Westman Gaming Expo levels up with bigger crowds

The Westman Gaming Expo wrapped up another successful year at the Keystone Centre, filling both the UCT Pavilion and Manitoba Room with a vibrant mix of gamers, collectors, artisans and curious families.

The event continues to grow, drawing a wider range of vendors and participants from across Manitoba and beyond, co-organizer Corey Trumbley told the Sun.

“We’ve been doing this for about eight years now,” he said. “This is our third year in the Manitoba Room, and we’re kind of going a bit bigger with it.”

That growth was evident throughout the weekend.

Trumbley said the expo expanded significantly compared to last year, increasing from roughly 35 vendors to 48 in 2026.

“We definitely had an expansion this year, including more vendors, more players, more games and more demonstrators. We kind of expanded across the board,” he said.

New additions helped diversify the experience, including lightsaber demonstrations by the River City Sabres group from Winnipeg, chess programming from the Brandon Chess Club, and open tabletop gaming hosted by Gaming Ladies of Westman and independent designers. A retro gaming section also made its debut, drawing interest from attendees of all ages.

The expo’s appeal extended beyond gaming, with vendors offering everything from handmade jams and candles to collectibles like Pokémon and sports trading cards. The wide range of offerings made the event accessible to both dedicated hobbyists and casual visitors.

“There’s something for everybody,” Trumbley said. “For about $3 at the door, it’s an affordable afternoon to check out a ton of vendors and just have a good time.”

Attendance appeared steady throughout the event, with families and groups moving between booths, game tables and demonstration areas. Favourable weather also played a role, a welcome change from past years, when winter storms posed challenges for organizers.

“We cleared the biggest hurdle, which is usually the weather in Manitoba,” Trumbley noted. “This year, the sun’s out, it’s a beautiful day, and that’s got people out moving.”

One of the standout attractions was the live medieval combat demonstrations by members of the Historical Armoured Combat Sports Association.

Knight Marshal William Baliko told the Sun the showcase continues to gain traction.

“From our perspective, it’s bigger. We’ve got more people out here, and it looks like there are a lot more people attending,” he said. “It’s a lot of smiling faces — we’re enjoying putting on fighting and shows for everybody.”

Baliko said some participants compete internationally, with members set to represent Canada in Denmark later this year, highlighting the depth and seriousness behind what many first encounter as a spectacle.

Elsewhere on the expo floor, hands-on crafts and historical demonstrations added another layer of engagement.

Shannon Penner, visiting from Steinbach, introduced attendees to Viking knit, an ancient wire-weaving technique dating back over a thousand years.

“It’s actually very easy to learn,” Penner said, explaining how thin wire is looped and drawn into intricate jewelry. “Anybody can do this kind of craft.”

For Penner, the expo was also about community. A member of a Viking reenactment group with participants from across Canada, she said events like this create opportunities to connect, share skills and welcome newcomers.

Sense of community is at the heart of the Westman Gaming Expo’s continued success, Trumbley said.

“We’ve had great feedback from vendors, they’re super excited to have another show in Brandon to highlight their work and interact with new people,” Trumbley said. “Every year our numbers are increasing, and we’re starting to hit the limits of the space.”

With that momentum, further expansion may be on the horizon.

“In the next couple of years, we’ll probably be looking at expanding again,” he said.

The event was supported by several local sponsors, including Westman Communications Group, along with contributions from Co-op, and a large team of volunteers, he said.

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