Summer Starts Here

WILDERNESS PARADISE AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE! SITUATED ON BEAUTIFUL BIRD LAKE IN NOPIMING PROVINCIAL PARK Complimentary canoes, paddleboats, mountain bikes, kayaks. Excellent fishing for Walleye, Smallmouth, Pike & Perch. Licensed Restaurant, vendor, store, boats, motors, gas, live bait and licenses. Large natural sand beach with children's play area! 7 fully modern LHK cabins with screened decks, gas barbeques, AC, some with hot tubs and Sat. TV. Call: 204.884.2281 www.nopiminglodge.com WASN'T THAT A PARTY? CANADA CELEBRATED ITS 150TH LAST SUMMER WITH TRULY ONE-OF-A- KIND EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY INCLUDING HERE IN MANITOBA. SO, WHAT'S ON TAP FOR A FOLLOW-UP? More than 70,000 people are expected to visit Osborne Village (osbornevillage.com) for this year's Canada Day celebrations. This year's festivities, which are sponsored by the Osborne Village BIZ, will include the Canada Day Classic Street Hockey Tournament, five live entertainment stages, a Village fashion show, a massive family zone and 14 extended patios. One of the highlights of the event will take place at 1 p.m. when Winnipeggers are invited to sing Happy Birthday Canada at the Bell Tower stage. Did we mention you can enjoy a free piece of Canada's birthday cake? Canada Day will be an opportunity to celebrate both the past and the present at Oak Hammock March (oakhammockmarsh. ca) in Stonewall. The interpretive centre is hosting a family-friendly birthday celebration that will include rides in a horse-drawn wagon and storyteller Allan Webb. You'll also be able to participate in a guided canoe adventure or rent your own canoe. You can even have the Canadian flag or favourite critter painted on your cheek. For the first time, Assiniboine Park (assiniboinepark.ca)will host Canada Day at the Park celebrations on Sun., July 1. The family-friendly afternoon event gets underway at noon and will feature free entertainment at the Lyric Theatre including Al Simmons and Clyde Heerah and the Paradize Band, a citizenship ceremony, bouncy castles, food trucks and face painting. The Winnipeg Goldeyes (goldeyes.com) will host their annual Canada Day game on July 1 when they play the St. Paul Saints beginning at 1 p.m. ✹ Home is where the heart is. It's also where an increasing number of Manitobans are choosing to spend their summer vacations. Staycations let you get away from it all without having to leave home. They also mean less stress for you and your bank account. Looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the big city for a few days? Why not check out 9 Finger Ranch (9fingerranch.com/home), a family-owned working cattle ranch located on 1,120 acres on land on the south side of Riding Mountain National Park in the community of Rossburn. In addition to admiring the areas gorgeous lakes and rolling hills, guests can enjoy a horseback ride off the beaten path, explore the park and catch a glimpse of the region's wildlife. Located just over an hour's drive from Winnipeg, Moon Gate Guest House (moongateguesthouse. ca) is a calming retreat nestled on the banks of the Whitemouth River. A former egg grading station and wooden stir stick factory, it has been converted into a five-bedroom guest house for folks looking to slip away from everyday city life for a few days of adventure, restoration and rejuvenation. You can choose anything from a wild canoe adventure to foraging for wild edibles. Looking to get a little further afield for your summer getaway, why not pay a visit to Kwasitchewan Falls in Pisew Falls Provincial Park (gov.mb.ca/sd/parks/popular_parks/ northeast/pisew.html). Located about 75 km south of Thompson, Kwasitchewan is the highest waterfall in Manitoba. The falls are a great place for hiking or canoeing on the adjoining Grass River. Want to experience the outdoors without necessarily giving up all the creature comforts you are used to? You can do just that at Bakers Narrows Provincial Park (gov.mb.ca/sd/parks/ popular_parks/northwest/bakers), located just south of the town of Flin Flon. The park is a rich boreal forest that is an angler's paradise and a treat for the eyes. In addition to a campground, Bakers Narrows has six unique yurt sites that provide shelter from the elements. One of the crown jewels of Manitoba's great outdoors is Falcon Lake (travelmanitoba. com/listings/falcon-lake-townsite/6828), located about 90 minutes east of Winnipeg. You can choose from lakefront cabins with a magnificent view and private hot tubs to eco cabins on High Lake that are accessible by a hiking trail through the woods. There's also a professional golf course, tennis, swimming, fishing, canoeing and a year-round riding stable. For those wanting to enjoy the best of both worlds, there is Hecla Lakeview Resort (lakeviewhotels.com/hecla), located about two hours north of the city in Hecla Grindstone Provincial Park. It's the perfect place for couples retreats and family vacations and features a day spa and restaurant and lounge. The surrounding area is also home to some of the best outdoor biking and hiking trails the province has to offer. There's also a self-guided tour through the heritage buildings of Hecla Village. Tucked away in the southwest corner of the province is the family-owned and operated Turtle Mountain Resort (tmresort.ca) on beautiful Lake Metigoshe. Guests can choose from a cabin or full-service campsite. The area offers an abundance of outdoor adventures including fishing, hiking trails through the Turtle Mountains. You can cap off your day with a meal or ice cream. Looking for a bit of cultural enlightenment? Check out the summer concert series at Poor Michael's Emporium (poormichaels.ca) at the corner of Highway 10 and Albin Avenue near the town of Onanole. This one-of-a-kind venue doubles as a bookshop by day and a community events space by night. It also houses many local art exhibits year-round. Manitoba's agricultural roots run deep. Perhaps that explains why the Manitoba Threshermen's Reunion and Stampede (threshermensmb. ca) is one of the staples of summer in this province. This year's event will take place July 26 to 29 in Austin and will feature Canada's largest collection of vintage farm equipment, nightly rodeos, rides, kids' activities and live music. Another fixture of Manitoba's summer festival scene is the Morden Corn and Apple Festival (cornandapple.com), which takes place Aug. 24 to 26 in the town after which it was named. The all ages event is renowned for its free corn on the cob, apple juice and entertainment. Canada's National Ukrainian Festival (cnuf. ca) has been around for more than 50 years and shows no signs of slowing down. The festival attracts thousands of visitors from across the province to the town of Dauphin each summer to celebrate Ukrainian culture and cuisine. This year's festival is slated to take place Aug. 3 to 5. Manitoba's only professional rodeo will take place July 19 to 22 when the town of Morris plays host to the Manitoba Stampede and Exhibition (manitobastampede.ca). The four-day event also features a midway, live entertainment, a kids zone and agricultural fair. ✹ STAYCATIONS A GREAT OPTION FOR THE FAMILY

• Cover