What’s up: Carman Country Fair, Ai-Kon, celestial artwork, Play at The Forks, outdoor foraging

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/07/2024 (802 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rural fun at the Carman Country Fair

44 Kings Park Rd., Carman

Today to Saturday

Free admission

While folkies may be heading north to Birds Hill Provincial Park this weekend, a town in southern Manitoba will be holding its own shindig, featuring music, rides, food, critters and plenty more.

The Carman Country Fair kicks off today and runs through Saturday, with a little something for visitors of all ages: a sprawling midway full of rides, Lego and remote-control-vehicle demos, barrel races and artisan and farmers markets.

In addition to pancake breakfasts and other food offerings (free fries!), there will be a host of food trucks, a barbecue championship cookoff and beer by Morden’s Rendezvous Brewing Co. As for musical entertainment, the Carman Country Fair’s mainstage will feature local performers including Paige Drobot, Sweet Alibi, Fubuki Daiko and Ashlee Bart.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a country fair without some agricultural events — think tractor pulls, a petting zoo, a juicing demo, various animal exhibits and competitions (including miniature horses), a hay bale decorating contest and the like. Saturday kicks off with a parade at 10 a.m. and closes out with a fireworks display at 10:30 p.m.

Admission to the Carman Country Fair is free, with certain events and rides requiring tickets. Visit carmancountryfair.ca for more information.

— Ben Sigurdson

Ai-Kon returns

RBC Convention Centre, 375 York Ave.

Friday to Sunday

Weekend passes are $65 at ai-kon.org

Get ready for a weekend filled with anime and pop culture excitement at Ai-Kon.

This annual event, held at the convention centre, offers a nonstop, 24-hour experience from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon.

This year’s lineup offers a variety of activities for fans of all ages. Highlights include a cosplay contest, anime screenings, competitive video game tournaments, interactive fan-hosted panels, a Maid Cafe and a sprawling marketplace featuring vendors and artists showcasing their unique wares.

The event also features special guests, such as Kitsurie, a famed cosplayer since 2008, and Trina Nishimura, an actress known for voicing Mikasa Ackerman on Attack of the Titan and Kurisu Makise on Steins.

Whether you’re a seasoned con-goer or a first-time attendee, Ai-Kon has something for everyone.

Tickets are $35 for Friday, $45 for Saturday and $40 for Sunday. A weekend pass is available for $65. Kids under 12 must be accompanied by a registered adult at all times.

More information and tickets at ai-kon.org.

— Thandi Vera

Play at The Forks

Various sites, The Forks

Ongoing throughout the summer

Free

Get outside, move your body and have some fun at The Forks this summer.

Table tennis, soccer, basketball and free workouts are among the offerings of the Play at The Forks initiative, now in its second year.

New this summer: Sport Manitoba will lead free, hour-long strength and interval training workouts at CN Field on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. until the end of August. You can register for Workout Wednesdays on the Sport Manitoba website.

If you’re looking to up your ping-pong game, the Manitoba Table Tennis Association will offer demonstrations and workshops from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays until the end of August. (Table tennis was actually such a hit last year it moved inside for the winter and has been used daily since.)

Basketball hoops, meanwhile, are now set up under the CN Stage for pickup games and practice shots.

For more information about the Play initiative, visit theforks.com.

— Jen Zoratti

Celestial artwork

Cre8ery Gallery & Studio, 125 Adelaide St.

Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. until July 23

Visit cre8ery.com for more information

A new exhibition, entitled Dancing Skies, opens at the Cre8ery today and features heavenly, atmospheric work by three local artists.

Patti Fernie is a teacher who specializes in mixed media paintings made with textured canvas and alcohol ink. A selection of her abstract landscapes, which evoke the hues and movement of the sky, will be on display throughout the show.

Sandy Proulx is a former pilot and self-taught oil painter who learned the tricks of the trade from watching the one and only Bob Ross. Mountain ranges and auroras are among her favourite subjects.

James Thomson is a retired graphic artist and high school teacher. His whimsical watercolours are created through improvised, meditative painting sessions.

Each artist will be available in the gallery at various scheduled times throughout the exhibition’s run.

— Eva Wasney

Outdoor Foraging with Mossy Birch Homestead

Blueberry Rock, Lac du Bonnet

Sunday, 10 a.m. to 12 noon

Admission is $35 per person, pre-registration required. Children are free but also require pre-registration at rmoflacdubonnet.com

Erica Lindell of Mossy Birch Homestead is back with her popular summer foraging workshop at Lac du Bonnet after the success of last year’s event.

Attendees will meet at the Blueberry Rock car park before setting off on the beginner-friendly hike, an approximately two-kilometre loop, with Lindell, who will be answering questions and teaching participants how to identify edible plants in the area.

The terrain isn’t even or smooth; the hike will mostly be on a gravel path and up rocks in some places, so you’re advised to wear appropriate, covered footwear as well as long trousers to prevent contact with poison ivy.

Required supplies include bug spray, hat, water, snacks, a mesh bag if you want to transport items, a notebook and pen to take notes along the way, gloves and clean pruning shears or scissors.

— AV Kitching

If you value coverage of Manitoba’s arts scene, help us do more.
Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project.