When summer settles over the Interlake, the Selkirk Waterfront becomes one of the region’s best midweek gathering spots, and in 2026, the Selkirk Port Market, proudly sponsored by Access Credit Union, is back to fill it with vendors, music, and the easy rhythm of a day by the river.
The season kicks off on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, followed by Wednesday, July 29, and then continues every Wednesday in August, running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each week. Best of all, it’s free to attend.
A Waterfront tradition
The Port Market grew out of the City of Selkirk’s larger Waterfront initiative, an effort to draw people back downtown and to anchor a river-based tourism corridor that links The Forks in Winnipeg with Lockport, Lower Fort Garry, the Marine Museum of Manitoba, and Selkirk Park. The market has become the warm-weather centrepiece of that vision, and over the past several summers, it has settled into a comfortable groove as a weekly community ritual.
It hasn’t always been in the same spot. The Waterfront has long been home base, but a stretch of construction once nudged the market over to the Manitoba Avenue East parking lot for a season before it returned to the water’s edge, where the open space leaves room for dozens of vendors and the kind of relaxed, stroll-at-your-own-pace atmosphere the market is known for. Today it’s a true local institution: a lunchtime destination where people get outside, support their neighbours, and enjoy a little live music in the middle of the week.
What to expect in 2026
Each Wednesday brings a fresh mix of makers, growers, and small businesses from Selkirk and the surrounding area. Expect tables of fresh local produce, homemade baking, jams, handmade crafts, art, jewelry, soaps, and plenty more, with the lineup changing week to week, so there’s always something new to discover.
It’s an ideal stop for visitors exploring the Interlake: grab lunch from a food vendor, browse for one-of-a-kind finds, and spend a slow hour by the river. And there’s plenty here for the whole family beyond the vendor tables, with several community booths returning for 2026.
More than a market: family fun and community
A handful of local groups set up alongside the vendors each week, turning a shopping trip into an afternoon out.
United for Literacy Reading Tent. The United for Literacy Reading Tent returns this summer with two tents. The program helps reduce the learning loss that can happen between school years by giving kids regular chances to engage with literacy over the summer. Staff lead fun, inclusive activities tailored to different learning styles and reading levels, each session pairs reading circles with literacy and movement-based games, and every child gets to choose a free book to take home.
Selkirk Fair Trade Steering Committee. The Selkirk Fair Trade Steering Committee joins the market this summer with a booth where you can learn about Fair Trade in Selkirk, discover local businesses that carry fair trade products, find out how your purchases can make a difference, and sample some fair trade treats.
Selkirk Heritage Advisory Committee. A genuine treasure trove of regional history, the Selkirk Heritage Advisory Committee booth invites you to dig into the roots of Selkirk through artifacts, photos, and oral history. Browse a display of recent local history where you just might spot familiar faces, events, friends, or family — and help the Selkirk Museum put names and dates to the photos by sharing your own memories.
A special send-off on August 26. The final market of the season has an extra treat in store: the City of Selkirk’s Prairie Plant Giveaway. The City is giving away roughly 250 potted perennials from a local nursery to encourage naturalization across the city and support Manitoba’s biodiversity, a fitting way to close out the summer.
The Busk Stop: live music every week
One of the market’s signature touches is the Busk Stop program, which spotlights a different local musician each week from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Here’s who’s taking the stage in August:
August 12 | Kendra Suss. Music has always been part of Kendra’s life, from childhood piano and voice lessons to her high-school band days and a steady run of choirs and musicals. Now in her second summer busking with a guitar at her side, her goal stays refreshingly simple: to leave people feeling brighter than they came.
August 19 | Austen Croy. A 17-year-old singer-songwriter from Petersfield, Austen has been playing guitar and writing original music since the age of eight. With a love of folk and country and a knack for connecting with a crowd, he’s already performed at a range of local stages, including the Waterfront Market, Holiday Alley, N’Joy Café, the Assiniboine Downs Spring Fair, and the Petersfield Curling Club.
August 26 | Tim Osmond. Tim wears a lot of hats, though, as he’ll happily admit, the cowboy hat is just for show. What he can do is pick a banjo. For 20 years, he’s played banjo, guitar, and Dobro professionally, lately with the five-piece bluegrass ensemble The Stanley County Cut-Ups, the swing/jazz/bluegrass trio The Spectacles, and as a solo performer. Off stage, his work spans artist representation, tour booking, marketing, poster design, and producing multi-act shows for hundreds of listeners.
Plan your visit
The Selkirk Port Market runs every Wednesday from July 22 to August 26, 2026, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Selkirk Waterfront. It’s free to attend and happens rain or shine, the only exception being extreme weather such as thunderstorms or high winds, when the market closes for everyone’s safety.
For weekly vendor lists, featured booths, and busker announcements, follow along on Facebook (Selkirk Port Market) and Instagram (@selkirk_port_market), or visit myselkirk.ca/market.
Come spend a Wednesday by the water and celebrate summer in Selkirk.
