Minnedosa Tribune
IDYLLIC RETREAT
There are not many ways to spend a hot July day than soaking up and sun at Minnedosa’s pristine sandy shore. On Saturday, July 19, this couple enjoyed flipping the pages of a good book, while a younger age crowd found the perfect spot to catch some sunrays, and the call of the water enticed families to cool down, splash, and play.
There’s a certain kind of magic that sweeps through Minnedosa each August, the kind that smells like mini-donuts and fresh-cut hay, sounds like laughter and live music, and feels like the heartbeat of a town that still knows how to throw one hell of a party.
That magic is Fun Fest, a grassroots summer celebration whose origins, while not yet pinned down to a specific year, date back to the early 1960s. What began as a modest community gathering with hot dogs and lemonade stands has grown into a full-fledged weekend festival – still free to the public –that captures the spirit, creativity, and resilience of a town that
punches far above its weight. Back then, it was called the Minnedosa Summer Festival – an initiative sparked by service clubs, small business owners, and families who simply wanted to enjoy the fleeting Manitoba summer together. There were parades, pie contests, games in the park, and dances in the curling rink. It was prairie joy in its purest form. And
while the name may have evolved, the core hasn’t changed: community first, fun for all, and a welcome mat laid out for visitors near and far.
This year’s Fun Fest, running August 16 to 18, blends the traditional with the fresh. Friday kicks off with the Kiddie Parade and a full Community Parade under the theme “The Great Outdoors”, fol-
lowed by beer gardens and live music at Tanner’s Crossing Park. Saturday brings Minnedosa’s Main Street alive with the Street Market, bustling with vendors, artisans, and homegrown food stalls, while the Kids Zone, local performers, and evening social keep the buzz going well past sunset.
DARRELL NESBITT/MINNEDOSA TRIBUNE
DONALD BERGER
Minnedosa Tribune