Canada day is fast approaching and various communities throughout Westman have plans lined up to help ring in the countryâs 152nd birthday on Monday. Below is a roundup at what Iâve been able to track down so far⦠if you learn of something that belongs on this list please drop me a note and Iâll be happy to update!
Brandon
Festivities in Brandon will for the first Canada Day make use of the new Festival Park stage. A lineup of entertainment is scheduled from 12:05pm through to after 9pm leading into 11pmâs fireworks show.
Tag âEm Entertainment will have a number of items setup including the 60 foot dinosaur run, Tag âEmâs Giant Games Package, Toy Town and Foam Machines. Fusion Childrenâs Entertainment will be setup with mobile stage. Fusion is said to be also setting up a kids pedal tractor pull among other things.
The day is to also include a Living Flag, scenic helicopter rides over Brandon, face painting & origami and food trucks. Plans are in place to offer a fair amount of parking, though organizers are encouraging the use of transit or active transportation where possible in lieu of big expected crowds. The full poster for the day can be seen here.
Also in Brandon the Wheat City Whiskey Jacks will take on the Souris Valley Sabre Dogs in a double-header with games at Andrews Field at 1:35pm and then 4:05pm. The day is billed on the teamâs promotional schedule as âCanada Day Spectacularâ and is to feature various between inning fun. For a little advancer on July 1 fun, check out a feature the team recently did in quizzing their players on topics-Canada at this link.
Also in Brandon, the inflatable water park on the Keystone Centre grounds is advertising being open normal hours from 11am - 8pm with a special promotion of getting a free adult accompaniment admission with the purchase of Kids admission on Monday. Normally an adult accompaniment would cost $8.
Killarney
The Town of Killarney will have various goings-on beginning in the morning with a youth scavenger hunt, face painting, bus tours and an arts circle that will see artists paint heritage farm equipment.
Beginning at 3:30 and throughout the rest of the day the Killarney Agricultural Grounds will see a host of summer games, trivia contests and face painting as well as beer gardens.
From 2-4pm KCI Alumni and Jazz Bands will play the Shamrock Recreation Centre.
From 9-11pm live music will be performed by Awake Before Dawn with fireworks scheduled to take place at 11 from the Killarney Agricultural Grounds.
Full schedule and map for Killarneyâs Canada Day can be seen here.
Minnedosa
The day will begin with Canada Day breakfast at the United Church. Following that celebrations in Minnedosa will be centred around Minnedosa Beach where there will be a sand castle building competition, car show, beach volleyball tournament and a schedule of live stage entertainment throughout the afternoon and evening. Also setup will be a Kids Zone with with bouncy houses, face painting, water wars (water guns, water bombs, shelters), 20+ exotic animals from Prairie Exotics and more. Fireworks over the lake are to follow at dusk. A listing of the day's activities and entertainment complete with times can be seen on the Discover Minnedosa events page.
This will also mark the first Canada Day for Splish Splash Water Park since itâs opening in June.
Neepawa
Neepawa kicks off its July 1 celebrations with a morning pancake breakfast at 9am.
Main festivities begin at 1pm at the townâs Riverbend Park, which will include live music, a farmerâs market, disc golf and a free public swim at the Neepawa pool. A host of kids activities will include bouncy inflatables, face painting, henna tattoos and a reptile gardens. Fireworks are planned for dusk.
The full poster with schedule can be seen here
Shilo
CFB Shilo will have various activities and entertainment kicking off at 4pm. Featured will be local band The Vickars, a CNE Wrestling show beginning at 8:30pm and the screening of kids movie Wonderpark also at 8:30 at the George Strange Hall. Family activities taking place from 4-8 will include face painting, Henna tattoos, inflatables, laser tag and more. Beer Gardens and Food Alley will be open right up to 11pm. Fireworks are scheduled for 10:45pm.
Shiloâs celebrations take place at the Community Centre Annex, Building L-25. The full event page for the day can be seen at https://www.cafconnection.ca/Shilo/In-My-Community/Special-Events/Canada-Day.aspx
Souris
Fireworks double-dip potential alert! Souris is promoting ringing in fireworks on the night before, on Sunday at 10:45pm, in the bowl at Victoria Park.
Virden
Virden will ring in Canada 152 beginning at noon with a Canada Day Parade. The dayâs events will take place mainly at Victoria Park beginning with opening ceremonies at 1pm and various stage entertainment starting at 1:30. Musical act Super Shuffle will perform from 6:30-9:30pm.
Kids activities will include face painting and games as well as Kerrâs Bouncers. Also on Monday the Virden pool will be hosting a free swim from 10-2
Fireworks are expected to start at about 10:30 beside Tundra Oil & Gas Place.
The poster with more details can be seen at:
http://cms.virden.ca/_eventAttachment/CanadaDayPoster_c6293c3201.jpg
Wasagaming/RMNP
The dayâs events at the Park start at 8am with a pancake breakfast at the Onanole Recreation Centre.
Main stage events begin at 10:30am with a Citizenship Ceremony followed by free giant birthday cake at 12:30 and continue through the afternoon with a handful of scheduled performances.
Other activities throughout the day include âFun Under the Discovery Domeâ hands-on nature-related activities with Parks Canada interpreters, Anishinaabemowin Activities and Cultural Demo, face painting and airbrush tattoos.
Fireworks are to take place at dusk in Onanole.
More details on the dayâs plans can be seen at:
https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/mb/riding/activ/activites-events/fete-can-day
Check back closer to Monday... this link will be updated with any further info that might come my way!
Updated: June 28, 5:42am. Added Killarney
Updated: June 30, 8:15pm. Added Neepawa