Westman Multicultural Festival sets dates, adds pavilions

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.
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