Free Music, Concerts and Shows in Manitoba

Looking to find the beat… without paying a dime? There are quite a few music festivals and events around the province that are free to attend. Head to the Exchange District in Winnipeg every summer for outdoor performances at the Winnipeg International Jazz Festival and keep an eye out for the Downtown Sounds Concert Series schedule to find free performances. Also check out the Selkirk Concert Series, where you can listen to music with a beautiful view of the Red River.

Other free music events around Manitoba include Big Times in the Suncatch in Morden, the Maryland Music Fest in Winnipeg and the Rockin’ Gimli Harbour Concert Series. Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park also hosts the Summer Entertainment Series, which includes concerts at Lyric Theatre, garden concerts at The Leaf, jazz in the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden and more.

Free Outdoor Activities in Manitoba

While all provincial parks in Manitoba require a vehicle permit, there are a few days out of the year when entry is free, typically in the month of February, Family Fishing Weekend in June, Canada Parks Week in July and Labour Day Weekend. With 93 provincial parks to explore, take advantage of the hundreds of beaches and hiking trails on these free days! Similarly, on Family Fishing Weekends - often held in June and February - licences are not required for fishing (although all other rules and regulations apply). Want to visit Riding Mountain National Park? It’s free to enter on Canada Day, July 1!

If beaches are your thing, there are plenty of free beaches on Lake Winnipeg to choose from, including Lester Beach, Victoria Beach and Gimli Beach, while Delta Beach on Lake Manitoba has an incredible marsh to explore nearby. Minnedosa Beach on Minnedosa Lake is also a great option. You’ll find many beaches up north you can visit at no cost, including Sunset Beach or Purple Sandy Beach on Snow Lake, Turnbull Beach near Leaf Rapids or Pumphouse Beach near Gillam.

In winter, enjoy the many free places to ice skate, including outdoor community rinks. In Winnipeg, the Nestaweya River Trail is one of Canada’s longest skating trails and is also used for cross-country skiing, walking and fat-tire biking. Similarly, many parks around the province open cross-country ski trails in winter, including Winnipeg’s Kildonan Park. Other cross-country ski trails to check out include the Crolly Loop Ski Trail in Thompson and Burwalde Woods found between Morden and Winkler.

And if you’re looking for something a bit different (and for something with a bit of adrenaline), make your way to the Souris Swinging Bridge or the Pinawa Suspension Bridge.

For those who love a good stroll, there are numerous walking trails and paths around Manitoba. It’s an activity you can do all year long…and it’s completely free! In Thompson, the Millennium Trail loops around the city and includes both urban areas and boreal forest, with many points of interest along the way. Found in The Pas, the Rosie Mayne Nochemek Trail is a self-guided interpretive trail that provides nature education and a few hidden gems, while the nearby Opasquia Trails include a floating boardwalk and lookout over Grace Lake. Flinty’s Boardwalk around Flin Flon’s Ross Lake is another wonderful place for a promenade.

The many trails of Assiniboine Forest and Bois-des-Esprits in Winnipeg are free for walking, while Island Park in Portage La Prairie has a paved and illuminated trail, making it accessible 24 hours a day throughout the year. And if you want to learn about history, art, and architecture on your walk, try Winnipeg’s Loop Walking Trail or the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation’s QR Code Tour.

Free Nature Experiences in Manitoba

Interested in Manitoba’s flora and fauna? The Living Prairie Museum in Winnipeg is one of the few remaining fragments of the tall grass prairie ecosystem. Head here to explore on your own or join one of the many free events, workshops and activities. Similarly, the Brandon Riverbank has beautiful grounds to walk around no matter what the season, with numerous self-guided trail systems and free interpretive tours to help you learn more about the habitat of the wetlands.

Bacon Ridge Ecological Reserve has extensive trails and excellent birdwatching, while Discover Nature Sanctuary in Winkler has walking access to wetlands, woodlands and grasslands. The Narcisse Snake Dens are fascinating to visit as this is the site of the world’s largest concentration of red-sided garter snakes; it’s best to view them in the spring or autumn. And don’t forget that the trails at Oak Hammock Marsh are open all year for walking (or snowshoeing in winter).

Interested in nature and sustainability? The Leaf offers free tours on select days throughout the year that highlight the sustainability features of the building.

Finally, the Brokenhead Wetland Interpretive Trail has a wheelchair and stroller-accessible trail with signage about the wetland and its connection to the local Ojibway peoples.

Free Arts Activities in Manitoba

Art lovers, rejoice! There are many opportunities to see free art around Manitoba. If you love a good mural, Winnipeg’s West End, downtown Brandon, Gimli’s Seawall and the town of Churchill are famed for their murals, completed by both local and international artists. Nuit Blanche is an annual event in Winnipeg that exhibits outdoor installations and a variety of free programs, while there are plenty of free art tours to take around the city through the Winnipeg Arts Council. Canada Life also offers free days at the Winnipeg Art Gallery - Qaumajuq on the second Sunday of every month.

Other free places to explore art in Manitoba include Gallery in the Park in Altona, the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba in Brandon, Prairie Fusion Arts and Entertainment in Portage la Prairie, the Forks public art displays, and the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden and the Pavilion Art Galleries in Assiniboine Park.

And of course, many of Manitoba’s roadside attractions are free to visit! Some of the province’s notable attractions include the World’s Largest Coca-Cola Can in Portage la Prairie, the Arden Crocus Monument, the World’s Largest Curling Rock in Arborg, Amisk the Beaver Monument in Dauphin, the Viking in Gimli and the Canada Goose in Lundar.

Free Historical and Cultural Activities in Manitoba

History buffs, we didn’t leave you out! One of the best events in Winnipeg every year is Doors Open Winnipeg, an annual weekend where dozens of architecturally, historically and culturally significant buildings, events and tours open up their doors to the public, all with free admission. Also in Winnipeg, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is free every Sunday, while the Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre, the Winnipeg Police Museum, the Ross House Museum and the Air Force Heritage Museum and Air Park are free year-round.

Other free museums and sites around the province include the Itsanitaq Museum in Churchill, Swan Valley Historical Museum in Swan River, the Plum Coulee Elevator Museum, Fort Dufferin National Historic Site in Emerson, Inglis Grain Elevators National Historic Site and the St. Andrew’s Rectory National Historic Site. There are also free public guided tours of the Manitoba Legislative Building every Friday.

A date to keep in mind is July 1 (Canada Day), when all national historical sites in Manitoba are free.

Free Activities for Kids in Manitoba

If you’re looking for something for the kids, you’re in luck: there are plenty of free activities to keep your entire family busy all year long. Definitely mark your calendar for the Festival of Fools, which is a week-long celebration of acrobatics, magic and fun for the whole family!

Splash pads run in summer in Manitoba and are found all over the province; two such locations are the splash pad at Rotary Park in Thompson and the splash pad at Corydon Community Centre - Crescentwood Site in Winnipeg, which also has an accessible playground. Skaters will love the Kristopher Campbell Memorial Skate Park in Brandon or the Selkirk Park skate park. Geocaching is becoming more and more popular and is a fun activity for families, especially as it can be done all around Manitoba.

Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg has a few free things kids will love, including the Domo Trolley, the annual Kids Concert, Movies in the Park and the Nature Playground, which also has wheelchair-accessible swings. Other playgrounds around the province perfect for kids include Fort Parka at the Forks, Island Park in Portage la Prairie and Parkdale Community Park and Playground in Brandon.

The Transcona Museum in Winnipeg has a number of family programs, while another terrific source of free materials and programs in Manitoba is the public libraries. Keep your eyes peeled for literary programs and more, all of which are free.

Free Festivals and Events in Manitoba

Keep your ear to the ground when it comes to free events around Manitoba, as there are plenty to be found! For example, the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival has numerous free outdoor performances of music, comedy, magic, and more every summer. Also in Winnipeg, mark your calendar for First Fridays in the Exchange; taking place on the first Friday of every month, multiple shops, galleries, museums, studios and theatres stay open late for a celebration of arts and culture at no charge to the public.

An excellent source of finding free cultural events in Manitoba is Culture Days. Aiming to celebrate arts and culture across Canada, you’ll find everything from art shows in Carman to film festivals in Dauphin to culinary arts events in Flin Flon to art walks in The Pas on the schedule. Similarly, there are multiple free events and programs to choose from at the Forks in Winnipeg every month.

Speaking of film festivals, you won't want to miss the annual Gimli Film Festival which features a free movie screening on the beach.

But that’s not all! Head to Half Pints Brewery in Winnipeg, where free brewery tours are hosted every Saturday afternoon. Love cars? Check out the Heritage Classic Car Show in Steinbach every summer. Assiniboine Park hosts Ballet in the Park as part of its Summer Entertainment Series every year. And if you feel like browsing at a local market, the Arnes Farmers’ Market near Gimli and Winnipeg’s Alleyways in the Exchange take place every summer.

And let’s not forget about all the free street fairs and festivals in the province! Usually taking place in summer, these fairs often include lively music performances, parades, art and craft exhibitions, and sometimes even fireworks. Check out Boardwalk Days in Winnipeg Beach, Steinbach’s Summer in the City, the Manitoba Sunflower Festival in Altona, Stonewall Quarry Days, the Flin Flon Trout Festival, Saint-Boniface célèbre in Winnipeg and the Morden Corn and Apple Festival (where even the delicious corn is free!).