COLUMN: Village News – February moments you won’t want to miss

February is commonly known as the bridge month between winter and spring! We’ve still got our feet firmly planted in winter while we eagerly await the approaching spring season as the days get longer. MHV is excited to offer a variety of events for all ages and interests throughout this month. We’re eager to welcome you anytime—whether it’s for a special event, a Saturday visit, or a weekday stop.

December to February: Winter in the Village

February is MHV’s last month of Winter in the Village, and it’s the perfect way to enjoy the end of the winter season! On Saturdays, we offer a host of winter-themed activities. Enjoy skating, snowshoeing, sleigh rides, and a roaring bonfire. Don’t own skates or snowshoes? We offer rentals! Try your hand at Crokicurl, a Canadian game that blends crokinole and curling into one fun, outdoor activity! See MHV’s Main Street lit up with Christmas lights during our light show. Warm up with our Winter in the Village Cafe, featuring hot chocolate, hot apple cider, and a variety of freshly baked goods. While winter often feels long and dark, I hope that Winter in the Village at MHV can be a place to celebrate the unique winter season we experience here in Manitoba!

Feb. 12 and Feb. 26: Exhibit Explorers

Exhibit Explorers is MHV’s Craft & Story time happening twice a month in our indoor gallery! We began this program in December of 2025, and it has been a lovely addition to our winter schedule of events. It’s been wonderful to see curious young minds explore our indoor gallery and engage in stories and interactive games. Exhibit Explorers runs from 45 minutes to an hour. We start off at the indoor gallery, reading a few books and playing some movement games. It’s exciting to see young ones come out of their shell and engage in books and have fun moving around during the games. When our story time has ended, we transition to craft time – doing a fun craft that corresponds with the books that we’ve read. This is the perfect morning outing for littles and their parents or grandparents. So, if you’re looking for someplace fun to spend some quality time – feel free to come check out Exhibit Explorers at MHV. Our next two dates are Feb. 12 and Feb. 26 and we’d love to have you there.

Feb. 14: Winter Carnival

I can hardly believe it’s getting to that time when our annual winter carnival is rolling around! This year, our winter carnival will be happening on Feb. 14 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. We’ve got a day jam packed with fun, family-friendly indoor and outdoor activities. Indoors, we’ll be offering Valentine’s card making for children, a crokinole tournament (which you can register for online), plus pioneer demonstrations and interpreting in our indoor gallery! Outdoor activities will include skating, snowshoeing, kick sledding, snow sculpting (register online), snow painting, Crokicurl, sleigh rides, and dog sled rides! If guests get hungry, the MHV Auxiliary will be serving up MHV’s famous waffles & white sauce! Admission for the day is $2 plus a tin for the bin for South East Helping Hands.

Feb. 20: Auxiliary Low German Evening

Brush up on your Low German skills with MHV Auxiliary’s Low German Evening on Feb. 20. Enjoy a fun evening of music, reading, and stories in Low German! Featuring special music by Heischraitje & Willa Honich. Tickets are $15 and include coffee and dessert. Tickets for this event can be purchased ahead of time by calling 204-326-9661 or stopping at our front desk!

Upcoming events

Feb. 12 – 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Exhibit Explorers – Join us at the Mennonite Heritage Village for an engaging morning set among the fascinating artifacts in MHV’s gallery! During Exhibit Explorers: Craft & Story Hour, children will enjoy lively stories and creative crafts that spark imagination and curiosity. Free Admission.

Feb. 14 – 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. – Winter Carnival – Join MHV for our Winter Carnival! Enjoy a day filled with indoor and outdoor activities, a hot food canteen, and pioneer demonstrations & interpretation. Celebrate the winter season with classic Canadian activities like a bonfire, Crokicurl, skating, and snowshoeing!

Feb. 20 – 7 p.m. – Low German Evening – Enjoy a fun evening of music, reading, and skits in Low German! Featuring special music by Heischraitje & Willa Honich. Tickets are $15 and include coffee and dessert. Tickets for this event can be purchased ahead of time by calling 204-326-9661 or stopping at our front desk!

For more information, visit www.mhv.ca.