Manitoba 150

BE DAZZLED, MANITOBA! BY GEOFF KIRBYSON Get ready to flick the switch and get the party started to celebrate a century and a half for our province. Manitobans won't have to wait until 2020 (the 150th anniversary of Manitoba joining Canadian Confederation) to revel, as Manitoba 150 is ready to kick the party off with a brilliant flourish, precisely 150 days before Manitoba Day 2020, on Dec. 14. Welcome to Illuminate 150. O nce the sun has set at 5:30 p.m., Manitobans will want to get their cameras ready and hold their breath, because, at the flick of a switch, more than 300,000 lights will illuminate the Manitoba Legislative Building and grounds. It will be a sight you won't want to miss. (Just who will hit the switch re- mains a bit of a surprise.) Monique LaCoste, Co-Chair of Manitoba 150, the not-for-profit, non-partisan, volunteer-driven host committee, said the wow-factor of Illuminate 150 is sure to spark a yearlong supernova of celebrations. "This is just the start!" LaCoste said. "The glowing lights on the Legislative Building grounds will keep that feeling going through the first half of the year. With each new Manitoba 150 announce- ment and event, the excitement will grow and grow, creating warm and lasting memories for all Manitobans. By the end of 2020, we hope Manitobans will feel a deeper connection to their province and to each other." You'll want to get down to the Legisla- ture well before the light show as the mer- riment begins at 3 p.m., with plenty of free and fun events for the whole family. Manitoba 150 Co-Chair Stuart Murray said it's not often he hopes for a big dump of snow in early December, but he'll make an exception this year as our province shows it can celebrate with the best of them. "We're going to have games, hot chocolate, and an exhilarating snowmo- bile performance. We want to engage the public with the most public building we have," Murray said. The fun begins with a holiday open house at the Legislature from 3-5 p.m. along with family-friendly programming outside, including games and activities for kids raring to start the holiday season, a snowshoe obstacle course, inner-tube slide races and complimentary hot cocoa and coffee from Tim Hortons. Plus, this is your chance to get up-close and personal for a photo with the CFL Grey Cup, from 3-5:30 p.m. Lights Unlimited, a local company best known for its work during the holiday season and in the many Business Im- provement Zones (BIZ) around Winnipeg, started putting up the lights in August. Those lights will keep shining on the beauty of Manitoba until after Canada Day. And don't worry, they won't harm the environment — they're energy-effi- cient LED bulbs. The Dec. 14 festivities won't end with the light show. The dazzling glow will make a sensational backdrop for a grav- ity-defying acrobatic snowmobile show, with X Games athletes soaring, flipping, twisting and pulling off other daring feats of flight. The lights of Illuminate 150 will also be visible from the Manitoba 150 River Trail behind the Legislature, so get ready to lace up those skates later this winter. Illuminate 150 is also working with Lights of the North, which will design il- luminated, Manitoba-inspired artworks to decorate the Legislative grounds. There's a double significance to the location as the home of the Golden Boy will cel- ebrate an anniversary of its own in 2020, turning 100. The open house at the Manitoba Legislature is a great way to connect with our province's history as we launch into a year of celebration. Donations of non- perishable food items for the Christmas Cheer Board will be welcomed at the open house. Illuminate 150 is completely free and everyone is welcome! Illuminate 150 is working with Lights of the North, which will design illuminated, Manitoba-inspired artworks to decorate the Legislative grounds. WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2019 3 Manitoba 150 has already announced several programs to help take the celebrations to the next level. Honour 150 calls upon Manitobans to nomi- nate people for their outstanding contributions to the province and who are quietly committed to giving back to the community. The best part is that most of the honourees will be unfamiliar to residents as they can't be elected officials or people who have recently been formally honoured by major awards, such as the Order of Canada or the Governor Gen- eral's Award. Nominees must be residents of Manitoba who have volunteered or contributed to the community in a significant way. Build 150 will provide $1.2 million for projects that will leave a lasting legacy in communities around the province. Applicants can submit their ideas for infrastructure or brick-and-mortar projects to their local community foundation. Each foundation will decide which projects to fund, ranging from $5,000 to $300,000, and will receive matching grants from Build 150 for a total investment of $2.5 million across the province. Celebrate 150, which closed to applications last month, will support communities and non- profit organizations in hosting events such as concerts, art shows and food festivals. Grants will range from $10,000 to $70,000 and will cover up to 70 per cent of an event's total cost. Other exciting programs include Mural 150, which invites communities to apply for a chance to receive a contemporary outdoor mural; Learn 150, which will offer learning resources about diversity, reconciliation, and healthy living to Manitoba educators; Explore 150, an app that encourages all Manitobans to discover our province's beauty; Tour 150, a mobile gallery that will visit fairs and festivals this spring; and sponsorship of the Manitoba 150 River Trail at The Forks. As the leader of Man- itoba in its earli- est days, Riel will be a dominant figure through- out the yearlong celebration. Equally important will be providing a platform for First Nations and the Métis community to tell their stories and highlight their legacies in Manitoba. "Some people see Riel as a hero, others as a traitor. We have to tell that story. He's our father of Confederation," Murray said. Organizers are quick to note that Manitoba is celebrating its 150th anniversary, not birthday, as they recognize Indigenous people were here long before European settlers arrived. "This milestone is one that's worth celebrating — to think back to our past, learn from it about our people, natural beauty, culture and heri- tage," said fellow Co-Chair, Monique LaCoste, a natural in the position as she has both Franco- Manitoban and Métis roots. She believes the year of celebration should serve as a good reminder to all Manitobans, but particularly to youth, of what a great province we call home. "It's a tremendous opportunity to remind our young people that Manitoba is a great place to make a living, raise a family and have plenty of opportunities to contribute," she said. The festivities won't end after Manitoba Day. On June 27, a huge stage will be erected for a full day of free Manitoba programming featuring iconic musical acts and cultural celebrations. MANITOBA TO MARK 150 in style Continued from cover BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES; SUPPLIED (SNOWMOBILERS) RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES

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