Have you noticed anything different about the caboose outside The Forks Market? Something's changed, and it's super cool.
It's open! Climb up the stairs on the front of the caboose, push open that old wooden door, and travel back to the 1930s.
This caboose has seen more of Canada than most of us ever will. It was built in the 1930s at the Point St. Charles Shops in Montreal and has put on a lot of miles since.
Until 1988, when it was retired at the Transcona Shops right here in Winnipeg, the caboose traveled the CN lines from coast to coast housing the conductors and crews of the trains it capped off.
Back in the day, the caboose was where the conductor and crew worked, slept, and likely huddled around the wood fire with a celebratory drink along the way.
The crew would hang out there from time to time to monitor the brake and air pressure and to log the number and contents of each train car in front of it.
On September 15, 1992, the Canadian National Railways donated Caboose #76602 to The Forks as a nod to all the thousands of train crews that traveled through The Forks years ago.
Trains and railways are an important part of The Forks' history. Before it was the great hang-out spot it is today, The Forks was gravel, rail ties, and a whole lot of trains. The Forks – then called the East Yard – was where the trains would stop to load up and receive cleaning and maintenance.
Now, we treasure gifts like Caboose #76602 as a reminder of one of the many things this land once was before we called it The Forks.
So please, walk to the back of the caboose, take a seat on the bench to your right, look out the window at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, and try to imagine The Forks bustling with trains, horses, and the people that worked so hard to maintain all of it.
The 2017 Canada Summer Games are quickly rolling into town, and it's not only the sports we're looking forward to but also the 11 days of free music and fireworks for the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Canada Games Festival. Summer doesn't feel complete without spending at least a couple days hanging out with your friends at a music festival singing along and dancing until the sun sets. Sometimes those festivals aren't cheap, but this one is as affordable as you can get– free! This only covers two of the 11 days of music, so check out the artists playing and stay tuned for many MANY more. Ontario Day July 29 Attica Riots 5:55 pm Kardinal Offishall 6:55 pm Skydiggers 8:05 pm
When the 2017 Canada Summer Games come to Winnipeg, the best place to feel the heat of The Hottest Summer in Half a Century will be at the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Canada Games Festival. The Forks have been a meeting place for over 6,000 years, so what better place to have a central hub for spectators, athletes, volunteers and the Manitoba community to celebrate together. The free, family-friendly festival will run for eleven days from July 29 until August 12 at The Forks and showcase over 150 Canadian artists. Each province and territory has been invited to join in creating an exciting festival atmosphere that will incorporate family-friendly activities and include an array of music along with Indigenous, francophone and cultural content from across Canada.
Last but certainly not least... showcasing Manitoba talent will be Royal Canoe, William Prince, Fred Penner and a special performance by the Crash Test Dummies with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. For children and young families, the MacDon Family Zone at Parks Canada Place will have numerous fun, recreational activities along with local artisans and food vendors to keep everyone entertained. Be sure to stay for the fireworks at the end of each night’s concert!
Flights! What's a flight? A flight is the freedom from commitment. Essentially, it's a sampler of multiple kinds of deliciousness, so you don't have to settle with the one beer, coffee, wine, or ice cream that you know and love and that has treated you well time and time again. Flights make it easier to branch out and try new things while still sticking with the varieties you trust. Now, you can get four different flights within the Food Hall in The Forks Market. Beer
If you're not already familiar with The Common, it is our craft beer and wine kiosk that has 20 different taps filled with mostly local brews for you to pick from. They range from an easy-drinking ale to a richer stout. Your instinct is to go for the type of beer you know you'll like, but the beauty of a flight is that you can branch out with minimal risk.
Pick four. Pick a colour of beer that scares you a little. Pick the new one from the local brewery that just opened. Pick one you know you'll like. Pick the one with the name you can't pronounce (each one is numbered, don't worry).
P.S. The staff at The Common are super helpful, and they always make great recommendations. We picked: Barn Hammer Brewing Co. Grandpa's Sweater, Lake of the Woods Brewing Co. Firehouse Ale, Little Brown Jug 1919, and Lagunitas India Pale Ale. Coffee
You don't know what energized feels like until you've tried this thing. Our newest member of The Forks Market family is Fools & Horses, and they didn't fool around when creating their flight. Ready?
Batch brew. Pick one: Mixtape from Dogwood Coffee or Corrego Lavrinhas by Pilot Coffee. Gibraltar (equal parts espresso and steamed milk). Pick one: Heritage from Pilot Coffee or Guji from Transcend Coffee. Espresso. Pick the espresso you didn't choose for your Gibraltar.
And there you have all the caffeine you need to get you through those summer classes or to power your summer evening adventures. We picked: Mixtape, Heritage, and Guji. Wine
Just like the craft beer, The Common is also stocked with 20 different wines to choose from. 20! Yeah, think again if we're picking just one. Curate that flight to match your mood or ask The Common staff what they suggest – they know them all very well.
Neon cone recently re-vamped their selection and added a bunch of great new goodies. Yup– ice cream flights! Hot days at The Forks have met their match.
Pick four. Pick a gelato. Pick the one you could never commit to. Pick something with all the chocolate. Pick one from their new feature menu. We picked: Mango, Honey Lavender, Triple Chocolate Brownie, and another brownie variety from the feature menu (yes, two brownie ones because we couldn't help ourselves). Flights are what you want them to be, so take our suggestions or find a variety of your own and let us know when you find the perfect combination!
