Opening is soon coming up for the Manitoba Ag Museum this year. Tricia Dyck is Collections and Programming Manager, or curator, for the Manitoba Ag Museum. 

"We're super excited for our official summer opening day which is Sunday, May 12th. We've been open all year long for various events and various visitors. But this is the kickoff to the summer when everything really ramps up at the museum. We do have quite a few fun new things happening. First of all, we are really excited to have an exhibition by Professor Brenda Brown from the University of Manitoba. She's going to be showcasing her artwork and her film work on Manitoba Farmstead Shelterbelts. And so, that's going to be here from June 2nd, all the way until September. And it will be featured in our special Centreville School exhibition space. That's Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00, with remarks by the Professor and her team of grad students who were involved in the project. So, please come out and help celebrate that with us on June 2nd from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.."

In addition to all the heritage work, Dyck notes they're already doing all of the upgrades and conservation projects in the village on artifacts, machines, and steam engines.

"We are showcasing a couple of other things. Our very first Indigenous Farming exhibit is coming to the museum in June. I've had the pleasure of working with my colleague, Amanda McLeod, from Sagkeeng First Nation. She did all of the curating and research for it, so it's going to be a very special new project initiated here at the museum. Folks should definitely come to check that out. Then we're going to be having our annual Manitoba Threshermen's Reunion and Stampede (MTRS) happening July 25th to 28th. Now, that is of course, a marquee event that we do." 

She explains people love to attend the stampede, noting it's a long-standing reunion. Dyck adds everybody meets family, close friends and acquaintances from many decades. 

"However, this year, we are featuring vintage power sports instead of the official tractors that we often do. That is really bringing in new audiences. New groups are coming in. There's a motorcycle vintage ride coming from Winnipeg, the Antique Motorcycle Club of Manitoba. They're coming on the Saturday and then we have all of the the usual things, as well, happening: the car show, steam engine rides, and corn corner."

She adds they're also featuring their village. Dyck explains sometimes their village is offset a little bit. 

"Not everybody gets a chance to experience it as they go primarily into the rodeo area. But just to the south, the village sets in. This year, it's History Alive: A Village Like Never Before. We are going to be having more going on. There are the monologues. There are going to be special historical talks at our Tree Planting car at the Cirrus mill, at the Surveyors Office, and also, at the other fairly new flat-grain warehouse, which is a brand-new heritage site here at the museum. So, lots more kids activities, as well, from stamping for preschoolers. Everything's going to be scheduled. Any visitors coming for that week or weekend can go ahead and schedule to make sure they don't miss anything that they want to do. Then, of course, we have the special ongoing Power Parade every day at 1:00, which is a not-to-miss, as well." 

She adds you may not have heard that last year, they received a very large Massey Harris Ferguson Combine collection from one donor. 

"The Garry Gyrcki family donated 23 of those combines to us and so the whole collection is now being preserved and stored in our Heritage Building. We're working on an exhibition for that. But in the meantime, it's creates a big impact seeing all of these beautiful combines together in one space. And we'll use some of them during the reunion."

She adds they also have a very special guest opportunity this year on Thursday night of the MTRS -- the RCMP Musical Ride.

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