Eriksdale Creamery Days Fair and Rodeo will celebrate its 10th anniversary July 4 and 5, bringing together rodeo action, live entertainment, family activities and a century of local history for one of the community’s signature summer events.
The annual celebration has grown from a partnership between the Eriksdale Museum Committee and local rodeo organizers into a two-day festival that attracts visitors from across Manitoba and beyond.
For organizer Vienna Kinkead, reaching the milestone is a source of pride.
“We are very proud of being able to have hosted this event for the past 10 years,” she said. “After our first year we were uncertain how long this would continue, but to be here for our 10th anniversary and to see how much it has grown is truly amazing.”
While Creamery Days traces its roots back much further, the current fair-and-rodeo format began in 2014 when the Eriksdale Rodeo group approached the Eriksdale Museum Committee about combining their efforts. The partnership transformed what had largely been a one-day celebration into the multi-day event residents enjoy today.
Over the years, additional community groups and volunteers have stepped forward to help expand the weekend’s offerings.
“What started as two groups coming together to organize a weekend event has seen other groups step forward to help bring more to the weekend,” said Kinkead. “We have a great group of people that work amazingly well together.”
At the heart of the celebration is the historic Eriksdale Creamery Museum, a landmark that has played an important role in the community for more than a century.
Originally built in 1912, the creamery was once a major employer and gathering place in the area. Kinkead said many local families still have stories connected to the creamery and the milkman who served the community.
“For some families, the milkman was a ride to the hospital or a ride home with your newborn child,” she said, noting he also delivered groceries.
By celebrating the creamery’s history, organizers hope visitors gain an appreciation for life in an earlier era.
“By keeping Creamery Days alive, we give visitors a chance to step back in time and see what life was like before all the modern technology.”
This year’s celebration will feature a full schedule of activities. Returning favourites include the pancake breakfast, parade, barbecue lunch, children’s activities, rodeo, tractor pull and live entertainment. The slow-pitch tournament and wagon rides are also returning for a second year.
Among the new attractions will be Wild Pony Races, where teams of three youths attempt to mount and ride a pony for two jumps. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top teams each day.
The rodeo remains one of the weekend’s centrepieces, drawing competitors from across Manitoba while giving local participants an opportunity to compete closer to home.
Kinkead said one of the biggest crowd favourites is the children’s mutton busting event, although she noted there is no shortage of attractions throughout the weekend.
“There really is something for everyone,” she said.
Behind the scenes, dozens of volunteers help make the celebration possible. The organizing committee consists of roughly 12 to 15 volunteers, while between 100 and 125 people are involved during the event weekend.
“As we close the books on one weekend, we open the books for next year’s event,” Kinkead said. “Hundreds of hours go into planning and executing an event of this size.”
She added that support from businesses, sponsors and local organizations is critical to the event’s success. Groups including the Eriksdale Fire Department, Eriksdale Métis Association, Eriksdale Curling Club, Lundar Antique Tractor Pull group and the West Interlake Rural Municipality all contribute to the weekend.
Visitors regularly travel from across Manitoba and beyond to attend Creamery Days, but Kinkead said the event’s greatest strength remains the community spirit that surrounds it—something she looks forward to every year.
“The community of Eriksdale really comes together to support this event.”
Asked what Creamery Days says about the people of Eriksdale, Kinkead’s answer was simple.
“Commitment,” she said. “The people of Eriksdale and surrounding communities have continued to show their commitment to support Eriksdale Creamery Days for the past 10 years. It also shows the amazing volunteer spirit we have in Eriksdale.”
Organizers hope the event will continue to serve as Eriksdale’s signature summer celebration for years to come and remain a gathering place for families and friends.
Creamery Days Fair and Rodeo takes place July 4 and 5. Saturday activities at the Creamery Museum Grounds are free, while admission to events at the sports grounds is $20 for a weekend pass or $15 per day for those aged 13 and older. Children 12 and under are admitted free with supervision.
