The City of Brandon’s annual Canada Day Celebrations at the Riverbank Discovery Centre is quickly approaching and organizers have planned a fun-filled day for those attending. This year the main stage entertainment begins at noon and the day ends with the popular fireworks show scheduled for 11:00 p.m. Throughout the day there are many activities/attractions planned including face painting, Tag 'Em Children's Entertainment and Fusion Children's Entertainment. Prairie Helicopters will be onsite offering scenic rides over the city. Just 4 Kicks, Full Flannel Jacket, Misty Street and Johnson Crook are among the main stage entertainment. A number of food vendors will also be on-site for those looking for a bite to eat. Click on the following link for a full list of the day's activities:  Cda Day 2019 Poster - FINAL.

The first few days of June promises to be very busy with several different family-themed activities planned including the Westman Dreams for Kids Country Fair, Touch-A-Truck Brandon, and the Kiwanis Kar Derby. The Kiwanis Kar Derby will be held on Saturday June 1st, on the Rideau Street hill next to Rideau Park. Participation is for children between the ages of 8 and 14. Trophies (Best Design, Most Original and Best Decorated) are presented to the winners and runners up in each age group.  The day gets underway at 9:00 AM with practice runs followed by the races at 10:00 AM. Hot Dogs, smokies, cold drinks and other goodies will be available to purchase. The Kiwanis Club of Brandon started the Kar Derby fund-raiser back in 1986. Rules and Entry forms can be found here.

Recently I had the pleasure of visiting Natural Elements Wellness Centre. They offer a variety of unique wellness services, in an incredibly beautiful spa like environment that welcomes you as soon as you step inside the front door. I would go there just to soak in the atmosphere, and shop. The treasures for sale are just another reason to go see for yourself. Candles, bath products, crystals and jewelry just to name a few! As a registered massage therapist for almost 20 years, I’ve seen and heard about all kinds of alternative therapy and couldn’t wait to try out the float tank experience at Natural Elements.  I really didn’t know what to expect, aside from my google search findings, however I did know it was going to be very salty.  How salty? 1000 pounds worth.  So floating in salty water, in a dark room, in complete isolation, void of light, sound, and smell.  Total sensory deprivation.  Sounds like fun doesn’t it.  (Of course it doesn’t, it sounds terrifying) Guess what.  I highly recommend it.  It’s anything but scary.  The atmosphere is enough to calm anyone’s frazzled nerves, and the float experience is unlike anything I’ve ever tried.  You enter a private room where there’s a place to undress and shower before entering the float chamber.  Kori Gordon, the lovely lady who’s the face behind the incredible new business, gives you a thorough run down on exactly how to prepare yourself before you float, what to do if you’d like to ask anything or need something during your float, and what to do when you’re done.  Ear plugs are provided so you don’t get the salt water in your ears, also to block sound, and a cloth and spray bottle with water can be taken into the float tank with you in case you get the salt water near your eyes.  On with the floating bit.  I’m fairly analytical, so even though I understand how salt increases the density of water which makes you float, I couldn’t quite imagine that I would float without ACTUALLY doing it myself, on purpose, because I took swimming lessons.  Guess what.  You’ll float. It’s so floaty. You can’t sink, even if you TRY.  And I tried because I’m like that. I had to see.  So if you’re scared of water, can’t swim, think you’ll fall asleep and sink, or any combination thereof, fear not. It’s not possible.  How does it feel during the experience? Well, since it was a new experience, a fascinating one at that, I spent the first 2 minutes trying to sink myself, the next 10 minutes, observing and pondering, then the next 10 trying to relax.  You know.  Stop thinking. Stop making grocery lists in my head. Stop wondering how cotton candy would taste on ice cream. Stop trying to remember the name of the cool song I heard 8 years ago on American Idol....or was it at my cousins wedding......just breathe.  After all, this is one of the main purposes of floating. It’s to shut down the senses. No seeing, no hearing, no feeling touch, (the water temperature is so perfect, ie:  not warm and not cool, that it seems to become part of you). I managed to spend the next 10 minutes simply floating. Weightless and relaxed. The session I was booked for was an hour, however I felt like it was long enough for me at the halfway point (which is remarkable for ME to lay there at all) and so I got up, showered, dressed, and went on my way.  My skin felt incredibly soft, I felt completely relaxed, and my back felt great. After 20 years as a registered massage therapist, I have a few of my own aches and pains that could use a little work.  I will definitely be going back to float again!  The therapeutic benefits are undeniable and I highly recommend it to anyone! Natural Elements Wellness is located at 2940 Victoria Avenue South. 

The third annual Wheat City 5km fun run, put on by Anytime Fitness Brandon, is slated to take place on Saturday, September 7. The event hosted by Grand Valley Campground features hilled terrain, mud, a maze, inflatable obstacles, agility obstacles, a foam finish and much more. The event is open to all fitness levels and participants (12+) and is a rain or shine event. Prizes will be awarded for best dressed individual and best dressed team. There will be food and concessions available as well as a 18+ beer garden with proceeds going to Westman Dreams For Kids. This year campsites (18+ only) are available through Grand Valley Campground at a rate of $10/person. For more information, or to register,  please visit their Facebook event page.

Legendary Canadian rocker Burton Cummings will be bringing his "Up Close and Alone Tour" to Brandon's WMCA on Monday, September 30. The Canadian singer and songwriter is a six-time Juno Award-winner and the former lead singer and keyboardist for The Guess Who. His solo work includes such hits as “Stand Tall” and “My Own Way to Rock.” Tickets go on sale on the 21st of May at 10:00am.  Tickets will be available at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium Box Office, or by calling 204-728-9510.