Submitted by: Jayne Leadbeater For the 33rd Fall since starting, Swan Valley Community Band had their Beginning Day this past 16 September 2026. And, as always, practice was in the SVRSS Band Room. With a promising attendance, new music & new members, it was an enjoyable success. More former members are expected and possibly some […]

Donna Potts, Communities that Care Program Coordinator Mass Registration is an event that has taken place annually for many years in the Swan River Valley to which all families know they can come and sign up for their children’s chosen activities throughout the year. This is always well attended. There were 20 tables that were […]

Submitted by: Community Foundation of Swan Valley The Community Foundation of Swan Valley was pleased to support Swan Valley Youth Baseball with a grant to support facility improvements. Funding was used to purchase new pitching mounds and install a cap along the fencing, improving the baseball facility for local players. These upgrades will provide a […]

The Minitonas and District Lions Club hosted a pancake breakfast in the Swan Valley Co-op parking lot on August 29, 2026 as a kickoff to the Swan River Valley Agricultural Society – Ralley for the Valley. The day was a time for community members to gather together, reconnect and celebrate the resilience and community spirit […]

Province of Manitoba Media Release | The Manitoba government is providing a one-time grant of up to $500,000 for the Municipality of Minitonas-Bowsman to purchase a backup generator for its water treatment plant, allowing the community to protect residents’ water supply during any future loss of power, Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard announced […]

Submitted by: Swan River & District Community Resource Council Inc. Service to Seniors Coffee and a Chat resumed on August 27, 2026 at the Swan River Senior Citizen Centre. It was a pleasure to gather again and hear from Gordon Hornbeck, who shared stories from a life filled with adventure, travel, and creative work. Brenda […]

Submitted by: Lesley Sembaluk, Swan River Valley Agricultural Society President Ralley for the Valley – August 29, 2026 Today was about one thing — our community. Rally for the Valley was made possible because individuals, businesses, organizations, volunteers, performers, vendors, and community members all came together with one common goal: to create something positive for […]

Pictures by ValleyBiz The Swan Valley had perfect viewing conditions for the partial lunar eclipse on August 28, 2026. The bright full moon could be seen at the start of the eclipse. The moon began to disappear around 9:20 pm with only a sliver remaining at the peak around 11:12 pm. Below are some pictures […]

Province of Manitoba Media Release | Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure (MTI) is advising that significant progress has been made restoring access to provincial roads affected by June rainfall and flooding in the Parkland and Interlake regions. Throughout June, heavy rainfall resulted in widespread flooding, road washouts and damage to provincial infrastructure. Some communities received as […]

Submitted by: Brenna Smith On July 26th, 2026 St. Andrew’s United Church hosted an evening gathering for community members. It was a wonderful evening as community members came together to enjoy music, reflect, pray, and support one another following the recent flooding in the Swan Valley. The evening was filled with a variety of musical […]

Submitted by: Roy Ooms The SVRSS Class of 1976 just hosted the 50th anniversary of their graduation at the Swan Valley Museum on July 21 – 24, 2026. Approximately 60 grads attended the event, along with about 8 teachers. In total 113 people were present. People came from as far west as Vancouver Island, and […]

Submitted by: Swan River & District Community Resource Council Inc. Service to Seniors Dr. Monica Cole provided a presentation in Birch River to talk about Complimentary and Alternative Medicine Approach to pain management. Her main approach is to stay physically and mentally active. With approval from your medical practitioner, stay as active as possible, keep […]

Swan River Valley Agricultural Society Announcement | 2026 Northwest Roundup and Exhibition For generations, the Northwest Roundup & Exhibition has been a cherished tradition in the Swan Valley, bringing together families, friends, volunteers, exhibitors, competitors, businesses, and visitors to celebrate our agricultural heritage and community spirit. It is with heavy hearts that the Swan River […]

The Town of Swan River has issued the following Evacuation Advisory The Town of Swan River is strongly recommending evacuation from the affected areas of the following streets: • Duncan Crescent • Heyes Street • Crescent Drive • Centennial Drive • Sixth Ave North • Seventh Ave North • River Park Drive This recommendation is […]

Submitted by: Violet Plett This event went well again this year. We had singers from North Dakota. One family was from south of Winnipeg but only a few miles north from the US border. One family was from close to Austin, MB, and 3 groups were from Alberta. There were 25 main singers plus a […]

Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Page Photography Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2025 Swan Valley Regional Secondary School June 19, 2026 Be Like a Tree: Stay grounded. Connect with your roots. Turn over a new leaf. Bend before you break. Celebrate your unique natural beauty. Keep Growing! Swan Valley Regional Secondary School Graduating Class of […]

Submitted by: Kari Goethe The Swan Valley community came together in a remarkable show of support for local youth sports during the recent Kal Tire Fundraising BBQ, benefiting Swan Valley Youth Baseball and Swan River Junior Curling. Both of these organizations extend a heartfelt thank you to Kal Tire along with everyone who contributed to […]

Update from Municipality of Minitonas-Bowsman June 15, 2026 Visitor Centre Minitonas & District Arena The Visitor Center has moved to the Minitonas & District Arena, 244, 5th Avenue and will be open between 9am and 5pm. Snacks and lunch food will be available. In addition we will also be providing 1 hot meal per day: […]

June 13, 20216 Important Updates for Minitonas Residents We have been asked to share the following information: Cleanup Christian Aid Rapid Response Team and Samaritan’s Purse is a free service. These groups will be in the communityu and will remove items from your home, clean out the remaining water and sludge, demo drywall, carpets etc. […]

With our home base in the rural Minitonas area, we have been offline since Sunday June 7, 2026. We still have no power and no water but with cell service restored Tuesday evening, we now have internet. We are sharing a few pictures from our attempt to find a route to Swan River Monday evening […]

Submitted by: Swan River & District Community Resource Council Inc. Service to Seniors What a great time we had with Caroline Foster learning about Sourdough. The session started, informing us what a sourdough is and how it is different than yeast made dough. She said it was easy. “right” we have heard that before in […]

Submitted by: Prairie Mountain Health Pictured above: The families gathered for a picture in front of the famous Swan in Swan River. Pictured from left are Hakeem Fagbenro, Clinical Assistant, Agnes (Dr. Osadolor’s mom), Dr. Olamidehinde Fagbenro, PMH Physician Recruitment and Retention Coordinator Tamara Kemp-Boulet, and Dr. Osayimwense Osadolor. In front are Dr. Osadolor’s children. […]

Submitted by: Marylin Yacyshn There was a great turnout to the Benito Town Wide Garage Sale & BBQ on May 30, 2026. Thanks to all participants, donators, shoppers and volunteers. The small shoppers got to cool off in the new splash park.

Submitted by: Kamillah El-Giadaa Training & Development Manager, Volunteer Manitoba Volunteer Manitoba was blown away by the support from the Swan River community as we hosted our very first Volunteer Fair in the region! This pilot event brought together local non-profits, students, and community members for a day focused on connection. A huge thank you […]

Submitted by: Charlene Wowchuk We would like to thank the community for coming out to support the Spring Opening of the Swan Valley Historical Museum on May 24, 2026. Great thanks to the dedicated volunteers we have to make this day happen. The bread maker, wagon rides, the train conductor’s and many shop workers kept […]

Submitted by: Jayne Leadbeater This past Wednesday Evening, May 13, 2026, in the new Cultural Arts Centre situated in the SVRSS, an audience of close to 150 people enjoyed a ‘Musical Joy of Spring” performance by the Swan Valley Community Band for their 32nd Spring Concert. Joining them for an interlude of superb musicianship was […]

Submitted by: Carla Werbicki What a wonderful Mother’s Day breakfast! We are so grateful to everyone who came out to celebrate with us. It was amazing to see families, friends, and community members gather to honor all mother figures in our lives, while raising funds for our school initiatives. A heartful thanks to everyone who […]

Submitted by: Swan River & District Community Resource Council Inc. Service to Seniors We had a great plan for our April Coffee and a Chat, the plan was to get together to “chat” and do our mending. Yes I said it, we will take a needle and thread and do some mending. We always have […]

Submitted by: Marilyn Yacyshyn Another great turnout at the Benito Drop In Center Mother’s Day Tea and Quilters’ Show❤️ Thank you to all who donated, volunteered and attended. Extra big thank you to those who brought quilts and quilted projects to be displayed. Peoples’ Choice awarded to: 1st Faye Summers – quilt 2nd Cindy Miller […]

Submitted by: Judy Mosiondz On the evening of Thursday, April 23, 2026 the Swan Valley Community Choir delivered an impressive performance of three-part harmony songs to an appreciative audience at the acoustically favorable St. Andrew’s United Church. Under the expert direction of Nic Stroud and accompanied by the talented Caroline Zinkiew, the choir showcased their […]

Submitted by: Renate Wille The Little Woody Art Show held May 2, 2026 did not disappoint. The exhibitors were:Naomi Nemez, Barb and Terry Filuk, Peyton Corder, Barbara Labbe, Melody Hunt, Cheryl Sherrer, Louise Jones, Candace Balbo, Katharina Brown, Renate Wille, Margarita Neufeld and Eddi Neufeld. The sunshine and the springlike day made for happy people […]

Submitted by: Savanna McKay A wonderful showcase of dances was enjoyed by all in attendance at the Dolyna Ukrainian Dancers Year End Concert on Saturday, April 25, 2026. The hard work and dedication of the dancers and instructor Wynn Fedorchuk were evident on the stage throughout afternoon. The Pryvit (Welcome) dance was performed by the […]

Submitted by: Henry Barkowski Back: Tim Grazier, Ryan Cooke, Rob Nesbitt, Colin Baldwin, Dallas Andersen, Rodney Redhead, Henry Barkowski, Blair Mosiondz, Faron Cook, John Pasternak, Jett Penner, Austen Peel, Chris Penner, Lyle Eggie, Jax Penner Front: Derek Lukey, Don Formo, Hilbert Nerbas, Chris Thompson, Jarret Gingras, Josh Corder Regulars Missing: Dale Andersen, Faron Genaille, Cam […]

Submitted by: Swan River & District Community Resource Council Inc. Service to Seniors We welcome all for coming out this week to the Coffee and a Chat, the weatherman worked with us, there was the possibility of poor weather. We had a good turnout with rural people getting through the country roads to attend. Good […]

Submitted by: Henry Barkowski Back: Merv Leslie, Dennis Kalynuk, Stephen Natyna, Glenn Nichiporuk, Marc Kunjumpa, Carl Giesbrecht, Steve “Slapshot” Hanson, James Waldner, Henry Barkowski, Terry Fullerton, Randy Mateika Front: Steve Windsor, David Eggie, Eldon Hart, Jarret Gingras, Blair Mosiondz, Faron Genaille, Lyle Eggie Missing: Faron Cook, Reg Ellingson, Rod Ellingson. Kendal Johnson, Pat Morden, Mark […]

Submitted by: Community Foundation of Swan Valley The SVRSS Varsity Girls Basketball (SVSD) received a grant from the Community Foundation of Swan Valley to purchase new team uniforms. These uniforms will help ensure the team can represent their school and community with pride while competing throughout the basketball season. Having proper, matching uniforms supports team […]

The 95th annual women’s bonspiel, hosted by the Swan River Curling Club, took place March 13-15, 2026. Twenty teams participated in the event. 1st Event – Sponsored by Rogers WINNERS (Pictured Above) Jessica Jersak, Avery Gray, Chelsey Palmer, Hilary Doverspike. RUNNERS-UP Bryn Zamzow, Eden Betcher, Julia Arp, Haley Ferriss 2nd Event – Sponsored by Swan […]

Submitted by: Swan River & District Community Resource Council Inc. Service to Seniors The Coffee and a Chat session in Benito initially scheduled for February 2026 was cancelled due to poor weather. The session was rescheduled and, on March 11, 2026, the Benito Drop In Center hosted the Benito Strings and band class with music […]

Submitted by: Kandie Lagore Adult & Teen Challenge’s Northern Manitoba Sled for Eternity Ride, one of three annual snowmobile fundraising events hosted by the organization, took place February 28, 2026 as riders departed from the Swan Valley Museum for a 230-kilometre journey to Bellsite and back. Participants travelled the scenic trails of the Swan Valley, […]

Submitted by: Michelle Rinsdorf, Executive Director Sunflower Early Learning Centre We are happy to report that Sunflower Early Learning Centre held another successful Trivia Night Fundraiser on February 28, 2026! We had 18 teams register and come out to play! A very special thank you to all of our sponsors and donors for making the […]

Submitted by Swan Valley Snowmobile Club Snowmobile enthusiasts gathered at the Westwood Inn in Swan River on Saturday, February 28, bringing out their vintage sleds for the Swan Valley Snowmobile Club’s annual Vintage Snowmobile Ride. Attendees were treated to a close-up look at some of the finest vintage snowmobiles, with 26 riders taking part in […]

A friendly reminder from ValleyBiz that Daylight Savings Time begins tonight. The official time to set your clocks ahead 1 hour is: 2:00 am Sunday, March 8, 2026 Set your clock to: 3:00 am Each year, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

Submitted by: Community Foundation of Swan Valley This year marks an incredible milestone for the Community Foundation of Swan Valley — reaching $5 million in donations. While the number itself is impressive, what truly matters is what it represents: over 20 years of generosity, partnership, and belief in the power of community. Established in 2005 […]

The Bellsite Annual Poker Derby took place on February 22, 2026. There were 104 driver hands sold, 95 machines, and approximately 346 ghost riders. Thanks to all that brought in the ghost riders! The Bellsite Community Centre, along with North Mountain Riders would like to thank those businesses/persons of Swan River, Bowsman, Birch River, Mafeking, […]

Submitted by: Tracy Burick CBF Christian School (CBFCS) held their Open House Thursday, February 26. Families came to tour the school, ask questions and meet the teachers for the prospective classroom their child may be in. Parents took home enrollment kits to read more about what the school offers. CBFCS has been educating students in […]

Submitted by: Andrea Keller The 17th Annual Open Bonspiel hosted 28 teams for an exciting week of curling. February 11-15,2026 the Rec Centre was buzzing with activities. Wednesday evening the first draw took place with participants coming from near & far! Sunday afternoon participants gathered for prizes with 3 events 1st Event Winners sponsored by […]

Submitted by: Community Foundation of Swan Valley The Bowsman Community Skating Arena received a grant to replace the overhead door in the arena. This replacement improved the safety, security, and functionality of the arena. The Community Foundation of Swan Valley is happy to support this project that sustains the arena as a safe, accessible, and […]

Submitted by: Swan River & District Community Resource Council Inc. Service to Seniors Hello to all, 42 people attended the three days of Coffee and a Chat this month. It was great to see you all again and meet the new people who came. Birch River and Swan River welcomed Kamden Keith as our exercise […]

Submitted by: Teresa Mckay The women of the valley hosted their annual event on January 31, 2026 at the Solid Rock Church in Swan River. This venue is very much appreciated, as it has ample space for eating, an auditorium for worship and speaking, and a library for those interested. The ladies are excellent hosts […]

ValleyBiz Story | On January 24, 2026, the Swan Valley School Division(SVSD) held the grand opening of their new Cultural Arts Centre at the Swan Valley Regional Secondary School. The $16.6 million expansion includes a 4,200 square foot cultural arts centre with a large auditorium and a raised stage, a 2,100 square foot multi-purpose room, […]