This small prairie town curls around Crescent Lake and the Assiniboine River. Charming and serene, the town is a popular destination for day-trippers from Winnipeg and travelers in search of a rugged but comfortable stop on their way to Lake Manitoba’s southern beaches. Portage Ex, one of Western Canada’s oldest-running fairs, is held annually in Portage la Prairie, showcasing the regions rich cultural heritage by promoting the livestock industry, local handicrafts and artisans, and other cultural pursuits. The town has one of the most aggressive municipal tree planting programs in Canada, and has an urban forest collection of some of the largest cottonwood trees in the country.