Brandon’s favourite holiday art party is back! Shop some of Southwestern Manitoba’s best artists and crafters, enjoy live music, get your portrait done, enter a raffle, and entertain your kids with a free holiday craft room. This year the AGSM is bringing back the GREAT BIGLittle Chili Bowl Sale. By purchasing a handcrafted bowl, made in the AGSM studios, you get a heaping scoop of chili and a freshly made bun to go with your bowl. The Gala of Gifts runs from 10 AM to 6 PM on Saturday, November 25th. The first 50 guests and children 5 and under will get in for free, and entry is just 2 dollars for ages 6 and up. All proceeds from the Gala of Gifts support the AGSM’s ongoing programming and the cultural life of Southwestern Manitoba. Sponsored by Kuipers Bakery, Ranyor Bookkeeping Services, Safeway Corral Centre, Chez Angela, Sobeys Brandon South, and Komfort Kitchen. Saturday, November 25th, 2023 from 10 AM to 6 PM At the AGSM. 710 Rosser Avenue, Unit 2 Brandon, Manitoba. Admission: $2. Free entry for children under 5 and first 50 guests. Associated Links Website Information Facebook Event

The sparkling display of holiday lighting at the MB Hydro Power Smart Waterfall of Lights is on. The Power Smart Waterfall of Lights is located immediately west of the City of Brandon’s Parks Services Complex on 2020 McGregor Avenue. The displays will be turned on and remain lit from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. nightly through the winter season. No public vehicles are allowed in the direct area of the Power Smart Waterfall of Lights display. The public is encouraged to park in designated areas on McGregor Avenue or Hilton Avenue and walk through the area to view the lights. The City of Brandon asks all members of the public to enjoy the lighting displays at a safe distance and not to walk in areas where power cords are present. Depending on the weather, the ice will go in for 2023 season soon.

The Santa Parade marks the unofficial beginning of the holiday season, and it's a celebration that our community eagerly anticipates. The streets will be alive with the spirit of the season as the annual Santa Parade makes its way through the heart of our city on November 18th, starting at 6pm. With colorful floats, festive music, and of course, the jolly old man himself, Santa Claus, this parade is a cherished celebration that brings smiles to faces young and old. All float entries will be considered for several different judging categories including Best Parade Theme, Best Decorated Vehicle, People’s Choice and most original.

Brett Fry, a local beer hockey goalie, has found another hobby.  He is taking his two dogs, Memphis a 3 year old Whippet and Sonic a 1.5 year old Border Collie, on tour so to speak. Fry told BDNMB.CA that he has been training his dogs since they were only 10 weeks old.  They will attempt to participate in as many events as possible with The Canine Stars. "We do as much events as we can a year, depends on  my work schedule as a full time mechanic, we perform with the Woof Jocks at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair in March, Wild Dogs based out of Winnipeg and with of course the Canine stars!" Brett also told BDNMB.CA that "I’m an  active club member at Crocus Obedience And Kennel Club , where we train in disc, agility and  Flyball. I love to train and perform with my dogs it’s something I never considered when growing up and has a special place in my heart."

The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba is proud to announce the opening of a new exhibition featuring five professional artists from Manitoba, as well as a selection of work by the Assiniboine Community College (ACC) Digital Art and Design Program Class of 2023. The exhibition, titled Oneirophyte, will be on display in the AGSM Main Gallery from September 21 to November 11, 2023. Lucie Lederhendler, the exhibition’s curator, explains the central theme of the exhibition arose from her interest in the state of Digital Arts in Manitoba. “Since I joined the AGSM in January 2021,” she says, “I noticed a lot of real excitement surrounding the potential of, and the desire for, more digital infrastructure here in Westman.” Lederhendler references an increase in the AGSM’s digital content, the inauguration of the Centre for Creative Media at ACC this past January, and the WestmAnimation and Open Circuits festivals, which are both set to return this Autumn. The concept for Oneirophyte emerged because there was a substantial amount of digital art being created in Manitoba that talked about plants in a personal, or spiritual way. The title of the exhibition combines the Greek roots for “dream” and “plant,” which speaks to this interest. The exhibition’s artists are Helga Jakobson, Casey Koyczan, Erika Jean Lincoln, Sylvia Matas, and Taylor McArthur, who use artificial intelligence, 3-D scanning technologies, and game design that allows visitors to listen to, think like, and immerse themselves in plants. The ACC Digital Art class of 2023 was given a preview of the exhibition and asked to respond to the premise in their own way, and produced conceptual designs in 3-D models, video, and graphic illustration and design. An opening reception with several artists present will be held on September 21 at 7 PM. A “Lunch & Look” guided tour will take place on September 22 at 1 PM. Additional digital programming, supported by the Open Circuits Festival and the WestmAnimation festival, will include talks, workshops, and screenings that will be announced via the AGSM’s social media. The AGSM would like to thank the Manitoba Arts Council, the City of Brandon, and the Canada Council for the Arts, for their continued support of the Gallery’s programming. The Manitoba Arts Council is also a supporter of the WestmAnimation festival. Thanks to the Province of Manitoba for its support of the Open Circuits and WestmAnimation Festivals.