Curling started at St. Vital a couple of weeks ago with very successful Police & Fire Games but the real kickoff to the season is tonight when the club is hosting a FREE Indigenous Cultural Celebration as a season launch – following the 5PM opening draw of this weekend’s St Vital NISO Mixed Doubles Classic – a Manitoba Mixed Doubles Tour event.

The celebration begins at 7PM and features food, entertainment by the Asham Stompers, a Land Acknowledgment and what is being described as a cultural celebration.

Why the name NISO Mixed Doubles Classic, you ask? Perhaps not an exact interpretation but I’m told NISO is a Cree word for two – so it’s a good name for a Doubles curling event with a great line-up of teams. Top-ranked Canadian teams like Jennifer Jones & Brent Laing, Laura Walker & Kirk Muyres, Chaelynn Kitz & Brayden Stewart, and Jennifer Armstrong & Tyrel Griffith will face the challenge of the likes of Winnipeggers Dawn & Mike McEwen, Mackenzie Arbuckle &  Aaron Macdonell, and ten other teams.

Preliminary round game times are 5PM Thursday, 4 & 8PM Friday, 9-12-3-6 Saturday.