[5] It is located in southern Manitoba, surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Stanley, about one hundred kilometres southwest of Winnipeg and 13 km (8.1 mi) east of its "twin city" Morden.

[6] As the largest city in the Pembina Valley, it serves as a regional hub for commerce, agriculture and industry.

On Tuesday, March 22, 1966, several merchants in Winkler closed down their shops for the day when they found the street flooded and water up to their doorsteps.

A tornado and accompanying cloudburst passed a mile west of Winkler on May 23, 1933, resulting in the worst flooding that locals could recall.

[12] During the early 1900s, a large number of Jewish and German merchants emigrated from Winkler, causing a decline in population.

However, the village's population increased after World War II, and on April 7, 1954, Winkler was incorporated as a town.

The lake's shores were formed over 10,000 years ago by the Pembina Escarpment, located a few kilometres west of Winkler.

This gentle rise in elevation was formed thousands of years ago when the draining of Lake Agassiz temporarily stalled.

Coarser textured loamy sand soils, located to the west, are suitable for irrigation and produce potato, corn and bean crops.

To the east, finer textured clay soils produce sugar beets, beans, canola, corn and small grains.

Winkler receives an annual average of 416 mm (16.4 in) of precipitation (most of which falls during the spring and summer months) and 119.7 cm (47.1 in) of snow.

Other products manufactured in Winkler include mobile homes, houseboats, farm equipment, windows and doors.

The area surrounding Winkler is home to rich, fertile soils which are especially suited to growing potatoes.

The area's livestock operations also continue to grow; hogs and cattle are raised, while dairy farms contribute to the making of cheese.

The increase in new businesses can be attributed to low taxes, reasonably priced real estate and cooperation between the city and entrepreneurs.

Aircraft which need a longer runway are advised to use the Morden Regional Aerodrome which is located 9 km (5.6 mi) from Winkler.

[27] The most common ancestries in Winkler (as of 1996) are German (65.2%), Dutch (Netherlands) (24.7%), Canadian (23.0%), Russian (10.0%), Ukrainian (2.1%), French (1.5%), Aboriginal (1.2%), Scottish (1.0%), Irish (0.9%), Polish (0.8%) and Icelandic (0.2%).

It includes a number of historical buildings in a village setting and a collection of agricultural machinery, tools and household items, as well as a meeting hall.

Held at the Winkler Parkland in mid-August, it features a parade, midway, live stage entertainment, fireworks, and more.

Red River College also operates a regional campus in Winkler, serving 1,500 students each year.

Winkler is home to two radio stations, both of which are owned and operated by Altona-based Golden West Broadcasting.

CJEL-FM, an adult contemporary music station branded as The Eagle 93.5, launched in 2000 and is based in Winkler.

The Winkler-Morden Voice[36] is published weekly and distributed by mail to households in both Winkler and Morden and many surrounding smaller communities.

Winkler was selected as host city for the 2008 edition of CBC Sports' day-long Hockey Day in Canada, which took place on February 9, 2008.