An iconic Winnipeg shopping and entertainment district is hoping to welcome people back this weekend after a couple of years of pandemic-related uncertainty.
Osborne Village, named the country’s best neighbourhood by the Canadian Institute of Planners a decade ago, is hoping to bring back some of the culture-based magic that made it a go-to destination, pre-pandemic.
Saturday’s community celebration features live entertainment, a sidewalk sale, and other events throughout the day.
“We’re really, really excited to bring people back and see the work that we’ve been doing, and reintroduce themselves to Osborne Village,” said Lindsay Somers, director of the Osborne Village BIZ.
“We’ve had 20 new businesses open since March 2020. Our team has been working really hard to spruce up the streets, clean up public spaces, and add some colour and energy.
“We’ve partnered with Gas Station Arts Centre to bring live programming throughout the day in key community spaces.”
Among those community spaces are two newly redesigned patio and meeting areas, featuring colourful paint jobs by local artists.
“Space is limited in the Village, which creates that vibrancy, that density, that energy — and so that patio’s for everyone,” Somers said.
“We’ve had live concerts this summer and we’re going to have live concerts all day tomorrow in these spaces — entertainment, dance battles — it’s time for our community to come together and be together and celebrate, so we’re just really excited to welcome people back.”
A full list of Saturday’s events, which include live performances by local artists like Casimiro Nhussi, Cory Wojcik, Vario the Clown, and Tamiya Jones, can be found at the Osborne Village BIZ’s website.
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