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The Creeps
A feel-good comic about two unnamed characters and their delightful journeys through universally hilarious themes like hatred, misery, uncontrollable rage, disease and rash, delusion, agoraphobia, paranoia, jealousy, greed, bitterness, binge eating, slothfulness, and death, lots and lots of death; also, deformity, flatulence, boogers, nosebleeds, bowel movements, and the eating of unappetizing things.
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Favourite Night Spot
When I asked people what they were doing for New Year’s Eve, most people said “staying home,” which is what I’ve done for the last few years. Going out (not just on December 31) means that you a) have to put on clothes and b) talk to people, which is, you know, a lot.
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Favourite New Restaurant
Western suburb dwellers of Winnipeg rejoice - you have a new local hangout! St. James Tap and Table opened its doors in October and has become a neighbourhood favourite in only a few months.
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Favourite local brewery
Since opening in August 2006, Half Pints Brewing Company has come a long way.
“The acceptance of what we do is considerably different now,” explains David Rudge, brewmaster and president of the company. “People’s attitudes now are very different from the attitudes people had towards us when we first started.”
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Favourite Visual Artist
Many artistic careers begins with the classic fork in the road scenario: to give up the dream and settle into a more secure and consistent lifestyle, or to persevere and work harder than ever before towards a goal which may or may not be fulfilled. Winnipeg-based illustrator Nyco Rudolph is barreling head first towards the latter.
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Favourite local blog
This Uniter 30 returning best blog champ has been at it for seven years. Photographer Bryan Scott describes his blog as a space for all Winnipeg images.
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Favourite Charity / Non-Profit
Since 1987, Siloam Mission has been working to bring Winnipeggers together to help those who are experiencing homelessness. Siloam Mission takes a lead role in encouraging all of us to recognize the humanity of every person regardless of their temporary circumstances.
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Favourite local boutique
Whether pincurls and pompadours are part of your daily routine, or you’ve only ever considered donning a poodle skirt for that Mad Men theme party, local shop Rockabetty has you covered.
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Favourite Neighbourhood
I lived in Osborne for a few years (at the Stradavilla, good times) but it was during a time when I couldn’t actually afford to enjoy any of the things the village has to offer.
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Favourite Theatrical Production
Local comedian J.D. Renaud proves haters gonna hate with Damn Your Eyes, a theatrical love letter addressed to things he just can’t stand.
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Favourite thing to do in Winter
Festival du Voyageur is an internationally recognized celebration of Manitoba’s history. Besides being a great time, Festival du Voyageur helps connect us with voyageur, Métis and First Nations culture.
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Favourite local publication
The Uniter was founded in 1824 by John Uniter, a wealthy Selkirk industrialist who coined the phrase “People before profit.” The publication was one page and was used to inform people about the upcoming general strike (which didn’t occur for almost a century). It had a circulation of 20 and was printed on the back of old rags found in Uniter’s garage.
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Favourite local fest
I dare you to find one Winnipegger who hasn’t spent a day strolling through the Winnipeg Folk Festival grounds, or at least a bitter soul who hasn’t had thoughts of sneaking into the festival campground.
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Favourite Local Street Performer
Eric the Great is no fairweather busker. On any given day, he’ll be out somewhere in Winnipeg, greeting passers-by with a song and his bright, distinctive smile. He’s been regaling the streets with song for 10 solid years, averaging about 16 hours a day, he estimates.
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Favourite album
It took six years, but the Civil Disobedients stopped being super lazy procrastinators and finally released the follow-up to Sell Your Soul Until You Can Buy It Back.
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Favourite Local Podcast
Matt Moskal’s no stranger to this category, as The Supporting Act was ranked second in last years’ Uniter 30 poll. Hardly a small feat for a podcast that had only existed a mere 10 episodes at the time.
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Favourite Radio Show
For the last eight years ‘Peg City Groove has been a place for Winnipeggers to keep up with the local music scene and it’s still going strong.
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Favourite Place to See Live Music
The topic of music venues was actually a pretty important one for Winnipeg in 2014. New spots like The Good Will and The Handsome Daughter cut ribbons and opened doors.
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Favourite farmers’ market
Along with music festivals and potholes, Winnipeg has no shortage of farmers’ markets. It’s clear that our city has a love for fresh produce and locally made wares - in Winnipeg alone there are 13 markets, spread out enough to effectively compete with chain grocery stores.
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Favourite Local Bakery
When pastry chef Nathalie Gautier set out to buy a bakery two and a half years ago, she was aiming for St. Boniface, but ended up on North Main. “I didn’t know exactly what area I was [in] or what the community was, so it was a good challenge,” Gautier says. They arrived in March, and by August of the same year, A L’Epi de Ble opened its doors.
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Favourite Local comedian
Comedian Garet Seman has only been performing stand-up for two years, but is already gaining a reputation in the Winnipeg performing arts scene. He speaks humbly of his beginnings in comedy, quipping, “I wasn’t bitten by a radioactive comedian.”
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Favourite person behind the Counter
“Coffee brings people together,” says Nils Vik, the guy behind the counter at Parlour Coffee on Main St.
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Favourite Local Achiever Under 30
Ian Bawa knows a thing or two about success.
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Favourite Local Athlete
Unless you live under a rock (no pun intended), or are actively striving to be the worst Winnipegger ever, you have probably heard of local curling sensation Jennifer Jones. Renowned as one of the top female Canadian curlers of the last decade, Jones has been throwing rocks and shouting “hurry!” since she was 11-years-old.
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Favourite Local Filmmaker
In many ways, seeing Guy Maddin (My Winnipeg, The Saddest Music in the World) voted as favourite local filmmaker isn’t a surprise. The director’s name is as synonymous with Winnipeg as the Golden Boy or the bitter cold of winter. But it’s also a fitting testament to his staying power, with the celebrated auteur nearing 30 years as a major force in world cinema.
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Favourite Local dancer
For Jill Groening, dance began as a hobby, one amidst all the other usual extracurricular sports, at age 11. As the years passed, the sports fell to the wayside and dancing grew from a hobby into a passion. When she learned of the Uniter 30 results, her reaction was one of bashful humility. Groening, a writer for this very publication, is humble, bordering on embarrassed by the honour, admitting she’s not a competitive person.
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Favourite local writer
Steve Locke is a poet
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Favourite Winnipegger abroad
In her own way, Samantha Hill is taking part in theatre history. The Winnipeg-born actress who cut her teeth starring in Rainbow Stage productions of Peter Pan and Beauty and the Beast has moved on to the Broadway stage. After a successful run as Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera (which remains the longest-running show in Broadway history), Hill is now starring as Cossette in the newest revival of Les Misérables at the historic Imperial Theatre.
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Favourite Local Activist
When the Falcon descended on last year’s mayoral race he was the fringe candidate who wound up coming in third. All the people I knew that voted for Judy last time around were voting for him, as were a lot of people who had never cast a ballot before. He brought about change simply by speaking to people that most candidates ignored. He also did a Reddit AMA.
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Favourite Political Moment
In politics, one person’s decision can often have unexpected consequences. By choosing to leave office rather than run for re-election, former Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz may have helped set in motion a series of events that dramatically altered politics in our province.
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Favourite Prof
For four years Joanne Kelly has been pushing students out of their comfort zones and getting results.
University of Winnipeg and downtown community newspaper