Feb. 12, 2021, Winnipeg, MB –The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ brings seven artistically carved “snowfas” (sofas made of snow) to downtown Winnipeg. These places to chill out downtown can be found just a couple of minutes from the Winnipeg Foundation Centennial River Walk, and are designed to show Winnipeggers that There’s Snow Place Like Home.
“This year, we’ve seen folks taking full advantage of the things to do and the places to discover right here at home,” says Kate Fenske, CEO of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, “We hope the snowfas add some joy, encourage people to spend time downtown safely, and support the businesses here.”
Each snowfa has an accompanying sign that directs people to downtown businesses, where they can find sweet treats, like at Oh Doughnuts or Fête Ice Cream and Coffee, or a nourishing meal, like at Capital Grill or Poké Mono. Visitors can also pull up a map that will show them the locations of the snowfas, and the downtown businesses nearby.
The snowfas are carved by local artists coordinated by the Festival du Voyageur, who used their own creative ideas and expression to create a sculpture that someone could sit on.
“We’re inspired by the land we work on so we wanted to create something that brings unique and interesting elements from nature to the snow,” says artist Kyla Quiring, who’s creating one of the sculptures with her sister Renée. “I’m looking forward to seeing visitors discover and enjoy the sculptures created by us and the other artists involved in this project.”
The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ encourages visitors to share their photos and experiences using the hashtag #finditdowntown and reminds folks to keep one sofa length (two metres) apart when visiting the sculptures.
Thanks to Councillor Sherri Rollins and the City of Winnipeg Wellness Grant for helping to make this project possible.
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MEDIA INQUIRIES
Pamela Hardman, Director of Marketing, Engagement and Communications
Cell: 204-806-2506, Email: Pamela@downtownwinnipegbiz.com