We’re just over one week away from our favourite weekend of the year! On Saturday, May 24th and Sunday, 25th, 2025, explore Winnipeg’s past through open buildings, fun events, and exclusive tours. Volunteers will answer questions while guided tours will maximize the immersive experience. Fascinating history and breathtaking architecture are yours to discover for one weekend a year, completely FREE! Let’s look at some of the best ways to prepare for Doors Open Winnipeg, what events are new this year, and more exciting news!

How to prepare for Doors Open Winnipeg 2025

Doors Open Winnipeg happens just once a year, and it can be difficult to make the most of it with all the options. Here are some tips to help you navigate your weekend:

Plan ahead

To make the most of this one-of-a-kind weekend, plan your days based on what you want to see! Bring snacks and water, and give yourself time to take breaks between visits.

Use the map

The Doors Open Winnipeg map shows where all of our events are taking place, which can be very helpful when planning out your weekend! Find out if anything is going on in your neighbourhood or nearby other events you plan on attending.

Pay attention to the weather

Many of our events take place outdoors, and there is not always a guarantee that the weather will be cooperative. Be sure to check the forecast ahead of time and bring rain gear, sun protection, etc.

Check the website and social media for updates

Doors Open Winnipeg events usually continue unless weather conditions become severe. For updates on events, check back in with our Instagram and Facebook pages or directly on our website.

Registration

Some Doors Open Winnipeg events have limited capacities and require registration ahead of time. Registration opens May 17th at NOON, so be sure to check out the website ahead of time to find out which events require registration.

Take your time

While it may be tempting to squeeze as much into your day as possible, remember to enjoy each site you visit! Let yourself be immersed in the buildings and environments you’re in, and overall, have fun!

New This Year

Every year, we’re joined by more and more businesses and organizations that want to be a part of Doors Open Winnipeg! Here are a few of the wonderful events and hosts we have joining us for the first time this year.

Across the Ocean to Canada – Call and response!

When: Saturday and Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm, Performances at 11:30 am and 2:15 pm

Where: The Millennium Centre, 389 Main Street

No Registration Required

This year, the Millennium Centre will be the site of a very special exhibit from a recently formed organization, Black History Experience Manitoba! Their exhibit, titled “Across the Ocean to Canada – Call and Response!” celebrates the many contributions that the Black Community has made to Manitoba’s history. 

The exhibit teaches of the covert communication methods used by enslaved people in their search for freedom and will be accompanied by music and dance performances taking place at 11:30 am and 2:15 pm both Saturday and Sunday. Learn more about this event here.

Elmwood Curling Club Hosted by NEWHS Inc.

When: Saturday and Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm

Where: 300 Brazier Street

No Registration Required

Historic buildings are often hidden in plain sight, like the Elmwood Curling Club, which is tucked away in a residential neighbourhood. The curling club was formed in 1910, and their current building, which was constructed in 1956, is filled with photos and memorabilia from the club’s 100+ year history! Learn more about this event here.

First Presbyterian Church

When: Saturday, 9 am to 4 pm

Where: 61 Picardy Place

No Registration Required

If you’re a fan of stained glass, you won’t want to miss this gorgeous church! The First Presbyterian Church, built in 1927, is a stunning example of the Gothic Revival style. Learn about the history of the beautiful building, and check out some artifacts from the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders. Learn more about this event here.

Our Prairie Heritage at Living Prairie Museum

When: Saturday and Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm

Where: 2795 Ness Avenue

No Registration Required

Manitoba heritage is alive at the Living Prairie Museum! Join in on activities in the interpretive centre, or take a tour of the prairie preserve and learn more about this beautiful province. Learn more about this event here:

Activities and Events

While there may be many, Doors Open Winnipeg isn’t all building tours. Here are some of the more interactive and hands-on events that will be taking place over the weekend. 

Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg’s 100th Anniversary Celebration Tour of 17 Wing

When: Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm

Where: 680 Wihuri Road

No Registration Required

There is much to celebrate this Doors Open weekend, including the 100th Anniversary of the Canadian Forces Winnipeg Base! This one-day ONLY of celebration will be filled with bus tours of the base, fly-bys and parachute drops, mock fitness tests, food trucks, and performances from the Royal Canadian Air Force band! Learn more about this special event here.

Carriage Ride in the Exchange District

When: Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm

Where: Old Market Square

Registration opens May 17th at 12 pm (noon)

Giddy up! Ride in style with these very special carriage rides in the Exchange District, a national historic site. Enchanted Rose Carriages is a family-owned business that offers magical experiences in their beautiful carriage with two lovely horses. This event has a limited capacity, so make sure to register as soon as registration opens on May 17th at noon. Learn more about this event here.

City Hall – Meet the Mayor!

When: Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm, Mayor present from 11:30 am to 1 pm

Where: 510 Main Street

No Registration Required

Have you ever wanted to meet the mayor? Here’s your chance! For a short period, Mayor Scott Gillingham will be at City Hall from 11:30 am to 1 pm on Sunday, May 25th. Learn more about this event here.

High Flying Fun with the Winnipeg Radio Control Club

When: Saturday and Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm

Where: 115 Ed Spencer Drive

No Registration Required

Take to the sky with the Winnipeg Control Club! Whether you’re watching a flight demonstration or trying it for yourself in the flight simulator, you’re sure to have some high-flying fun. Learn more about this event here.

Trolley Bus Tour

When: Sunday at 1:30 pm, 2:15 pm, 3:00 pm & 3:45 pm

Where: Upper Fort Garry Parking Lot

Registration opens May 17th at 12 pm

Journey through the city in a historic fashion on this beautiful Trolley! As you travel, historian and Heritage Winnipeg President, Greg Agnew, will share stories from our city’s 151-year history and beyond. Learn more about this tour here.

The River City Syncopators at the Vaughan Street Jail

When: Saturday and Sunday for 3 hours

Where: Green space in the front of the Vaughan Street Jail, 221 Memorial Boulevard

No Registration Required

Catch the River City Syncopators outside the Vaughan Street Jail, playing the very best of 1920s jazz music! As you wait to enter the historic jailhouse, practice your Charleston and perfect your foxtrot. The Syncopators will be playing three sets a day on both days of the weekend (weather dependent). Learn more about this event here.

C2 Centre for Craft

When: Saturday, 11 am to 5 pm, craft from 12 pm to 3 pm

Where: 1-329 Cumberland Avenue

No Registration Required

Get crafty at the C2 Centre for Craft! After checking out the multiple galleries of the Craft museum, join experts from the Manitoba Weavers and Fibre Artists as they teach you how to make a mug rug! Learn more about this event here.

Walking tours

Looking to get some steps in? Sign up for one of these insightful, inspiring, and intriguing walking tours, each one focusing on a different aspect of our city’s history.

Then & Now: Scotia’s Fight Against the 1950 Flood

When: Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm

Where: Luxton Avenue & St. Cross Street

No Registration Required

For the first time, Heritage Winnipeg Board Member and Seven Oaks Historical Society President Kenneth Ingram will be inviting guests on a special tour of the Seven Oaks area. “Then & Now: Scotia’s Fight Against the 1950 Flood” will examine the effect that the detrimental event had on the Scotia area, both during the 1950s and in the present. Learn more about this event here.

North End Spirit Walking Tour

When: Sunday at 1 pm

Where: The Bell Tower, Powers/Selkirk Park

No Registration Required

Doors Open Winnipeg is proud to have another brand-new walking tour this year! Led by Michael Redhead Champagne and North End History, “North End Spirit” explores the history of the iconic North End neighbourhood, passing by historic buildings that have had a major impact on the history of the city. Learn more about this event here.

History of the Exchange Walking Tour with the Exchange District BIZ

When: Saturday at 10:30 am, 1 pm & 4 pm

Where: 492 Main Street

Registration opens May 17th at 12 pm

Have you ever wondered why the Exchange District is designated as a National Historic Site? This walking tour will explain it all! Join the Exchange District BIZ on a history-packed journey through the neighbourhood and find out what makes the Exchange such a special place. Learn more about this event here.

Doors Open: Architecture and Art

When: Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm

Where: 408 York Avenue

No Registration Required!

Downtown Winnipeg is filled to the brim with insightful public art pieces that, whether we notice them or not, impact our day-to-day lives. This tour explores the artwork that we often take for granted, diving into the meaning and history of the public art pieces that surround us! Learn more about this event here.

Ghost Signs Walking Tour

When: Saturday and Sunday, 11 am & 1 pm

Where: The Cube, Old Market Square

Registration opens May 17th at 12 pm

The history of Winnipeg’s warehouse district is hidden in plain sight, in adverts once painted on buildings that still stand today. Join tour guide Matt Cohen as he points out the many ghost signs within the exchange district and learn more about the factories that they once represented! Learn more about this event here.

The Forks National Historic Site

When: Saturday and Sunday, 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm, & 3 pm

Where: Parks Canada Playground

Register on the day of the event at the information kiosk (green pop-up tent) near the Parks Canada Playground

There are a few places in the city with histories that go as far back as The Forks. Archaeological evidence suggests that the place where these two rivers meet has been a meeting place for human beings for as long as 6,000 years! Led by Parks Canada Heritage Presenters, this walking tour explores the history of The Forks National Historic Site, the place Where Our Stories Meet. Learn more about this event here.

West End Architecture Tour

When: Saturday and Sunday at 1 pm

Where: Waddell Fountain, Central Park

Registration opens May 17th at 12 pm

Welcome to the West End, a neighbourhood rich with historic structures! This tour, led by the West End BIZ, shares the stories of the buildings and monuments that make up this beautiful neighbourhood while celebrating its diverse community. Learn more about this event here.

Haunted History Tour

When: Saturday and Sunday, 11 am & 2 pm

Where: 444 York Street (back lane of the Vaughan Street Jail)

Registration opens May 17th at 12 pm

It’s no secret that many of Winnipeg’s historic buildings are said to be home to unearthly spirits – but just how many of these stories do you know? Matthew Komus, author of Haunted Winnipeg, has been collecting ghost stories from Winnipeggers for many years. On this walking tour, Komus will take you outside a handful of possible haunted heritage buildings in downtown Winnipeg, sharing tales that will send a chill down your spine. Learn more about this event here.

Contests

But wait, there’s more! While you travel from one site to the next, keep in mind our wonderful contests and the exciting prizes that come to those who win:

Golden Boy Scavenger Hunt

Hey families, we need your help! The Golden Boy is out on the town, stopping by almost every Doors Open event! If you spot him in your travels, take a photo. Once you’ve taken three, send them over to us at info@heritagewinnipeg.com, and you’ll be entered to win a prize pack with lots of super fun toys! Good luck!

Social Media Contest

Do you love Winnipeg? Do you love Doors Open? Tell us why! When you post photos from Doors Open with the finished caption “I Love #DoorsOpenWinnipeg because…”, you’ll be entered to win prizes from local businesses across our city. Good luck!

Vaughan Street Jail volunteers accepting a People’s Choice Award in 2024.

People’s Choice Awards

Every year, Heritage Winnipeg gives out three awards to our wonderful hosts, and the winners are selected by our Doors Open Winnipeg Guests! The awards include Best Tour, Best Architecture, and Best Overall Experience. Last year, we were happy to give these awards to the Vaughan Street Jail, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, and the Gregg Building Lofts! Remember to keep in mind which places stuck out the most for you on your Doors Open journey so that you can help us reward our brilliant hosts. Voting opens at 9 am on May 24th and closes Friday, May 30th at 11:59 pm. 

See you soon!

Now that you know the ins and outs of Doors Open Winnipeg, it’s time to start planning your weekend! We hope you enjoy all the brilliant once-in-a-lifetime experiences that this spectacular event has to offer. Thank you to our sponsors, supporters, hosts, volunteers, and guests for helping us make Doors Open Winnipeg happen each year!