It wouldn’t be Canada Day in Vita unless there was a rodeo, wrestling, concerts, kids’ activities, a baseball tournament, mini car racing, a parade and fireworks.
If it seems like a lot, it’s because it is – especially for a community of approximately 500 residents, about 40 km from Steinbach. But Canada Day celebrations have been a big deal in Vita for many years, and with the 2024 holiday falling on a Long Weekend Monday, they’re about to get even bigger. And better.
“We’ve got some old stuff and some new stuff coming this year, and we start on June 30,” says Ang Boychuk of the Vita Canada Day Committee. “We try to make it bigger and better every year, and planning it really keeps us going. It’s probably a six-month process.
Here’s why.
On Sunday, June 30, the South MB Mini 4WD Club car races will get things going around noon, with the rodeo following at 1:00 p.m. There will be lawn mower racing later in the afternoon, and at 6:00 p.m. the bell will ring for wrestling matches featuring Canadian Wrestling Elite. After that, the Manitoba Barrell Racing Association will take over the rodeo grounds, and at 8:00 p.m. Almost Famous will perform the first of the weekend’s two concerts.
Hopefully, area residents and visitors from across southern Manitoba will be able to get a good night’s sleep after the day’s activities, because it all gets going again the next morning, July 1, with the pancake breakfast at 7:00 a.m. Well-nourished, those participating in a 16-team baseball tournament will begin playing at 9:00 a.m., just as the breakfast ends, and at 10:00 a.m. the annual parade will begin.
Shortly after lunch the rodeo will pick up again, and a strongman competition will be held at 1:00 p.m. New for 2024 is a second concert – Ricky Smith will perform July 1 at 8:00 p.m. – and the festivities will conclude with Vita’s famous fireworks at around 10:45 p.m. There will also be cornhole tournaments both days, and kids will be able to have their faces painted, jump in the bouncy castles and encounter some unique creatures at the Fraser Reptiles exhibition.
Boychuk says Vita’s Canada Day events tend to draw people from far and wide.
“We do get a lot of guests from all over southern Manitoba,” she says. “The baseball teams come from all over the place, and the rodeo contestants attract quite a mix of people as well.”
Of course, having all the weekend’s attractions included in a single, affordable price helps make Vita a popular Canada Day destination as well.
“You get a wristband that’s valid for two days, and it’s $20 for anyone 5 years of age and older,” says Boychuk. “Once you’re in the gate there’s no cost to attend anything else. You only have to pay for your food and beverages.”
Vita Canada Day will take place June 30 and July 1 at 100 School Ave in Vita, Manitoba. Tickets can be purchased online in advance and will also be available at the gate.
