Manitoba is a province of Canada at the longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's fifth-most populous province, with a population of 1,342,153 as of 2021. Manitoba has a widely varied landscape, from arctic tundra and the Hudson Bay coastline in the north to dense boreal forest, large freshwater lakes, and prairie grassland in the central and southern regions.
Brandon is the second-largest city in the province of Manitoba, Canada. It is located in the southwestern corner of the province on the banks of the Assiniboine River, approximately 214 kilometres (133 mi) west of the provincial capital, Winnipeg, and 120 kilometres (75 mi) east of the Saskatchewan border. Brandon covers an area of 77.41 km2 (29.89 sq mi) with a population of 51,313, and a census metropolitan area population of 54,268. It is the primary hub of trade and commerce for the Westman Region as well as parts of southeastern Saskatchewan and northern North Dakota, an area with a population of over 190,000 people.
Canada has a large domestic and foreign tourism industry. The second largest country in the world, Canada's wide geographical variety is a significant tourist attractor. Much of the country's tourism is centred in the following regions: Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Vancouver/Whistler, Niagara Falls, Vancouver Island, Canadian Rockies, British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, Churchill, Manitoba and the National Capital Region of Ottawa-Gatineau. The large cities are known for their culture, diversity, as well as the many national parks and historic sites.
The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF), also known as The Royal, is an annual agricultural fair that is held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the first two weeks of November. It was inaugurated in 1922 in the Coliseum, on the grounds of Exhibition Place. It has since been expanded to also take up the Enercare Centre and remains an important exhibit for livestock breeders. Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, was the fair's royal patron. Members of the Canadian Royal Family have also been guests of honour at the fair. It is the largest indoor agricultural fair in the world.
An agricultural show is a public event exhibiting the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show, a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment. The work and practices of farmers, animal fanciers, cowboys, and zoologists may be displayed. The terms agricultural show and livestock show are synonymous with the North American terms county fair and state fair.
Coca-Cola Coliseum is an arena at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, used for agricultural displays, ice hockey, and trade shows. It was built for the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in 1921. Since 1997 it has been part of the Enercare Centre exhibition complex. It serves as the home arena of the Toronto Marlies, the American Hockey League farm team of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It will serve as the home arena of the Toronto WNBA team when it debuts in 2026.
The Western Fair is a fair held annually in London, Ontario, Canada in early September.
The Keystone Centre is a multi-purpose facility located in Brandon, Manitoba. Its main 5,102-seat arena which is known as Westoba Place is the home of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League and the annual Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.
Ottawa SuperEX was an eleven-day annual exhibition that took place every August at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa, Ontario. The exhibition provided exhibits, entertainment and amusements indoors in the buildings on site and outdoors on the grounds. The Central Canada Exhibition Association operated a fair annually from 1888 until 2010, except during World War II. The fair was on hiatus due to plans to redevelop Lansdowne Park and the Association continued to work towards finding opportunities to bring back SuperEX. It was announced in December 2015 that the Ottawa SuperEX board had disbanded a year earlier and the Ex would not be returning.
The Brampton Fall Fair is an annual agricultural and entertainment event in Brampton, Ontario. It features agricultural displays, animals, 4H events, a midway, entertainment, demolition derby, and a Homecraft exhibit.
The Sooke Fall Fair is an annual fair held in Sooke, British Columbia. It is held at the Sooke Community Hall on Vancouver Island, Canada, every September. Established in 1913, it is one of the Sooke community's longest-running annual events.
The Red River Exhibition is a ten-day festival hosted every summer, in June, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The event takes place at Exhibition Park and features a midway, concerts, stage shows, and agricultural exhibits. The park is operated by the Red River Exhibition Association, a not-for-profit organization. Winnipeg's The Guess Who played there in 2015, and the Crash Test Dummies played there in 1992.
Markham Fair is one of Canada's oldest country fairs, an annual event established in 1844. It is located in Markham, Ontario and hosted by the Markham and East York Agricultural Society. With over 700 volunteers working on more than 70 committees, Markham Fair is the largest community-based volunteer organization in Canada. The fair and fairgrounds are owned by the agricultural society.
The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is a non-profit organization and an agricultural society in Brandon, Manitoba, that produces several fairs and events in the city, creating a significant economic impact in the region. It was established in 1882.
The Credit Union Place is a 1,763-seat multipurpose arena located in Dauphin, Manitoba. The arena is part of the Parkland Recreation Complex, which also includes a curling rink and an aquatic centre.
Canad Corporation of Manitoba Ltd. is a Winnipeg-based hospitality company. It owns or operates ten hotels in Canada and one in the United States, with all but one of its properties operating under the Canad Inns Destination Centre branding.
The 2010 Memorial Cup was a four-team round-robin format tournament played during May 14–23, 2010 in Brandon, Manitoba. It was the 92nd annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The Western Hockey League (WHL) announced on October 15, 2008, that the Brandon Wheat Kings were chosen to host the event at the Keystone Centre. Other tournament participants included the Windsor Spitfires, champions of the OHL, the Moncton Wildcats, champions of the QMJHL and the Calgary Hitmen, champions of the WHL. The Spitfires went 4–0 in the tournament, defeating Brandon 9–1 in the championship to claim their second straight Memorial Cup title.
The Canadian Lakehead Exhibition (CLE) is an annual regional fair in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Similar in nature to the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, it features local and regional artisans and farmers, a midway, concessions and numerous other activities geared towards families and people of all ages. The exhibition takes place yearly in early August and is held on the CLE grounds in the Intercity area.
Manitoban culture is a term that encompasses the artistic elements that are representative of Manitoba. Manitoba's culture has been influenced by both traditional and modern Canadian artistic values, as well as some aspects of the cultures of immigrant populations and its American neighbours. In Manitoba, the Minister of Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport is the cabinet minister responsible for promoting and, to some extent, financing Manitoba culture. The Manitoba Arts Council is the agency that has been established to provide the processes for arts funding. The Canadian federal government also plays a role by instituting programs and laws regarding culture nationwide. Most of Manitoba's cultural activities take place in its capital and largest city, Winnipeg.
