Upcoming Events
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Jun 22, 2024 to Aug 24, 2024
Summer Reading Challenge for Kids
The fourth edition of the Summer Reading Challenge for Kids encourages young readers between the ages of 7 and 15 to pick a book off our reading lists curated by McNally Robinson, and then submit a review. Reviews are published in print and online twice throughout the summer.
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Aug 27, 2024
mmm… ManitobaFree Press Book Club
Join author Janis Thiessen and others from the Free Press and McNally Robinson for a discussion of mmm… Manitoba.
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Past Events
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Jun 25, 2024
The Twistical Nature of SpoonsFree Press Book Club
Join author Patti Grayson, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, Angela Torgerson of McNally Robinson Booksellers and Free Press Book Club admin Nadya Pankiw for a discussion of The Twistical Nature of Spoons.
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May 28, 2024
An Ordinary ViolenceFree Press Book Club
Join author Adriana Chartrand , Free Press Arts & Life reporter Eva Wasney, Joanna Graham of McNally Robinson Booksellers and Free Press Book Club admin Nadya Pankiw for a discussion of An Ordinary Violence.
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Apr 30, 2024
Moon of the Turning LeavesFree Press Book Club
Join author Waubgeshig Rice, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson and Angela Torgerson of McNally Robinson Booksellers to discuss Moon of the Turning Leaves.
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Mar 26, 2024
Valley of the BirdtailFree Press Book Club
Join authors Andrew Stobo Sniderman and Douglas Sanderson, Free Press Arts & Life editor Jill Wilson, Adam Araujo of McNally Robinson Booksellers and Free Press Book Club admin Nadya Pankiw for a discussion of Valley of the Birdtail.
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Feb 27, 2024
Hold Your TongueFree Press Book Club
Join author Matthew Tétreault, Free Press columnist Rebecca Chambers, Adam Araujo of McNally Robinson Booksellers and Free Press Book Club admin Nadya Pankiw for a discussion of Hold Your Tongue.
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Jan 30, 2024
Wild HopeFree Press Book Club
Join author Joan Thomas, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, Angela Torgerson of McNally Robinson Booksellers and Free Press Book Club admin Nadya Pankiw for a discussion of Wild Hope.
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Nov 28, 2023
Russian DaughterFree Press Book Club
Join author Sarah Klassen, Free Press copy editor and poet Ariel Gordon, Angela Torgerson of McNally Robinson Booksellers and Free Press Book Club admin Nadya Pankiw for a discussion of Russian Daughter.
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Nov 1, 2023
ShelterbeltsFree Press Book Club
Join author Jonathan Dyck, Free Press arts and culture reporter Eva Wasney, Chris Hall from McNally Robinson, and Free Press Book Club admin Nadya Pankiw for a discussion of Shelterbelts.
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Sept 25, 2023
A Safe Girl to LoveFree Press Book Club
Join author Casey Plett, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, McNally Robinson’s John Toews, director of Thin Air Winnipeg International Writers Festival Charlene Diehl, and Free Press Book Club admin Nadya Pankiw for a discussion of A Safe Girl to Love.
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Jun 23, 2022 to Sept 2, 2023
Summer Reading Challenge for Kids
The fourth edition of the Summer Reading Challenge for Kids encourages young readers between the ages of 7 and 15 to pick a book off our reading lists curated by McNally Robinson, and then submit a review. Reviews are published in print and online twice throughout the summer.
See more
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Aug 28, 2023
The Woo-WooFree Press Book Club
Join author Lindsay Wong, Free Press photojournalist Jessica Lee, McNally Robinson’s Chris Hall and Free Press Book Club admin Nadya Pankiw for a discussion of The Woo-Woo.
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Jun 26, 2023
Fishing with TardelliFree Press Book Club
Join author Neil Besner, Free Press columnist Niigaan Sinclair, McNally Robinson’s Chris Hall and Free Press Book Club admin Erin Lebar for a discussion of Besner’s memoir, Fishing with Tardelli.
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May 29, 2023
Out of MindFree Press Book Club
Join author David Bergen, Free Press reporter Ben Waldman, McNally Robinson’s Chris Hall and Free Press Book Club admin Erin Lebar for a discussion of Bergen’s newest novel, Out of Mind.
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Apr 24, 2023
Permanent AstonishmentFree Press Book Club
Join author Tomson Highway, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, McNally Robinson’s Chris Hall and Free Press Book Club admin Erin Lebar for a discussion of Highway’s memoir Permanent Astonishment.
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Mar 27, 2023
Even That Wildest HopeFree Press Book Club
Join author Seyward Goodhand, Free Press reporter Katie May, McNally Robinson’s Joanna Graham and Free Press Book Club admin Erin Lebar for a discussion on Even That Wildest Hope.
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Feb 27, 2023
Wonder WorldFree Press Book Club
Join author K.R. Byggdin, Free Press copy editor Denise Duguay, McNally Robinson’s John Toews and Free Press Book Club admin Erin Lebar for a discussion on Wonder World.
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Jan 31, 2023
A Theory of CrowsFree Press Book Club
Join author David A. Robertson, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, McNally Robinson’s Chris Hall and Free Press Book Club admin Erin Lebar for a discussion on The Theory of Crows.
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Dec 22, 2022
Hanukkah on RyeWFP Movie Night
A virtual screening of the locally shot Hallmark holiday film Hanukkah on Rye.
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Nov 28, 2022
Hey, Good Luck Out ThereFree Press Book Club
Join author Georgia Toews, Free Press columnist Jen Zoratti, McNally Robinson’s Chris Hall and Free Press Book Club admin Erin Lebar for a discussion on Hey, Good Luck Out There.
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Oct 24, 2022
The Full CatastropheFree Press Book Club
Join author Meira Cook, Free Press books editor Ben Sigurdson, McNally Robinson’s Chris Hall and Free Press Book Club admin Erin Lebar for a discussion on The Full Catastrophe.
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Oct 18, 2022
Winnipeg Free Press and Nonsuch – Sips and SnacksBrew Box
Celebrate the Winnipeg Free Press’ 150th anniversary with an evening of food and drink in Nonsuch Brewing Co.’s taproom! Enjoy a guided journey through three unique appetizers paired with craft beers from Nonsuch including ‘After Deadline’ Italian Grape Ale.
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Oct 1, 2022
Free Press Fall Supper
The second edition of the Free Press Fall Supper took place at the Ukrainian Labour Temple and used the Free Press’s new community cookbook, Homemade, as inspiration for the meal.
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Sept 26, 2022
The Gunsmith’s DaughterFree Press Book Club
Join author Margaret Sweatman, Free Press books editor Ben Sigurdson, McNally Robinson’s Chris Hall and special guest Charlene Diehl, director of the Winnipeg International Writers Festival, for a discussion about The Gunsmith’s Daughter.
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Aug 29, 2022
And Then Is Heard No MoreFree Press Book Club
Join author Raye Anderson, Free Press writer Eva Wasney, and McNally Robinson’s Angela Torgerson to discuss Anderson’s locally set murder mystery, And Then Is Heard No More, at the Free Press Book Club’s Aug. 29 meeting.
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Jun 17, 2022 to Aug 27, 2022
Summer Reading Challenge for Kids
The third edition of the Summer Reading Challenge for Kids encourages young readers between the ages of 7 and 15 to pick a book off our reading lists curated by McNally Robinson, and then submit a review. Reviews are published in print and online twice throughout the summer.
See more
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Jun 27, 2022
Life in the City of Dirty WaterFree Press Book Club
Join author Clayton Thomas-Muller, Free Press columnist Niigaan Sinclair, and McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall to discuss Thomas-Muller’s memoir, Life in the City of Dirty Water, at the Free Press Book Club’s June 27 meeting.
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May 30, 2022
The Accidental Veterinarian: Tales from a Pet PracticeFree Press Book Club
Join author Dr. Philipp Schott, Free Press columnist Jen Zoratti, and McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall to discuss Dr. Schott’s essay collection, The Accidental Veterinarian, at the Free Press Book Club’s May 30 meeting.
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Apr 25, 2022
You Don’t Have to Die in the EndFree Press Book Club
Join author Anita Daher, Free Press writer Jill Wilson, and McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall to discuss Daher’s novel, You Don’t Have to Die in the End, at the Free Press Book Club’s April 25 meeting.
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Apr 13, 2022
Barn Hammer Brewing CompanyBrew Box
Barn Hammer Brewing Company is the featured brewery for the April 2022 Brew Box, which also includes tasting items from Utoffeea and Melt Chocolate Co.. Drinks writer Ben Sigurdson will host the live virtual tasting, alongside Tyler Birch from Barn Hammer, Cate Dyck from Utoffeea, and Amanda Green of Melt Chocolate Co. The replay of the tasting will be available to those who purchased the box.
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Mar 28, 2022
Persephone’s childrenFree Press Book Club
Persephone’s Children chronicles Rowan McCandless’s odyssey as a Black, biracial woman escaping the stranglehold of a long-term abusive relationship. Through a series of thematically linked and structurally inventive essays, McCandless explores the fraught and fragmented relationship between memory and trauma. Multiple mythologies emerge to bind legacy and loss, motherhood and daughterhood, racism and intergenerational trauma, mental illness and resiliency.
It is only in the aftermath that she can begin to see the patterns in her history, hear the echoes of oppression passed down from unknown, unnamed ancestors, and discover her worth and right to exist in the world.
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Mar 22, 2022
Duty FreeWFP Movie Night
After a 75 year-old mother gets fired from her job, her son takes her on a bucket-list adventure to reclaim her life. As she struggles to find work, he documents a journey that uncovers the betrayals plaguing her past and the economic insecurity soon to shape not only her future, but that of an entire generation.
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Feb 28, 2022
The StrangersFree Press Book Club
Cedar has nearly forgotten what her family looks like. Phoenix has nearly forgotten what freedom feels like. And Elsie has nearly given up hope. Nearly.
After time spent in foster homes, Cedar goes to live with her estranged father. Although she grapples with the pain of being separated from her mother, Elsie, and sister, Phoenix, she’s hoping for a new chapter in her life, only to find herself once again in a strange house surrounded by strangers. From a youth detention centre, Phoenix gives birth to a baby she’ll never get to raise and tries to forgive herself for all the harm she’s caused (while wondering if she even should). Elsie, struggling with addiction and determined to turn her life around, is buoyed by the idea of being reunited with her daughters and strives to be someone they can depend on, unlike her own distant mother. These are the Strangers, each haunted in her own way. Between flickering moments of warmth and support, the women diverge and reconnect, fighting to survive in a fractured system that pretends to offer success but expects them to fail. Facing the distinct blade of racism from those they trusted most, they urge one another to move through the darkness, all the while wondering if they’ll ever emerge safely on the other side.
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Jan 31, 2022
Moon of the Crusted SnowFree Press Book Club
With winter looming, a small northern Anishinaabe community goes dark. Cut off, people become passive and confused. Panic builds as the food supply dwindles. While the band council and a pocket of community members struggle to maintain order, an unexpected visitor arrives, escaping the crumbling society to the south. Soon after, others follow. Frustrated by the building chaos, a group of young friends and their families turn to the land and Anishinaabe tradition in hopes of helping their community thrive again. Join the Free Press Book Club for a virtual discussion with author Waubgeshig Rice about Moon of the Crusted Snow.
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Dec 9, 2021
Crashing Through the SnowWFP Movie Night
Maggie and Sam are crashing Christmas. When he proposes that they team up against his sister’s perfect Christmas, neither of them are prepared for the blended family challenges that lie ahead.
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Nov 29, 2021
Status UpdateFree Press Book Club
A collection of mini-narratives that have been posted on Facebook every day since 2009. This book will collect posts from the entire collection in one cohesive volume of work. Award-winning artist Cliff Eyland and famed writer George Toles combine their unique talents in a book like no other, tackling apropos issues related to climate change, politics, relationships, death, and sex with wry humour and deft tone.
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Oct 25, 2021
Hour of the CrabFree Press Book Club
Author Patricia Robertson, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall and FPBC admin Erin Lebar hosted the virtual book club meeting for October, at which they discussed Patricia’s collection of short stoires, Hour of the Crab.
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Oct 17, 2021
Free Press Fall Supper
Our inaugural Free Press Fall Supper, an elevated version of a traditional fall supper with a multi-course dinner built around an editorial feature created by our arts and life reporters.
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Sep 29, 2021
Reopening MB: Revival of the Arts and Culture sector
Free Press columnist Jen Zoratti hotsed a panel of special guests for a virtual town hall discussion on how our arts and culture organizations are recovering after being the first to shut down at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what plans look like as they reopen. Panelists include Lynne Skromeda, executive director of the Winnipeg Folk Festival; Camilla Holland, executive director of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre; and Jorge Requena Ramos, artistic director of the West End Cultural Centre.
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Sep 27, 2021
Fight NightFree Press Book Club
Author Miriam Toews, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, Thin Air writers festival director Charlene Diehl and McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall discuss Toews’ latest novel, Fight Night, at our September Free Press Book Club meeting. This meeting was presented in collaboration with Thin Air Writers Festival and McNally Robinson.
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Sep 23, 2021
Trans Canada BrewingBrew Box
Trans Canada Brewing Company was the featured brewery for our Sept. 2021 Brew Box, which also included tasting items from A Taste of Africa and Bliss Gourmet Baked Goods. Drinks writer Ben Sigurdson hosted the live virtual tasting, which featured Tyler Sattler from Trans Canada, Sal and Anna Calamusa from Bliss Gourmet, and Stuart Webb from A Taste of Africa. The replay of the tasting is available to those who purchased the box.
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Sep 22, 2021
Reopening MB: Sports and COVID-19
Free Press sports editor Steve Lyons and reporter Mike McIntyre hosted a panel of special guests for a virtual town hall discussion on how the pandemic affected the world of professional and amateur sport, and what the future holds for fans and athletes. Panelists include Wade Miller, Winnipeg Blue Bombers president and CEO and Janet McMahon, Sport Manitoba president and CEO.
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Sep 15, 2021
Reopening MB: Recovery of the food and drink industry
Free Press reporters Eva Wasney and Ben Sigurdson hosted a panel of special guests for a virtual town hall discussion on the new and ongoing challenges facing the local food and beverage industry as patrons return to indoor dining and drinking. Panelists include Melanie Foucault, co-owner of Preservation Hall Eatery and Wine Bar; John Heim, president of Torque Brewing; and Shaun Jeffrey, executive director/CEO Manitoba Restaurant & Foodservices Association.
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Sep 8, 2021
Reopening MB: Vaccine ethics
A special Free Press virtual town hall to discuss the ethical, moral and legal issues surrounding vaccine and mask mandates, and how these topics will play out as key themes in this month’s federal election. Arthur Schafer, an ethicist specializing in bioethics, philosophy of law, social philosophy and political philosophy and the founding director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, joined columnist Dan Lett for this discussion.
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Aug 30, 2021
The Paris ApartmentFree Press Book Club
Author Kelly Bowen, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall and Free Press Book Club admin and engagement manager Erin Lebar discuss Bowen’s latest novel, The Paris Apartment, at our summer Free Press Book Club meeting.
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Jul 17, 2021
Little Brown JugBrew Box
Little Brown Jug was the featured brewery for our June 2021 Brew Box, which also included tasting items from Tomahawk Chips and Decadence Chocolates. Drinks writer Ben Sigurdson hosted the live virtual tasting, which included from Little Brown Jug, Alfred Lea from Tomahawk Chips, and Helen Staines from Decadence Chocolates.
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Jun 29, 2021
COVID and the Classroom:Lessons learned from a school year in the midst of a pandemic
Free Press editor Paul Samyn and education reporter Maggie Macintosh host a virtual town hall to revisit the school year that was – and frequently wasn’t for far too many students. Panelists include Rory Ramos, a Grade 10 student; Kathy Heppner, a high school teacher and parent council chairwoman; and Kirsten Baesler, state superintendent of North Dakota’s Department of Public Instruction.
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Jun 28, 2021
Paul is DeadFree Press Book Club
Author Doug Whiteway (C.C. Benison), Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, and McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall discuss Whiteway’s latest novel, Paul is Dead, at our June Free Press Book Club meeting.
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Jun 23, 2021 to Aug 31, 2021
Summer Reading Challenge for Kids
The second edition of the Summer Reading Challenge for Kids encouraged young readers between the ages of 7 and 15 to pick a book off our reading lists curated by McNally Robinson, and then submit a review. Reviews were published in print and online twice throughout the summer.
See more
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May 6, 2021
PercyWFP Movie Night
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May 1, 2021
Once RemovedFree Press Book Club
Author Andrew Unger, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, and McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall discuss Unger’s novel, Once Removed, at our May Free Press Book Club meeting.
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Apr 26, 2021
TreedFree Press Book Club
Ariel Gordon, Free Press columnist Jen Zoratti, and McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall discuss Gordon’s essay collection Treed at our April Free Press Book Club meeting.
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Mar 29, 2021
We Are All Perfectly FineFree Press Book Club
Author Dr. Jillian Horton, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, and McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall discuss Horton’s debut novel, We Are All Perfectly Fine, at our March Free Press Book Club meeting.
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Mar 25, 2021
Al Simmons – The Barber of Seville
A virtual screening of Al Simmons’s adaptation of the Barber of Seville, including a live chat with Simmons. Hosted in collaboration with Manitoba Opera.
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Mar 4, 2021
Fort Garry BrewingBrew Box
Fort Garry Brewing was the featured brewery for our March 2021 Brew Box, which also included tasting items from Chocolaterie Constance Popp and Piccola Cucina. Drinks writer Ben Sigurdson hosted our live tasting call, which also included Josh Berscheid from Fort Garry, Constance Menzies from Chocolaterie Constance Popp and Pina Romolo of Piccola Cucina.
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Feb 23, 2021
Songs for the End of the WorldFree Press Book Club
Author Saleema Nawaz, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, and McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall discuss Nawaz’s novel, Songs for the End of the World, at our February Free Press Book Club meeting.
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Jan 25, 2021
Five WivesFree Press Book Club
Author Joan Thomas, Free Press literary editor Ben Sigurdson, and McNally Robinson co-owner Chris Hall discuss Thomas’s latest novel, Five Wives, at our January Free Press Book Club meeting.
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Dec 17, 2020
On the 12th Date of ChristmasWFP Movie Night
Two seemingly incompatible game designers in Chicago team up to create a romantic city-wide scavenger hunt to promote a hotel chain.
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Dec 10, 2020
Manitoba’s Pandemic panel discussion
A Q&A and panel discussion on what went wrong and how to make things right again in relation to Manitoba’s response to COVID-19.
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Feb 11, 2020
I Propose We Never See Each Other Again After TonightWFP Movie Night
Iris DelaCruz meets Simon Friesen in the depths of coldest Canadian winter. This initiates an energetic, fun, sexy affair – complete with all the passion and intensity of a 20 something infatuation. But while he’s away on a trip, she hooks up with some other boys on a dating app, and things become significantly more complicated.
