[4] It is the primary hub of trade and commerce for the Westman Region as well as parts of southeastern Saskatchewan and northern North Dakota, an area with a population of over 190,000 people.

[5] The City of Brandon was incorporated in 1882,[6] having a history rooted in the Assiniboine River fur trade as well as its role as a major junction on the Canadian Pacific Railway.

[7] Known as The Wheat City, Brandon's economy is predominantly associated with agriculture,[8] as well as health care, manufacturing, food processing, education, business services, and transportation.

[11] Canadian Forces Base Shilo is located 30 km (19 mi) east of Brandon and maintains close ties with the city.

French Canadians also passed through the area on river boats on their way to the Hudson Bay Post, Fort Ellice located near present-day St. Lazare, Manitoba.

Many thought that the route would most likely go through either Minnedosa or Rapid City, Manitoba because they were both located at natural river crossings.

Rapid City was the front runner for the site of the new railway and had prepared for the impending building boom accordingly.

[15] Around 1879 a few settlers led by Reverend George Roddick had begun to build their new homes about 10 miles (16 km) south of Grand Valley, at the foot of the Brandon Hills.

[15] In the spring of 1881, General Thomas L. Rosser, Chief Engineer of the Canadian Pacific Railway arrived in Grand Valley.

[16] Post World War II, Brandon experienced a minor disaster when an explosion at the Manitoba Power Commission's steam plant caused the 40 metre (130 ft) brick chimney to collapse, killing two workers in the process.

[17] In contemporary times, Shari Decter Hirst defeated incumbent Dave Burgess in the 2010 municipal election to become the first female mayor of the city.

[19] The terrain is generally flat and rolling surrounding Brandon, and there is a large valley located within the city.

Brandon has a fairly dry climate, with 462 mm (18.2 in) of precipitation annually, and as such is located in the Palliser's Triangle region of the Prairies.

The largest visible minority groups in Brandon are Latin American (5.0%), Chinese (3.8%), South Asian (3.0%), Black (2.1%) and Filipino (1.1%).

The next most common mother tongues were Spanish (4.2%), Gujarati (2.8%), Mandarin (2.0%), French (1.4%), Tagalog (1.2%), Ukrainian (1.1%), Punjabi (0.9%), German (0.7%), Cantonese (0.7%), Amharic (0.7%), Yoruba (0.4%), Russian (0.4%), Tigrigna (0.4%), Arabic (0.3%), Cree (0.2%), Hindi (0.2%), Korean (0.2%), and Urdu (0.2%).

It is now natural gas fueled and runs only as a synchronous condenser to regulate grid voltage in southwest Manitoba.

Authors that participated in this festival included Robert J. Sawyer, Maggie Siggins, Fred Stenson and Corey Redekop.