The sixth annual Food Truck Warz event will be taking place at the Keystone Centre in Brandon from September 15-17. The three-day event pits some of the province's best trucks against each other for a battle of the best. While foodies in Brandon are anxiously awaiting their opportunity to try the offerings from the 28 different vendors, the food trucks themselves have had this date circled on their calendar for some time as well. Darren Zembik, owner of the extremely popular Wings-n-Fries food truck, is looking forward to participating in the event for the 5th time. "We enjoy the event in Brandon due to the amount of people that support the food trucks. Also the setup of the food trucks and the location are ideal." Zembik told bdnmb.ca. The affable Zembik, who also operates a mini-donut and lemonade truck (Lemon Train), participants in 3 events annually that are similar to the Brandon Food Truck Warz. "I would rank the Brandon Food Truck Warz very high on a scale a solid 10. The amount of thought and advertising to promote this event is done to the max to assure the event is a success". Regina's Tim Philip (Frying Deautschmann) participated for the first time in 2022 and is returning to the event in 2023. The summer is a very busy time of year for Philip who is extremely active on the food truck scene in Saskatchewan. "Brandon is our only Manitoba event at the moment. We love coming to Brandon because I grew up in Souris and still have family in the area" said Philip. The well decorated truck recently won the judges favorite (Nashville Hot Schnitzel Sandwich) at Regina's Food Truck Wars. "The event (Brandon's Food Truck Warz) itself is unique because it has the midway, and great services for vendors". For information on this year's event, please click here. To visit the Facebook event page, click here.

The KENNY VS SPENNY 20 Year Anniversary Tour will be making a stop in Brandon on Friday, September 29 at Houstons. The Canadian comedy duo had a  television series for many years which pitted the 2 best friends against each other in competitions with the loser having to complete an act of humiliation, usually selected by the winner. The show ran for six seasons with the last episode coming in December of 2010. Tickets to the event are available online. The show starts at 8:30pm an doors open at 7:30.

A new festival is being launched in Brandon, MB.  Hatch is a two day block party style festival taking place on parking Lot 2A of the Brandon University campus.  Surrounded by the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium, and Brandon University’s schools of music and education, Hatch features creative site-making as part of its transformation of a school parking lot into a community focused music and art event. Due to the nature of the site, only 500 tickets are available per day.  While taking place on the university campus, the event is for all in Westman.  Knowing that Brandon is a growing city and having a vision for how music, art and community can come together to change lives, Hatch is focused on bringing people together and creating an opportunity for guests to have uplifting, celebratory experiences.  We look forward to Hatch becoming a deeply loved staple in the Westman annual calendar.  The debut lineup of artists includes a collection of celebrated former Brandon artists who have gone on to big things across North America: Field Guide (Dylan MacDonald, formerly of The Middle Coast) Calgary-based Roots/Country trailblazer JJ Shiplett New Orleans-style party outfit The Dirty Catfish Brass Band Producer and songwriter (and formerly of The Middle Coast) Roman Clarke  Other musical performers include JUNO nominated roots powerhouse duo The Small Glories, and up and coming singer-songwriter Cassidy Mann, fresh off a tour with Donovan Woods.  Former Brandon saxophonist Sean Irvine joins Touching for their first performance since putting out two albums, Isolation Blues and littleworlds.  JUNO-nominated Burnstick is a husband-and-wife duo comprised of Francophone-Métis singer-songwriter Nadia, and Jason, a Plains-Cree guitarist.  Contemporary dancers Sophie Milord & Jace Hodges will create an improvised performance in one of Hatch’s creative stage spaces. Visual artist Casey Koyczan’s playful work will surround the audience.  Longtime Montreal-based violist Jen Thiessen has recently returned to Manitoba. Originally from Austin, Manitoba, Jen has traveled the world playing classical new music and is now the Artistic Director of Virtuosi. She will be leading performances by Daily Alice and Classics By Candlelight.  Additional artists will be announced over the coming month.  Hatch partners with landscape architect Mark Bauche (HTFC Planning & Design) for creative site design that enhances guest’s experience with immersive space-making creativity.  Hatch is produced by Michael Falk. Michael's company Head In The Sand is perhaps best known as a record label, from 2009 to 2017 they released albums by Iceland’s Apparat Organ Quartet, Royal Canoe, Rococode, Les Jupes, VIKINGS, Ismaila Alfa, and more. Since then the company shifted its focus to artist management and special events. Recently, Falk has been producing concerts for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (including the WSO’s concerts at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium), and previously produced Jazz Winnipeg’s festival. In 2016, Michael produced SpaceLand, a pop-up block party event that was well-loved, the idea sticking in the back of his mind, wanting a new life. And here we are.  TICKET INFO $30 per day $50 for both days Available at hatchfest.ca Hatch is 18+.

With roughly 5,000 people a night Rockin the Fields 2023 is over.   Thank you to Jeremy Champagne of Scramble Studio for the photos he had taken over the weekend. Thank you Rob and Kamryn for providing prizes and press passes for BDNMB.CA

A one day Summer Multicultural Celebration is taking place today at the Brandon Riverbank Discovery Centre. Live entertainment from 9 countries, food trucks, free admission, shopping, & more. Activities run until 10pm.