Ayesha Badiola

With only a few weeks left in August, soak up the sun and festivities around southeast Manitoba this weekend. 

It’s that time of the year. It’s Hanover Ag weekend in Grunthal! It kicks off on Thursday, August 17, and goes until Sunday, August 20. 

From the parade to arm wrestling competitions, many festivities are happening on the grounds all weekend long.  

Two best friends had the time of their lives earlier this month.  

Vanessa McGregor and Cassandra Siemens attended the Eras Tour in Los Angeles thanks to Lisa Swaikoski, who is McGregor’s cousin. Swaikoski’s name was drawn for Taylor or Trailer contest with Wendy’s Show Us Your Summer. 

To prepare, they gathered their outfits and packed their bags. In true Swiftie fashion, they made friendship bracelets for other concertgoers and also handed them out to people at the airport. They even made bracelets for flight attendants and pilots. 

The Ste. Anne Lions Club hosted their annual car show at Redemptoriste Park in Ste. Anne on Tuesday evening, and many came out to check out the variety of vehicles.  

Robert Gosselin of the Ste. Anne Lions Club says they host the car show to connect the community.  

From wrestling to frog jumping, there was no shortage of activities in St. Pierre on Sunday.  

The three-day St. Pierre Frog Follies and Agricultural Fair happened at Carillon Park this weekend.  

President Roxanne Gagne explains that the origins of their 53-year-old festival were frogs and royalty. 

Rain or shine, the show must go on—and that’s what happened on Saturday’s Richer Rough Stock Rodeo.  

The three-day festival in Richer featured all things rodeo, family fun and community. People of all ages from all over Manitoba and even Saskatchewan came and enjoyed the festivities. 

The bleachers had no empty seats, and the audience was enthusiastic about the show put on for them.  

The strike continues for liquor store workers moving their picket line Friday to the clock tower in downtown Steinbach.  

Employees have been striking to seek higher wages and the same 3.3 per cent increase Premier Heather Stefanson and cabinet ministers have received this year. They declined a two per cent increase from the provincial government. 

The Steinbach Liquor Mart remains closed along with many other locations in the province. 

From Super Mario under the stars to jumping frogs, it is an action-packed weekend for the southeast.  

St. Pierre’s Frog Follies and Agricultural Fair is happening from Thursday, August 10, to Sunday, August 13. President Roxanne Gagne says the four-day festival is “jam-packed with different events,” and with the help of the Ag Society, they can offer more.  

Good vibes are the words to describe the atmosphere at the Taste of Summer Charity Barbecue on Wednesday afternoon.  

Local charity Island Breeze was this week’s recipient, and the grand total was $1,976. 

When Ministry Director Isi Masi and his team heard the total, it brought shock and excitement. He thanks the community for their support.  

The Tolstoi Heritage Centre received $112,370 from the provincial funding announced earlier this week.  

Spokesperson and volunteer Jo-anne Drewniak says the announcement came with a mix of emotions.   

An aspiring filmmaker from Steinbach turned the personal experiences of women and girls from around the globe into a short film.