Steinbach

Steinbach, founded by Mennonites in 1874 on land which had belonged to the Ojibway-speaking Anishinabe people, is now Manitoba's third largest city (behind Winnipeg and Brandon). A little over half of the population is of German descent; the city's name means "Stony Brook" in German.
While Steinbach is largely modern, traces of its Mennonite past can still be found; a few conservative Mennonite groups still make the city home and many local businesses close their doors on the Sabbath.
For visitors, the city's star attraction is the Mennonite Heritage Village, a living museum to Steinbach's agricultural past.

By car

Steinbach is on Manitoba Highway 12, about 25 km south of the Trans-Canada Highway.

By bus

By plane

There are two airstrips for general aviation; Harv's Air Service owns one, the other is city-owned.

• Steinbach Airport

• Steinbach (South) Airport

Steinbach is small enough to walk or bike; a taxi is available.

• Steinbach Taxi

  phone: +1 204-326-9937
  address: 584 Main St.

• Mennonite Heritage VillageAn indoor cultural history museum documents the arrival of German speaking Mennonites from Russia; an outdoor village, most famous for its windmill, recreates local pioneer life. Two monuments honour Mennonite leaders Jacob Hoeppner and Johann Bartsch, who chose the site and accompanied its first colonists. Village grounds and Livery Barn Restaurant (M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 11:30-4, $10-17) operate seasonally; allow 1½ to 2 hours for the self-guided tour. Horse-drawn wagon rides may be offered on the village grounds on event days.

• Steinbach Arts Council Hall Gallery

  phone: +1 204-346-1077
  address: 304 Second St.
  Local art gallery; the council also offers visual arts, cooking, dance and theatre instruction.

The municipality has posted a 3.5km Steinbach Heritage Walking Tour which lists 41 historic buildings or landmarks in the city centre. The tour is also suitable for cyclists.
There are a few local golf clubs, including Quarry Oaks Golf Course (37142 Quarry Oaks Road), Steinbach Fly-In Golf Club (350 Park Rd W) and Girouxsalem Golf and Country Club (38096 Rd 38N).

• Adventure at Altitude

  phone: +1 204-333-WING
  address: Unit #4 (2nd floor) Hanger 289 – Steinbach Municipal Airport, Highway #12 North
  Skydiving

• Penner Pumpkins and the Scarecrow Forest

  phone: +1 204-371-5556
  address: Box 42 Grp 3 RR1
  Pumpkin patch, zip line, corn maze, petting zoo.

• Steinbach Aquatic Centre

  phone: +1 204-346-6207
  address: 330 Park Rd E
  Public swimming pool.

Events

• Summer in the City FestivalThree-day Main Street festival, mid-June. Live music stage, entertainment, midway, dozens of food vendors, artists and artisans.

• Canada Day CelebrationMennonite Heritage Village offers free admission with activities and entertainment throughout the day, ending with fireworks at 10:45PM.

• Steinbach Pride ParadeSteinbach held its first LGBT pride parade in July 2016 as a political protest - a bold move for a tiny, conservative and deeply religious city.

• Pioneer DaysParade begins at 10AM on Friday of the August long weekend, travelling west from the Fire Hall down Main Street. Steinbach Mennonite Heritage Village hosts four days of pioneer activities including concerts, drama, a petting zoo, horse shows, steam power, milling and threshing demonstrations.

• Clearspring Centre

  phone: +1 204-326-1633
  address: 178 PTH 12 North
  Thirty-store enclosed mall includes a Marks Work Warehouse, Reitman’s, Shoe Warehouse, Dollarama, Sport Chek, Warehouse One, Ardene, The Source, Bentley and Winners. Free-standing buildings on the site house a Staples, Smitty’s, Subway, Domino’s Pizza, Walmart and Boston Pizza.

Fast food options include Dairy Queen, McDonald's, A&W, Tim Horton's, Subway, Pizza Hut and Dominos Pizza. A few major restaurant chains are located at the mall; other options include:

• Doener Grill Express

  phone: +1 204-326-2997
  address: A-237 Lumber Ave
  European.

• Grapes Market Grille

  phone: +1 204-320-9943
  address: 3-90 Brandt Street

• Jay's Café

  phone: +1 204-326-2908
  address: 279 PTH 12 North
  Home made classic burgers and fries, old fashioned Mennonite dishes, all day breakfast, daily specials.

• MJ's Kafe

  phone: +1 204-326-2224
  address: 408 Main Street
  Mennonite food, homemade pies, tarts, cinnamon rolls. Uses locally grown products and herbs to prepare most of the dishes from scratch.​

• Niakwa Pizza

  phone: +1 204-320-9955
  address: 197-C Main Street
  Small Winnipeg regional chain with locations in Steinbach, Carman and Niverville.

• Pizza Hotline

  phone: +1 204-326-5511
  address: 20 Brandt St
  Another small regional chain, serves pizza and wings.

• Skylite Restaurant

  phone: +1 204-326-4066
  address: A 12 Brandt Street
  Canadian family-style restaurant.

• The Village Green

  phone: +1 204-320-4655
  address: 350 Park Road E

Because of its Mennonite roots, Steinbach has applied restrictive policies to alcohol. A 1950 referendum imposed liquor prohibition in the city; this was relaxed in 2003 to allow dining rooms to sell alcohol with meals, in 2007 to allow the golf course and sports facilities to serve drinks, in 2009 to open the provincial liquor store on PTH 12 North and in 2011 to license beverage rooms, cocktail lounges and private clubs.
There is a lounge and a bistro at the Frantz Inn; some local restaurants serve alcohol. Cherry Hill, a lakeside RV park, hosts Harry’s Bar and Restaurant.

• Sawney Bean's

  phone: +1 204-320-2632
  address: 340 Main Street
  Pub-style restaurant, established 2007 to serve homemade, traditional British comfort food and Canadian favourites.

• Frantz Inn

  phone: +1 204-326-9831
  address: Hwy 52 East
  R-Bistro restaurant and Edge Lounge bar, 19-room inn with wi-fi, parking, two queen beds and fridge/microwave/coffee in room. An $8 breakfast coupon is included for overnight guests.

• Days Inn

  address: 75 PTH 12 North
  Wi-fi, gym, pool, extra charge for pets. Non-smoking.

• Sleep Suite Motel

  address: 150 Park Rd W
  A/C, TV, wi-fi, included continental breakfast.

Blumenort

Small (pop 1100) Mennonite dairy and agricultural village with a pair of churches and a restaurant, 10 km (6 mi) north of Steinbach on Hwy 12.

• Ambush Anonymous AirsoftA mid-sized airsoft field 6 km (4 miles) west of Blumenort, offers a variety of obstacles and buildings. Open Saturdays.

• Evangelical Mennonite Church

  phone: +1 204-326-1644
  address: 59 Centre Ave, Blumenort

Ste. Anne

Tiny village 25 km (15 mi) north of Steinbach on Hwy 12 crossroads with the Trans-Canada Highway. There are a couple of hotels near the main road.

• Ste Anne Hotel

  phone: +1 204 422-9275
  address: 103 Dawson Rd, Ste. Anne

• Winnipeg - It's about 65 km from Steinbach to the corner of Portage and Main in Winnipeg. Attractions include The Forks, the Royal Canadian Mint, the Manitoba Legislative Building, the Assiniboine Park Zoo, the Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretation Centre and the Fort Garry Hotel.