For the fourth consecutive year, PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada’s elite Cup Series will buck into Brandon, Manitoba, holding the PBR Mazergroup Chute Out at Westoba Place at the Keystone Centre on May 23-24, 2025. Following the overwhelming enthusiasm and demand for PBR Canada Cup Series events in Brandon, including last season’s single day sold out show, the organization expanded the competition to two days in May 2025. The PBR Mazergroup Chute Out will have added significance as the lone PBR Canada Cup Series event in Manitoba during the 2025 season. PBR Canada’s Cup Series, which set tour attendance records in nine cities in 2024, regularly features Canada’s best riders alongside some of the organization’s top international athletes, squaring off against the rankest bucking bulls from across the nation. For two nights only, fans will witness exhilarating 8-second rides and wrecks throughout the unpredictable, action-packed event as the PBR’s courageous bull-riding athletes face off against their 1,800-pound opponents born to buck. The PBR Mazergroup Chute Out will mark the third event of the 2025 regular season for PBR Canada’s premier Cup Series. When the Cup Series last travelled to Brandon in May 2024, Weston Davidson (Strongfield, Saskatchewan) went a perfect 2-for-2 to win the Cup Series event inside Westoba Place at the Keystone Centre. The win was part of a career-year for Davidson. He registered an accompanying 10 Top 10 finishes and concluded the season No. 7 in the race for the 2024 PBR Canada Championship. Other past PBR Canada Cup Series event winners in Brandon are: Aaron Roy (2023 – Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan) and Blake Smith (2022 –Abbey, Saskatchewan). The bull riding action for PBR Canada Cup Series’ Mazergroup Chute Out, begins at 7:00 p.m. CST on both Friday, May 23 and Saturday, May 24. Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, January 17 at 10:00 a.m. CST, and start at $30, standard ticketing fees may apply. Tickets can be purchased at the Westoba Place at the Keystone Centre Box Office and online at Ticketmaster.ca. Stay tuned in to PBRCanada.com and follow the tour on Facebook (PBR Canada), X (@PBRCanada), and Instagram (@PBRCanada) for the latest results, news, stats and more.

The Westman Multicultural Festival is set to return to Brandon, Manitoba, from February 6 to 8, 2025. This annual event celebrates the region's rich cultural diversity by featuring various pavilions that showcase unique traditions, cuisines, music, and dance from different countries. This year, the festival is expanding to include 12 pavilions; INDIA · UKRAINE · MAURITIUS · PHILIPPINES · HAMI HISPANIC · MEXICO · JAMAICA · PALESTINE · SCOTLAND · EL SALVADOR · NIGERIA · COLOMBIA. The Nigerian and Palestinian pavilions are both new for 2025. The festival will take place at multiple venues throughout Brandon, each hosting different cultural pavilions. Visitors can look forward to interactive experiences, including traditional performances, authentic cuisine, and cultural displays. The event aims to foster community engagement and promote understanding and appreciation of the diverse cultures present in the Westman region. For more information on pavilion locations, schedules, and program details, please visit the official Westman Multicultural Festival Facebook page. The Westman Multicultural Festival is a family-friendly event, and admission is free. It's an excellent opportunity for residents and visitors alike to immerse themselves in the multicultural fabric of the community. Mark your calendars for February 6 to 8, 2025, and join in the celebration of cultural diversity at the Westman Multicultural Festival in Brandon.

(CNW Group/McDonald's Canada) The two faces of the National Hockey League are teaming up with McDonald’s for an epic “showdown” and launch of new limited-time menu items. In a new ad, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers hit the ice for a challenge to win a Big Mac, showcasing their skills and creativity, and even some competitive banter. In today's rendition, Matthews and McDavid gear up for a friendly rivalry, as they play each other for a Big Mac. In a special made-for-Quebec version of the ad, P.K. Subban joins in on the fun – chirping from the side lines. This generation's Showdown will extend beyond the ice with a limited-time Showdown menu lineup inspired by Canada's favourite game and its biggest stars. Will Canadian hockey fans prefer a classic taste and choose the Big Mac®-David or perhaps something a little adventurous like the Smoky Quarter Papi? Fans can pledge their support to #97 or #34 with their McDonald's order. Guests can watch the Showdown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C2k3LVbvmE&feature=youtu.be To kick off this power play, the Showdown menu roster includes: The Big Mac-David (Double Big Mac): Four 100% Canadian beef patties, special sauce, crisp lettuce, processed cheese, pickles, and onions, all stacked on a toasted sesame seed bun. A bold burger that leads the way, just like #97 on the ice. The Smoky Quarter Papi (Smoky BBQ Quarter Pounder): A 100% Canadian quarter pound* beef patty topped with smoky BBQ sauce, hickory-smoked bacon strips, crispy onions, pickles and two slices of processed cheese served on a toasted sesame bun. A powerhouse of flavour that brings the same fire as #34 on game day.*Before cooking. Spicy Junior Chirpy (Spicy Buffalo Junior Chicken): Made with Canadian-raised crispy seasoned chicken, topped with crunchy shredded lettuce, spicy buffalo sauce, and mayo-style sauce, all on a toasty bun. A fiery flavour that's bound to get the chirps going. The Hat Trick (Triple Cheeseburger): Three slices of processed cheese with three juicy, 100% Canadian beef patties, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard on a freshly toasted bun. A triple play of flavour for those who crave more. Power Play Poutine (Spicy Maple and Bacon Poutine): Rich gravy, melty cheese curds, spicy maple drizzle, and crispy hickory-smoked bacon on top of our World Famous Fries™. This perfect balance of sweet and spicy lights the lamp with every bite. Celly Sundae: Celebrate every bite with creamy vanilla soft serve topped with your choice of hot fudge or caramel sauce and finished with popping candy that adds a burst of excitement, just like the perfect post-goal celly on the ice. The puck drops on January 7 for the Showdown menu at participating McDonald's restaurants across Canada for a limited time. Guests can get in on the action by visiting their local McDonald's restaurant, ordering ahead using the McDonald's app, or via McDelivery®. "In the spirit of the game that unites us all, we are excited to partner with some of today's most exciting hockey stars," said Alyssa Buetikofer, Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald's Canada. "Our new Showdown menu is a tribute to the love Canadians have for hockey and McDonald's. We've combined the thrill of the game with our iconic menu items to create a lineup that's sure to score with our guests. This is more than just a meal—it's an experience that brings the excitement of a hockey showdown right to your table. We can't wait for our fans to get a taste of the action!"  

Very few businesses can claim being open for 60 years but the Main family from Brandon has done that and very successfully. In late 2024 Ryan Main and his family decided now is the time to sell Pik-A-Dilly RV Centre on the North Hill. BDNMB – Big decision to sell after 60 years I imagine Ryan Main - Sixty years is a long time! I spent the past 18 years of my life in Pik-A-Dilly, full time in one capacity or another and witnessed a LOT of changes in the business landscape in Brandon. And to think, I didn't even get to a third of the years that the business had been running for! Between Grandpa Frank and Grandma Shirley starting selling campers from a corner B&A gas station at the corner of 10th and Vic, to relocating the business to where the Victoria Inn currently sits to the current location on the North Hill, our family has been at the helm of Pik-A-Dilly. We've been a major part of thousands of families camping adventures, many through multiple generations. To look at it that way and know that our family helped so many create lasting, lifelong memories with their loved ones is something I will always be proud of. The decision was a difficult one, but it was time. I had hit a point where I was burnt out and I needed to be available to my family more readily as the kids are at an age where we can go and make our own lifelong memories and I never want to think (or have them think) that anything was 'missed' out on. The generations are different from when I was young and mom was able to be at home to now where a single income family is very rare so family time is a little harder to come by. BDNMB - What is your favorite memory Ryan Main - I have so many memories from my time in the RV industry. A few off the top of my head have to be; selling a trailer to couples that had previously purchased from both Grandpa Frank and dad (happened twice!), getting to experience Las Vegas for yearly RVDA conventions, making lifelong relationships and friendships with local business people and the connections made with local events and charities through sponsorship and donations, so many good stories and memories with past staff and customers, the family feel of a smaller staff working together, rekindling a friendship that led to getting married and having three wonderful kids happened through an industry meeting in Alberta. Having those three kids visit while Kelly was on mat leave with each of them - Alex was passed around to staff members and customers alike to get used to 'other people' besides mom and dad holding him all the time, Bennett would come up and bring coffee that he always tried to get his hands on as a baby and Colbie just had to have her hands on everything and anything she could grab (especially her "clackulator"). My dog Poncho being the unofficial greeter at the dealership and being able to have him with me at work, so many great memories I can't possibly revisit them all. BDNMB - And what would be your least favorite memory Ryan Main - My least favorite memory of my time working in a family business had to be when I first started in sales, I took a family out to show them some trailers and, being new, I answered a lot of questions with "I'm not sure of the answer to that, but I will get it for you before you leave" and having the gentleman go up one side of me and down the other for not knowing the answers to all of his questions on the spot. That actually had me briefly question whether I should even bother at all with the job as there was a certain pressure that came with the shoes to fill before me. I'm glad I stuck it out though! BDNMB - Million-dollar question what will you do now Ryan Main – As far as what's next for me, I've moved across the highway to run the parts department at Maxim Truck and Trailer. It's a little different in terms of industries, but people skills are transferable and learning new things keeps you young I've heard! All in all, at the end of the day, it was important for dad and I to find new owners that had the same, small mom and pop values that we ran the business with and we think that we found that with the group from Steinbach Trailers. It was arranged so that all of the current staff kept their positions so campers can count on a familiar voice and familiar faces for when they contact the dealership as the weather turns a little more 'camping friendly' again! My family and I won't be out of the camping industry totally, we'll just be on the other side of it enjoying our many local campgrounds in our camper with our kids. I've heard so many stories about this great camping spot or that great camping resort, now I get to experience them first hand!! BDNMB - Do you see major changes in the RV industry moving forward? Ryan Main - As far as the RV industry is concerned, there will always be changes, whether big or small, but they'll always be further behind than say the auto industry. It's such a laid back way of life. COVID times were huge as camping seemed to be the one thing that everyone could actually go out and do, so everyone who could find an RV to purchase bought one. We couldn't keep trailers in stock if we wanted to. I remember many people saying that it looked like we were going out of business with the number of trailers in stock and trying to strategically park the sales lot to make it look fuller than it was. The industry had a bit of a set back coming out of the pandemic, but it's started to come back closer to pre-pandemic levels now. I've always said that there is only so much you can do inside a box that's 30 feet (ish) long by 8 feet wide, so I don't foresee any mind-blowing changes in the near future as there would need to be so many other changes to accommodate that (DOT regulations for towing, campground changes for longer or wider units, etc). And I think that there is so much variation in floor plans and manufacturer's that automated assembly is likely a long way off for RV's.

According to a post on their Facebook page, Daring Diva Purses will be closing their Brandon location on Monday, December 30. Daring Diva Purses is a business that offers a selection of unique purses, wallets, accessories, and stylish clothing. The Brandon location first opened in June of 2024.