The 53rd annual Brandon Home and Leisure Show returns to Brandon this weekend at the Keystone Centre. The event is the perfect opportunity to get some great advice, design ideas and view the wide array of products/services from the nearly 200 exhibitors expected to be on-hand. These exhibitors will be showcasing the many services they offer from home building, contracting, home furnishings, design, kitchen & bath, outdoor leisure products, renovations, landscaping, equipment rentals and more! Various food vendors will be onsite offering meals, snacks and other refreshments. The 2019 show is certain to offer a wonderful experience for its many thousands of visitors. General admission is $10 per person, $8 for seniors, and children under 12 are free (when accompanied by an adult). Show Hours  April 5 - 7, 2019: Friday – 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm Saturday - 10:00 am to 8:00 pm Sunday – 12 Noon to 5:00 pm Brandon Home & Leisure Web Site

A one day only pop up Bridal Sale (Opportunity Bridal) selling only new wedding dresses and accessories (veils, belts, sashes, tiaras etc) for the bride is scheduled to take place at the Victoria Inn on Sunday, April 28. Hundreds of wedding dresses, from some of the best international designers, will be on sale with prices ranging from $199-$999. Dresses (500+) are stocked in a wide array of sizes (from 2-28) and will be available on a first come, first served basis. The sale travels with change rooms and lots of mirrors. The Brandon sale runs from 9am - 4pm with last admittance at 2:30pm. A link to the Facebook event page can be found here.

A hot new summer attraction is coming to Minnedosa Beach this summer. Splish Splash Water Park are in the works to locate a 100-person floating inflatable waterpark on Minnedosa Lake with an opening date targeted for late June 2019. “It’s an inflatable water park, like a floating obstacle course out on the water” said Gerry Champagne, owner of Calgary’s Splish Splash Water Park. “These parks are found in Canada and across the world, but there is none in the prairies at this time; to be the first and only water park in the province is an incredible opportunity for both Splish Splash and for the community of Minnedosa.” Champagne first approached Travel Manitoba for help finding suitable communities in the province, where it was presented to Minnedosa’s Economic Development Officer, Chantelle Parrott who jumped at the idea. Similar attractions elsewhere have proven immensely popular and successful at bringing in tourist numbers. “Tourism is very important for our local economy, and the investment into our community is more than welcome. This leverages the lake and really complements our existing tourism offering. It’s a fantastic way to draw people to town, hopefully visitors will make the most of everything Minnedosa has to offer while they’re here.” stated Parrott. Champagne has been working diligently to obtain approval to locate the structure in Minnedosa Lake which includes various municipal, provincial, and federal agencies, in time to have the structure custom built by the manufacturer, and shipped from the UK in time for summer 2019. The Town of Minnedosa authorized access to the beach, while the federal Department of Oceans and Fisheries completed an environmental assessment prior to authorizing the project. Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation (MIT) have now granted the final approval for the business to place the structure in the water this June. Champagne said the business would be open daily during the summer, with regular hours from June to Labour Day. Strict safety requirements are enforced, including mandatory life jackets and qualified lifeguards on duty; certified lifeguards are encouraged to apply for this exciting summer job as soon as possible. “Splish Splash Water Park will bring a unique and exciting attraction to Minnedosa for both locals and visitors alike. We’re looking forward to working with the Town of Minnedosa and hoping for a fantastic summer at the beach, having fun in the sun, and making memories, that’s really what we’re doing here.”

Ashleigh is a Digital Marketing Specialist and owns Create Marketing, a digital marketing agency located in Brandon, Manitoba. She helps local business thrive online. Website: www.createmarketing.ca Email: hello@createmarketing.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Createmarketing.ca/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/createmarketing.ca/ First job: I cleaned rooms at a little motel called The Maple Leaf in my hometown when I was 14. Years lived in Brandon: I moved to Brandon in 2001 so, 18 years! Wow, time flies.  Your fast food guilty pleasure: A&W Buddy Burger (add cheese)  What’s something you don’t know, but want to learn: To speak Spanish and/or French. Which of the following TV shows do you believe you have the best odds of winning: Survivor, Big Brother, The Voice, Guys Grocery Games, American Ninja Warrior, Project Runway, or Alone:Toss up between Survivor or American Ninja Warrior. (Says the girl that hasn’t been to the gym in years.) Backyard BBQ or Formal Dinner: Backyard BBQ You've got friends visiting Brandon for the first time, where are you taking them: River tubing down the Little Saskatchewan and Ice Cream at Velvet Dip What movie title best describes your life: Legally Blonde When people come to you for help, what do they usually want help with. Technical Support. (Their phone is out of space, email stopped working, etc.) Three apps you cannot live without: BUSINESS: MileIQ - AMAZING for tracking mileage. Evernote - Organizing my life! Dropbox - File sharing dream! PERSONAL: Instagram Medium Snapchat A film you’d watch again tonight: Step Brothers or Bridesmaids The last adventure you went on: Costa Rica! We got married there last February. What songs have you completely memorized: Haha too many to list but a few off the top of my head. Wilson Philips - Hold On Sinead O’Connor - Nothing compares to you George Ezra - Shotgun Baby Shark Old McDonald had a farm. What accomplishment in your career are you most proud of to date: Finally starting my own business. The single best day on the calendar each year: July 13th - My son and hubbies birthdays! Hobbies: Volleyball,  Photography, Yoga What could you give a 30-minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation: I feel like there are a few things I could do in this situation.  Business Marketing Basics Customer Service in the Service Industry (I’ve also worked in the service industry for over 20 years, yikes.) How to cook dinner while entertaining a toddler. Dream dinner party guests: Oprah,  Jillian Harris, My late Grandma Dorothy What role do you think social media plays in business today: I think it is a major aspect of business especially in the B2C world, however, it is defiantly not the only digital (or traditional) platform of importance. Understanding where and how your target audience spends their time online will be a great advantage to any business when planning your marketing goals. Describe Brandon in one word: Welcoming

The graduating class of Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School will be hosting a traditional pig roast on Thursday, April the 11th in support of safe grad. The festivities are being held inside the Brandon Curling Club at the Keystone Centre. Joe Beeverz will be preparing the menu for the event which includes fresh rolls, house-made coleslaw, BBQ baked beans, and black pepper kettle chips. In addition to the food there will also be a 50/50 draw and a silent auction. Doors open at 5:00PM and dinner is served at 6PM. Advance tickets are only $20.00. For tickets please contact Tanis Kreller at 720-1887 or email: mtkreller@mynetset.ca. The Facebook event page can be found here.