Communities in southeast Manitoba offer plenty of amenities and events all year round.
The Niverville Olde Tyme Country Fair is a fixture of the region’s calendar. The fair takes over Main Street every second weekend of June and has featured world-class artists like Gord Bamford, Dean Brody, and Brett Kissel. This year’s fair takes place June 9–10 and will welcome another big name in Canadian country music.
The 2016 fair was nominated for its first Manitoba Country Music Award. Although Niverville’s population sits at 4,610, the fair draws up to 15,000 people.
In Ste. Agathe, Cheyenne Summer Fest arrives on July 15–16. The festival is designed to entertain the whole family, featuring a pancake breakfast, horseshoe tournament, beach volleyball, baseball, a community supper, a dance, and fireworks. Grande Pointe also hosts an annual summer festival in June.
Towns like New Bothwell, Île-des-Chênes, Ste. Agathe, St. Adolphe, and Niverville also host elaborate winter festivals. Île-des-Chênes’ Showman Festival took place this February, offering a snowman-building competition, a toboggan run, ATV hay rides, a bonfire, fireworks, and a Valentine’s-themed social. New Bothwell’s annual winter carnival brings the community together for a cribbage tournament, bingo, and of course lots of fun in the great outdoors.
Niverville is fundraising for a new sports multiplex. The plan includes a 33,000-square-foot arena and adjacent 36,000-square-foot multiplex that will feature a running track and space that can be converted into a soccer field, basketball courts, volleyball courts, or badminton courts. The plan also calls for six dressing rooms and mezzanine seating.
A new splash pad has opened in Niverville. The pad features two play areas, one intended for toddlers and another for those ages three to 12. The pad has washrooms, change rooms, and a canteen.
