Teghan's top 5 things to do this weekend in and near Winnipeg (July 28-30)
A love fest, ghosts come to life and a beach becomes a theatre
Everything I have on the list this week is outdoors, so if it rains, you are on your own.
Real Love is happening in Teulon, there are movie screenings on the beach in Gimli and in Winnipeg, ballet in the park, an art tour in the Exchange and a ton of bands at The Forks.
This might be even better than the long weekend, so get out if you can.
WHAT: MUSIC — Real Love Summer Festival
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Where: Teulon, Man.
Cost: $30-$40 per day or $60 for the weekend
Real Love is my top pick this weekend.
This is a small-scale folk-fest-meets-Rainbow-Trout type fest, and the passes (including camping) are super cheap.
Do yourself a favour and make a playlist with a few tracks from all the bands on the lineup, and then don't miss Micah Erenberg, 3Peat, Merin, Mulligrub, Joey Penner and Juniper Bush.
Camping is cheap, but you will absolutely need to bring like five cans of bug spray. Actually, it's probably best to bring a lot of it even if you're going for the day.
WHAT: DANCE — Ballet in the Park
When: Friday, July 28, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Lyric Theatre at Assiniboine Park
Cost: FREE
Grab a coffee, some lawn chairs and potentially your dog if it is quiet and likes dance; The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is doing their ballet in the park thing again Friday night, with a performances from The Fairy Doll, Celts and the movie Grease.
A bunch of food trucks will be on site this year, including GG's Gelati, Tia Maria's Taqueria and Kyu Grill.
There'll be stuff to do for kids as well beforehand, including a photo booth and face painting.
WHAT: ART — Painted in Light
When: Saturday, July 29, 9-11 p.m.
Where: Multiple locations in the Exchange District
Cost: FREE
American artist Craig Winslow is in town this weekend to do some very cool installations in the Exchange.
Winslow is known for reanimating ghost signs (faded signs on old buildings) with light.
His work has appeared across the United States and the United Kingdom, and he's doing his most ambitious project here in Winnipeg Saturday night.
From 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., you can see five signs appear restored to their original glory (and with some 360 degree rotating elements) thanks to Winslow and his projectors.
There's a short walking tour with stops at 165 McDermot Ave., 281 McDermot Ave. and 185 Bannatyne Ave. After that, there's a reception at Forth's rooftop bar.
This one is free and will be really, really cool. Go check it out!
WHAT: FEST — Jeux du Canada Games Festival
When: Saturday and Sunday
Where: The Forks, 1 Forks Market Rd.
Cost: FREE
There's a ton happening at The Forks this weekend for the 2017 Canada Summer Games.
On Saturday night, Serena Ryder, Attica Riots and Kardinal Offishall are performing, with a ton of art and demonstrations happening across the site.
On Sunday, there's a full evening of Francophone performers, hoop dance demos and more.
Next weekend there'll be a heavy lineup as well, with Royal Canoe, Faouzia, William Prince and more.
WHAT: FILM — Gimli Film Festival
When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Where: Gimli, Man.
Cost: FREE to $100
Their usually packed beach screenings are also back, but they'll be competing with a lot of other stuff happening in the city this weekend, so it might be a quieter year.
On Friday, they're playing Twister and Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. I can't think of a better venue than a dark beach to watch The Birds, so try to make it out for the late showing if you can.
On Saturday, Footloose is playing, and on Sunday, because whoever books this festival is a total genius, The Neverending Story is screening at 10 p.m.
Find a ride and bring some bug spray. No word on whether the fish fly swarms have died off for the season.