Events

2025-26 Holiday Break
2025-12-24 - 2026-01-02 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Happy holidays!
Brandon University is closed for the holidays from Wednesday, December 24, 2025 to Friday, January 2, 2026, inclusive.

The University will re-open for employees and student services on Monday, January 5, 2026
Winter Orientation for new students will take place on Monday, January 5, 2026
Winter term classes in Education: BEd (AD); BEd (IP) Yr 5; BMus/BEd Yr 5 will begin on Monday, January 5
Most remaining classes start on Tuesday, January 6

Healthy Living Centre holiday hours can be found here.
Brandon University offers you our warmest wishes for all the best this season, and for a happy and healthy new year.

BU Holiday Bruncheon 2025
2025-12-19 11:00 - 13:00 (America/Winnipeg) | Harvest Hall, 270-18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
Ready with your cozy clothes? Brandon University’s annual holiday get-together will be Friday, Dec. 19 from 11 am – 1 pm in Harvest Hall.
This year’s approach is a Holiday Bruncheon! We’re reimagining our traditional luncheon as a cozy, brunch-style feast that will feature many of your hearty holiday faves plus a spread of lighter options. Join friends from across campus for a relaxed, come-as-you-are celebration that’s filled with good food, great company, and plenty of holiday cheer. All staff, faculty, and students are welcome.
Thanks to support from the President’s Office, we can keep ticket prices at a rock-bottom (and seasonally appropriate) $25 again this year. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at any of the following offices:

Arts General Office (CHO 100)
Faculty of Science (BB 1-05)
Health Studies (HSB 112)
Student Services (MCK 105-3)
Healthy Living Centre (HLC 1-01)
School of Music (QEB 1-03)
Main Library (Circulation Desk)
Faculty of Education (EB 1-02)
Campus Books (KDC)

While you’re there, pick up some 50-50 tickets as well. We’re doing something new and cool this year — a cumulative prize for the 50-50. Rather than weekly winners, the prize pot will keep growing from now until the Bruncheon, and we’ll pull one* big winner there. Wait a minute, what’s that asterisk for!? That’s right, there is some small print. Our lottery license caps each prize at $500, so if when we reach that total, we’ll split it into two (or more!) prizes.
You can get 50-50 tickets for $2 apiece or 3 for $5. We’ll keep tabs on the pot as it grows, sharing regularly, and we encourage you to help us push that prize as high as it can go.
Don’t forget the annual holiday basket raffle! Each year, departments, units, and campus groups put together creative, delightful, and sometimes downright dazzling baskets to help raise funds for Brandon–Westman Christmas Cheer. It’s a wonderful tradition that’s also a great way to spread some cheer across campus.
Want to create a basket? Get festive, get imaginative, and have fun with your theme! Just remember — please deliver all baskets by Friday, December 5 to the Arts Faculty Office. (Quick note: This office does NOT have a chimney, so you will have to deliver through the door.)
Want to win a basket? Baskets will be available for viewing and ticket sales in Clark Hall Room 317. Watch for a full schedule to be posted.
Basket ticket sales begin on Wednesday, December 10 and will conclude on Wednesday, December 17, although there will be one final chance to buy tickets at the Holiday Bruncheon itself, on Friday, December 19. Every ticket purchased helps support Brandon–Westman Christmas Cheer, bringing warmth and joy to local families during the holiday season.
The annual BU holiday gathering is organized in turn by different areas of the campus. This year, the elves on the planning committee come from the Faculty of Arts and Clark Hall.

Chamber Music Class Concert
2025-12-11 17:00 | Lorne Watson Recital Hall, QEII Music Building, Room 1-60, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
The Chamber Music class will perform works by Darius Milhaud, Waldemar von Baussnern, Ilya Mishchenkov, W. A. Mozart, and Clara Schumann under the direction of Professors Kerry DuWors, Nancy Hennen, and Megumi Masaki.
featuring
pianists Darina Lavrukhina and Sunqiayo Zhang
clarinetist Jesse Barr
violinists Chufan Wang and Lee Martel.
All are welcome! No admission charge.

Fall Classes End (Education)
2025-12-11 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Classes end for Fall courses in Education: BEd (AD); BEd (IP) Yr 5; BMus/BEd Yr 5.

Fall Exams 2025
2025-12-09 - 2025-12-22 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Classes end for most Fall Term courses on Monday, December 8, except for Education: BEd (AD);
BEd (IP) Yr 5; BMus/BEd Yr 5, which end on Thursday, December 11.
School of Music examinations in Applied Music (except BMus/BEd Year 5) take place on Tuesday, December 9 to Wednesday, December 10.
Final examinations for Fall term courses, and mid-term examinations for both term courses, begin on Thursday, December 11 and run until Monday December 22.
For exam timetables visit https://www.brandonu.ca/registration/current-registration-guides/exam-timetables/.

Fall Classes End (except Education)
2025-12-08 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Classes end for Fall courses (except Education: BEd (AD); BEd (IP) Yr 5; BMus/BEd Yr 5).

BU's Piano Ensemble Fall Term Finale
2025-12-04 16:30 | Lorne Watson Recital Hall, QEII Music Building, Room 1-60, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
All are warmly invited to BU’s Piano Ensemble Fall Term Finale under the direction of Prof. Daniel Tselyakov. Join our talented piano ensemble students* as they present a dynamic program of works ranging from piano four-hands to two-piano, eight-hands repertoire. The concert features rarely heard gems such as an arrangement of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Violins in A minor performed by Jonathan Fetsch & Darina Lavrukhina, and Luo Maishuo’s, The Twelve Beauties of Prince Yong performed by Sunqiaoyi Zhang & Junxin Ye. The program also includes beloved piano-ensemble classics, including Fauré’s Dolly Suite performed by Bella White, Hannah Friesen, Annika Wiebe, & Ryland Stamler; alongside several other delightful works celebrating the richness of the piano ensemble repertoire.
*Piano Ensemble Students:
Jonathan Fetsch
Hannah Friesen
Darina Lavrukhina
Ryland Stamler
Bella White
Annika Wiebe
Junxin Ye
Sun Qiaoyi Zhang

All are welcome! No admission charge.

Creative Writing Literary Exchange: Miles Crossman
2025-12-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Clark Hall, Room 104, 270-18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
Miles Crossman, a local producer, screenwriter, and director in film and TV, will be delivering a public talk entitled “Choose Your Own Adventure: Paths for Professional Artists.” He is a former BU drama grad and has produced 200 episodes of broadcast television. He will be speaking on how to break in to the film and TV industry from outside a major centre.

When: Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025
Time: 12:00pm to 1:00 pm
Where: Room 104, Clark Hall, Brandon University

The talk is free and open to all. Refreshments will be served.
The event is sponsored by the Creative Writing Literary Exchange at Brandon University with the support of the Rowe Foundation and the Department of English, Drama, and Creative Writing.

BU Concert Choir & Chorale in Performance
2025-12-03 19:30 | Knox United Church, 451 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 5A9, Canada
The BU Concert Choir and BU Chorale conclude their fall term with a choral concert of great variety – music by J.S. Bach, Indonesian composer Ken Steven, Elaine Hagenberg, Jussi Chydenius, Arvo Part, Rachmaninoff, and Canadian composers Andrew Balfour, Sherryl Sewepagaham, Katerina Gimon, and Emile Deedes – Vinck. The ensembles will perform separate repertoire and also combine vocal forces in a couple selections. This wonderful concert will also feature a guest performance by BU Lower Voices Ensemble: Invicta.
Tickets are available at the door only:
Adults $15
13-18 years of Age: $5
No admission charge for BU students or Conservatory of Music students

Brandon University Theatre: Mother Courage and her Children
2025-12-03 19:00 - 2025-12-07 14:00 | Evans Theatre, McKenzie Building, 270-18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada

Brass Ensemble Concert in Neepawa
2025-12-02 19:30 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Please join our BU Brass Ensemble for an evening of holiday music in Neepawa under the direction of Dr. Edward Bach.
LOCATION: Neepawa TBD
CONCERT START: TBD
No admission charge. All are welcome!

Level 10: The Final Boss: Exams
2025-12-02 16:45 - 17:15 | Zoom, Brandon, MB, Canada
Finals are the ultimate challenge, bringing together everything you’ve learned. In this final level, you’ll combine strategies for time, memory, focus, and confidence so you can face exams prepared and in control. Complete the quest and become a Scholar Supreme!
Open to all students. Register Now!
Level Up Your Learning Series
Ready to embark on an adventure? Level Up Your Learning is a gamified workshop series where each session is a new quest designed to help you unlock powerful skills for success at university. From mastering time and organization, to collecting legendary notes, to battling test anxiety, each level brings you closer to academic victory
You don’t need to attend previous sessions to join the next one, just jump in wherever you’d like! Students who attend four sessions will automatically be entered to win a $100 campus bookstore gift card at the end of the semester.

Brass Ensemble Concert
2025-12-01 19:30 | Lorne Watson Recital Hall, QEII Music Building, Room 1-60, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
Under the direction of Dr. Edward Bach, the Brandon University Brass Ensemble will be performing a Christmas Concert. In addition to many seasonal favorites from around the world the ensemble will also play one movement from an exceptional brass work composed by Philipp Lauter, an MM Composition student at Brandon University. Other highlights will include a number of jazz arrangements by Lennie Niehaus, a setting of Dan Forrest’s Cradle Carol as well as a rousing version of Schumann’s Knecht Ruprecht.
No admission charge. All are welcome!

Artist Talk: Kevin McKenzie
2025-12-01 11:30 - 12:30 | Clark Hall, Room 206, 270 18th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 6A9, Canada
IshKaabatens Waasa Gaa Inaabateg Department of Visual Art Speaker Series presents Kevin McKenzie.
Kevin McKenzie is a Cree/Métis artist based in Brandon. He is a member of the Cowessess First Nation of Saskatchewan, Treaty 4.
He holds a B.F.A. and an M.F.A. from the University of Regina.
Kevin McKenzie (Photo by Jordan Bennett)
During his 30-year art practice, McKenzie has exhibited nationally and internationally. Notable exhibitions include Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation II, Museum of Arts and Design, New York. He also participated in Don’t Stop Me Now, National Gallery of Canada. If We Never Met, Pataka Art Gallery Museum, New Zealand. His work was represented in Transformer: Native Art in Light and Sound, at the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institute, New York.
McKenzie’s artwork is represented in the collections of; the National Gallery of Canada, the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Manitoba Hydro Corporation, the President’s Art Collection, University of Regina, First Nations University of Canada, the Dunlop Art Gallery, the Saskatchewan Arts Board and the University of Manitoba. In 2024, he produced a public sculpture for the city of Portage la Prairie titled “Eagle Arc.” McKenzie holds a tenured teaching position in the IWGI Department of Visual Art at Brandon University.

Voluntary Withdrawal (VW) Deadline - Education Fall Courses
2025-12-01 | Brandon University, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, Canada
Voluntary Withdrawal (VW) deadline for Education Fall courses: BEd (AD); BEd (IP) Yr 5; BMus/BEd Yr 5.

BU Orchestra & Chorale in Performance
2025-11-29 19:30 | Knox United Church, 451 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 5A9, Canada
The BU Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Leanne Zacharias & BU Chorale under the direction of Dr. Andree Dagenais will celebrate the 90th Birthday Jubliee Year of Arvo Part.
Tickets available at the door only.
Adults: $15
13-18 years of age: $5
No charge for BU students and Conservatory of Music students

Bobcats Volleyball
2025-11-29 17:00 - 21:00 | Healthy Living Centre, 2010 Louise Avenue, Brandon, MB, R7B 0L4, Canada
BU Men’s Volleyball vs UBCO
Game start: November 28, 2025 6:45 pm

BU Women’s Volleyball vs UBCO
Game start: November 28, 2025 5:oo pm

Bobcats Volleyball
2025-11-28 18:00 - 22:00 | Healthy Living Centre, 2010 Louise Avenue, Brandon, MB, R7B 0L4, Canada
BU Men’s Volleyball vs UBCO
Game start: November 28, 2025 7:45 pm

BU Women’s Volleyball vs UBCO
Game start: November 28, 2025 6:oo pm

BU Big Band and Eklektikos
2025-11-27 19:30 | School of Music, Brandon, MB, Canada
Come hear Eklektikos and the BU Big Band in their end-of-term performance!
LOCATION: Kinsmen Hall, Rm. 1-20, School of Music
All are welcome! No admission charge.

Visual Art Student Showcase
2025-11-27 19:00 - 2025-12-06 16:30 | Sutherland Gallery of Art, 2021 Victoria Avenue, Brandon, MB, Canada
The IshkaaBatens Waasa Gaa Inaabateg Department of Visual Art presents the Concurrent 200 & 300 Level Class Showcase, from November 27 until December 6.
The exhibition will include works from the Figure Drawing, Indigenous Art Techniques, Painting 3 and Experiments in Figure & Form Courses.
Glen P. Sutherland Gallery of Art Hours are from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., on November 28 and 29, and from December 3 to December 6.

The Ins and Outs of Bail Reform: Public panel discussion
2025-11-26 18:00 - 19:30 | Gathering Space, John E. Robbins Library, Canada
With bail reform dominating headlines and political debates across the country, you’ll be the judge as Brandon University hosts a public panel discussion to unpack the facts, myths and implications behind Canada’s evolving bail system.
Under the heading “The Ins and Outs of Bail Reform,” the panel will take a “Fact v. Fiction” approach to examine how the case of bail reform is faring in the court of public opinion.
Featuring testimony from local lawyers, political scientists, and a sociologist, the panel discussion will provide a deeper understanding of Canada’s bail system, including newly proposed federal legislation and its potential effects on communities, courts, and corrections.
The event will take place Wednesday, November 26 from 6:00–7:30 p.m. in the Gathering Space on the main floor of the John E. Robbins Library at Brandon University. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. Light refreshments will be served.
The panel will bring together Dr. Christopher Schneider, Professor of Sociology at BU with local defence lawyer Jennifer Janssens, from Wach Law, and Crown attorney Rich Lonstrup. It will be moderated by Dr. Kelly Saunders, Chair of Political Science at BU, and Dr. Rick Baker, Assistant Professor of Political Science.
Their dialogue will explain the basics of bail, consider what the federal government’s proposed Bail and Sentencing Reform Act could mean in practice, and explore how issues like repeat offences, public safety, and fairness intersect in the justice system, while cutting through the political spin and misinformation that can interfere with understanding.
“Bail reform has become a lightning rod issue, but much of the public conversation mixes legal facts with political emotion,” said co-moderator Dr. Saunders. “I can’t wait to hear from our local panellists who can bring clarity to this issue — to separate fact from fiction and provide space for thoughtful, informed discussion.”
The event is being organized in partnership with BU’s Political Science Club and Legal Studies Association.

PRO SERIES: Linda Ruan, piano
2025-11-25 19:30 | Lorne Watson Recital Hall, QEII Music Building, Room 1-60, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
For more details, please visit: https://www.e-gre.ca/tour
Tickets available at the door: Adults $20; Brandon University and Conservatory of Music students attend at no charge.
Winner of the 2025 Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition, Chinese-Canadian pianist Linda Ruan is passionate about sharing the potential of music to overcome boundaries across cultures. Since being introduced to the drums at age four and then the piano at age seven, music has remained a stabilizing force in her diverse childhood from Tokyo, Shanghai, to Vancouver. Her unconventional path from a young age broadened her horizons and cultivated a fascination for diverse cultures. Her curiosity guided her beyond her solo piano studies, expanding to music pedagogy, community engagement and a wide range of chamber music projects.
Linda is a top prize winner in competitions including the Lancaster International Piano Competition, the Shean Piano and Strings Competition, and the Seattle International Piano Competition. She has performed in venues worldwide, from Carnegie’s Weill Hall and Lincoln Center’s Rose Studio to a recital tour in China spanning Guangzhou to Shanghai. Her piano duo La Fiammata is the second-prize winner of the ARD International Music Competition 2021 and embarked on a Pan-Canadian Tour during the 2024-2025 season, a collaborative project between Atlantic Debut, Jeunesses Musicales Canada and Prairie Debut.
Linda received her Bachelor of Music with Honours and Master of Music degrees from The Glenn Gould School, The Juilliard School, and the Tianjin Juilliard School, respectively. Her past teachers include James Anagnoson, Hung-Kuan Chen, Corey Hamm, Xiao Li, Li Wang, and Xiaohan Wang. Currently, she is studying at the UBC School of Music with Dr. Corey Hamm.

Trio Improbable!
2025-11-24 19:30 | Lorne Watson Recital Hall, QEII Music Building, Room 1-60, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
A concert of music for the improbable combination of clarinet, horn and piano featuring:
Colin Mehmel, clarinet
Callie Siverson, horn
Danielle Guina, piano
No admission charge. All are welcome!

5 à 7 franco
2025-11-23 17:00 - 19:00 | Westman Immigrant Services multicultural centre, 403 13th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 4P9, Canada
La communauté francophone de Westman organise un 5 à 7 auquel vous êtes tous.tes invité.es à vous joindre! Évènement gratuit, des breuvages et des bouchées seront servis sur place. Venez nombreux-ses!
À l’horaire :

Présentation
Rétroaction avec la communauté
Discussion des étapes à venir

Une inscription est recommandée pour y participer : https://form.jotform.com/253107484146052
Pour toute question, veuillez contacter community@westmanimmigrantsevices.ca

Amy Brown, violin
2025-11-22 17:00 | Lorne Watson Recital Hall, QEII Music Building, Room 1-60, 270 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
Graduate Student Recital.
No admission charge. All are welcome!

Canada Music Week Concert
2025-11-22 15:00 - 17:00 | QEII Music Building, 270-18th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 6A9, Canada
The Brandon and Westman Registered Music Teachers’ Association proudly presents the annual Canada Music Week Concert, celebrating the creativity and talent of Canadian composers. This event showcases the diversity and richness of Canadian music and encourages students to explore and perform works by Canadian composers.
Location: R.D. Bell Hall, Rm. 1-57, School of music
Admission: By donation.
2025 CMW – Brandon Westman (2)
All students are warmly invited to register and participate in this celebration of Canadian music.

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Campus Manitoba - 35th birthday celebration
2025-11-21 10:00 - 14:00 | Mingling Area, Knowles-Douglas Building, 270-18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 6A9, Canada
Hey there, Brandon University students, staff, and faculty!
Campus Manitoba is turning another year older (and wiser), and what better way to celebrate than with cake?
Friday, November 21, 2025
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Brandon University | Mingling Area
Drop by, grab a slice (while supplies last), and help us celebrate this special milestone, because anniversaries are better with friends and frosting!

The Accessibility Exchange
2025-11-20 18:30 - 19:30 | Zoom, Brandon, MB, Canada
Join us once a month on Zoom for a relaxed, student-led conversation about accessibility, disability, and navigating university life. This is a safe, open space where you can share your experiences, celebrate successes, and exchange strategies with fellow students. Cameras and microphones are completely optional, and you can simply listen in if that is what’s most comfortable.
Facilitated by Student Accessibility Specialists, Erica Brown and Morganna Malyon, the sessions are shaped by you, the students! We’ll help guide the conversation, but this is your space to connect. After each session, we’ll share a compiled list of the strategies and resources discussed so you can keep the conversation going.
Open to all students on campus. Register now!

Transgender Day of Remembrance
2025-11-20 11:30 - 13:00 | Kavanagh Courtyard, 270 18th Street, Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 6A9, Canada
The BU Queer Committee will be hosting a walk from the BU Courtyard to Knox United Church on Thursday November 20, to attend the Transgender Day of Remembrance Ceremony, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm. Light lunch, community booths, and reception to follow the service. BU Queer Committee reps and any interested students, faculty or staff will depart from the Kavanagh Courtyard at 11:40 am.
Knox United Church will also hold a candlelight vigil service 6:00-7:00 pm.

Long Night Against Procrastination 2025
2025-11-19 19:00 - 2025-11-20 02:00 | John E. Robbins Library
Long Night Against Procrastination is the Library’s flagship event, where students can study and access academic services late into the night. Food, drinks, and different activities are provided free of charge.
This semester’s Long Night Against Procrastination will take place Wednesday November 19, 7:00 pm-2:00 am. Please stay tuned for details!
