Jayme Giesbrecht

The members of Morden-based rock band 'Sumo' may still be in their teens, but this southern Manitoba group already has a setlist that swings from Metallica to the Eagles and everything in between. Fans will get a chance to see them live at the Corn and Apple Festival youth stage in Winkler, where the band promises a mix of grunge, classic rock, and high-energy performances.

Slo-pitch lovers have a brand-new reason to dust off their gloves and cleats. The first-ever Ladies Slo-Pitch Tournament, “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” is set for Saturday, September 13th at the Parkland Diamonds, and committee member and ball player Hailey Wiebe could not be more excited.

“I’m a die hard,” Wiebe said when asked about her passion for the game.

When you can hold out your thumb and block three bright objects in the sky at once, you know it’s a special night for stargazers. That’s exactly what happened in our night skies to officially kick off the Astro Club "season". Kenton Dyck of the Pembina Valley Astronomy Club shared that Jupiter, Venus and the moon were huddled close together in the eastern sky.

With Winkler serving as the retail hub of southern Manitoba, drawing approximately 17,000 households weekly,  Mayor Henry Siemens says Sunday shopping is fast becoming vital to support the evolving needs of both residents and visitors.

The Winkler Barracudas are gearing up for their Grand Prix Championship meet this weekend at the RCU Aquatic Centre, and excitement is high among the young swimmers. Known for their competitive spirit and team pride, the Barracudas are ready to show off their speed and skill in a series of races spanning freestyle, backstroke, butterfly, and breaststroke.

Southern gospel music fans in the Pembina Valley have reason to celebrate this weekend. The Glorybound Quartet, a staple in the regional gospel scene for 25 years, will be performing alongside the renowned Lumber River Quartet from North Carolina.

"This is a mission. It is not something we do for a livelihood. It is simply to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to others." - Jonathan Friesen, bass singer with the Glorybound Quartet.

Manitoba country artist Byron Falk says fans have been waiting for new music, and now it’s "finally" here. His latest single Stare into the Sun has officially been released, and added to our local music lists here at Golden West, marking a fresh chapter for the cattle-ranching singer-songwriter.

“I’ve always thought songs belong as a package… when you listen to these songs, you’re gonna feel something...” - Byron Falk, on the idea of releasing his next EP. 

What began with a dining room brainstorm and a passion for cartwheels has tumbled into one of the region’s most energetic and beloved youth programs. South Central Aerials, a grassroots gymnastics club based in Plum Coulee, has seen enormous growth since launching in 2017, and it's only picking up speed.

“It gave me an outlet to just do something for me. My passion grew for it, and then I couldn’t live without it. So it became a part of me.” - Cherish Delyea, Coach with South Central Aerials.

Kids are petting snakes, parents are snapping selfies with lizards, and somewhere in the crowd, a giant python named Popcorn is stealing the spotlight. Prairie Exotics is back at the Winkler Harvest Festival this weekend (August 8-10), and it’s not your average petting zoo.

 Local music duo An Unexpected End, made up of John Wiebe and Dylan Wiebe, is making serious waves again after a well-earned break. And they’re inviting fans of music, to a unique live music experience just south of Plum Coulee: Evenings of songs and stories in the Wiebe family's barn.