With her weekly pick of fun things to do on the weekend, here is the rundown from CJOB Morning Show content producer Shannah-Lee Vidal.
1. Music at the Half Moon
Lockport’s Half Moon Drive In is celebrating 80 year of serving great hot dogs and fries.
That’s why its 6th annual Rockin’ on the Red is even more special.
The family friendly festival is free, and runs through Saturday at the Half Moon.
The Half Moon’s Wayne McInstosh says he expects to see roughly six to eight thousand people stop by this year.
“Over the last few years it’s really grown to be a big event.”
For the kids there is a lot of fun things to do, including a petting zoo, inflatable rides and a magician. For the grown-ups there’s concerts beginning at 6:30 p.m, with five bands on the lineup for each evening.
There are plenty of tribute bands set to play, paying homage to the greats of rock music like the Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses and the Tragically Hip.
One of the highlights of the festival for McIntosh is giving back through a partnership with the Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation.
“We run a 50/50 on the property. Fifty per cent collected goes to somebody on-site. The other fifty per cent goes towards a mobility bicycle that we do a presentation to on Saturday evening to a family in the region,” he said.
The fun gets underway at 11 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and is finished with nightly fireworks at 11:30 p.m.
The Half Moon Drive In is located at 6860 Henderson hwy.
2. Roller derby rivalry
This year marks a decade since the resurgence of roller derby in Winnipeg.
Today, the Winnipeg Roller Derby League‘s charter team is ranked as the seventh best team in the country.
On Saturday evening, the all-stars will be be playing against Saint Paul’s Minnesota Nice in a game of friendly rivalry at the Fort Garry Curling Club.
“We’ve played them in the past, and they’re wonderful people with amazing fans that often cross the border to watch them here,” said Alex Krosney, who skates under the name Lex Go.
Before that headliner game the Winnipeg league’s B-team, the Bombshell Brawlers, will face Thunder Bay’s Babes of Thunder.
Doors open at 5:00 p.m., with the Thunder Bay tilt starting at 6 p.m. and the Minnesota game two hours after that.
Tickets for the roller derby doubleheader are $15 and available in person at Bikes and Beyond or online at Eventbrite.
3. Caribbean celebration
This weekend, you can experience the Caribbean without leaving Winnipeg.
The Soca Reggae Festival is on through Sunday at Old Market Square in the Exchange District.
The event will feature live music on the Cube Stage by international and local artists, including Inna Riddim, MelloMan and Papa Mambo.
Feel free to bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit and and watch the shows, which begin at noon.
Along with community vendors, there’s also going to be a variety of Caribbean foods to excite your taste buds. Curried goat, jerk chicken and roti will all be available.
Daily tickets are $12, but kids 12 and under are free when accompanied by a parent or guardian.