Friday is National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada where folks coast-to-coast are taking the opportunity to celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples. For the first time in 2019 the occasion and accompanying celebrations will be marked locally at Brandonâs brand spanking new Festival Park at the Riverbank Discovery Centre.
Everything kicks off with opening ceremonies at noon, followed by a host of entertainers and presentations leading into Manitobaâs own country/folk singer-songwriter Don Amero headlining the Festival Park stage at 6:30pm.
Also on-site during the day will be childrenâs activities, cultural artifact displays and a food tent. A free bus shuttle will run throughout the day with stops on Princess Avenue at both 6th street and 15th street every half hour from 11:30am - 8:30pm.
Prior to Fridayâs event, a Thursday afternoon Corporate Tipi Challenge will see eight different teams construct tipis at the Discovery Centre site where a tipi village will feature as part of the next dayâs celebrations.
The dayâs full schedule of events is as follows:
12:00pm: Opening Ceremonies - Prayers
12:30pm: Sweet Medicine Singers
12:45pm: Mitchell Mozdzen, Julianna Moore & Kate Reider
1:15pm: CHOOM - Dennis Chartrand
2:00pm: D-Town Steppers
2:45pm: Inuit Performance - Joachim Ayaruak
3:30pm: Pow Wow Demonstration
5:00pm: Grand Entry & Delegate Greetings
5:45pm: D-Town Steppers
6:30pm: Don Amero
8:00pm: Closing Comments
Photos: Submitted