Tickets centennialconcerthall.com

Ticket online link:www.centennialconcerthall.com/online/article/jaggedlittlepill

There’s lots of free stuff to see and do around town. First Friday in The Exchange continues this summer. The first Friday evening of every month (get it?) Winnipeg’s Exchange District hosts arts-centred events, bringing together creators, musicians, and DJs in galleries, restaurants, and businesses in the area. Stop by!

Meanwhile, WAG-Qaumajuq has its Canada Life Free Sundays. On the second Sunday of every month, take in everything on offer in the galleries, at the best possible price. (Winnipeg Art Gallery, 300 Memorial Blvd)

And what will you see while you’re there on a Sunday (or any other day)?

Inuit Sanaugangit: Three Centuries of Inuit Art continues its run in Qaumajuq. Immerse yourself in Inuit art with a staggering selection of over 200 works produced by artists from Canada, Siberia, Alaska, and Greenland, with examples of artistic expression from prehistoric periods to the present. (to Jan 7)

As well, The Art of Faye HeavyShield gathers the work from the celebrated contemporary Blackfoot (Blood) artist, known for her installations, drawings, and writing imbued with memory ancestral and personal, celebration of kinship, and stories of home and place. (to Aug 27) And Grace Nickel: Inter Artes Et Naturem (Between Art and Nature) showcases the career of a leading Manitoba artist recognized worldwide for her innovative work and technical skill. (to Dec 3)

Take note of Nourish: Dinner & Tour, the WAG’s signature dinner and tour program, featuring a three-course meal, followed by an inspiring tour in the exhibition galleries. Perfect for a special night out! (Aug 3)

Gallery 1C03 is an intimate gallery tucked inside the University of Winnipeg. This summer features the exhibit Within and Beyond Tradition: Works by East Asian Artists from The University of Winnipeg. Curated by U of W East Asian Languages and Cultures student Irene Chan, the show includes work from the university’s art collection, from historical embroideries and ceramics to contemporary pieces. (University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Ave. Open weekday afternoons to Aug 4)

The Canadian Museum of Human Rights has stunning views and inspiring stories, including. Awasisuk, by Amanda Grieves Bradburn from Bunibonibee Cree Nation (a/k/a Oxford House). Inspired by the “Every Child Matters” movement, the piece explores intergenerational healing and the process of moving forward to create a better future for our children and ourselves. (Open to the public in the Community Corridor, Canadian Museum for Human Rights, 85 Israel Asper Way)

Travel around the world or stay close to home? With Folklorama, you don’t have to decide. Forty internationally flavoured pavilions spread over two weeks highlight Manitoba's ethno-cultural arts and cuisine. Plus, the VIP Tour experience is back, with 44 unique tours where you can cycle, walk, or travel via luxury motor coach for an evening of food, fun, and reserved seating. (Venues throughout Winnipeg, Aug 6-18)

Looking for summer theatre?

Celebrations Dinner Theatre presents The Office: A Rock Parody. A tuneful tale about a small paper company, with Jim and Pam’s flirting, Michael’s meetings, and Dwight’s crossbow. (to Jul 2) That’s followed by Mamma Mio, a tribute to one of the greatest pop music bands of all time. (ABBA, of course.)

(Jul 7 -Sept 10) There’s also a show for kids: The Mighty Shrek, a fun-filled morning of laughter, music and food. (May 20 to Jul 1) Tickets include a musical comedy and multi-course meal. All shows at Celebrations Dinner Theatre, 1824 Pembina Hwy)

And, of course, the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival returns with more than 170 local, national, and international theatre companies offering comedy, drama, improv, dance, kids’ entertainment, and live music.

(Jul 19-30 at various venues throughout the Winnipeg Exchange District and at The Cube in Old Market Square)

Rainbow Stage has two shows running this summer. First up, it’s Rent, the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Awardwinning musical based on Puccini's opera La Boheme. (Jun 29-Jul 16) Then, the Academy Award winning Disney classic The Little Mermaid returns. Bring the whole family for a song-filled journey under the sea. (Aug 17-Sept 3, matinee and evening shows. All shows at Rainbow Stage in Kildonan Park, 2021 Main St).

Come fall time, Rainbow Stage presents a Walk & Talk Theatre and The Keep Theatre production called Afterlight at the new fall venue at Centre Culturel Franco Manitobain /CCFM. Afterlight is a funny, moving and endlessly entertaining tale about an elderly insomniac, who in the nightly search for her missing husband encounters a 500-year-old suicidal vampire whom she invites into her history museum of a home. It’s a darkly comedic and whimsical new musical about the unlikely romance that develops between two souls desperate to find the light at the end of the tunnel. (Sept 21-Oct 1, CCFM, 340 Provencher Blvd)

Want more festival action?

The StrEAT Feast Festival at The Forks celebrates street food and assorted cultural specialties while supporting local vendors. Plus, live performances, art, and more. (The Forks CN Stage and Field, #1 Forks Market Rd, Aug 19 & 20)

Culture Days takes place at venues throughout downtown Winnipeg. It’s a Canada-wide celebration full of free activities, hands-on experiences, and local artists. Including Nuit Blanche, from dusk until late on Sept 23. (Sept 22-Oct 15)

The Wall-to-Wall Mural & Culture Festival kicks off all over the city, bringing together communities of art, music, dance, and more with a final celebration for Nuit Blanche. (Various venues across Winnipeg. Sept 1-30)

Manyfest - All Together Downtown! Winnipeg’s biggest street festival has something for everyone. You might be surprised at what you may find: food trucks, a wine and beer garden, live music, a kid’s zone, and movies on a giant screen in Memorial Park. (Memorial Blvd & Broadway, Sept 8-10)

The Harte Trail Studio Art Tour is a self-guided tour of artisan studios and workshops all over town. Explore the local artist community with your trusty guide map (available for download at the end of August). And it’s free! (Various venues. Sept 16 & 17)

The Winnipeg Wine Festival is back this fall with a focus on the wines of Argentina. Enjoy your old favourites or discover something new. (RBC Convention Centre, Sept 16-23)

MB Food Fest takes place at Historic Fort Gibraltar in old St. Boniface. It’s a sampling and shopping event from Manitoba food and beverage producers in the fresh air, plus a Sweets + Treats Showcase inside the main lodge. (Fort Gibraltar, 866 St Joseph St, Sept 17)

Things to do outdoors?

Wildlife Rescue: Miracles in Conservation is an eye-opening, interactive animal experience at the Assiniboine Park Zoo. Telling the stories of real animals and the people who have dedicated their lives to helping them survive, it’s learning fun for the whole family. (Doug Harvey, Jan Shute, and Family Centre on the west side of the Zoo. Included with regular Zoo admission, to Sept 15)

Also at Assiniboine Park, it’s the Sustainability Tour at The Leaf, a half-hour tour that explores some of the sustainability features of the new conservatory. (Monthly: check website for dates)

And take note of Night Garden: A Magical Evening in the Garden at Assiniboine Park, with tasty treats, refreshments, and desserts created by Assiniboine Park's culinary team and special event partners. (Leo Mol Sculpture Garden at Assiniboine Park, Aug 30)

Speaking of Assiniboine Park, Ballet in the Park is back. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s summertime dance bash takes place under prairie skies, with performances from the Company, Professional Division, and Recreational Division. With face painting for the kids and a Creative Movement class before the show starts, as well as food truck treats. (Lyric Theatre at Assiniboine Park, Jul 26-28)

Movies Under the Stars 2023 offers Manitoba audiences free outdoor screenings of French-language films with English subtitles on the grounds of St. Boniface Cathedral. It's a beautiful way to get some culture. (St. Boniface Cathedral, 180 De la cathédrale Avenue, to Aug 31 at dusk)

If you’re thinking of a new, fresh way to observe Canada Day, consider Oak

Hammock Marsh. Bring the family and connect with our wild spaces. Participate in a guided canoe adventure or rent your own canoe to explore the Marsh at your own pace. Have a maple leaf or your favourite marsh critter painted on your hand. (Oak Hammock Marsh, 1 Snow Goose Bay on Highway 220, Jul 1. Lots of other things going on here all summer long!)

In the south end of the city you can find Fort Whyte Alive, with its 7 km trail through prairie, aspen forest, and lakes, wildlife watching from migratory birds to the resident bison herd, cycling along forested trails, and mountain biking at Bison Butte – a legacy venue from the 2017 Canada Summer Games mountain biking competition. (Fort Whyte Alive, 1961 McCreary Rd)

There’s lots of sport action going on this summer. Besides the Blue Bombers, of course, there’s the Winnipeg Valour football (both at IG Field, 315 Chancellor Matheson Rd), baseball with the Winnipeg Goldeyes (Shaw Park, 1 Portage Ave East) and the inaugural year for the Winnipeg Sea Bears for basketball action. (Canada Life Centre. Check respective websites for play dates.)

Assiniboia Downs offers Family Fun Nights before the races, with free activities like face painting, bouncy castles and live entertainment. (Every Monday in July and August, and September 4) Plus Canada Day Celebrations at the Downs, with food, fun, and fireworks. (July 1, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Assiniboia Downs, 3975 Portage Ave)

Need a laugh? There’s comedy all summer long. For starters, Rumor's Restaurant & Comedy Club presents Chris Griffin (Jun 27-Jul 1), Darryl Purvis (Jul 4-8), Kevin Banner (Jul 11-15), and Nate Craig (Jul 25-29). Rumor's Restaurant & Comedy Club, 190-2025 Corydon Ave)

Meanwhile, Tom Papa brings his 2023 Comedy Tour to the Club Regent Event Centre. (Jul 21), Anthony Jeselnik brings his stand-up show Bones and All to the same venue the next month (Aug 19) followed by Christina P (Sept 8).

Family-friendly Activities

Bring the whole gang to Cuthbert Grant Day and celebrate the history of the renowned Métis leader with museum tours, period re-enactors, storytellers, dancers and fiddlers. (Grant's Old Mill Museum, 2777 Portage Ave. Jul 8)

Ai-Kon 2023 is Winnipeg’s familyfriendly annual Japanese anime and pop culture convention, a three-day event that runs 24 hours a day from Friday morning all the way to Sunday afternoon. (RBC Convention Centre, Jul 14-16)

Peppa Pig’s Adventure is a live 60-minute musical experience featuring the youngsters’ favourite pig, on an exciting camping trip in the woods with George and her school friends, loaded with singing, dancing, games and surprises. (Burton Cummings Theatre, Aug 2)

Finally, there are plenty of places to find fresh vegetables and other treats both in and outside of town. There’s Downtown Farmers' Market (outdoors at Manitoba Hydro Place, behind 360 Portage Ave. on Graham & Edmonton) every Thursday during the summer months. And now, Shop and Sip at True North Square with resident DJ Mama Cutsworth and tasty beverages from The Rose Bar. (July & August only)

Elmwood Night Market returns with over 40 vendors, 7 food trucks, and evening entertainment. Admission is free. (Chalmers Neighbourhood Renewal, 180 Poplar Ave, Jul 7 & Aug 25)

The first Farmers’ Market in St. Norbert took place on July 16, 1988 with just 8 vendors selling their fresh harvest on a grassy meadow. Now it features over 200 local makers, bakers, and growers. (Le Marché St. Norbert Farmers’ Market, 3514 Pembina Hwy, Saturdays & Wednesdays all summer long)

North of the city, the East. St. Paul Market brings together delicious vegetables and produce, baked goods, preserves, handmade crafts, bath and body products, buskers, and more. (302 Hoddinott Rd. East St. Paul, to Sept 24)

All events in Winnipeg unless specified otherwise. As always, remember that things can change, so check event and host websites for updates. And stay safe.

Onalee Ames Film Studio was started 25 years ago. Initially, I began teaching to learn more and provide myself an income while auditioning. Throughout my time as an acting instructor, I developed a greater awareness of the deeper psychology of human beings. Consequently, my reason for choosing this career path has changed dramatically over the years. I now teach mainly as a healing tool.

Acting coaching provides so much more than a pay cheque. (Although a day on set can pay for a year of classes.) Acting provides relief from anxiety, depression, addictions and so much more. Over the years, I have worked with homeless people, criminals, Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, lawyers, doctors and many of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, to name a few.

In my experience, the one thing any human can benefit from is the power of working with his or her own emotions. I notice a profound change in people as they release the deepest of these emotions through the acting process. At one point, the studio had upwards of 15 therapists referring their patients to us so we could touch some of their deepest wounds. Getting roles has been a major contributor to the success of many of our actors, but for me, the greatest reward is derived from watching the transformation of students as they gain confidence and conquer anxiety.

Acting classes are the focus at the studio, but our team offers so much more.