The CPKC Holiday Train will make a stop in Brandon on Saturday, Dec. 5, bringing its brightly illuminated rail cars, live musical performances and holiday spirit to the community. The annual holiday tradition will stop in Brandon from 7 to 7:30 p.m. at a field south of the CPKC tracks, north of Rosser Avenue East and west of the Rosser Avenue rail crossing. Carberry (December 5) and Virden (December 6) are also among the many stops. This year's Brandon stop will feature performances by Canadian country music artist Tyler Shaw and American pop-rock band American Authors, as the train continues its 2026 journey across Canada and the United States. The Holiday Train program supports local food banks through live entertainment and community donations. Residents attending the Brandon event are encouraged to bring a cash donation or non-perishable food items, with all contributions staying in the community to help people experiencing food insecurity. The 2026 tour will visit 182 communities over 32 days, beginning Nov. 19 in Montreal. The train's Manitoba itinerary also includes stops in Portage la Prairie and Carberry earlier on Dec. 5, followed by Virden on Dec. 6. Since the program began in 1999, the Holiday Train has helped raise more than $28.3 million and collect more than 5.6 million pounds of food for food banks across Canada and the United States. With its colourful Christmas lights, music and charitable focus, the Holiday Train continues to offer communities an opportunity to celebrate the season while supporting neighbours in need.

Brandon audiences will have a chance to enjoy an evening of stand-up comedy when Cass Furman brings her Funny For A Girl Cross-Canada Tour to Eastside Eatery’s The Hall on Monday, Nov. 9. Furman, a comedian originally from Ontario who is now based on the West Coast, has built a following through her energetic performances, quick wit and audience interaction. Her comedy has been featured on SiriusXM, Just For Laughs Originals and CBC’s The New Wave of Standup. Her style combines off-the-cuff observations, crowd work and punchy material, making each performance a unique experience. Furman also hosts The PodCass, a comedy and advice podcast, and produces touring shows including Couples Clownselling and Pillow Talk. Aaron Campbell, whose credits include Just For Laughs Vancouver and CBC Radio, will host the Brandon show. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m., at Eastside Eatery, located at 1451 Richmond Ave. East. The show is for ages 19 and older. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.

Manitoba welcomed a record 11.1 million visitors in 2025, with visitation increasing from international visitors (up 52 per cent) and visitors from the United States (up 50 per cent), while visitors from other parts of Canada were up by 15 per cent. (See full chart in backgrounder). These visitors spent a record $2.4 billion, generating almost $450 million in provincial tax revenues and supporting jobs and businesses in every corner of the province. Visitor and visitor spending numbers come from Statistics Canada, which in May 2025 reinstated exit interviews in the international section of the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport. The practice had been paused since the pandemic. “Tourism is an economic success story that benefits communities across Manitoba,” said the Honourable Nellie Kennedy, Minister of Sport, Culture, Tourism and Heritage. “From our incredible parks, trails and lakes to our cultural festivals, attractions and vibrant cities, Manitoba offers unforgettable experiences. Every visitor helps support local businesses, create jobs and strengthen communities throughout our province.” While these results are remarkable, many tourism operators and businesses experienced significant losses in 2025, largely due to a record wildfire season. Visitation and visitor spending decreased between April 1 and June 30, however strong growth in the other quarters helped drive these record results, supported by Travel Manitoba’s strategic approach to marketing. “Our focus has been on high-impact growth across all four seasons,” said Angela Cassie, Travel Manitoba’s Interim President and CEO and Chief Operating Officer. “We benefited from increased investment from the Province in Budget 2025, enabling us to expand marketing efforts in key markets in Canada and the United States, while also increasing our partnerships and presence targeting international visitors. This helped us reach the right visitor with the right message at the right time." Cassie noted Travel Manitoba was also able to invest some of its increased funding in a program aimed at strengthening the long-term resiliency of the industry. The Wildfire Resilience Assistance Program (WRAP) provided heavily subsidized value protection kits to eligible tourism operators to protect key infrastructure. The first 100 kits were delivered in spring 2026 and some have already been used to protect property over this wildfire season. Each kit is compatible with Manitoba Wildfire Service standards and includes sprinklers, hoses and a water pump.

Brandon music fans will have two opportunities to see one of Canada’s most recognizable country artists when Johnny Reid returns to the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium next spring. Reid will bring his In Retrospect Tour to the WMCA for performances on Saturday, March 6, and Sunday, March 7, 2027, both at 7:30 p.m. The Brandon dates are part of a Western Canadian theatre tour announced Monday, which will see Reid visit communities throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The tour accompanies Reid’s upcoming album, In Retrospect, a collection of reimagined classics that have played a role in his musical journey. The album is scheduled for release Nov. 13. Rather than simply revisiting his own catalogue, Reid’s new project looks back at some of the songs and artists that have influenced him throughout his career. The 16-track album includes Reid’s interpretations of songs associated with artists including The Drifters, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Animals, Elvis Presley, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye and Tom Jones. Among the tracks are Under the Boardwalk, Have You Ever Seen the Rain, House of the Rising Sun, Always on My Mind, Into the Mystic, Sundown, Me and Bobby McGee and Sitting on the Dock of the Bay. The collection also features collaborations with Katie Kadan, Natalie MacMaster and Reid’s daughter, Ava Reid. According to Reid, the project originally began as a series of musical explorations shared online and was never intended to become either an album or a tour. The response from fans, however, eventually changed those plans. “I began working on In Retrospect ... simply [as] a chance for me to look back, revisit some old songs and share little pieces of my musical journey and influences,” Reid said in announcing the tour. “But then something magical happened. You (the fans) responded.” The resulting tour will feature two sets combining songs from In Retrospect with selections from Reid’s own career. For Brandon audiences, the upcoming concerts will mark another opportunity to see Reid at the WMCA. The singer has previously performed at the Brandon venue, where his combination of country, pop and soulful influences has attracted audiences throughout Westman. Reid has enjoyed a career spanning three decades, earning multiple JUNO Awards, releasing a catalogue of Canadian country hits and performing to audiences across the country. The In Retrospect Tour will make its way through the Prairies in early March, with Brandon following stops in Lloydminster, Red Deer, Prince Albert and North Battleford. Tickets for the Brandon performances go on sale Friday, Oct. 2 at 10 a.m., with a Tartan Army fan-club presale beginning Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. With two Brandon performances scheduled on consecutive nights, local fans will have two chances to experience Reid’s musical look back — and hear some familiar favourites along with the songs that helped shape his musical journey. The WMCA is located at 205 20th Street in Brandon.

The Keystone Centre is pleased to announce Nate Haller as direct support for Dean Brody and The Reklaws on the Hometown Heroes Tour across Canada this fall. Haller is already back on the road this fall as direct support for Dean Brody and The Reklaws on their co-headlining Hometown Heroes National Tour across Canada.  “I still can’t believe I get to be a part of the Hometown Heroes Tour,” Haller says. “I’ve toured with these guys, opened for them, and been in bands with most of them at some point in my career, so getting to do this tour with them feels like coming full circle. I’m so grateful that the crew wanted me to come out with them - it’s going to be a heck of a time!” Hometown Heroes National Tour September 24 - Toronto, ON September 25 - Cambridge, ON* October 30 - Grande Prairie, AB November 1 - Red Deer, AB November 3 - Cranbrook, BC November 5 - Abbotsford, BC November 6 - Penticton, BC November 7 - Calgary, AB November 8 - Lethbridge, AB November 9 - Moose Jaw, SK November 10 - Edmonton, AB November 12 + 13 - Winnipeg, MB November 14 - Brandon, MB November 17 - Thunder Bay, ON November 19 - North Bay, ON November 20 - Windsor, ON November 21 - Peterborough, ON November 22 - Owen Sound, ON November 24 - London, ON November 25 - Montreal, QC November 27 - Moncton, NB November 28 - Halifax, NS