1. The Good Will Social Club
2. Anywhere other than Winnipeg
3. A buffet

After COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns temporarily shuttered Winnipeg’s vibrant music sector, it couldn’t be more fitting that Uniter readers were eager to return to in-person concerts at one of the city’s most inviting venues: the Good Will Social Club.

Home to various local band shows throughout the year, karaoke nights and dance parties, the Good Will has been a popular place for people from various age ranges to feel at ease when taking in their bit of entertainment.

Winnipeg’s admiration for the venue was apparent when the bar raised over $54,000 in less than 24 hours after a GoFundMe page was set up to help cover for their expenses during the first wave of the pandemic.

“It is quite honest in its delivery, and it is a very humble venue. Pretty much everyone can attend and enjoy this cross-section within the arts community,” Good Will manager Anthony Kowalczyk says.

The bar shut down again in March of this year, after the second wave of COVID-19 hit the province, only to emerge from hibernation in September 2021. Despite having opened its doors for small get-togethers, the first real-deal event since its closure was a dance party with DJ Co-op, DJ Hunnicutt and Lambo called Totally Tens.

“It was a really neat look at what the new normal is and how reminiscent it was before COVID. It was well-attended. People were quite respectful of the regulations, and it seemed normal, taking out the fact that people were wearing masks,” Kowalczyk says.

Although the pandemic hasn’t ceased, the Good Will’s reopening has been triumphant in event booking and attendance. With attractions happening every week, keep an eye on the venue’s Instagram, @thatgoodwill.

Published in Volume 76, Number 12 of The Uniter (December 2, 2021)