirit. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Ally Robertson and Todd Angus with their newly-bought merch at Folk Fest on Thursday. Every Second Friday The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. The Montreal-born, Grammy-winning artist, whose solo career has skyrocketed in recent years, oscillated between the clarinet, banjo and her powerful vocals. Supported by an excellent all-female band, Russell had the crowd on its feet swaying along to hits from her latest albums, Outside Child and The Returner, as well as a potent performance of Superlover — a 2025 collaboration with Annie Lennox that calls for love in the face of ongoing international crises. At press time, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit had taken the stage for their first festival performance in a decade, opening with Crimson and Clay off the Alabama artist's 2025 release, Foxes in the Snow. Clouds rolled in for the final performance of the first night of the festival, which wraps Sunday and is set to include several special golden anniversary events. Visit for tickets and a full lineup. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Indigenous children's choir Giinawind Riverbend Community School Abinoojiiyag Nagamog sings for the opening blessing at Folk Fest on Thursday. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS The crowd listens to Allison Russell on the main stage as the sun sets at Folk Fest on Thursday. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Allison Russell on the main stage at Folk Fest on Thursday. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Five-year-old Mariel Ladouceur, (left) and Lauriane Bellefeuille, age four, listen to the music at Folk Fest on Thursday. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS After nine appearances at previous folk fests, Fred Penner finally got his moment on the main stage Thursday. Eva WasneyReporter Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva. Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
