Summer Getaways: Manitoba

Winnipeg Fringe Festival (July 14-25) Visit the Old Market Square in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District, where buskers, street performers and bands perform from noon to midnight for 12 days in July. The festival, founded in 1987, has become North America’s second-largest event of its kind. It features more than 1,000 local, national and international productions.

CN Canadian Women’s Open (Aug. 23-29)It’s been 18 years since the world’s best female golfers played at Winnipeg’s St. Charles Country Club. But this summer, they return to compete for one of the biggest purses ($2.36 million) on the tour. Golfers will play both the MacKenzie course, designed by architect Alister MacKenzie, who helped construct Augusta National in Georgia (home of the Masters), and finish on the Donald Ross-designed south course. Many of the top players are expected to take part, including 15-year-old Alexis Thompson, currently the world’s No. 1 amateur. Tickets range from $15 for ground admission to $460 for a VIP package that includes a parking permit, four daily passes and access to the exclusive St. Charles Clubhouse and patio.

Winnipeg Fringe Festival (July 14-25) Visit the Old Market Square in Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District, where buskers, street performers and bands perform from noon to midnight for 12 days in July. The festival, founded in 1987, has become North America’s second-largest event of its kind. It features more than 1,000 local, national and international productions. CN Canadian Women’s Open (Aug. 23-29)It’s been 18 years since the world’s best female golfers played at Winnipeg’s St. Charles Country Club. But this summer, they return to compete for one of the biggest purses ($2.36 million) on the tour. Golfers will play both the MacKenzie course, designed by architect Alister MacKenzie, who helped construct Augusta National in Georgia (home of the Masters), and finish on the Donald Ross-designed south course. Many of the top players are expected to take part, including 15-year-old Alexis Thompson, currently the world’s No. 1 amateur. Tickets range from $15 for ground admission to $460 for a VIP package that includes a parking permit, four daily passes and access to the exclusive St. Charles Clubhouse and patio.

ChurchillLocated on the western shore of Hudson Bay, Churchill (pop. 923) is not only the “polar bear capital of the world” but also a great destination for whale and bird watching. Throughout July and August, thousands of beluga whales migrate to the warmer waters of the Churchill River in search of food, and visitors can see these behemoths up close, from kayaks, while even more adventurous tourists can opt to snorkel alongside. Birdwatchers flock to Churchill to witness some 300 different species fly over the town on their migratory routes. Lights on Broadway (Aug. 21-Sept. 11)With its majestic elm trees and pedestrian-friendly atmosphere, Broadway in downtown Winnipeg is the perfect setting for a new festival featuring great music, live entertainment and food. Highlights include a massive dance party on the opening weekend, along with an official lighting ceremony that will turn the surrounding trees into a dazzling array of colours. Over the next two weekends, musicians and artists will fill the streets, and movies will be projected on large public screens. And then, on the final weekend, Broadway will transform into a giant playground, complete with a hay maze, kid zone and a full-scale midway.

To see what Jon Montgomery picks as his favourite spots, go to Where famous Canucks go to play

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For more information on events and travel in Manitoba, see www.travelmanitoba.com

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