Winnipeg Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. Centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, it is near the longitudinal centre of North America, approximately north of the Canada–United States border. The city is named after the nearby Lake Winnipeg; the name comes from the Western Cree words for muddy water. The region was a trading centre for aboriginal peoples long before the arrival of Europeans. French traders built the first fort on the site in 1738. A settlement was later founded by the Selkirk settlers of the Red
Winnipeg International Children's Festival 120 performances. In 2008, the festival received up to $100,000 in federal funding through the Arts Presentation Canada program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. In 2011, 2012, and 2013, the festival received $100,000 of federal funding from the Canada Arts Presentation Fund. Musician Bill Merritt, a Canadian rock bassist, was director of the Festival, which he co-founded. He died at age 66 from brain cancer on March 25, 2014 at Riverview Health Centre, Winnipeg. He was survived by his wife and two children. Winnipeg International Children's Festival The Winnipeg International Children's Festival, also known as Kidsfest, is a children's