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Ben Sigurdson

@bensigurdson.bsky.social
1.7K followers 530 following 698 posts

Literary editor, drinks writer, Winnipeg Free Press; wine list maker, The Common. Mediocre curler, runner and drummer. Party ruiner.

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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 6h
The Winnipeg Book Festival kicks off today and runs through Sunday at The Forks Market... plenty of top-tier (and free) programming for folks to check out: www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
winnipegfreepress.com
Winnipeg Book Festival starts a new chapter
Once known as Thin Air, the 2026 Winnipeg Book Festival marks a new chapter heading into its 29th year celebrating fiction, non-fiction and poetry with a new name, new staff and a shorter, more stream...
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David William with a 'This IS my costume' pin @nrvscrcts.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
Kent Monkman, The Scream (2017). #nationaldayfortruthandreconciliation
Kent Monkman's The Scream, in which Indigenous children are being ripped from the arms of their mothers by Catholic priests, nuns, and RCMP officers
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
2027 loading...
static.klipy.com
Boy's Toy Tractor Fail
ALT: Boy's Toy Tractor Fail
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
50 year old man at a rock show on a Monday night. I’ve made better choices
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
*Bill Hader eating popcorn.gif*
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Back at the wine fest and have so far spotted one mayoral candidate — any guesses?
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Oh man, I'm so excited for this new SCTV doc: youtu.be/24skSoZsJv0?...
youtu.be
SCTV: The Greatest Show You've Never Heard Of | First Look | Netflix
YouTube video by Netflix
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I talked to @colinjamesmusic.bsky.social about his new memoir Playing the Changes, which chronicles his early years in Regina (and Winnipeg), right-place/time moments, befriending Stevie Ray Vaughan and making his debut album. He's at @mcnallyrobinson.com tomorrow to launch the book.
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Winnipeg Free Press @winnipegfreepress.com · 20/09/2026
Decorated Olympian. Hard-hitting hockey analyst. Inspiring author. Winnipeg’s own Jennifer Botterill is adding yet another chapter in her historic and storied career.
winnipegfreepress.com
‘There’s so much room for all of us’
Botterill’s memoir Why Not You is sure to inspire future rosters in women’s sports
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Also did a 5k this evening — first time running this month (!! … foot injury) but managed to (almost) crush it
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Congrats to all the winners and nominees at the Manitoba Book Awards, which were handed out this afternoon after the awards' two-year absence: www.winnipegfreepress.com/this-just-in...
winnipegfreepress.com
Local writers lauded at Manitoba Book Awards
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Six different writers took home prizes at the 2026 Manitoba Book Awards, which were handed out at a ceremony on Sept. 19 at the Park Theatre.</span> <span...
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
This was wildly entertaining to watch
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Great piece by @badguybirnie.bsky.social on a titan of local/Canadian lit. I worked for him as a research assistant in grad school and took a Canadian literature and the archive class with him. There was no one like him.
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Quick trip to Vancouver to taste some New Zealand wines tomorrow, so naturally/confusingly having a Guinness in an Irish (“Irish”) pub. Speaking of Irish, Bombers coach Mike O’Shea was in the row behind me (in economy) on my flight.
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Writers' Trust of Canada @writerstrust.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Announcing finalists for the 2026 #HilaryWeston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction— congratulations to Richard Kelly Kemick, Robert Moor, Trina Moyles, Julian Brave NoiseCat, and Dan Werb. $75K winner announced Nov 10 at the #WTAwards writerstrust.com/WestonPrize
2026 #HilaryWeston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction finalists: Richard Kelly Kemick—Decadence, Robert Moor— In Trees: An Exploration, Trina Moyles—Black Bear: A Story of Siblinghood and Survival, Julian Brave NoiseCat— We Survived the Night: An Indigenous Reckoning.
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Pour one — a non-existent one — out for the hard-hit Canadian pisco and Marsala producers. (Thread)
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Bethany Black @bethanyblack.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
4 years since The Rock did one if the all time tweets
Rest in peace to Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II. A great woman who sat on the throne as long as anyone in British history.
Sad she will never get to see #BlackAdam V IN THEATERS OCT 21st
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
With all the other middle-aged balding punk-adjacent dudes at Propagandhi. Oh, and with this 17-year-old metal head, who is seeing them for the second time. (Second photo is from 2021.)
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Joshua Eaton @joshuaeaton.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
“There’s a new Mr. Beast book.” You bolt awake in your workshop in Mainz. It’s 1450. You’re Johannes Gutenberg, and you’ve changed your mind. The future cannot come to pass. Your printing press must burn.
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ALW @wazoowazny.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
2026 Winnipeg mayoral election ballot
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
For @winnipegfreepress.com this weekend I wrote about celebrating cool-climate Chardonnay in Niagara, as well as a new cookbook called Niagara Wine + Food that's well worth checking out: www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
winnipegfreepress.com
Opinion: Getting schooled in cool-climate Chardonnays
In mid-July, winemakers, winery owners, those in the trade and the wine-loving public convened in Niagara to celebrate wines made from the noblest of white grape varieties — Chardonnay.
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Friday: fuelling up for old guy band practice. Saturday: old guy sits near a fire.
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Razzball @razzball.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Same, son
little league kid says dream job is retirement
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
I just watched this episode the other night on Britbox – it's a riot. Jeremy Brett as Sherlock is, as always, impeccable
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Yep, here ya go: www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews...
winnipegfreepress.com
‘Last chance’ clearance U.S. booze punted from Liquor Marts
American alcohol that returned to Manitoba Liquor Mart shelves in May as part of a “last chance” sale is headed back to storage or will be destroyed.
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Just popped into my local Manitoba Liquor Mart (what, no one else is browsing wines on Thursday afternoon?), and U.S. alcohol has once again been pulled off shelves.
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Jamie Goode @jamiegoode.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Haywire, and their Garnet Valley Ranch - an exciting producer in Canada's Okanagan Valley wineanorak.com/2026/08/27/c...
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Insert Stranger Things music
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Ariel Gordon @ariel-gordon.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
And the nominees are…
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Quill & Quire @quillandquire.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
"We want to turn over stones and see what’s crawling underneath them – to discover new voices, new identities, new thoughts.” Read about At Bay Press publisher Matt Joudrey here bit.ly/3S43Ufw
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Jason Koebler @jasonkoebler.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Exclusive: A rare bookseller suspected his books were being bought by AI companies. He stuck an AirTag in a book and we tracked it to a secretive Amazon facility in Las Vegas where they scan and destroy books called VGT3: www.404media.co/we-tracked-a...
404media.co
We Tracked a Shipment of Rare Books. It Ended at an Amazon AI Training Facility
We placed a tracking device in a shipment of rare books to see which AI company was buying it, and found an Amazon facility where Amazon scans and destroys books.
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Cat got through a screen in the porch (we got him back) and in going to replace the screen, we discovered loads of rotting wood. So here we are. THANKS JIMMY
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Fall is back to school, and it just so happens I'm teaching a couple wine classes for Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET)! Level 1 is Sept. 12, Level 2 is Oct. 17-18; courses take place at Jones & Co.: www.finevintageltd.com/wine-course/...
finevintageltd.com
Wine Courses in Winnipeg | WSET Certification | Fine Vintage
Earn globally recognized wine certifications in Winnipeg. WSET, sommelier, and professional wine courses are available for all levels.
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Winnipeg Free Press @winnipegfreepress.com · 11/08/2026
Winnipeg’s long-running annual literary festival returns this fall, once again featuring a slate of authors, local and beyond, ready to engage with readers.
winnipegfreepress.com
A new chapter
Renamed books festival takes to The Forks this fall
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Sam Woodcock @samwoodcock.eurosky.social · 09/08/2026
There is so much I going on here
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Michael Kruse @michaelkruse.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
“Traveling the world is the best education. ... that and reading the newspaper.”
nytimes.com
Emidio Pepe, Maker of Prized Abruzzo Wines, Dies at 94
He was one of the first to make a case for the local grapes and traditional methods, even as others abandoned them, inspiring a younger generation.
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Ross Sayers @rosssayers.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
[James Stewart as Odysseus] now listen here, Agamemnon, I'm going home, y'see. You keep your fancy armour, I'm getting off this crummy ol' beach. [Spotting the Cyclops] now here's a curious fella, he's only got one peeper
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Winnipeg Free Press @winnipegfreepress.com · 06/08/2026
A new chapter has begun in Winnipeg’s literary landscape with the opening of science fiction and fantasy bookstore Other Places Books.
winnipegfreepress.com
Out of this world
New sci-fi/fantasy bookstore a welcome addition
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
👀
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J. L. Westover @mrlovenstein.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
New bookstore alert! I urge you all to pop down to Other Places Books and check out the sci-fi/fantasy titles @didichanoch.northsky.social has brought in
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Nice night for a book chat featuring @colsonwhitehead.com talking about his new novel Cool Machine with @davidarobertson.bsky.social at WAG-Qaumajuq, presented by @mcnallyrobinson.com. And a surprising amount of trash talking Ewoks, of all things.
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Tiff Bartel @tiffbartel.com · 04/08/2026
This is open today! I had the privilege of visiting and the impossible task of not buying one of everything. A truly magical place! 🌈
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Tonight!
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
A beautiful film, criminally underseen.
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American Association of Wine Economists AAWE @wineecon.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
2026 Australian Wine Grape Crush, by Variety. Chardonnay has overtaken Shiraz as Australia's #1 crushed variety — 288,183 tons vs. 234,377 in 2026. Whites lead reds overall too: 669,445 tons vs. 596,226.
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Also (switching hats again) I’ve been spending the day alternating between reading and napping. Have already blasted through half of Emily St. John Mandel’s Exit Party, which is outstanding. Publishes mid-September:
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
Also for @winnipegfreepress.com (switching hats) I wrote about our increasingly up-in-flames world and the ways in which wildfire smoke can affect wine: www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
winnipegfreepress.com
Opinion: Smoke taint new reality in wine as world burns
Summer seems to come with a familiar smell these days: the pungent aroma of smoke.
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
For @winnipegfreepress.com I chatted with @colsonwhitehead.com about his new novel Cool Machine and bringing his Harlem trilogy to a close. He's in Winnipeg Tues. in an event presented by @mcnallyrobinson.com (link to tix in next post): www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
winnipegfreepress.com
Colson Whitehead’s trilogy capper bids farewell to criminal character
For 10 years, Colson Whitehead has lived with a small-time crook-turned-Harlem furniture store owner who moonlights as a fence (laundering stolen goods). But with Cool Machine, the third book in his H...
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Ben Sigurdson @bensigurdson.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
A very normal Saturday in Gimli
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