As the sun sets and the leaves rustle in the chilly October breeze, the world begins its transformation into a realm of mysterious shadows and spine-tingling stories. It's the season of Halloween, and Grand Valley Provincial Park is the perfect backdrop for a Halloween adventure. With costumed actors and horrifying prop designs, those who dare to enter should be prepared for heart-pounding scares at the Grim Valley Haunted Campground. Starting tomorrow (October 19), visitors will leave with an unforgettable Halloween experience. October 19th-31st  3-9pm Daily (No Scare” Zone 3-5pm) $10 Entry,  $5 Under 18 and under 5 Free *cash only Grand Valley Park – 8 kms west of Brandon, MB http://www.grandvalleypark.com

Breaking away from the well-trodden path of major cities and bustling music hubs, The Sheepdogs are gearing up for a Canadian tour that will bring their electrifying live show to the heart of communities often overlooked by touring musicians. As a testament to their commitment to music lovers who've grown accustomed to traveling long distances to catch a live concert, the band’s tour spotlights many towns and places that rarely grace the tour schedules of renowned artists. With dates in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and 6 shows in rural Quebec, the tour reaffirms The Sheepdogs’ dedication to their fanbase, promising unforgettable nights of rock 'n' roll magic. More dates will be announced when available. See below for a full routing and check the band’s website for ticket information. “We’re a band from Saskatoon, so we are no strangers to having to travel to bigger cities to see concerts. Because of this, it’s always been a mission for this band to not just play the big cities, but smaller cities and towns across this nation as well. From our experience, this is where some of the biggest music fans live. You shouldn’t be denied live music in your hometown, just because you don’t live in a major city.” In anticipation of the upcoming Canadian run, The Sheepdogs have released a captivating concert film capturing two unforgettable sold-out nights at the Shore Club in the picturesque small town of Hubbards, Nova Scotia - population 401. Directed by Mat Dunlap, the 35-minute doc offers a glimpse behind the curtain with behind-the-scenes highlights, interviews, and stunningly captured concert footage starring the charismatic lineup of Ewan Currie, Shamus Currie, Ryan Gullen, Sam Corbett, and Ricky Paquette. The Sheepdogs' latest studio release, Outta Sight, has garnered international acclaim and was nominated for Rock Album of the Year at the 2023 JUNO Awards. The band has notably maintained a single in the Top 20 for an impressive 62 consecutive.: “Keep On Loving You”, and “Rock and Roll (Ain't No Simple Thing)” from the band’s 2021 EP No Simple Thing, and “Find The Truth” from their latest effort Outta Sight. 2023. They have played over 145 shows internationally in the past year, including numerous trips around North America, the UK, Europe and Australia. The quintessential quintet are currently on tour in Europe where they enjoyed an incredibly successful tour in 2022, bringing people together in a celebration of rock & roll and good times with their signature ‘guitarmonies’ and killer live shows. The tour sees the band hitting up 15 countries before heading back to Canada for a well-deserved break. 2024 Canadian Tour Dates Jan 19 - Parry Sound, ON - Stockey Centre Jan 20 - Sault Ste Marie, ON - Machine Shop Jan 21 - Thunder Bay, ON - Community Auditorium Jan 23 - Brandon, MB - Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium Jan 24 - Moose Jaw, SK - Mae Wilson Theatre Jan 25 - Prince Albert, SK - EA Rawlinson Centre for the Arts Jan 26 - Fort Saskatchewan, AB - Dow Centennial Centre Shell Theatre Jan 27 - Cranbrook, BC - Key City Theatre Jan 29 - Medicine Hat, AB - Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre Jan 31 - Grande Prairie, AB - J Cardinal Theatre Feb 01 - Fort St. John, BC - North Peace Cultural Centre Feb 03 - Prince George, BC - Vanier Hall Mar 14 - Oshawa, ON - Biltmore Theatre Mar 15 - Wingham, ON - Town Hall Mar 16 - Chatham, ON - Capitol Theatre Mar 18 - Lindsay, ON - Flato Academy Mar 21 - Drummondville, QC - Espace Mandeville Mar 22 - Saint-Hyacinthe, QC - Centre des Arts Juliette-Lassonde Mar 23 - St-Jean-sure-Richelieu, QC - Cabaret-Théâtre du Vieux-St-Jean Mar 28 - Répentigny, QC - Théâtre Alphonse-Desjardins Mar 29 - Waterloo, QC - Maison de la Culture de Waterloo Mar 30 - Saint-Casimir, QC - Théâtre Les Grands Bois

Departing Montreal on November 21, The CPKC Holiday Train embarks on it’s annual trip across Canada. Now in its 25th season, The Holiday Train has raised more than $22.5 million and collected 5 million pounds of food in the process. While the train is not scheduled to make an appearance in Brandon in 2023, it will be making several other stops in neighboring communities including Portage, Neepawa, Minnedosa, & Shoal Lake. In addition to an amazing display of lights the CP Holiday Train will also have on board performers Anyway Gang, a Canadian band featuring Dave Monks from Tokyo Police Club, Sam Roberts from Sam Roberts Band, Menno Versteeg from Hollerado, and Chris Murphy from Sloan. Dec. 4 11:15 a.m. 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Portage La Prairie, Man. Opposite Centennial Arena, 390 – 1st Street Anyway Gang 2:35 p.m. 2:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Neepawa, Man. CPKC Railway Station between Moutain Avenue and Currie Avenue Anyway Gang 4:00 p.m. 4:15 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Minnedosa, Man. West of CPKC Station, North side of rail yard (30 - 2nd Avenue NW) Anyway Gang 7:15 p.m. 7:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Shoal Lake, Man. Gravel lot adjacent grain elevator on North Railway Avenue Anyway Gang The full list of Canadian stops can be found here.

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."