BGC Winnipeg is excited to welcome guests back for the annual Hot Sauce Dinner fundraiser on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at Kum Koon Garden in support of the CSI Summer Learning Enrichment Program.

This year’s event promises an unforgettable evening of laughter, community, and incredible food featuring headlining comedian Big Daddy Tazz alongside special guests Matt Falk and Mezna – a former BGC Winnipeg and CSI Summer Learning Enrichment Program participant making a special return to the BGC stage.

A Winnipeg-raised comic and proud BGC kid since 2007, Mezna is now based in Toronto and performing across the city in productions including Scarborough’s Got Jokes: Wild Night Out, Listen to This!: That’s Amore, Break a Leg, and Surviving the Season. His appearance at Hot Sauce marks a meaningful full-circle moment, returning to the organization that helped shape his childhood experiences.

“Having Mezna return as one of our featured comedians is incredibly special,” said Ron Brown, President & CEO of BGC Winnipeg. “The CSI Summer Learning Enrichment Program creates opportunities for children to discover their confidence, talents, and sense of belonging. Seeing former participants come back to support the next generation speaks volumes about the impact of these programs.”

Guests attending the Hot Sauce Dinner will enjoy a delicious Chinese meal, comedy performances, fundraising activities, and opportunities to directly support summer programming for Winnipeg children and youth.

All funds raised support BGC Winnipeg’s CSI Summer Learning Enrichment Program, which provides youth in Grades 1–6 with five weeks of free experiential, recreational, and educational summer programming in safe, supportive, and nurturing environments.

In 2025, the CSI Program operated at 12 sites across the Winnipeg School Division and provided quality summer programming to 637 elementary school children.