In Manitou, festival season gets an extra weekend to celebrate the Pembina Valley.

"17 years ago, a gentleman by the name of Joseph Kozak had this idea to attract people to our area, to bring tourism and promote our local grown produce, goods, services, and promote the area, and finally, people got behind him and we started a festival," says Evelyn Lea, Chair of the Honey, Garlic, and Maple Syrup Festival Board.

The festival may only be two days of the year, but they pack a punch almost as strong as the garlic. Most of the festivities took place inside, or underneath tents, which gave a great escape from the rain.

Lea says they always try to mix up the events to give the weekend a taste of something different for first timers and returning attendees. "We even had a bus from Winnipeg with Fehr-Way Tours come out and spend the day with us to see the sights, and take in the festival."

Of course, the weekend would not be complete without some honey, garlic, and maple syrup vendors. The maple syrup and garlic sold out, but not before being used as the centrepiece of the impressive cooking demonstrations.

Lea says her favourite part of the festival is "just seeing everybody in good moods, and they're visiting and happy. . . it's just a nice atmosphere."

Manitou has a population of roughly 800 people and it takes 200 of them to make the festival happen. "It's a community festival, so everybody takes part," adds Lea.

The best way to feel this atmosphere is to taste it at the "pièce de résistance," according to Lea; more commonly known as the Saturday buffet. Approximately 520 people attended the buffet where they could feast on "slow roasted pork, honey glazed chicken, sweet and sour farmer sausage, our famous garlic mashed potatoes, honey glazed carrots, gourmet pasta salad, corn on the cob, honey coleslaw, wild cranberry jelly, honey apple sauce, assorted pickles, buns, and strawberry shortcake," she says.

Overall, it was a fantastic weekend and "everybody was in good spirits," Lea says.