Steinbach’s summer street festival is officially underway as Summer in the City takes over Main Street for a weekend full of music, food, fun, and community connection.
The celebration launched Friday morning with the Steinbach Credit Union pancake breakfast, marking the start of a three-day festival that runs through to Sunday — which also happens to be Father’s Day.
Main Street transformed
Mayor Earl Funk says excitement has been building all week as Steinbach’s downtown core has transformed into a pedestrian zone lined with art displays, activities, food trucks, and live music stages.
“I know that all of my staff have asked for Saturday off,” he says with a laugh. “So that's how exciting it is. There are many community members who love this. Whenever you can get together and you can celebrate a community like Steinbach, and you can celebrate the cultures in the city — and we’ve got so many cultures, it’s a great time.”
Celebrating culture and change
Funk says one of the most exciting parts of Summer in the City is the way it reflects Steinbach’s growing and changing population.
“We're not the same city we were even 10 years ago and 20 years ago,” he said. “We’ve changed so much and it's so exciting to see that change, to see us embrace the new cultures that have come in. And the food that we get to enjoy... it's just a great party. It's awesome and it generates so much excitement and so much buzz in our community.”
Food and family fun
Funk expects to see one of the most popular attractions to be anything related to food.
Near the cultural stage, a variety of international cuisine can be enjoyed. Further along the street, a variety of food trucks are ready to serve.
“Everyone who comes in with a food truck tells me, ‘This is the best event I do all year.’ ‘This is the busiest event for our food truck anywhere in Manitoba,’” says Funk.
When it comes to enjoying good food and good company, the mayor says it’s hard to beat this weekend saying that the festival shows how much Steinbach loves its food. “You know what? When you're enjoying family and you're enjoying food, is there a better place to be?”