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"Kupalo" is the term used to describe the Ukrainian tradition of welcoming the summer solstice.
A special Kupalo ceremony will be held Saturday night as part of Kupalofest in Garland.
The ceremony takes place before dusk near the airplane in Garland, but organizer Anastasya Fyk says there will be a number of workshops beginning today (Friday) and going throughout the weekend as part of the festival.
"Lots of crafting, such as belt weaving, herb gathering and making teas with the herbs. There will be singing, specifically Polyphonic singing, which is many voices coming together, as well as social dancing. And any musicians are welcome to bring their instruments, as there will be instrumental workshops as well as jaming."
There will also be a dance tonight (Friday), and a DJ after the Kupalo ceremony on Saturday.
The event wraps up with a pancake breakfast on Sunday, which is $15 to attend and not included in the weekend pass.
Weekend passes are $125, and are available at Ruff's Furniture in Dauphin, Old September in Gilbert Plains, LB's in Ethelbert, and Sheila's Lucky Dollar in Pine River, or online at Kupalofest.ca.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Erickson's Little Valley Jamboree kicks off today, and it's more than just a music festival. It's a way to bring people together to help make a difference for 2 Manitoba kids. It kicks off this evening at 6:00 PM and runs to midnight, then fires back up tomorrow at noon through midnight.
Toni Ferguson, Event Chairperson, said though it's a music festival on paper, there's a lot more than music this weekend.
"Our kids zone outside, bouncy castles, face painting, temporary tattoos, money mountain, all the favourites. Plus we have a silent auction that runs throughout both days, and a live auction on Saturday evening. Saturday afternoon is our meet the recipients, and our presentation to the families," said Ferguson.
Each year, the festival features 2 recipients of donations to help with medical care. This year's recipients are nothing short of extrordinary. Reese Sheane of Miniota, was recently diagnosed with Lennox Gastaut Syndrome, a very rare form of childhood epilepsy. Nathan Huhtala of Forrest lives with a CMV (Cytomegalovirus) diagnosis, and has been through several surgeries.
"They're both amazing little humans. They are from Forrest and Miniota, so both from different parts of the province, and small towns, so not a lot of resources for them to get to where they need to be for things...our families are amazing. And they put in the work too, they sell tickets, they get prizes, they get donations, they're there working alongside us," said Ferguson.
Ferguson has been invovled with the Little Valley Jamboree for around 5 years now, and she said it's been an honour.
"Everybody is there for a common reason, and you can feel it. And to me, that's what keeps it going, that's what makes it special," said Ferguson.
Tickets are $30 for the weekend, and $20 for individual days. Kids 17 and under are free. For more details about Erickson's Little Valley Jamboree, click here to visit their website.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
The Manitoba Youth Job Centre is hosting an open house in Dauphin on Friday, from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM, at 135 2nd Ave NE.
Anna Nikkel, Manitoba Youth Job Centre Program Assistant, answered some questions about what the organization does in an emailed statement.
"The Manitoba Youth Job Centre operated by the Government of Manitoba, provides community-based summer youth employment skills throughout rural and northern Manitoba. This program operates from May throughout August. This year we are celebrating 50 years of our program's opening," part of the statement read.
The Dauphin Open House will feature resume and cover letter help, interview preparation, and career planning assistance. Considering some of the challenges youth face when entering the workforce, these services are a big help.
"According to Statistics Canada, Canada's youth unemployment rate has increased from roughly 11% before the pandemic to over 13% in 2025, with peaks nearing 15% — the highest non-pandemic levels seen in more than a decade. This has become a large barrier for youth looking to obtain their first job. That is where we can help. We can help youth strengthen their confidence by creating strong resumes, helping them develop transferable skills, and gain work-related experience," read part of the statement.
They will also have information about their Odd Job Squad at the open house, designed to get young teens more hands-on work and volunteer experience in the community.
"Our Odd Job Squad program is designed for youth ages 13 to 16 and provides supervised casual first work and volunteer experiences for young people looking to gain hands-on career-related skills and experience demanded by employers. Some examples of events we've had in the past include freezie sales, car washes, and donut drives," read part of the statement.
For more information, click here to visit their Facebook post about the Dauphin Open House.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
This year's largest graduating class in the Parkland is set to receive their diplomas on Friday.
337 students are graduating from Swan Valley Regional Secondary school.
Jacquie Mydynski-Arp is principal of the school.
"The staff and kids will come in, and they will take a picture outside on the football field. The ceremony then starts at 3 at the school. We will have our banquet at the curling centre, followed by the grand march, and then safe grad starting at 10, also at the curling rink."
Mydynski-Arp says this year's graduating class can best be described as resilient.
"They have gone through many things, life-changing events from losing parents to the current flooding. You name it, these kids are very resilient."
Mydynski-Arp also wanted to send a special thank you to her students for stepping up and helping others during the recovery efforts from the recent flooding in the area.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Spots are filling up fast.
KidsPlay is back in Gilbert Plains, and the first day is right around the corner. Emma Steven runs the program Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding statutory holidays. It's open to kids aged 4 to 12, and it's $10 per full day.
You can book a single day for your child or as many as you would like. Your child needs to take a lunch for most days, but there are a few treats in store.
"We have a few days planned where the kids will make their own pizza," said Steven. "We also have some picnics with hot dogs planned."
Your child is also asked to pack an extra change of clothes. Also pack bug spray, hats, sunscreen, and bottled water for the days when activities are planned outside.
And speaking of activities, the docket is loaded.
"We have lots of splash park days in Gilbert down at the golf course, a few pool days in Grandview, and Dauphin," Steven ended. "Bake days and museum days. We also participate in two parades, the Grandview Mud Bog and the Gilbert Fair and Rodeo."
Limited spaces are available. If you want to register your child, call the Municipal Office in Gilbert Plains at 548-2326.
The first day is Thursday, July 2.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Around 50 kids from 6 local 4-H clubs will take part in this year's Dauphin and District 4-H Beef and Sheep show and sale.
The event is set for Thursday, June 25th at Rotary Arena,with judging exercises in the morning, followed by the show in the afternoon, and the sale beginning at 6 pm.
Organizing committee member Chantall Aime hopes the community will come out and support these kids for all of the hard work they have put in over the past year.
"When the buyers, or even just friends and family come out and support the sale, they are not just purchasing quality, locally raised beef or sheep, they are also investing in the next generation of agriculture. The support of our buyers and sponsors and community members helps make these projects possible. And it encourages our youth to keep learning valuable skills such as responsibility, communication, animal husbandry, and leadership."
Activities continue on Friday with marketing, team grooming, and showmanship events.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
The RM of Dauphin is home to a lot of local businesses and shops, and the Municipality wants to help shine a spotlight on that. They'll soon have a Local Businesses, Makers, & Creators Showcase on their website.
In a Facebook post, they said the steps to participate are fairly easy.
"Whether you run a small business, create handmade products, grow something amazing, offer services, or have a local side hustle, we invite you to be featured on the RM of Dauphin website," read part of the post.
If you want your business or products featured on their website, send them your business or contact information, a few pictures of your services, products, or workspace, and a short description of what you do. You can either message them on Facebook, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
If you're in Neepawa and have noticed a slight drop in water pressure recently, there's no cause for alarm. The Town of Neepawa has started cleaning and inspecting the water tower.
Denis Saquet, Operations Manager, said according to the town's records, they haven't drained and cleaned the tower in a while...since it was built in the '80s!
"The tower was constructed in 1982, and to our records, it has never been drained for inspection and a full cleaning of the interior. So this is a full cleaning, and then we'll do an investigative report based on the contractor we've hired, they'll go through and identify any deficiencies that we need to repair. In all likelihood, those repairs will not happen this year," said Saquet.
The town has said the inspection and cleaning will take a maximum of 2 weeks, but Saquet expects it to be complete much sooner. Until then, the drop in water pressure will be the only noticeable effect for residents.
"Now that we've taken the tower offline, we're controlling all pressure. We've got it dialed in pretty good now from the water treatment plant, the guys are just doing all the pump control there," said Saquet.
If any repairs are needed for the water tower, Saquet said those will be handled in next year's budget.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
On Friday, there's lots of things going on at the Dauphin Friendship Centre to mark a special day: this year is the 30th anniversary of National Indigenous People's Day.
Jarri Thompson, Events Coordinator at the Dauphin Friendship Centre, went over a few of their events, and it's already shaping up to be a day full of learning and sharing cultures.
"Starting at 9:00 AM, we're going to be having a come-and-go tea with a 'The History of Indigenous Peoples' documentary playing in the background, there will be dainties, fresh bannock, coffee, tea, juice," said Thompson.
That's just one of the several events going on for the day. They also have entertainment, storytelling, dancing, and lots of fun things to make it a fun day. They're also having Red Road Compass with an indigenous display, and Thompson said his work is always very hands-on.
"You can touch [the display], he'll teach you about Indigenous medicines, about the items that you see on the table, Indigenous history, he's very knowledgeable, so if you have not met Shawn from Red Road Compass, come see him between 1:00 and 4:00 in the green space," said Thompson.
National Indigenous People's Day has only been recognized by the Federal Government for 30 years, but the culture and traditions that the day is designed to highlight have been around for much, much longer.
"Especially with recongiliation being a big thing right now, we are highlighting culture, highlighting our history, the resilience of Indigenous people, and not just highlighting the past, but bringing it back into present day and into the future, growing that culture we didn't have a chance to grow," said Thompson.
If you feel like helping out the Dauphin Friendship Centre either with their Indigenous People's Day celebrations, or other events in the future, they're always looking for more volunteers.
"They are what make us run. As a non-profit organization, we depend on as much volunteer work as we possibly get," said Thompson.
All across Canada, National Indigenous People's Day serves as a great way to further the spirit of reconciliation, and the fact that at the end of the day, we all live in the same place.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
