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Today, Indigenous, French, British and
Scottish heritages blend with Vietnamese,
Japanese, Ethiopian, Philippine and dozens more
nationalities, creating a vibrant cultural mix.
There is no better showcase to sample
that mix than through Folklorama, the early
August celebration of Manitoba's people,
where immigrants and their children create
pavilions that showcase their food, history,
and culture. Visit some four dozen countries
all in the span of two solid weeks (www.folk
lorama.ca). But visitors who don't make it to
Folklorama can drop into city neighbour-
hoods and traditional ethnic communities
anytime; they all offer their own mini-
cultural immersions: Corydon Avenue's
Little Italy; the city centre's vibrant
Chinatown; and a sprinkling of tiny, family-
run Southeast Asian eateries, from Japanese
to Vietnamese along Ellice Avenue.
Winnipeg, the province's capital which
celebrated 50 years as an incorporated city in
2023, sits just west of the precise longitudinal
centre of Canada—30 km (19 mi.) east of the
city, on the Trans-Canada Highway at 96
degrees, 38 minutes and 45 seconds west. But
the entire province, smack in the middle of
Canada, is a playground for more adventurous
souls seeking the beauty and solitude of
unspoiled nature. Rugged Precambrian Shield
granite, lush with forests and thousands of
lakes to the northeast, gives way to rolling
hills and vast, rich, agricultural prairie to the
southwest. Dead centre are three massive
lakes: Manitoba, Winnipegosis and Winnipeg
(Canada's 13
th
, 11
th
and 6
th
largest, respectively).
GOING, GOING, GONE WILD
With all that wilderness, it's no wonder
many of the province's more than 10 million
annual visitors are recreational hunters and
anglers headed for remote lodges and small
towns tucked away in thick lakes or riverside
forests. As well, paddlers, hikers, photogra-
phers and wildlife viewers love these natural
areas, and families can pitch tents or park
campers in one of dozens of provincial
parks, or settle into hotel rooms from two to
five-star rated. In Riding Mountain National
Park, campsites and hotels abound around
crystal clear, icy cold Clear Lake and the
historic townsite of Wasagaming
(www.parkscanada.gc.ca/riding).
The three big lakes are fringed by
summer-oriented towns and villages, and an
October or November visit to far northern
Churchill virtually guarantees sightings of
increasingly-endangered polar bears in their
natural setting (www.churchillwild.com;
www.lazybearlodge.com; www.frontiers
north.com), and probable displays of aurora
borealis. And there's a whole lot more to be
discovered in this varied province.
WHAT'S NEW?
Head to Turtle Village, an Indigenous-owned
glamping operation in Riding Mountain
National Park and stay in off-the-grid "Turtle
Shells" that are tiny homes (www.turtleil
lage.ca).
Tour The Leaf, an award-winning outdoor
garden and indoor biome at Assiniboine Park,
features Canada's tallest indoor waterfall
(www.assiniboinepark.ca/leaf/lifegrows).
BY SHEL ZOLKEWICH
MANITOBA
Culture, Creativity
and a Prairie Welcome
They say a trip to Manitoba will
change your life. It's a prairie
province with wide open spaces,
unique opportunities to view
wildlife up close, deep cultural
roots, world-class architecture
and museums, and a booming
foodie scene.
SKATING AND PLAYING SHINNY HOCKEY ON FROZEN ASSINIBOINE RIVER, WINNIPEG •
SHUTTERSTOCK/SALVADOR MANIQUIZ
1,465,440
Winnipeg
www.travelmanitoba.com
Winnipeg Richardson International
Airport, 10 km (6 mi.) from downtown
