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EMAIL FRED PENNER

2010 is Manitoba Homecoming! This is a time when Manitobans, myself included, will be showing some Provincial excitement about our prairie world. We are flatlanders and proud of it. We have the most glorious sky that goes on forever. On a clear day you get the sense that you can actually see the curvature of the Earth.

As always, the festivals will be in full swing this year, a wonderful collection of music and dance and food. This is your opportunity to experience our part of a great country…from the inside. Bienvenue and Welcome to Friendly Manitoba, it says so on the license plate.

By Fred Penner

I have been making music for most of my adult life and I have made many friends and acquaintances across the country and certainly here in Manitoba.

These connections inevitably lead me to other life experiences as I am often invited into someone else's world for a short time. I think this is what we all look for as we travel. It is not enough just to see the beauty around us, but to share the beauty that with the people who actually live there. If you know what I mean.

For instance, a few years after our son was born (he is now 28) we were looking for a part time babysitter for him. Our quest led to a wonderful family, the Mahlers, and the mother of the family, Alice. She took on the role with grace and loving care. Her religious affiliation was Lutheran, a tangent from the Mennonite tradition which is my heritage.

The relationship with Alice and her family continues to today and they are certainly valued members of our extended family. That's the background of my story. Our connection with Alice led to a performance for a Lutheran Church in Winnipeg many years ago and and that relationship led to an invitation last year to visit Luther Camp in lake country east of Winnipeg.

The camp was built in the 1940's and is a fantastic getaway for those community members. I spent a couple of days at the camp and the hiking and conversation were a pure delight. I made new friends and saw a part of the country that I might easily have driven past. The point of this story is quite simple. It is an encouragement to you to take your journey a step deeper into the lives of others, by asking questions and by being open to new ideas and experiences. We all have our own stories and thoughts and feelings, and by sharing them with each other, no matter where we are, we grow as human beings through the understanding of another.

Once again, safe travels. Enjoy your journey.

From Bugs Bunny to Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd, the Warner Bros. cartoon studio has created some of the most loved animated characters. Learn about the art behind these characters at The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons at the Winnipeg Art Gallery from March 5 – May 30, 2010.

This touring exhibition explores the creative process behind these classic cartoons using examples of Warner Bros. production art from the 1930's through the 1960's. Featuring 165 drawings, paintings, cels and related artwork, the exhibition explores the history of the cartoon studio along with other themes like the a step-by-step break down of how classic cel animation was made and an in-depth look at Warner's most famous creation, Bugs Bunny.

Join the fun at the WAG with some of the special events in honour of The Art of Warner Bros.

Pancake Breakfast
Sat, April 3. 9-11am
Come down in your pyjamas for breakfast, screening of Warner Bros. cartoons, and a visit to the exhibition The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons. Sponsored by the Original Pancake House.

Art for Lunch - Incredible Manitoba Animation
Wed, May 5, 12:10pm
Hollywood is not the only place to find great animation; Manitoba has quite a legacy too! Experience the comic genius of Brad Caslor, Cordell Barker, Richard Condie and many more in this compilation of classic Manitoba animation from the National Film Board of Canada. Bring the kids or grandkids!!

Film Screening - That's All Folks
Thurs, April 15, 7pm
An evening of classic Warner Bros. animation
Discover your favourite Warner Bros. cartoons as if for the first time at this special screening hosted by Gene Walz, animation historian and Professor of Film Studies at the University of Manitoba.

Talk - "Ehh…what's up Charlie?"
Sun, May 2, 2pm
Did you know that Winnipeg animator Charlie Thorson was something of a pioneer in animation during the 1930s and 40s? His is the relatively unknown name behind some of Warner Bros. and Disney's most well-known characters. Join animation historian Gene Walz to learn more about Winnipeg's link to the legacy of the art of Warner Bros. cartoons.

Cultural Studies Tour - That's Not All Folks
Thurs, May 13, 7pm
Join Bill Stewart, Creative Director of Frantic Films, for this special exhibition tour of The Art of Warner Bros. Cartoons as he explores the politics and satire in Warner Bros. cartoons.

Tours
The WAG offers scheduled weekday tours as well as weekend drop-in tours at 2pm. Check out www.wag.ca for details on these tours and all other related programs and events, as well as admission information.

Beat the Boredom Blues with Spring Break Day Camps!
This spring break, there are tons of ways to avoid hearing those dreaded words: "We're bored!" Some of Manitoba's top attractions offer day camps that will keep your kids, and you, happy! So don't delay, register today!

Oak Hammock Marsh
March 29 – April 1; 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Ages 6-9
Members: $24/day; Non-Members: $30/day
Oak Hammock Marsh invites kids to come and explore the Marsh's interesting creatures and features and learn about wetlands and water. The days' themes are: Outrageous Opposites, Wild About Water, Wetland Wildlife and Sports Day. Call 467-3300 or go to www.oakhammockmarsh.ca.

Manitoba Children's Museum
March 29 – April 1; 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Members: $100/week, $30/day; Non-Members: $112/week, $35/day
The Children's Museum's Kids Explore Spring Break Day Camps gives kids a taste of art, science and global cultures. The week's themes are The World's A Stage, MCM Scientists, Art Smart and Party Around the World. Also, there are drop-in activities at the museum all week. Call 924-4000 or go to www.childrensmuseum.com.

Fort Whyte Alive
March 29 – April 1; 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Ages 6-11
Members: $30/day; Non-Members $35/day
Fresh air, fun and learning are all a part of the experience. Games, crafts, outdoor activities and interactions with FortWhyte's unique exhibits combine to make a fun program that teaches campers about nature and culture…education follows enjoyment at FortWhyte camps! Call 989-8358 or go to www.fortwhyte.org.

Manitoba Museum
March 29 – April 1; 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Grade 1-6
Members: $120; Non-Members: $140
Science projects, experiments and activities based on the daily theme means fun and learning go hand-in-hand. The activities will vary to suit the ages of the campers. The week's themes are Sound & Music, Science Day, Ancient Manitoba and Out of This World. Call 988-0626 or go to www.manitobamuseum.ca.

Living Prairie Museum
March 29- April 2
Ages 7-10
$25/day
Spend Spring Break in this tall grass prairie preserve located inside the city of Winnipeg. Learn all about the fantastic world of prairie animals including owls, bison, and butterflies. Camps will feature a variety of hands-on activities. Call 832-0167.

The Forks Market – Festival of Fools
FREE
Clowns, magicians, face-painters and every kind of fool imaginable take over The Forks Market during spring break. Check out the performances and participate in the games. Presented in partnership with the Winnipeg International Children's Festival, visit www.theforks.com for details.

(Winnipeg, March 10, 2010) The Winnipeg International Children's Festival is kicking off its 2010 celebrations with something new this year: free downtown performances at Portage Place.

Downtown Clown Around takes place from Mar 25-27 and again from June 7-9, 2010.

The free noon-hour performances in Edmonton Court are guaranteed to make people giggle and gasp in awe.

Downtown Clown Around
"Festival of Fools series"
(Edmonton Court, Portage Place)

Downtown Clown Around happens in conjunction with the Winnipeg International Children's Festival's two flagship events: the Festival of Fools (March 27 - April 3) and Kidsfest 2010 (June 10-13) taking place at The Forks. This new event spreads the fun and foolishness further across Winnipeg's downtown.

Portage Place – Downtown Clown Around
March 25-27
FREE
Don't miss out on more clowning fun from the International Children's Festival in conjunction with its Festival of Fools. The free noon-hour performances include magic shows and circus acts. The fun and foolishness will be back at Portage Place from June 7-9 – just before the kickoff of Kidsfest 2010, June 10-13. Go to www.kidsfest.ca for more details.

Downtown Clown Around is produced with the support of the Winnipeg Cultural Capital of Canada 2010 program. The Cultural Capitals of Canada is a national program funded by the federal government through the Department of Canadian Heritage, to recognize and support Canadian Municipalities for special activities that harness the many benefits of arts and culture in community life.

For more information, visit www.kidsfest.ca.

There's a new kid on the block, and it's our new blog, unexpectedmanitoba.com. Join bloggers Jacquie Crone and Emily Baron as they experience the province's hot (and cold) spots, hidden treasures, life on the Canadian prairies and more. Watch for ways to share your own stories about travel in Manitoba too! Here's a recent entry from Emily, as she took in the sights and sounds at the Festival Du Voyageur:

HE HO! TO FESTIVAL WE GO !
My sister's boyfriend is visiting from Sweden (I know! Sweden!) and in an effort to show him all the cool things Manitoba has to offer, I suggested we all head out to Festival du Voyageur. Okay, if you must know, I wanted to go to the Festival anyway. Where else can I get the awesome maple syrup taffy? But I was trying to appear unselfish, and so I volunteered to carpool us all there.

Justin and I bundled up and hit the road to pick up my sister Sarah and her boyfriend Max. On the way we tried to tell Max everything we knew about Louis Riel and the Voyageurs, and the festival itself, but I think we just confused the poor guy more. He kept wondering if this Riel character was famous for ice sculptures... READ MORE

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