It’s about to be a busy season for the Winnipeg-based Osborne Village Biz, with events and activities planned for the rest of the summer months.
The plans, part of the organization’s Summer in the Village programming, come on the heels of a block party scheduled for July 1. Expected to run from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, the party is described as “celebrating Canada’s multiculturalism in the heart of Osborne Village.”
The day’s celebrations include musical performances at the Bell Tower Stage and the Gas Station Arts Centre stage. The lineup consists of several performances, including from Drum Cafe Rockalypso, Duo Cochi and Papa Mambo.
The block party is organized through funds from the federal Celebrate Canada grant.
“We are thrilled to bring people together to celebrate culture and kick off Summer in the Village with activities for the whole family,” said Lindsay Somers, executive director.
“I’ve lived in Osborne Village for over 20 years, and it’s always really fun when you’re in your own neighbourhood hosting a party. We love to be able to walk outside our front door and have a collection of people gather to listen to live music (and) sit on patios. This is just a callback to what Osborne Village is.”
Having started in her role in 2021, Somers said previous block parties and Canada Day festivities needed to be re-evaluated. A process of reformatting meant reassessing the use of the budget and changing the way the organization interacted with the neighbourhood.
“The board of directors and myself, when I began in my position, had to re-evaluate our budget, our position and what the neighbourhood needed,” said Somers. “We’re coming out of the pandemic, understanding we need to give the neighbourhood some more love and attention — more than a one-day street festival could offer.”
Aside from Saturday’s celebrations, Osborne Village Biz will also be hosting free weekly community workouts starting July 7 to the end of August. Live concerts are also scheduled for Aug. 17, 24 and 31 at the Bell Tower.