‘Open Brandon Weekend’ a Showcase of Heritage and Horticulture


July 7, 2017

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Brandon, MB – The past and present of Brandon’s beauty and heritage will be showcased during this month’s annual Open Brandon Weekend, which runs July 14th through 16th, 2017, at various locations across the community.

Back for a 16th edition during the Open Brandon Weekend are Heritage Brandon’s popular Doors Open Brandon self-guided and guided walking heritage tours, which take place Saturday, July 15th and Sunday, July 16th from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and feature a mix of 21 heritage properties, 5 local museums, 2 City of Brandon civic buildings and a Brandon's Indigenous Peoples Site. Joining the heritage tours again this year on Saturday, July 15th are the Brandon in Bloom Open Garden Tours, organized by City of Brandon Community Development staff and featuring 11 pristine gardens for green thumbs to tour at their own pace.

City of Brandon Heritage Marketing Coordinator Riley Morningstar notes that a new feature for this year’s Open Brandon weekend is a double documentary screening from local archivist and documentary producer Tom Mitchell on Friday, July 14th, beginning at 6 p.m. at the A.R. McDiarmid Civic Complex, 638 Princess Avenue.

“Tom’s documentaries, ‘Wheat City 1900s: Making Modern Brandon’ and ‘Before Brandon: The Grand Rapids of the Assiniboine’ are a really great fit to kick-off a weekend of exploring and reflecting on where Brandon has come from, where it is today, and where it may head in the future,” says Morningstar. “We hope people will enjoy the documentaries on Friday evening and then be inspired to venture out during the weekend and take in the wide array of building tours, nature tours, and garden tours on offer.”

Morningstar adds that local historian David McConkey’s popular guided walking tour of downtown is back this year and departs from the Brandon General Museum and Archives, located at 19-9th Street, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. This year’s tour theme, “These Streets Have Stories”, will explore Brandon in its early years and celebrate Brandon’s 135th Birthday as well as Canada’s 150th year.

Meanwhile, the Brandon in Bloom Open Garden Tours run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 .p.m. on Saturday, July 15th.

“Our Open Garden tours are split into two time slots, so people will have their choice of going to just a few gardens or visiting all 11 locations over the course of the day,” notes City of Brandon Community Development Program and Events Assistant Jenna Dobson.“Visitors will get the chance to learn about different flowers, new techniques, and innovative designs, and the gardens on the tour also include local artists and musicians who will be showcasing their talents in order to provide an even brighter ambience.”

A full list of Doors Open Brandon tour locations and participant details can be found on the Heritage Brandon website at http://heritagebrandon.ca/doors-open/2017-properties, while a full list of Open Garden tour locations can be found online at http://www.brandoninbloom.ca/programs/open-garden-tours.

Individuals may also pick up a complimentary Open Brandon Passport, free-of-charge, at both Brandon Sobey’s locations, at Brandon City Hall (410-9th Street), or at the Riverbank Discovery Centre (545 Conservation Drive).