Winkler
Around Winkler
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Town and around · Manitoba · 32k people
Winkler
Locals say Pembina Valley · “Sunflower City”
Where the prairies meet the valley, and hospitality blooms.
Sunflower goldPrairie greenBarn red
Welcome to the Pembina Valley, where the sunflowers stretch to the horizon and the pace is friendly. Whether you're here for the hockey games, the fossil finds, or the harvest festivals, you'll find a community that knows how to gather. Come say hi on Main Street.
Clubs for Winkler
No clubs for Winkler yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Winkler. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Winkler. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre Home to Bruce, the world's largest mosasaur.
- Pembina Valley Provincial Park Escarpment trails and scenic overlooks.
- Lake Minnewasta Popular for swimming, fishing, and camping.
- Sunflower Statue Iconic statue in Altona, the Sunflower Capital.
- Winkler Recreation Complex Home of the Winkler Flyers and community events.
- Boundary Creek Trail Walking and biking trail along Boundary Creek.
- Outdoors Hiking in Pembina Valley Provincial Park
- Outdoors Swimming at Lake Minnewasta
- With kids Visit the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre
- With kids Picnic at Pembina Valley Provincial Park
- Evenings Winkler Flyers hockey games
- Evenings Local pubs and lounges
- Locals love Farm stands
- Locals love Farmers markets
Through the year
- Sunflower Festival July Celebrates the region's sunflower heritage with food, music, and family activities.
- Corn and Apple Festival August Morden's signature festival with corn, apples, and a parade.
- Winkler Harvest Festival August Community celebration with agricultural exhibits and entertainment.
- Winkler Winter Festival February Outdoor winter fun, skating, and family activities.
Southern Manitoba has a continental climate: cold, snowy winters and warm, sometimes humid summers. The best time to be outdoors is June through September; winters are long and require layers, while spring brings mud and fall is crisp and colourful. Best: June through September
Talk like a local
- “The Valley”
- The Pembina Valley region
- “Sunflower Capital”
- Nickname for Altona
- “The Flyers”
- Winkler Flyers hockey team
- “Corn and Apple”
- The Morden Corn and Apple Festival
Getaways
- Portage la Prairie Historic city with the Island of Lights and Crescent Lake.
- Winnipeg Largest city in Manitoba with museums, sports, and culture.
- Steinbach Friendly town with a strong agricultural heritage.
- Grand Forks Cross-border shopping and the University of North Dakota.
Local flavour
Teams
- Winkler Flyers Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL)
Eat and drink
- Perogies
- Farmer sausage Smoked pork sausage, a local deli favourite.
- Borscht
- Vereniki Cottage cheese dumplings, sweet or savoury.
- Platz Fruit kuchen, a traditional dessert.
Where people go
- Sunflower fields The region's signature crop, especially around Altona.
- Pembina Valley Provincial Park A scenic valley with hiking trails and river views.
- Small-town main streets Grain elevators, local shops, and a sense of community.
Heritage and traditions
The Pembina Valley is proud of its deep Mennonite heritage, strong agricultural roots, and the close-knit warmth of its small towns.
This time of year in Winkler
- Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale Fall An annual fundraiser with quilts, food, and auctions, held in the fall.
Say it like a local: “Zwieback” — A word for the local double-decker bread roll.
Festivals
- Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale Fall An annual fundraiser with quilts, food, and auctions, held in the fall.
Landmarks with a story
- Mennonite Heritage Museum In Winkler, this museum preserves the story of local Mennonite settlers.
- Altona's Historic Downtown Features early 20th-century buildings and the Sunflower Statue.
- Winkler Bergthaler Mennonite Church A landmark of the local faith community, reflecting the area's religious heritage.
- Morden's Old Town Hall Now a community hub, it stands as a reminder of Morden's early civic life.
Food traditions
- Zwieback A double-decker bread roll, a staple at Mennonite gatherings and funerals.
- Rollkuchen Fried dough often served with watermelon in the summer, a favourite treat.
- Schmauntfat A creamy pudding made with cream and flour, a traditional dessert.
Music and arts
- Mennonite choral singing Choirs and four-part harmony are central to church and community life.
- Low German theatre Local groups perform plays in Plautdietsch, keeping the language alive.
- Quilting Quilting bees and craft fairs showcase intricate traditional patterns.
A little history
- 1870s Mennonite immigration from Russia
- 1892 Founding of Winkler as a railway town
- 1974 Discovery of the world's largest mosasaur fossil near Morden
Rivalries
- Winkler Flyers vs. Steinbach Pistons Junior hockey rivalry in the MJHL.
- Morden vs. Winkler high school sports Friendly but competitive across football, basketball, and more.
- Game day Hockey with the Winkler Flyers
- Game day Curling bonspiels
- Outdoors Cross-country skiing on groomed trails
- Outdoors Stargazing in dark rural skies
- With kids Attending a church picnic in the summer
- With kids Making perogies with family
Many locals speak Plautdietsch (Low German) at home, and English is often spoken with a distinct Mennonite-influenced accent. Common phrases from Plautdietsch are used in everyday conversation.
Only here
- Altona is known as the Sunflower Capital of Canada.
- The Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre houses the world's largest mosasaur.
- The region has a high concentration of Mennonite churches and a strong sense of community.
New here? A few tips
- Prepare for cold winters with temperatures often below -20°C; invest in warm clothing.
- Get involved in the community by joining a church or local club—it's the heart of social life.
- Try the local Mennonite foods like perogies, platz, and zwieback at community events.
- Learn a few words of Plautdietsch to connect with older residents.
- Explore the countryside and sunflower fields in summer; they are spectacular.
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Nearby
Every areaPembina ValleyManitobaWhere golden fields meet the valley’s quiet hills.Central PlainsManitobaWhere the prairie sky meets the heartlandPortage la PrairieManitobaWhere the prairie meets the potatoGraftonNorth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the river, and the sky goes on forever.WinnipegManitobaPrairie heart, river soul.SteinbachManitobaLocal rooms for Steinbach.Grand ForksNorth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the river.BrandonManitobaWhere the prairie sky meets your heart
Winkler. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.