July 27, 2023
By Gary Dyck
This summer Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) is quite busy most weekends. For July 1st, we had over 4200 come for our Canada Day celebrations. On July 16th we hosted the Russländer Centennial which brought out 700 people to our Sunday service, buffet lunch, tours, and a theatre production in the auditorium. This event included 60 people traveling by train across Canada, retracing the steps of the Russian Mennonites who came in 1923. It is not that often you get to celebrate a 100-year-old event as a community.
This past weekend we hosted our Heritage Classic Car Show. Last year we were excited to start over again after the pandemic and we broke our previous car show registrants record of 89 with 100+ registrants. This year we then blew past that record with 225 registrants! Our main street was lined on both sides, there were rows of cars on the grass area between the General Store and Semlin and then cars all around the windmill! We had activities for all ages, great food, and goldie-oldie music playing throughout the village.
It seems the Heritage Classic Car Show is now a major car show in Manitoba. At 225 vehicles, we were not far behind the 250 World of Wheels had at their show at RBC Convention Centre in March. I’m so glad we can provide a great outdoor setting for Manitoba car owners.
Up next is Pioneer Days (August 5-7). This three-day event is full of activity as we showcase the Mennonite settler experience. If you would like to help out give us a call today! It takes a lot of work to host 1000s of people at MHV, but well worth it. This year we expect there to be visitors from around the country and the world in attendance. At MHV you never know what you might hear, see, or learn.
Upcoming Events:
MHV’s grounds and Livery Barn Restaurant are open seven days a week! The restaurant is open 11am to 4pm, and the grounds are open 9am to 5pm, except Thursdays 9am to 8pm, and Sundays 11:30am to 5pm, including our famous Sunday buffet till 2pm.
Pioneer Days, August 5-7, 9am to 5pm. Experience the life of the early Mennonites in Manitoba at our Pioneer Days festival! Witness pioneer demonstrations, steam-powered field work, live music, and lots of great food as we share the stories of Manitoba Mennonite beginnings.
Peace Trek, August 19, Eden Foundation and the Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) are proud to co-host our second annual Peace Trek! Help us reach our fundraising goal of $30,000 by cycling the Peace Trail. There are great prizes for all ages including a new Trek bike. This peer-fundraising event seeks to enhance recreational, social, and spiritual well-being by trekking the historic Peace Trail; a route similar to what the first Mennonites took to settle in southeastern Manitoba.