Gala of Gifts returning to art gallery
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/11/2021 (1613 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Westman residents looking to get a head start on their holiday shopping can drop by the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba through Nov. 27-28, since the organization’s Gala of Gifts event is returning to its original in-person format.
According to a Wednesday news release from AGSM, this artisan and craft show has been running on an annual basis since 1988 and moved to a virtual forum last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But now that public health restrictions are looser and a good chunk of the population is vaccinated, AGSM events co-ordinator Keith Waterfield believes the time is right to welcome vendors and patrons back into the gallery.
“It’s a wonderful thing to be able to have an event like this,” he said over the phone Thursday morning. “While the digital version last year was successful, there’s nothing like being in person.”
However, Waterfield went on to say that the format for this year’s Gala of Gifts won’t be exactly the same as their last pre-pandemic show.
For one thing, the list of vendors will be noticeably smaller in an attempt to maintain proper physical distancing at all times.
Plus, Waterfield assured that the AGSM will be following all of the public health guidelines that have allowed other in-person events to return to Brandon over the last couple of months.
This includes requiring all patrons and vendors to wear masks and provide proof of vaccination and ID before entering the premises.
That being said, Waterfield wanted to reassure the public that this year’s gala will still feature its fair share of supplementary attractions, since his team is looking to include a café, a photo booth and some live music.
“I don’t want to give away too much yet, but there are some exciting things that will make this event stand out,” he said.
As of Thursday morning, Waterfield stated that there is still some space left for local vendors, and asks anyone interested in reserving a spot to apply by Nov. 12.
In the meantime, Waterfield said he is just glad to be able to provide some semblance of normalcy, especially now that in-person events have slowly been creeping back into the Brandon area this fall.
“People want to get out. We’ve been inside for a year and a half or more than that,” Waterfield said. “Especially here in Brandon, people like to celebrate the holidays and so it’s nice to be able to participate in that.”
The 33rd annual Gala of Gifts is taking place inside the AGSM’s main gallery on Nov. 27 (10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Nov. 28 (noon to 4 p.m.).
Anyone who would like to participate or learn more about this year’s craft show should contact Waterfield directly at eventcoordinator@agsm.ca.
» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com
» Twitter:@KyleDarbyson