Village News

In 2014 we will celebrate our 50th anniversary as a museum. In 1964 Ted Friesen, Gerhard Ens, John C. Reimer, Klaas R. Barkman, Eugene Derksen, Jacob J. Reimer, Harry Loewen and John H. Warkentin were named in the incorporation documents as the Provisional Directors of the corporation operating at that time as Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society. Since then our name, our Board of Directors, our artifacts collection, and our facilities have changed numerous times. But that marked our official beginning, and next year we will reach a milestone of 50 years as a museum.

Much planning has already been done for 2014. Each month will feature an event geared toward these celebrations. July 5 and 6 will be the dates of our signature anniversary event, with a gala dinner on July 5 and a church service, village tours, Saengerfest and Faspa on July 6. We would like to see friends from other provinces plan their summer vacations around these festivities. Everyone mark your calendars.

Other anniversary events being planned include a Film Night, a lecture on our collection of artifacts and how they tell our stories, an event that recognizes and honors our founders, and other events to be announced later. Our 2014 summer festival events and our Education Program will all be focused on the Jubilee celebrations. A specific exhibit featuring our collection of artifacts is being planned as well. We look forward to these opportunities to tell our stories in new and interesting ways.