What’s close to Ace’s heart?

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/06/2011 (4897 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I’M from here. I love it here.

While I am an unapologetic fan of winter and all that comes along with it, I also enjoy the payoff of summer in Manitoba. There are certain things that are a must-do, must-experience, must-eat, must-attend that no summer should pass without.

I’ve never NOT caught a fish in Manitoba during the summer.

I instinctively walk towards a patio whenever I’ve nowhere else to be.

I can’t recall ever missing the fringe theatre festival.

I’ve probably got 20 folk fest visits on my resumé, purchased corn and fruit on the side of the highway and mowed more than 2,300 kilometres of lawn.

I’ve taken a dip in a least a couple dozen of our 100,000-plus lakes and visited Assiniboine Park more times each summer than I’ve visited Grand Forks in my lifetime.

Folklorama? My passport is full.

But… I most certainly have not done it all. While I’ve never NOT caught a fish in Manitoba during the summer, I’ve still never fished Crowduck, despite the legendary stories.

Of all the lakes I’ve been to in all the years I’ve lived here, none were bordered by Victoria or Winnipeg Beach.

You get the idea. I can tell you a lot about what summer in Manitoba has to offer, but I can’t tell you everything.

This is where you come in. What is THE most iconic thing about a Manitoba summer? The one thing that no summer here should pass without being seen or experienced.

Is it even in Winnipeg? Or does it require a trip to Souris, the Whiteshell or someplace we’ve never heard of?

Listen, it could end up that the quintessential summer-in-Manitoba activity is gardening or cutting the grass. I’m more than fine with that. In fact, it’s quite possible I enjoy cutting the grass more than any other summer activity.

It could be a Winnipeg thing, but most importantly, it’s YOUR thing. I know I’m not the only one who lives here by choice. We live here because we genuinely love it here. Now we get to learn why.

I’ll be talking up your suggestions every morning on Hot 103 and blogging about them on my Free Press blog at www.winnipegfreepress.com/ace/blogs/Some of your suggestions will even make their way into the newspaper.

The quest for the thing that makes our prairie summers epic starts Monday. Tell us in 250 words or less about your favourite Manitoba summer thing. Post it to our site at www.winnipegfreepress.com/ace/its-a-winnipeg-thing/enter or snail mail them to us at It’s a Winnipeg Thing, c/o Winnipeg Free Press, PO Box 999, 1355 Mountain Ave., R2X 3B6 for chances to win an iPad2, a pair of tickets to Kings of Leon at the MTS Centre Oct. 4, a night’s stay at the Fort Garry Hotel and Ten Spa gift certificates.

Maybe you can’t settle on just one great thing in the summer. So post two or three. Post a photo, too. You have until July 15.

Later on, we’ll ask you to vote on the Top 50, then the Top 10, and a panel of esteemed judges (yes, I am one) will pick the winners.

Questions? Email us at itsawinnipegthing@winnipegfreepress.com.

I look forward to your suggestions and to taking you to places you’ve never been, but hopefully soon will.

Good luck.