The Manitoba Sunflower Festival offers something for everyone this weekend in Altona.
“We’re a small community, but we put on a great weekend,” says festival committee chair Sandra Klassen.
Klassen is a familiar face at the festival, having headed up its Queen Quest program for nearly a decade before taking a break. She returned this year to lead the overall organizing committee, working alongside her daughter, Brittany Winkler, who is Altona’s recreation programmer and heavily involved in festival planning as well.
“I knew they needed a chairperson … I thought, you know, maybe this is my way to get involved again,” Klassen says. “I’ve been enjoying it.”
It takes a small army of dedicated community members to pull off an event like this.
“We’ve got 11 people that sit around the table once a month to take care of the major details,” Klassen shares, estimating there are another 60 or so volunteers and town staff helping out behind-the-scenes before and throughout the weekend.
“We also couldn’t do it without our sponsors,” she stresses. “If we didn’t have our sponsors to help us with covering costs, there just would be no way. So we really want to thank them for all of their contributions financially so that we can celebrate with our community and celebrate our Sunflower Festival.”
This year’s festival includes all the familiar favourites alongside a few new offerings.
Things kick off Thursday night with Sun Valley Co-op’s Movie Night in the Park at dusk with a showing of The Lego Batman Movie.
Friday is when the ball really gets rolling, with the Gallery in the Park artwork on display all day, Queen Quest speeches, Mennonite food on offer in the Rhineland Pioneer Centre, Gifted the Market vendors in the Millennium Exhibition Centre, the Altona Fire Department’s family fun events at École Parkside School, and inflatables, axe throwing, a beer garden, and food trucks galore in Centennial Park.
“The park will be full of vendors, which is exciting,” Klassen says, noting that includes several returning food trucks and a number of new ones as well.
On the PlayNow Stage that evening, the opening ceremonies will be followed by introductions of the 2024 Queen Quest entrants, classic rock from Juke Box Heroes at 8 p.m., and a Hip Hop Night at 10 p.m. in memory of Tirrell Thomas featuring Yung Balboa, Nat Saturn, and Fresh I.E.
Saturday’s packed-full lineup includes the Access Credit Union pancake breakfast (proceeds are going to the Kiddie Sunshine Centre expansion project), a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, the Outland Games competition, a massive parade through town, the farmers’ market, a petting zoo, gymkhana, CultureFest, Xtreme Dog Show performances, the ARES fire truck pull, a silent disco dance at the art gallery, the Elks dance at the pioneer centre, and, new this year, a Fit Kids Healthy Kids Motion Zone.
The stage will feature children’s entertainer Sarah Teakle and the Sprkl Studio youth band showcase in the afternoon and Johnny Cash tribute artist A.R. Cash in the evening, along with the Queen Quest crowning ceremony.
“Queen Quest brings a lot of people to town,” Klassen says, noting it is one of the last remaining such events in Manitoba. “We’re going on 59 years that our Queen Quest is running, and it’s still going strong. People just love to support the young women in our community.”
Sunday starts with the community worship service and also includes the 43rd annual Legends Car Club Show, free public swimming at the Altona Aquatic Centre, a performance from Hoop and Hat Circus, free watermelon and roll kuchen for everyone, and Sunday afternoon stage performances from Maxine Penner, Paul Bergmann, Brett Schultz, and the Silas Presley Band. New this year is Winnipeg Pro Wrestling matches at 10th Ave., across from the park.
“There are so many events going on, and we bring a lot of people to our beautiful park,” Klassen says, urging everyone to come enjoy the fun. “If you’re looking for a free weekend—that’s also something that we boast,
