Celebrate Summer

I had the pleasure to take the drive up to the Selo Ukraina Muesum for the 58th Canada's National Ukrainian Festival. The highlights were undoubtably the food and all the group dancing shows on the stages. I was very happy to see that the entire festival and surrounding grounds were completely packed. It was a great sight to see everyone taking in Ukrainian culture. and seeing so many people embracing the traditions. 

Check out some of the photos I took at the event!

We hear it time and time again. People that come to Portage la Prairie and rave about all of the great things we have!

Now, everyone will have a chance to show off their Portage! Be Portage proud and grab some stylish clothes that shout out our name - Portage la Prairie! T-shirts, hoodies and more are available at Stride Place, the Central Plains RecPlex, and Fort La Reine Museum.

Continuing the big weekend of the Threshermen’s Reunion, today was easily the biggest day of all. A giant threshing showcase, Rosemary Siemens serenading the crowd during the parade and of course the massive showcase from the Cockshutt Club with their first ever time leaving Ontario. The food and drink selection left everyone completely satisfied. This weekend might have topped the rest of my events I’ve got to attend this summer. It was completely fantastic weekend and I’m glad we got to celebrate the Agricultural Heritage of the area. 

Thursday was kickoff day for the 67th annual Threshermen's Reunion and Stampede in Austin. For many, this event is a tradition to attend and it's one of the biggest in the area each year. Day one featured all kinds of activities while the Sean Taylor Band performed two great shows. The first day of the event also happened to be his birthday.

"It's always great to get out to this event and to be able to perform here on my birthday makes it extra special."

The community of Morris and the surrounding area came together to put on the Manitoba Stampede, the province’s only professional rodeo. With plenty of events and vendors, the first day of the weekend was incredibly packed. Personal highlights for me had to be the Food Truck Wars winner for 2022, the Mobile BBQ truck, the large drum circle that captivated everyone in the grandstands, and all of the great performers in the Beer Gardens. With plenty of local artists taking each of the stages set up, the attendees were never without great music, including Quinton Blair.

I really enjoyed my time at the Carman Fair today. It was totally packed, despite the weather quickly shifting from clear skies to rain. The rain did help the Demolition Derby make more of a splash. Personal highlight for me would have to be the RC Vehicle display by Hardcore RC in Winnipeg, everyone gathered to see what the drivers could do. Hope you enjoy the photos I took while there. 
 

The Portage Ex came to a close today and it might have been the most anticipated day of the weekend. With DinoMite Adventures 35ft tall Brontosaurus standing strong on the Green Space and the miniature golf course. It all came to a close with a special performance from local band Strange Brew and Doc Walker. The area by the Beer Garden was packed! 
 

Check out some of the photos I took!

I was happy to come back for the second day of the Portage Ex. Handing out some Blue Moon water and meeting as many people as I could. Highlights of the day for me have to be the Mounted Shooting competition, the AC/DC tribute band and of course the DinoMite Adventures team. They came all the way from the Winnipeg area and brought with them a full mini-golf course, a ton of bouncy castles and the 35-foot inflatable Brontosaurus! Not to mention the cake Homestead Co-op served; big enough to serve 151 people in commemoration of the 151st Portage Ex. 

The first day of the 151st Portage Ex went off without a hitch! I was set up right next to some wonderful vender booths and had the opportunity to meet many of the volunteers responsible for putting together this event. Personal highlights had to be the Quilters Guild showing off their winning quilts, the Fort La Reine Muesum folks churning butter and obviously all the fantastic rides on the midway.  

I got some photos from the first day of the fair and you can check them out below. 

I made the drive up to Eriksdale for the second day of their Creamary Days Fair and Rodeo. Even with the storm the previous night the events went on strong! With the bull riding competition, horse show and all the cowboys and cowgirls showing up to make it all go off without a hitch. They also had attractions for the kids, like ponies to pet, bouncy castles and even an inflatable water slide. The burgers, hot dogs and taco-in-a-bags they sold under the grandstand kept all the attendees fed and enjoying the show.