Ellice Street Festival

Since its inception in 2001, the Ellice Street Festival in June is an annual fixture in the neighbourhood, bringing out over 2,000 local residents to meet and interact with their neighbours and the community organizations that provide services in the West End neighbourhood. This free festival features a community BBQ, live music, community organization displays, an artisan market, and a variety of fun activities for kids and families. This event shines a positive light on a neighbourhood more accustomed to being in the spotlight for negative reasons and is a highlight of spring for the community.

Holiday Dinner & Concert

Each year, 150 free tickets for this annual concert and dinner are distributed to members of the community. The dinner is the main attraction and the concert is a wonderful way to introduce people to great local talent (past performers include Al Simmons, Eagle and Hawk, Shanley Spence, Don Amero, JD and the Sunshine Band, Double the Trouble, and students from John M. King School). We provide a full holiday meal with all the fixings prepared by the Youth Crew from Spence Neighbourhood Association along with a visit from Santa who hands out toys to all the kids. In-kind donations from businesses (Food Fare, Safeway, Vita Health, Toad Hall Toys, Indigo, etc.) and volunteers help to make this dinner such a great annual success.

Musical Notes and Lunch Totes

Now in its third year, the WECC in partnership with West End Biz presents a free weekly summertime lunchtime concert series called Musical Notes and Lunch Totes at Saigon Park (on Ellice between Spence and Balmoral). Past performers include Scott Nolan & William Prince, Raine Hamilton String Trio, Jaxon Haldane, Richard Inman, Ila Barker, Nation of Two, Vince Andrushko, and Mulligrub. This series provides the WECC, artists, and members of the community the opportunity to connect with each other in a very direct way.

Tune-In Youth Music Lessons

The Tune-In Music Program has been an integral part of the West End Cultural Centre for almost as long as the WECC has been around. We offer free music instruction on the guitar, bass, drums, voice, and songwriting for youth ages 9-18.

Professional musicians provide two hours of instruction and mentorship twice a week (Tuesday & Thursday, 4-6pm) with all instruments provided through a grant from Music Counts. This is a great opportunity for participants to try out a new instrument or focus on one that they’re interested in.

For more information, please contact the WECC at 204-783-6918 or info@wecc.ca.

The Tune-In Music Program is presented in partnership with Music Equals through the Manitoba Conservatory of Music & Arts (MCMA). For more information about the MCMA, please visit their website at www.mcma.ca/

Winterruption

Winter in Manitoba can be a long, cold, dark time. But if the rumours are true, Winnipeg is filled with hearty people who actually still live and thrive in winter.

WINTERRUPTION is an effort by Winnipeg’s best music venues to give you a great reason to leave your house in the dead of winter. Produced by the West End Cultural Centre in partnership with Real Love Winnipeg and venues around town, we’re bringing you dozens of both ticketed and free concerts.

Visit the Winterruption website for more information on the 2024 event - www.winterruptionwpg.ca