WINNIPEG, Tuesday, August 4, 2020 – The 2020 Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries ManyFest, scheduled to take place from Sept. 11-13 at Memorial Blvd. and Broadway, has been cancelled. This year’s event, put on annually by the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, would have marked ManyFest’s 10th year.
The decision to cancel was made in the best interests of the health and safety of our community and follows consultation with the City of Winnipeg and Manitoba Health.
“ManyFest is an event that brings thousands of people together downtown,” said Jason Smith of Smith Events and ManyFest’s organizer. “We explored a variety of options and scenarios that would meet health guidelines however a scaled down event would ultimately not guarantee a smaller crowd and physical distancing would remain a challenge. As a free, non-ticketed event, it would be difficult to anticipate and manage attendance regardless of the festival’s design. Given this and the current climate, we are taking the cautious approach in cancelling this year’s event.”
ManyFest is Winnipeg’s largest street festival and annually brings the intersection of Broadway and Memorial to life with an energetic atmosphere including food, entertainment and arts. Last year’s event drew more than 80,000 people with more than 50 food trucks, the Lake of the Woods Brewing Co. Lakeside Lounge featuring a beer and wine garden, music, entertainment and games, the Third + Bird Urban Market, MiniFest Family Zone, Wonder Shows carnival rides, and more.
ManyFest thanks its many partners and sponsors for their ongoing support and looks forward to bringing back Winnipeg’s largest street festival in 2021.
“While Manyfest won’t be happening this year, downtown is very much open,” says Kate Fenske, CEO, Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, “As folks continue to work from home, now more than ever it’s critical to support downtown businesses. Plus, our downtown is full of great outdoor dining options, shopping, public art, and unique experiences to discover and explore.”
Downtown Winnipeg BIZ has re-launched some of its smaller summer events like Fitness in the Park, Downtown Sounds Concert Series and the Downtown Farmers’ Market where physical distancing, safety and cleanliness protocols are followed.