Famous portrait of Queen Elizabeth to hang downtown for Heritage Classic weekend

Just in time for the Heritage Classic weekend, the 600-pound, 35-square-metrepainting of Queen Elizabeth that used to hang in the Winnipeg Arena is being resurrected for a one-night-only appearance downtown.

For 12 hours on Thursday, the painting willhang on the side of The Pint on Garry Street between Portage Avenue and Graham Avenue.

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Pint general manager Riley Creighton said the plan initially was to hang the portrait on a wall in the bar, but that got scrapped when he realized it was too big to put inside.

"It's a big week for all Winnipeggers, and the excitement with the Heritage Jets and the Heritage Oilers," he said. "It's going to be be pretty awesome."

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Weather permitting, the painting is set to be unveiled at 1 p.m., and will hang on the south side of the building facing Graham Avenue until 1 a.m. or later, Creighton said.

It'll be the first time Winnipeggers can see the painting on displaysince it was taken down from the Winnipeg Arena more than a decade ago.