Around the World in Six Pavilions
February 4th to 6th brought the 7th Annual Lieutenant Governor’s Winter Festival to Brandon. Out of the twelve pavilions I managed to visit six in two days.
Day One – South America, Africa, and Europe – here we go:
First stop, Colombia!
Prior to actually visiting this South American country, I heard nothing but rave reviews about the entertainment taking place. Along with that and the fact that the Colombian pavilion was newly added this year, it became a must-visit for me. Upon arriving, I wasn’t surprised to be greeted by a line up. It moved quite quickly though and soon enough we were savoring beef-filled empanadas and cheese arepas. The entertainment, as promised, was fantastic. Brilliant colors and non-stop hip action filled the small stage and wowed the crowd. Overall, a great first showing by Colombia!
Second stop, Ethiopia!
Another newby to the pavilion scene in Brandon and while it wasn’t nearly as bustling with excitement, it did not disappoint. The Ethiopian pavilion lacked the up beat entertainment, but its vast display of cultural items and delicious injera served with wat made up for it. I had previously sampled Ethiopian cuisine in Ottawa and insisted that my boyfriend try it here in Brandon. Having two friends originally from the African nation along with being one of the main areas our WUSC sponsored students come from, Ethiopia holds a place in my heart. At this point we attempted to visit El Salvador, but after being followed into line by a rowdy group of drunk teens we decided to move on and let them have their fun.
Last stop on day #1, England!
Definitely one of the busiest party pavilions on the schedule! We waited in line for about twenty minutes to basically maul people in a race for available seats. While the décor was lively and impressive for the most part, the opening band, The Jimmy Sweets, left a lot to be desired in my opinion. Little better than bad karaoke, they sang an array of tunes originally written and/or performed by British personalities. We stuck around for the main entertainment of the evening sipping on English Ale. When the Beetles finally took the stage, it was worth the wait. After a few renditions of old classics we decided to call it a night and barely escaped with our lives as the next bunch of anxious groupies scrambled for our seats.
Day Two – Central America, South America, and Asia:
Destination #4, El Salvador!
Mmmm Papusas and Kolachampan! The food was wonderfully delicious, but unfortunately the entertainment was way off schedule so we showed up right as one show was ending instead of beginning. Needless to say, we didn’t stick around very long – maybe next year! I am sure it was fantastic!
Destination #5, Mexico!
One of the three new pavilions this year and while it was in a location that I was somewhat hesitant to visit (The Crystal), considering the venue they did a pretty good job. Of course, having experienced the real thing, Pavilion Mexico was nothing compared to the hot sunny beaches of the country it mimicked. I suppose none of them are, but they try their best. Since my boyfriend’s a vegetarian we didn’t try what looked like taco and the closest thing to Mexican cerveza was Corona so we passed on that too. Instead, we just sat and enjoyed the festive dancers who did not disappoint!
Final Destination, China!
In the hopes of rounding up some yummy Chinese cuisine, we entered what was likely the best decorated pavilion with the largest variety of cultural items to offer. We were disappointed to learn that the cultural food was simply that which was offered at the Chinese food kiosk in the Town Centre Food Court. While we didn’t wait the hour or so it was going to be until the next show, I was lucky enough to have seen the Lion Dancers last year. They are definitely worth seeing!
With that, the account of my trip around the world has come to a close. Perhaps I’ll visit some new and exciting places next year.
Images courtesy of Brandy Robertson
