The Prairie Thistle Highland Dance Competition is scheduled for the Watson Art Centre in Dauphin, Manitoba, on April 25, 2026. The event, which runs from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., is open to the public and offers free admission for all spectators.
The competition will take place in the Johnston & Company Auditorium. This space is located within the Watson Art Centre, a provincial heritage site originally built between 1904 and 1905 as the town hall. The auditorium retains several historical features, including its original hardwood floors, woodwork, and pressed tin ceilings.
The Prairie Thistle Highland Dance Association organizes the event to support dancers across Western Manitoba and Southern Saskatchewan. The venue is managed by the Dauphin and District Allied Arts Council, an organization formed in the 1970s to preserve the historic building for community use.
Highland dance remains an active part of the local arts scene. The Telfer School of Highland Dance, which offers instruction at the centre for children as young as three, is one of the local groups contributing to the region’s cultural activities. As a hub for the Parkland region, Dauphin continues to serve residents from surrounding areas through these types of community events.
The auditorium itself was named following a $35,000 donation from the Johnston and Company Law Office, which helped fund a new heating system for the facility. More information on the competition can be found on the Watson Art Centre event page.
