In winter, Winnipeg gets lit
These sparkling experiences will see you exploring the city under a cascade of lights, be it on skates under trees, at the Zoo amongst the animals, or from the warmth of your car.
These sparkling experiences will see you exploring the city under a cascade of lights, be it on skates under trees, at the Zoo amongst the animals, or from the warmth of your car.
When a third of your year is winter, you’d better make it shine. This could be the city’s new slogan from December to March, as cool temperatures are made cool via all manner of merriment – particularly in the medium of lights.
Find us at The Forks
The Forks, the city’s most-visited destination for all things leisure, is always aglow.
Come winter, they shine a light on all the major attractions found throughout its near 54-acres, connecting many points of interest with gorgeously lit on-land skating trails and walkways. The scene is straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie; in fact, many Hallmark and Lifetime scenes have been shot here.
You can skate under this sparkly spectacle for more than a kilometre, winding past sights like the WINNIPEG sign and its hockey rink all the way across the Rail Bridge that spans the Assiniboine River. Skate rentals are available inside The Forks Market, as is the opportunity to après skate at The Common bar, which has over 20 wines by the glass along with a huge selection of interesting local and hard-to-find imported beers.
Radiating roadside
Every holiday season, over one million Christmas lights shine on at Red River Exhibition Park. Canad Inns Winter Wonderland (Dec. 3- Jan. 8) is Manitoba’s largest drive-thru light show, featuring countless scenes, creatures and holiday-themed displays that wind along a 2.5 km track.
It’s always been a social distance-approved activity, as families simply head out together in your own car cranking out Christmas tunes along the way.
Lights at the zoo
Wander through over 1.5 million lights that create an abundance of incredible installations at Assiniboine Park’s Zoo Lights Festival (Nov. 26-Jan. 2).
This now-annual event features so many cool displays, from running polar bears, to brightly lit bison, to a Lovers’ Lane where selfies are assured. The whole spectacle grabs you from the moment you enter via the Icy Forest, where thousands of LED lights create a magical experience in the dense trees. This year features a 2 km loop through the zoo along with two heated event tents for nightly live entertainment and food and drink.
Given how fast Boo at the Zoo tickets sold this autumn, you should be sure to get your tickets in advance for this soon-to-be sold-out experience.