Ukrainian Pavilion in the Ukrainian Reading Association Hall from January 31 to February 2, 2013. (Holly Kalyniuk / The Quill)
Canada prides itself on being a multicultural country. Brandon, too, prides itself on being multicultural, as does Brandon University. What better way is there to celebrate such diversity than to experience some of the cultures that make up our own various levels of community? One of the easiest ways to immerse yourself in another culture for a short while is to attend Brandon’s Westman Multicultural Festival (formerly known as the Lieutenant Governor’s Winter Festival). The dates for this annual event in 2017 are set to be January 26th, 27th, and 28th.
This year seven pavilions will be open to display their cultures to the attending patrons, those being Scottish, Mauritian, Irish, English, Filipino, Ukrainian, and Honduran.
Scottish: This is the 14th year that the Scottish pavilion has been apart of the festival, run by the Westman Scottish Association, meaning it has been with the festival since it’s inception. It is located at the Imperial Ballroom in the Victoria Inn (3550 Victoria Ave) and is wheelchair accessible. It is open 6:00-11:00pm on the 26th, 6:00pm-1:00am on the 27th, and 1:00-11:00pm on the 28th, with show times at 3:00pm, 7:00pm, and 9:00pm featuring traditional Scottish dancers and musicians. Food available for purchase includes haggis, meat pies, and shortbread.
Mauritian: This is the 5th year of the Mauritian pavilion’s operation, run by the Mauritius Cultural Association of Brandon. It is located at St. Matthew’s Cathedral (403 13th St) and is wheelchair accessible. It is open 6:00-11:00pm on the 26th and 27th, and 1:00pm-Midnight on the 28th, with shows starting at the beginning of every hour featuring traditional music. Food available for purchase includes BBQ ribs, fried noodles, farata, rougaille, kheer, alouda, and corn flour pudding.
Irish: This is the 14th year of the Irish pavilion’s operation, run by the Irish Society of Western Manitoba. It is located in the Regency Ballroom in the Royal Oak Inn (3130 Victoria Ave) and is wheelchair accessible. It is open 6:00-10:00pm on the 26th, 6:00pm-Midnight on the 27th, and 1:00pm-1:00am on the 28th, with several live musicians and dancers slated to perform at various times. Food available for purchase includes Irish stew, scones, barmbrack, shortbread, and tarts.
English: This is the 10th year of the English pavilion’s operation, run by the English Society of Brandon. It is located in the Grand Salon in the Victoria Inn (3550 Victoria Ave) and is wheelchair accessible. It is open 6:00-10:00pm on the 26th, 6:00pm-1:00am on the 27th, and 1:00pm-1:00am on the 28th, and will feature The Beetles (a Beatles cover band) each night. Food available for purchase includes “authentic English pub grub” (Bangers and Mash), apple crumble, and blackberry crumble.
Filipino: This is the 7th year of the Filipino/Philippine pavilion’s operation, run by the Westman Filipino Community. It is located in the Ukrainian National Home (1133 Stickney Ave) and is wheelchair accessible. It is closed on the 26th, open 6:00-11:00pm on the 27th, and 1:00-11:00pm on the 28th, with dancers and bands performing every hour. Food available for purchase includes pancit, pork and chicken adobo, kanin, lumpiang, and pandesal.
Ukrainian: This is the 14th year of the Ukrainian pavilion’s operation, run by the Troyanda School of Ukrainian Dance. It is located in the Ukrainian Reading Hall (1005 Assiniboine Ave) and is wheelchair accessible. It is open 6:00-11:00pm on the 26th and 27th, and 1:00pm-Midnight on the 28th, with entertainment including live music and traditional dance. Food available for purchase includes borscht, perogies, cabbage rolls, and koubassa.
Honduran: This is the 3rd year of the Honduran pavilion’s operation, run by the Brandon Honduran Society. It is located in Knox United Church (451 18th St) and is wheelchair accessible. It is open 6:00-11:00pm on the 26th and 27th, and 1:00-11:00pm on the 28th, with dancers performing every hour. Food available for purchase includes baleadas, Honduran tacos, and Honduran pastelitos.
All of the pavilions are accessible by public transport, and the festival’s website outlines which bus stops are closest to each of the pavilions at www.gotothepavilions.com.
Last year 32,000 people attended the pavilions from Brandon and the surrounding area, which is roughly 60% of Brandon’s population (according to the Statistics Canada 2011 census). But such a large event catering to so many people requires a lot of assistance, and as is stated on the festival’s website, 1,000 volunteers are generally required to ensure that the event runs smoothly. For information on how you can get involved, contact Wanda Kurchaba (Secretary of the Westman Multicultural Festival Society at kurch@wcgwave.ca or 204-720-8177.
Republished from The Quill print edition, Volume 107, Issue 18, January 17, 2017.