Preparations for the 2nd annual Food Truck Warz in Brandon are well underway as we have spent the last several days confirming the list of trucks who will be participating downtown in September 2018. Those who attended the first event will be happy to hear many of your favourite tucks will be returning including: The Churro Stop, Smoked & Sauced, Mikey D's BBQ, Tot Wheels & KYU Grill. With additional space to work with, and with a desire to offer our guests more selection, we are also pleased to announce that we have at least 8 new vendors making their first appearance at Food Truck Warz. Over the next several months we will be introducing these additional acquisitions to our roster on our website at www.foodtruckwarz.com. Below is just a small sampling of photos of some of the food you can expect to be served from the new vendors at Food Truck Warz 2. The offical Facebook event page for Food Truck Warz 2018 can be found here.

The Westman Multicultural Festival (formerly the Lieutenant Governor’s Winter Festival) is pleased to announce that nine pavilions will be showcased in the 2018 event, which is two more than last year. The upcoming Festival will be held February 1-3, 2018. After taking a brief hiatus for one year, the Festival Society is pleased to welcome the Métis Pavilion back. This pavilion will be located at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium. Two other new pavilions include India and Mexico. Carlos Munoz and Diana Brana will host a pavilion for Mexico, which hasn’t been part of the event for a number of years. “We’re very excited to share our culture again with our community. We will have all the great things that people love about Mexico and so that we’re as authentic as possible, our entertainers will be coming to Canada from Mexico specifically to perform at the Festival,” said Munoz. Gautam Srivastava, coordinator of the Indian Pavilion, said they are anticipating a lot of interest in the Indian culture as it hasn’t been showcased in this capacity before. “We’ve been taking part in smaller events throughout the year in Brandon with a very positive response, but hosting a pavilion for three days will allow us to share even more of our customs and traditions. We’re pleased to be part of this multicultural event that is 15 years in the running,” said Srivastava. The returning pavilions for 2018 include: England, Honduras, Ireland, Philippines, Scotland and Ukraine. As the various cultural groups plan to host thousands of visitors over the course of three days, event details are still being finalized. Up to date information will be added to the Festival website - gotothepavilions.com as it becomes available. The Westman Multicultural Festival is a celebration of the broad cultural diversity within the Westman region. This signature event in Brandon has become a welcome winter respite as festival goers enjoy warm friendship, food, beverages, entertainment, art and customs from around the world. The festival is entirely run by volunteers recruited by the various cultural societies and associations that host the pavilions. In the past, well over 1000 volunteers are needed to help make the Festival run smoothly. As in the past, admission is free. Details on the Westman Multicultural Festival can be at: www.gotothepavilions.com. Follow us on Twitter @wmmfest, on Instagram, Facebook & Snapchat /wmmfest. #gotothepavilions #pavilions2018

Local event organizers are pleased to announce that not only will Food Truck Warz continue in Brandon next year, the event is expanding and changing locations. The event, organized by Darryl Wolski and Jody Sass, is slated to run September 14-16, 2018 and will be held in Downtown Brandon at Princess Park. “Moving the event to downtown Brandon allows us to offer more to our guests and invite additional  vendors to participate,” said Jody Sass, co-organizer. “As such, we’re very pleased to announce that Wonder Shows will be part of Food Truck Warz 2. In working with the Brandon Downtown Development Corporation, we wanted to ensure that we have enough space for everyone to enjoy the amazing variety of food, as well as the fantastic entertainment.” Wonder Shows is based out of Winnipeg and has been in existence for over 54 years. They typically travel throughout the province to major fairs and festivals such as the Morden Corn & Apple Festival to provide family entertainment. With this being their debut appearance in Brandon, they are looking forward to entertaining people of all ages with a variety of rides and other attractions. “We’re really excited about coming to Brandon. It’s a great event and it will be a really good fit for us. There will be something for everyone, we’ll create a fun carnival atmosphere to complement the food vendors,” said Ken Kiernicki, Owner of Wonder Shows. Elisabeth Saftiuk, Executive Director of the Brandon Downtown Development Corporation, said that festivals and events like this have the ability to promote community pride and attract visitors, which benefits the local economy. “We will welcome thousands of visitors into the downtown for this event and we fully anticipate that these visitors will take advantage of downtown Brandon’s many unique amenities, including its specialty retail and trendy coffee shops. Truly, it is initiatives such as this that help to create positive change in our downtown and help to make our city’s core a more desirable place to live, shop, dine and visit. Vibrant downtowns create smart, healthy cities and I am thrilled that this event will be held downtown next year; it’s where it belongs,” said Saftiuk. In addition, due to the overwhelming response to the first-ever event held earlier this year, organizers will add seven more food trucks to help eliminate long wait times, they’ve added an extra day and they will have DJ’s performing all weekend long. The event will kick-off at 5 p.m. on Friday, September 14, 2018. To accommodate returning and new vendors, guests and to create a fun festival atmosphere various streets will be closed during the event. This includes Princess Avenue from 8th Street to 10th Street, 9th Street from Lorne Avenue to Rosser Avenue and 8th Street from Lorne Avenue to Princess Avenue. “The success of 2017 shocked nobody more than myself. The people of Brandon and Western Manitoba proved that they want these types of events and we hope to continue this for years to come. We can’t wait for Food Truck Warz 2,” said Darryl Wolski, co-organizer. Close to 20,000 people attended the two-day event in September, enjoying great eats from 18 different vendors. Facebook Event Page Food Truck Warz Web Site

A winter sleigh ride is a wonderful way to take in the sights and sounds of winter. It's also a perfect way to enjoy this winter wonderland during family outings, wedding parties, conventions and holidays. Our Lil Barnyard, located approximately 15 minutes from Brandon, offers 30-45 minute sleigh rides along a beautiful trail through a peaceful snow covered bush on the south side of the Brandon Hills. They also have available a fire-pit area for you to gather around with your group or family. They can accommodate either large (15-20), or small groups, and are currently accepting bookings most evenings and weekends. Daytime bookings may be available for larger groups. Pricing for a group of 10, or more, is only $8 a person, and for groups of less than 10 the minimum cost is $80. The fire-pit rental is available for $20/half hour use. To book a ride please contact them at 204-728-3645 or email jenn.neufeld@yahoo.ca.  

Here is the BDNMB.CA look at what is happening on New Year's Eve. The 40 – Will feature live music from Daisy Chain and party favors for only $5.00 Double Decker Tavern – Will feature live music from Ghost Town Hall Lady of the Lake – Will feature live entertainment from Chris Ghidoni Band Prairie Firehouse – Live music from Brandon’s Just 4 Kicks with special Chef's Menu Sand Hills Casino Carberry – Live music featuring Pop Vegas (Free of Charge) Tavern United – Live Entertainment from The Beetles $49.00 The Dock on Princess – Live music from Clubbing Fraggles. $10.00 advance $15.00 door Houstons - DJ's Kaotik & DJ Rahdil & City Wide doors open 9 pm and closes at 3 am