1. Nuit Blanche 

2. Halloween 

3. Motown Mondays (The Good Will) 

 

Creativity flowed through downtown Winnipeg on Sept. 26 during Nuit Blanche, an all-night party which translates from French to ‘white night’. The annual eve, adopted from a Montreal tradition, started in Winnipeg six years ago. 

Around 250 artists got together to show off their talents in 50 venues. There were 75 events that night between The Exchange District, St. Boniface and downtown. 

The Winnipeg Art Gallery hosted the biggest event of the evening, with about 4,000 people in attendance, according to Monica Lowe, the chair of Nuit Blanche Winnipeg. 

New artists are always welcome for next year, Lowe says. 

“Anyone can host an event as long as it artistically inclined,” she adds. 

Winnipeggers who made their way downtown were able to see film screenings, live paintings and fire spinning. Some got the chance to play glow golfing, hear live music and see a mini Tour de France as the Rainbow Trout Music Festival’s bike jam traveled from event to event. 

Nuit Blanche is part of the Culture Days festival that runs nationally for three days, usually in late September or early October. The theme night is also popular in cities across Canada and around the world. 

Each art show at Nuit Blanche was hosted by independent artists who wanted to participate and spectators had the luxury of enjoying the exhibits free of charge. 

The Exchange District held close to 40 events, some in back alleys and some at Old Market Square. 

Downtown Winnipeg hosted the ARTery and Labyrinth of Light on Graham Avenue between Vaughan Street and Fort Street. 

On Provencher Boulevard in St. Boniface, some folks got the chance to take a break, sit on a sofa and read books in the street, as well as listen to some relaxing music.

Published in Volume 70, Number 13 of The Uniter (December 3, 2015)