It’s Winter Festival time

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/02/2012 (5173 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dignitaries from across Manitoba descended on Brandon City Hall on Thursday evening to officially open the ninth annual Lieutenant Governor’s Winter Festival.

But the festival itself started moments earlier as the aroma of pastelitos con carne, tamales and enchiladas filled the air and got the more than 200 festivalgoers in attendance excited to hit the streets in search of cultural riches.

Lt.-Gov. Philip Lee thanked the many volunteers who make the event a success before turning his attention to the incredible global cuisine found during the three-day festival.

“I’m delighted to come back to Brandon again to celebrate this festival with you,” Lee said. “It is a wonderful way for people to get to know their neighbours and appreciate the diversity and community you have built here.”

Lee used a classic line from Jean-Luc Picard of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” to describe the cultural cuisine.

“When I travel from one pavilion to another and smell the aroma of all of the delicious food … resistance is futile,” Lee said.

Mayor Shari Decter Hirst thanked the host pavilion, El Salvador, in Spanish before reflecting on the greater meaning of the event.

“Cultural diversity is one of Brandon’s most valuable assets, enriching our community and bringing with it a variety of cultural and social benefits,” Decter Hirst said. “Winter Fest is the sights and sounds and smells that showcase various cultures. The art and the food and the music and the dance is all a celebration of what makes us unique, but it’s also a celebration of what unites us.”

Those in attendance got a sneak peek of some of the traditional dance that will be showcased at the El Salvador pavilion as dancers from Los Cumpas breezed across the stage in traditional attire to the beat of composer Pancho Lara.

“We’re very excited to be the host pavilion and it’s become a dream come true,” said Jackie Rodriguez, vice-president of the Brandon Cultural Salvadorean Association.

The final performance from Los Cumpas was Adentro Cojutepeque, which is played at the start of every festivity in El Salvador. It signified the beginning of a weekend full of surprises and Rodrigues said festivalgoers should expect to be blown away by the experience at the El Salvador pavilion this year.

“People can expect to travel to El Salvador,” Rodriguez said with a smile. “We’ll have live music, food and dance for everyone to enjoy.”

The ninth annual Lieutenant Governor’s Winter Festival runs through to Saturday and features 13 pavilions — English, Colombian, Mauritius, Irish, Ukrainian, Scottish, Métis, German, French Canadian, First Nations, Brazilian, El Salvador and U.S.A.

For a comprehensive map and to find out when buses run, pick up your official Winter Festival guide at the Manitoba Liquor Commission’s Liquor Marts in Brandon, Brandon City Hall, the Riverbank Discovery Centre and all 13 pavilions.

Free guides can also be downloaded online at brandonsun.com.

» ctweed@brandonsun.com