Morden-Winkler’s class of 2026 is getting ready to celebrate, and they’re inviting the community to help them do it.
The Winkler grad parade is coming up on Thursday, June 18 while Morden’s parade hits the streets on Monday, June 22.
Winkler’s event is a joint venture between Garden Valley Collegiate and Northlands Parkway Collegiate, share grads Maya Klassen (NPC) and Dishika Bansal (GVC).
“I think this is such a cool tradition,” said Bansal. “The two high schools get to come together and we get to celebrate together, and we’re also bringing the whole community together … many of them, they’ve seen us grow up, and I think this is an amazing way to celebrate.”
“It gives an opportunity for people who can’t necessarily come to the grad ceremony” to cheer on the class of 2026, noted Klassen. “And think it’s a really good way to show the camaraderie between the schools.”
The event is also open to homeschool graduates. To register to take part as a grad, text Roni Wiebe at 204-362-7945.
The parade begins at 7:30 p.m. and will follow the same route as in past years, starting out by the Winkler Centennial Arena, travelling south on Park St, east down South Railway Ave. to 8th St., south down 8th to Pembina Ave., west down Pembina to 15th St., north up to and then down Grandeur Ave. to end in the Parkland.
The evening will wrap up at NPC with fireworks for the grads.
“It’s kind of like a last moment that you’re going to get to see these Gr. 12s from both the schools,” Bansal said of the after-parade festivities. “It’s a great way to meet up and have this one last big thing together before we all graduate.”
In case of rain, the parade will be postponed to Monday, June 22. Updates will be posted on Instagram at gvcaftergrad2026 or npc_aftergrad_2026.
Meanwhile, Morden hasn’t had a grad parade in a few years, but this year’s graduates decided it was time to change that.
“Morden did it during COVID, and everyone else did too, that’s kind of how it started, but then Morden didn’t do it after that,” noted graduate Brielle Apperley.
But seeing how much of a celebration the annual parade has become in other communities, Apperley wanted to bring that back to Morden.
“It’s such a cool thing, and I really wanted to do it here,” she said. “There’s not really a whole lot of time for the grads to get dressed up and really enjoy it. So this provides one more reason for the grads to get together, get dressed up, and get excited for grad. And it’s a great way for the community to see the grads.”
“I’m super excited to hang out with my friends and show off our grad dresses to the whole city,” agreed fellow graduate Molly Cowan, who stresses that everyone’s invited to come cheer the class of 2026 on.
The parade starts at the Christian Life Centre (605 1st St.) makes its way south to Wardrop St. and then west on Wardrop to 12th St., north on 12th, east on Greenwood Dr., south on Nelson St. and then down Rampton St. en route back to the church.
The rain date for the Morden parade is Tuesday, June 23. Updates to that end will be posted on the mci.safegrad.2026 Instagram page.
