Hi! We're Lindsay Duke and Jerry Grajewski, your Travel Manitoba couples ambassadors. I’m a magazine editor and Jerry is a commercial photographer, and while we love promoting Manitoba through our work, we love discovering Manitoba together even more.

With the summer months before us, we are excited to get out and enjoy some of the festivals and events that make Manitoba such a super summer destination. From the thrills at the Red River Ex to the music of the Winnipeg Folk Festival – there are tons of options for summer fun. We usually soak up a little culture at a Folklorama pavilion or two, and the beer gardens during the Fringe Festival is also a favorite hang out spot. We always look forward to a summer stroll down Corydon Avenue, stopping for some gelati and in true Winnipeg spirit, seeing at least one person we know! So grab your partner and make some summer memories – and remember to share your Manitoba moments, stories and pictures at UnexpectedManitoba.com.

Winnipeggers love a great deal, so it’s only logical they would give visitors one!

The Stay and Play offer is just one reason why so many people choose Winnipeg’s casinos as their getaway destination. Best of all, it is simple to use and free to access.

Guests can be eligible for $15 in Gold Play for use at either Club Regent Casino or McPhillips Station Casino, both located in Manitoba’s entertainment capital, Winnipeg. Stay and Play is available at Tourism Winnipeg when booking your hotel accommodations or packages, such as a couples or girl’s getaway.

If you’re looking for a more in-depth entertainment package, then visit www.travelmanitoba.com/casinos  for great seasonal casino promotions, featuring major casino performers. All getaway packages are priced to include one night’s double accommodation at a select hotel, casino gaming and restaurant vouchers, plus complementary casino valet parking. New packages are offered regularly, book today!
 
Club Regent Casino offers exceptional dining, popular live entertainment, a dance club and a first-class gaming experience in a tropical environment. Offering the same array of venues but with a different flair, McPhillips Station Casino lets you step back in time into a nostalgic train station and grand hotel themed atmosphere.

Please remember that in Manitoba you must be 18 years of age or older to enter the casinos. Photo ID may be required.

Think this summer fair is just for kids? Think again! The Ex
has something for everyone, including couples planning an evening out.  

Start things off in style, with a visit to Savoir-Faire: The Food and Wine EXperience, housed indoors at Exhibition Place. Savour delicious, locally-sourced food, wine, beer and spirits in an upscale, educational and entertaining atmosphere. Learn about food and drink pairings from industry experts and a roving sommelier and take "taste tests" to confirm your choices! Enjoy demonstrations of Flair Bartending and cooking seminars by celebrity chefs Anna Olson and  Ken Kostick.

Then, feast your eyes on the original art in the juried show located adjacent to the event. The Creative Arts EXtravaganza displays works by teen, amateur and professional artists in several mediums - Painting, Drawing, Mixed Media, Sculpture and Digital Photography - themed around Manitoba Homecoming 2010. (Entrance to both of these attractions is free with gate admission; food and beverage sampling tickets are extra)

Take in one of the nightly concerts, free with gate admission. The options run the gamut from country music, to classic rock, 80s pop/rock and up-and-coming indie bands.
 
Stroll down to CentrePlace Manitoba, the provincial pavilion from the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. The design of this striking structure, built from sustainable materials, reflects Manitoba's diversity, and video presentations showcase its people, places and spirit.

For something completely different, check out one of the featured performers at the Red Barn Stage: Tyzen, an amazing comedic stage hypnotist or Sean Watson, famed for his sleight-of-hand magic and Illusion Comedy Show.  

Browse the vendor area and booth displays for everything from handcrafted items to exercise equipment, try your luck on the Midway games and brave the thrill rides!  Admire the boats in the Fishing Pond area, catch the live shark show, see incredible chainsaw carvings, and much, much, more.

At the Ex, there's "more to see, more to do" every day of the week, from opening night fireworks to a free pancake breakfast on Father's Day and Caribbean-themed entertainment on the final Sunday. For details on daily event listings and special offers, visit redriverex.com.

Manitoba’s festivals are a fixture of our summers, and for some couples, Manitoba’s festivals are also a fixture of their relationships.

Take for example the Winnipeg Fringe Festival – the uncensored and unjuried theatre festival that is the second-largest of its kind in North America. Taking over Old Market Square and multiple venues around the Exchange District and downtown Winnipeg from July 14-25, the Winnipeg Fringe Festival is a perfect place for a summer date night. Two Fringe-y couples share what makes this festival so great for making, or strengthening, a love connection.

Alix Sobler is a transplanted New Yorker who now lives in Winnipeg with Jason Neufeld, originally from Brandon. They met as performers at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival and the charm of the beer gardens was not lost on these two: these Winnipeg Fringe veterans are tying the knot this June!

Xiam and Tim Webster also make the Fringe a part of their marriage every summer. This married with children duo has been producing the Kids Fringe for 11 years.

So, why is the Fringe so great for couples?

“There’s so much to do,” said Sobler. “There’s an endless supply of things to do.”

The abundance of activities means that for the couple who likes to be social, the Fringe is an ideal venue to connect with others.

“You meet so many people – it’s like a long party,” added Sobler.

If you’re looking to spend some quality time alone, Tim Webster has another idea.  

“Everyone knows about the beer gardens, but there’s also a martini area, where they serve mixed drinks. It’s a much quieter, relaxed area and it’s always positioned so you that you can watch what’s going on at the outdoor stage. It’s got the lights strung up, there’s the warm summer air. It’s a great way to create some memories.”

Webster also pointed out that a trip to the Winnipeg Fringe is also a good exercise in compromise.

“With 150 shows there’s something for him or for her,” said Webster, adding, “or something for both of you together. It’s a great way to explore your relationship.”

The Winnipeg Fringe Festival is just one of many Manitoba festivals you can share with your sweetie. For music lovers, check out the Winnipeg Folk Festival at Birds Hill Park July 7-11. For the cowboy couple, visit Morris for the Manitoba Stampede and Exhibition July 22-25. Feed your love with some traditional goodies at Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival in Dauphin July 30- August 1. Take your main squeeze on a tour around the world with Folklorama from August 1-14 at various venues across Winnipeg. Check out www.travelmanitoba.com for a full list of summer festivals to experience together.

We’re exploring the province and blogging about it:  the province’s hot spots and hidden gems, great golf courses, favorite fishing spots and more. You can also share your own stories!

Fun on the Souris
My husband and I decided to spend July 1st on an overnight canoe trip down the Souris River. A friend dropped us off at the Buncloody Bridge and we were to canoe from there to our home in Wawanesa Manitoba. What an unforgetable trip. The scenery is breath taking and it is so uninhabitated that except for an occassional cow you can almost believe that there is no one else around. An understanding of how the first explorers to our area must have felt. READ MORE