Village News

Manitoba Day at the Museum

  • Robert Goertzen, Guest Author
  • Program Manager, MHV
Manitoba Day

On Saturday, May 12, our province is celebrating its 148th birthday. Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) is joining in with planned festivities.

How would you celebrate a milestone? With a cake? With singing? With family activities? Or with story-sharing among friends and relatives? At MHV, you can experience all these things on Manitoba Day.

Manitoba is rich in its diversity. At Mennonite Heritage Village, we tell the story of the Russian Mennonites who travelled across the Atlantic Ocean and halfway across the North American continent, beginning in the 1870’s. They came here to maintain their religious freedoms and to pursue economic opportunities.

We recognize that the story we tell at our museum is part of a larger Manitoba story that includes the Metis communities, the Indigenous communities and the many other European settlers who decided to make Manitoba their home. Manitoba continues to welcome newcomers to our province every year, from all parts of the world. Although our museum does not have the resources to tell everyone’s story, we value every person and their history. So we invite the whole community to come join us in celebrating our home, Manitoba.

Manitoba Day Activities – May 12

9:00 AM to 5:00 PM – Museum Grounds and Village Centre have FREE admission all day.

10:00 AM – Plant Pansies for Mom: A Manitoba Day Celebration

Children will experience the joys of gardening as they learn to plant pansies. Experienced gardeners from the Steinbach and Area Garden Club will show children how to plant pansies in a pot, complete with a Manitoba flag, that they can take home for Mother’s Day.

10:00 AM – Yoga For Gardeners: A Steinbach and Area Garden Club Workshop

Led by a certified Yoga Instructor, you will learn some gentle exercises to help prevent sore muscles as you begin gardening this spring. You will come away from this 1/2-hour workshop refreshed and ready to begin your gardening journey. Everyone is welcome to attend. No experience is necessary.

11:00 AM – Flag-Raising Ceremony and Short Program

We will highlight the significance of Manitoba Day with speeches by dignitaries and local government officials and with music by the choral ensemble ACCENT. The flag-raising ceremony will be followed by food and conversations as birthday cake and coffee/beverages are served.

1:00 PM – Official Exhibit Opening: The Art of Mennonite Clocks

This new exhibition showcases 33 Mennonite wall clocks and their stories, spanning more than two centuries. It is a joint exhibition created by Mennonite Heritage Village and the Kroeger Clocks Heritage Foundation.

All Day

Our Outdoor Village will be open to everyone, the Livery Barn Restaurant will be serving its menu of traditional Russian Mennonite food, Village Books & Gifts will feature an assortment of handmade toys, clothing and household goods, as well as new and used books, and Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides will be available all day.