Geordie Kieffer will be bringing his Bad Girl Tour Tour to Brandon on Friday, October 25. Kieffer is known for viral songs like Red Line, Swinger and ICON KILLER. His Brandon show is slated to take place at Houstons starting at 10pm on the Friday, with the doors for the show opening at 9pm. Tickets for the show are available here. Kieffer, from Los Angeles, last performed in Brandon on Friday, September 22 (2023).

Great news for movie lovers in Westman, the Shamrock Drive In in Killarney recently announced that they are opening for the season on Friday, May 17. They also announced their first feature film for the 2024 season; KUNG FU PANDA 4. The gates open 1/2 hour before sundown, movies typically begin roughly 15-20 min after sundown. Concession includes popcorn, drinks, candy, nachos and cheese and more. The sound is transmitted straight to your car stereo through their FM transmitter on 88.3 FM. The Drive In re-opened in the summer of 2021 after having been closed for repairs/upgrades since May of 2015. For additional information and brief history of the drive in, please visit this link. For upcoming movies/dates/times, please visit their Facebook page here.

This year marks the 12th Annual Brandon Beer Tasting Festival, presented by the Sunset Rotary Club of Brandon. This is a well-established event showcasing over 100 types of beer. The event will be held at the Victoria Inn on Saturday April 27, 2024. Fundraising in support of YWCA Westman Women's Shelter, local youth programs, local scholarships, environmental programs, and other charitable programs. Come and taste all types of beer, network, have fun and have some food, all for the price of $35 per ticket! The Facebook event page is located here. Tickets sold at all local Liquor Marts or their Facebook page or sunsetrotary@hotmail.com.

Country Music legends Sawyer Brown announce Fall 2024 Canadian dates alongside Shenandoah and special guest George Fox. Kicking off in Edmonton on Oct 17th, the run will visit multiple Canadian cities including Westoba Place at the Keystone Centre in Brandon, MB on October 27. Tickets to all dates go on sale this Friday, April 19th at the Keystone Centre Box Office (204-726-3555), and on-line at ticketmaster.ca. When asked what has set Sawyer Brown apart in the music business to account for four decades of success, lead singer and frontman Mark Miller answers, “One of the unique things about the band is we don’t really have a lot of love songs. We have life songs.” Years before The Voice and American Idol, there was Star Search with Ed McMahon. In the first season, an eclectic and charismatic country-rock band appeared on the show, taking America by storm. After being told no time after time in Nashville showcases, Sawyer Brown won over millions of fans with their electrifying TV performances week after week in Hollywood. Capturing the hearts of all ages, their sound was compared to country super-groups like Alabama and Charlie Daniels Band, but they looked more like the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith. Riding on the wave of sudden TV popularity, the band spent their first year-and-a-half on the road with country and pop icon Kenny Rogers, opening his shows in arenas across the U.S., all while learning from the best. From there, Sawyer Brown began to quickly carve out their own niche, delivering hit after hit, selling out venues, and constantly wowing an ever-growing fanbase. Navigating the music business on their own terms, the band blazed a new trail through uncharted territory to constantly beat the odds and win the day in the volatile world of the entertainment industry. Since 1984, the band’s high-energy reputation, uncompromising dedication to their fans, along with their relentless drive to stay true to themselves have never wavered. For the past forty years, “the boys” legendary live shows have captivated audiences with no signs of ever slowing down. Today, Sawyer Brown just keeps on delivering their unapologetically blue-collar, grass-roots message through music. One of their fan-favorite songs says it all: “They were searchin’ for stars when we came along, it was rock ’n roll in a country song, there were five of us thinking that we can, this is the life and times of a travelin’ band.” Fans will also be treated to the sounds of Shenandoah. Marty Raybon and Mike McGuire formed Shenandoah in 1984 in Muscle Shoals, Alabama with bassist Ralph Ezell, keyboardist Stan Thorn and guitarist Jim Seales. Shenandoah inked a deal with Columbia Records and began establishing a national fan base with their self-titled debut in 1987. However, it was the band’s sophomore effort, The Road Not Taken, that spawned their first top ten hits, "She Doesn't Cry Anymore" and "Mama Knows." The group followed with three consecutive No. 1 hits, "Church on Cumberland Road," "Sunday in the South" and "Two Dozen Roses." "The Church on Cumberland Road" spent two weeks at the top of the chart and made country music history as it marked the first time that a country band's first No. 1 single spent more than one week at the summit. Shenandoah became known for delivering songs that celebrated the importance of faith and family while reveling in the joys of small town life. "Next to You, Next to Me" topped the charts for three weeks and "Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart," a beautiful duet with Alison Krauss, won a Country Music Association Award for Vocal Event of the year and a GRAMMY® for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Shenandoah also won the Academy of Country Music’s Vocal Group of the Year in 1991. The group currently consists of original members Marty Raybon (lead), Mike McGuire (drums) along with Paul Sanders (bass), Donnie Allen (acoustic guitar/fiddle), Andrew Ishee (keys), Nicky V Hines (guitar). Legendary Canadian singer George Fox will open the shows. Fox has a mantle of country music awards, has recorded 11 albums, opened for some of the biggest names in country music, and headlined sold out shows coast to coast. Throughout the eighties, George opened for country greats like Randy Travis, Dolly Parton, George Strait and Willie Nelson. In 1995, George was honoured by his hometown of Cochrane, Alberta with the naming of a local roadway ‘George Fox Trail’. In 2022, George was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.

The Manitoba government is freezing provincial park fees for this camping season, Environment and Climate Change Minister Tracy Schmidt announced today. “Manitobans are starting to plan trips to our beautiful provincial parks and our government knows affordability is top of mind for many families,” said Schmidt. “That’s why we’re freezing provincial park pass fees and camping fees this season. While the previous government opted to privatize park passes which raised fees, our government is focused on keeping parks affordable and accessible for Manitoba families.” In 2020, the Manitoba government announced it was signing a contract with an American-based service provider to administer the park pass program. The fees associated with the contract were scheduled to increase this year. In Budget 2024, the Manitoba government is investing $46 million in Manitoba parks. The government is taking action to make sure no Manitoban has to pay more to enjoy the province’s beautiful parks, the minister noted, adding Manitoba has some of the most affordable park entrance and camping fees in North America. Additionally, several times a year, the Manitoba government offers free provincial park entry, meaning a vehicle permit is not required to visit one of Manitoba’s parks. This includes a free parks entry during a week in July, the Labour Day long weekend and the entire month of February. Upcoming free provincial park entry dates include: June 7 to 9; July 15 to 21; Aug. 30 to Sept. 2; and Feb. 1 to 28, 2025. Campsite reservations for the 2024 season opened earlier this week. This year, reservations are staggered over five days to accommodate the high demand and make it easier for Manitobans to book a site at their favourite campground. To see the detailed list of campground reservation opening days, visit www.manitobaparks.com.