The Fifty Fingers Orchestra was begun by five musicians from Selkirk. The group performed throughout the 1930s. By 1940 members began moving away from Selkirk to pursue careers and other opportunities. The band came together once again for the Selkirk Centennial celebration in 1982.
Selkirk has often celebrated large events with parades, rain or shine. Some of these events include Victory Day when World War One ended, Canada’s Jubilee in 1927, Coronation Day in 1953, and Selkirk’s 75th Anniversary in 1957. In 1949, the parades began to coincide with the Agricultural Fair weekend.
On June 2, 1953, the town of Selkirk burst into a vibrant display of community spirit and civic pride to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Marked by decorated streets, festive parades, sporting events, and a massive community gathering, the historic day brought local residents together to honor the new monarch in truly grand fashion.
Sarbit’s Store was a cornerstone of Selkirk’s retail landscape for decades. Established by the Sarbit family, the popular department store on Manitoba Avenue became a beloved fixture in the community, known for providing generations of local residents with everything from clothing and footwear to friendly, personalized service.
Built in 1907 at 250 Manitoba Avenue despite a heated local debate over its location, the Dominion Post Office and Customs Building served as a bustling civic hub for fifty years. Explore its journey from a vital mail and wartime government office to its dark era of 1970s abandonment, and discover how a dedicated 1984 grassroots restoration saved the historic landmark to create the thriving Selkirk Community Arts Centre.
Named during an era of pure optimism for Canada’s expanding west, Manitoba Avenue evolved from a wide, muddy trail of “boomtown” storefronts into Selkirk’s premier commercial hub. This exhibit explores the avenue’s vibrant history—from the draining of the Big Bog that sparked a farming boom, to its legendary tolerance for moonshine, wild saloon brawls, and a devastating town fire.