Travellers stranded by a blizzard in a Manitoba town got a treat on Tuesday night when singer Tom Jackson put on an impromptu concert in the storm shelter.

A dump of snow and howling wind shut down the Trans-Canada highway at the Manitoba-Saskatchewan boundary, which forced people to hunker down in the town of Virden.

Jackson and his Huron Carole musical group were travelling from Regina to Brandon and were among those stranded.

Virden Mayor Jeff McConnell says Jackson went to the shelter set up by the community and immediately offered to put on a concert.

The evening performance drew twice the number of people staying in the shelter and ended with Jackson leading the crowd in a rendition of "Silent Night."

McConnell says everyone is grateful to Jackson for lifting spirits while they waited out the snow.