The Winkler Harvest Festival is officially here, with a rockin’ start to the weekend featuring mainstage acts from the Pembina Valley and beyond— Joe Wilson, Catie St. Germain, and Owen Riesling put on quite the shows to kick off the festival’s entertainment. Some festivalgoers attended these shows in style, sticking to the country music theme for the night.
The community has been looking forward to the Harvest Fest all year, with this year being Nicole Keeping’s first one back in eight years. “I always love the rides. I’ve been going here since I was nine... the Zipper is my favourite.” Keeping added: “My new favourite would probably be the concert.”
Mainstage highlights
Joe Wilson is no stranger to local stages- this year marks the second time Wilson has played the Harvest Fest mainstage. Wilson shared that “...it means a lot to be in front of the hometown crowd, and see so many familiar faces that truly... care about me.” Wilson added: “I care so much about this, these people in this crowd.”
Catie St. Germain is a fan favourite in the area, and her return to the Triple E Stage for the Harvest Fest was a welcome one. St. Germain enjoyed the outdoor show, despite the warm temperatures. “It’s just the vibe of it,” shared St. Germain. “Everyone’s in a good mood, I feel like we get two months of summer.”
Canadian Country Music Association winner Owen Riegling hails from rural Ontario, a place which for him is not unlike rural Manitoba: “When I was driving down the back roads to get here last night, it felt like home.” The singer-songwriter has upcoming music centered around this idea of home— “I’ve been looking out windows and on airplanes and buses and cars... for two years, and thinking about the things I might be missing out on.” Riegling added: “Where I’m at, where I’m headed... that’s kind of what has inspired this new record I’m working on.”
What to look forward to on Saturday
What’s on our radar for tomorrow at the festival? The morning’s parade kicks off at 10:00 AM, with the festival grounds featuring a sensory-friendly morning from 10-12. Afterwards, you can expect the same midway and fairgrounds throughout the day, including Prairie Exotics, ETHERLAN, and free swimming at the RCU Aquatic Center. On Saturday, you can catch Mikaela at the Strong Man Competition beginning at 1, and the Motion Zone area of the Kid’s Zone.
Saturday’s evening entertainment is Canada’s own Big Sugar, with local bands The M’Ladies and Link and the Moustaches kicking the night off starting at 6 PM. Stay tuned on our social media pages for updates!
