Winter in the Village event to feature ‘all the fun things’

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This article was published 06/12/2022 (750 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

You don’t need to leave Winnipeg to experience the likes of an outdoor European market this season.

On Dec. 16-18, Osborne Village Business Improvement Zone is playing host to Winter in the Village.

Inspired by popular outdoor European holiday markets, “It just seemed like it felt like the right fit for the neighbourhood,” said Lindsay Somers, BIZ executive director.

The goal is to create a full experience, bringing people together to enjoy the weather, shopping and eating — “All the fun things,” she said.

“It’s really easy to shop online… To create an experience around shopping requires us to build up the neighbourhood.”

With more than 100 local businesses in the Village, Somers said there are lots of options.

To enhance the experience, shoppers can get a “shop local passport.” After supporting five different local businesses, the stamped passport is good for a free holiday drink ticket to be redeemed at participating cafés, pubs and restaurants.

Somers said she is most excited about the Brulee Beers event Dec. 18.

“It actually does feel really beautiful to be warm by the fire, roasting marshmallows and drinking a cold beer in the heart of the city,” Somers said.

The Beer Can in the Village, in partnership with Good Neighbour Brewing Co., will host the experience, in front of the Holiday Hub (Gas Station Arts Centre).

“Essentially… you take a really, really hot iron rod, and you put it into a darker beer,” said Lauren Siddall, spokesperson for the pair’s One Sixteen partnership.

A practice dating to the Middle Ages, the hot iron rod heats up all the sugars and it starts to caramelize it even further, Siddall said. “It’s a bit of a show as well, because it foams up like crazy. It’s so fun.”

Good Neighbour will be using its chocolate cherry stout and two small-batch holiday releases for the Brulee Beers.

Neal McDonald, Beer Can co-owner, said the market is a great all-ages event: “Osborne Village deserves to be celebrated.”

The Arts Centre will host free gift wrapping (proceeds go to Harvest Manitoba), and indoor activities, including a performance by Manitoba Chamber Orchestra’s Fiddlers on the Loose.

Other Winter in the Village highlights include Christmas carol-a-oke, Little Monsters Dance workshop, a dance party, and seasonal songs at multiple locations.

Full event schedules will be released Dec. 12.

Meantime, The Forks confirmed this week it will be hosting a New Year’s Eve celebration.

“We’re the city’s meeting place, and we’re really honoured to have that role in our community,” said Clare MacKay, spokesperson for The Forks. “And we haven’t been able to invite people to gather in any sort of large number at The Forks on New Year’s Eve for the last couple of years (due to COVID-19 pandemic issues).”

MacKay said families can expect both indoor and outdoor activities.

“I’ve loaded up a DJ dance party for families inside The Forks Market, a lighted skate, guided skate on the trails of Arctic Glacier Winter Park outside at 8 p.m. We’ll be blasting a big pyrotechnics from the CN Stage,” MacKay said.

The family-friendly events include an earlier countdown to midnight.

“That will be so families can, you know, bring their little kids out and celebrate a new year but do it in a family-friendly way so that then they can get the kids home and into bed.”

The finalized schedule will be released by the end of the week, MacKay said.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca