The Forks to host 11 days of programming culminating in Canada Day celebration

An art display at The Forks on March 24, 2025. (Daniel Halmarson/CTV News Winnipeg)

The Forks is gearing up to host 11 days of programming, stretching from National Indigenous Peoples Day to Canada Day.

According to a news release, this year’s events fall under the theme “Many Nations, One Heartbeat” and are aimed at celebrating the many cultures that make up Manitoba and Canada.

“From National Indigenous Peoples Day to Canada Day, we honour truth and celebrate coexistence by uplifting the voices of those who have always – and who now – called this land home,” Kíwétinohk Consulting co-owner and event collaborator Victoria Perrie said in a news release.

“Each day is rooted in ceremony, education, and joy, drawing us together through the rhythm of drums, the stories of Elders, and community.”

It all begins on June 21 on National Indigenous Peoples Day with Indigenous performers, Inuit games, skateboarding demonstrations, a Kookum fashion show, a handmade market and more.

The Forks will co-host alongside the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba.

Events between June 21 and July 1 will each focus on different treaty regions in Manitoba, uplifting language, traditions and teachings of Indigenous nations while recognizing shared stories of all who live here today.

Celebrations culminate on Canada Day when The Forks hosts a family-friendly day of events, including dance battles, a basketball tournament, food trucks, a handmade market, critters from FortWhyte Alive, and a wide variety of performers.