CBC Calgary’s morning radio program, the Calgary Eyeopener, has a weekly series called Talk of the Town.
It looks at the stories of southern Alberta, outside of Calgary, offering a dedicated focus on what’s happening in smaller communities.
And we want to hear your ideas, too.
You can email the Calgary Eyeopener team at eyeopener@cbc.ca to let them know what’s percolating in your city, town, village or hamlet. Or just let us know what you think of what you’ve heard so far.
Listen to the segment live every Friday between 6:35 and 6:45 a.m. on 99.1 FM with hosts Loren McGinnis and Angela Knight.
Or, if you miss an interview, you can find it below.
Pincher Creek: Dog races
At Beauvais Lake Provincial Park, just southwest of Pincher Creek, the Rum Runner 2024 features events like bikejoring and canicross. These challengers are part of a group of activities known as dog-powered sports, where canines and their owners compete in various races.
“So a dog is wearing a harness that is much or is exactly the same as what a dog mushing or dog sledding harness would be,” Donna McLaughlin, one of the event’s organizers, told the Calgary Eyeopener.
“It’s very comfortable for them to pull. They’re attached to a bike or to a person that’s running, or to a special kind of a scooter, and they pull, but the person also assists.”
Calgary Eyeopener7:47Talk of the Town: Pincher Creek
This week on Talk of the Town, we hear about a unique race happening outside Pincher Creek.
Blairmore: Greenhill Mine
Work is underway at the site of an old coal mine in Blairmore, Alta., where the province is cleaning up some unstable structures around the Greenhill Mine. While most of the site will stay, the work caught some residents off-guard. They were concerned they would lose a piece of local history.
Fred Bradley, chair of the Crowsnest Heritage Initiative Society, says the structure is a significant landmark for those familiar with the Crowsnest Pass.
“It shows that there’s a lot of concern and support for that particular structure,” Bradley told CBC Radio’s the Calgary Eyeopener.
“It was certainly an important part of the mining history of the the community over the years.”
Calgary Eyeopener8:11Talk of the Town – Crowsnest Pass
It’s Talk of the Town! This week, we hear about what’s happening at the old Greenhill mine in Crowsnest Pass.
Penhold: Fall festival
Penhold has about 3,900 residents, but its annual fall festival typically draws about 5,000 people, according to the town’s mayor.
Mayor Mike Yargeau told the Calgary Eyeopener that even though the autumn-centric celebrations happen early in September, attendees are in the fall spirit — it’s Penhold’s biggest event of the year.
“We start planning the fall festival pretty much immediately after the fall festival,” said Yargeau.
Calgary Eyeopener5:29Talk of the Town – Penhold
On Talk of the Town, we celebrate fall during a hot summer weekend in Penhold.
Duchess: Federal funds for housing
Duchess, a small community of about 1,000 residents, is one of only 10 Alberta municipalities getting federal funding to build more housing.
“If something does come on the market, it basically is gone before they even get the sign in,” said Deborah Reid-Mickler, deputy mayor of the Village of Duchess.
She told CBC Radio’s the Calgary Eyeopener about how the village is handling the provincial population increase, a lack of local builders and the plan for more housing in Duchess.
Calgary Eyeopener8:22Talk of the Town – Duchess
It’s Talk of the Town! This week, we find out how the Village of Duchess is using money from the feds to get more housing built.
Taber: Corn competitions
Who grows the best cobs in the corn capital of Canada?
It’s a question that can be answered in Taber, Alta., during the town’s annual Cornfest.
Stephanie Savage is the alumni and engagement manager with Lethbridge Polytechnique — the organization responsible for putting on the competitive festivities.
Local corn producers are able to submit the corn harvested from their crops to be judged on taste, appearance, crunch and overall eating experience.
“It gets pretty competitive,” Savage told the Calgary Eyeopener, adding there’s also a competition to see who can eat corn on the cob as fast as possible.
Calgary Eyeopener6:45Talk of the Town: Taber Corn
On this weeks Talk of the Town, we celebrate Taber Corn by learning how to eat it as quickly as humanly possible.
Wheatland County: Red Mangalitsa pigs
EH Farms in Wheatland County specializes in an uncommon breed of pig, known as the red Mangalitsa.
Christina Stender, a farmer and the owner of the first-generation family farm, says her property is currently home to 94 red Mangalitsa pigs, with the largest male weighing about 800 pounds (363 kg).
“They’re wooly, they’re red, they’re large, they’re fat and they’re very yummy,” Stender told the Calgary Eyeopener, adding that she raises the pigs for more than two years before harvesting.
Calgary Eyeopener8:41Talk of the Town: pigstock
On this weeks Talk of the Town, we hear about a celebration of the wooly residents of a wheat land county farm – and we’re not talking about sheep.
Pincher Creek: History of firefighting
A piece of firefighting history is now in Pincher Creek as a 1967 Dodge Fargo fire truck that was in service in the area in the late 1960s will be on display at the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village, a community museum.
Gord Tolton is the education co-ordinator for the local museum. He tells the Calgary Eyeopener about the people working to showcase the town’s firefighting memorabilia and artifacts, plus the fundraising concert being held this weekend (Aug. 10-11).
Calgary Eyeopener7:28Talk of the Town: Pincher Creek fire truck
This week on Talk of the Town, the story of fighting fires in Pincher Creek, all thanks to an old truck.
Wayne: 23rd annual disc golf tournament
Friday marked the first day of the 23rd annual Lost Egg Disc Golf Tournament in Wayne, Alta.
Jordan Alway is the disc golf tournament director, and he told the Calgary Eyeopener that more than a hundred disc golfers will be playing in the badlands of Alberta.
Calgary Eyeopener6:30Talk of the Town: Disc Golf in Wayne
This week’s Talk of the Town takes us to Wayne, Alberta, where more than a hundred disc golfers will be playing in the badlands.
Standard: Historic cattle brands displayed
A score of historic cattle brands are on display east of Strathmore, in the Village of Standard.
They’re being shown off in a part of Standard known as Memory Lane Park. The brands are individually carved into the wood that surrounds a sculpture featuring historic images of the village.
Cliff Larsen is the director of the Memory Lane Park board, and he’s also the man in charge of the brands.
“They were a way to identify different people’s cattle, because, of course, cattle don’t always stay where they’re put,” Larsen told the Calgary Eyeopener.
Calgary Eyeopener7:33Talk of the Town: Standard brands
This week on Talk of the Town: a who’s-who of historic cattle brands are going on display in the Village of Standard.
Elnora: Saskatoon berry celebration
DNA Gardens, an orchard in the Village of Elnora is holding its annual Saskatoon Days celebration this weekend (July 20-21) in honour of the Saskatoon berry.
Arden Delidais, owner of DNA Gardens, told the Calgary Eyeopener that the berry farm has 19 varieties of Saskatoon berries, and visitors can tour the orchard to taste and learn about the fruit.
Delidais says celebrating the Saskatoon berry isn’t just about pie, either. DNA Gardens is also a multi-faceted winery and distillery, offering Saskatoon berry spirits, wine, gelato, barbecue sauce and more.
Calgary Eyeopener8:14Talk of the Town – Elnora
This week on Talk of the Town, we celebrate the humble Saskatoon Berry at a u-pick outside Elnora.
Stephansson House: Cookies and a history lesson
This week, the Calgary Eyeopener is checking in on an oven in Red Deer County, where a batch of Icelandic cookies are baking to celebrate the legacy of a poet who travelled from Iceland to Alberta in the late 1880s.
Kieran McLean is a historical interpreter at Stephansson House, a provincial historic site near Markerville, Alta. Staff are inviting folks to visit on the July 13-14 weekend to learn about the history of Stephan G. Stephansson, a man known as “the poet of the Rocky Mountains.”
McLean says visitors to the historic house can learn from costumed interpreters who bring the story of Stephansson, his poetry and the time period to life.
Calgary Eyeopener7:24Talk of the Town: Stephansson House
It’s a long way from Iceland to Alberta, but that’s the trip a poet and his family made in the 1880s. We head to the Stephansson House for some cookies and a history lesson.
Coaldale: 51st-annual Southern Alberta Summer Games
The Town of Coaldale is hosting this year’s Southern Alberta Summer Games, and it marks 51 years of the tradition. The games are back for the first time since 2019 after being on hiatus because of the pandemic.
Mark McIntosh is the event’s coordinator for Coaldale, and he says it has drawn 1,700 competitors to the town. He tells the Calgary Eyeopener all about the history of the event.
Calgary Eyeopener6:38Coaldale Summer Games
It’s Talk of the Town. This week, we’re down to Coaldale to mark the return of the Southern Alberta Summer Games.
Fort MacLeod: Community celebrates 150 years
Founded in 1874, Fort MacLeod celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.
“It’s quite a big milestone for our town,” said Mackenzie Hengerer, a town councillor and the chair of the 150th Celebration Committee Council.
Hengerer told the Calgary Eyeopener the anniversary celebrations have been in the works for some time, and it’s been a source of great excitement for the community.
Calgary Eyeopener6:12Talk of the Town: 150 years of Fort Macleod
This week on Talk of the Town, we celebrate 150 years of Fort Macleod
Magrath: Classic car show rolls through town
This year marks five years of the Classic Car Show and Shine — and its subsequent parade — happening in the town of Magrath.
Geoff Minors, the event’s organizer, says they usually see about 50 to 70 cars — but he aspires to get to 100 one day — and some folks have travelled in from as far away as Edmonton.
Minors told CBC radio host Loren McGinnis the event typically brings a wide variety of classic cars to town, with some of the oldest dating all the way back to the 1920s.
Calgary Eyeopener7:06Talk of the Town: Magrath car show
This week on Talk of the Town, we hear about an annual car show and parade in Magrath that keeps on growing.
Crowsnest Pass: Brand new mountain bike trail
A new multi-use trail opened on the Pass Powderkeg Ski Area, which is a resort in Blairmore. It’s called “Highway Tree,” and it’s part of a growing network of mountain biking trails in the area — which has become a popular destination for mountain bikers from across Alberta.
The trail was built by the United Riders of Crowsnest, and Amanda Goodhue is the group’s trail manager. Goodhue tells the Calgary Eyeopener about how the trail is designed to be efficient for on-foot and bike travel.
Calgary Eyeopener7:29Talk of the Town: new trail in Crowsnest Pass
This week on Talk of the Town, we hear what’s new for mountain bikers this year in the Crowsnest Pass.
Vulcan: Over 3 decades of Spock Days
Lynn Surman is the chair of the Spock Days committee in Vulcan, Alta. It’s a Star Trek-themed tradition that’s been happening in the town for over three decades.
The festival-like event kicks off with fireworks, and it features family-friendly activities like a parade, a pancake breakfast, a petting zoo, live DJ sets and a slo-pitch tournament.
Surman tells the Calgary Eyeopener that Spock Days is part of the town’s identity, and town councillors can even be seen dressed up as characters from the famous sci-fi series.
Calgary Eyeopener6:36Talk of the Town: Spock Days
This week on Talk of the Town we’re seeking out new worlds and civilizations in Vulcan, Alberta ahead of the annual Spock Days celebration.
Linden: Revving up for the 3rd-annual lawn mower races
Residents of Linden, Alta., are revving up for the town’s Sports Day by revamping used lawn mowers.
By modifying them to make the lawn mowers speedier, folks can participate in the third-annual edition of the Linden Lawn Mower Races.
“We take a lawn mower that goes normally three to four kilometres an hour, and, last year, we had our peace officers out with a radar gun and some of those mowers were going 41 kilometres an hour,” race marshal Shaine Isaac told the Calgary Eyeopener.
Isaac said last year drew over 100 people to cheer on the lawn mower racers.
And for those who prefer something a little slower, the event also has relay races with push mowers.
Calgary Eyeopener5:54Talk of the Town: Linden
This week on Talk of the Town, we’re racing in Linden – on a lawn mower.
Olds: Two 4-H clubs join forces to launch new beef show
This weekend marks an important milestone in central Alberta.
Two local beef clubs in Olds — the Crossfield Madden 4-H Beef Club and Balzac Beef 4-H Club — have teamed up to launch a new event: the Clover Community Classic.
The beef show and sale will take place at the Olds Regional Exhibition Grounds on Saturday.
Penny Havens, a member of the organizing committee, shared more details on the Calgary Eyeopener.
Calgary Eyeopener6:53Talk of the Town: Clover Classic
This week on Talk of the Town, we’re talking 4-H, and a new beef show coming to the Olds Exhibition this weekend.
Markerville: Historic Creamery Museum opens for the season
Its a big weekend in the hamlet about a half-hour drive southwest of Red Deer. Built in 1902, the Historic Markerville Creamery Museum opens for the season on Saturday, and Donna Nelson knows all about it.
Nelson lives in Markerville and is a former member of the local heritage committee. She says the historic museum showcases a rich history of the township and its people.
Calgary Eyeopener6:36Talk of the Town: Markerville Creamery opens
The Markerville Creamery southwest of Red Deer opens for the season this year. We talk to Markerville resident Donna Nelson about the history of the museum and creamery.
Rowley: Las Vegas-themed mystery dinner theatre
The Village of Rowley has invited a Calgary-based theatre company to put on a Vegas-themed murder-mystery dinner event this week to raise money for a local project.
Mira Gallaway, director of the board at the Rowley Community Hall, told the Calgary Eyeopener that proceeds from the show will go toward restoring three of the town’s historical grain elevators
Calgary Eyeopener8:55Talk of the Town – Rowley
We’re headed to the village of Rowley for Talk of the Town, where residents are raising money to restore grain elevators.
High River: The Hitchin Post is now open
A popular drive-in eatery that has been serving the local community for 50 years has opened for the season, firing up its grill to serve delicious burgers and shakes to locals and visitors.
The owner of the Hitchin Post Drive-In, Carmen Lamoureux, gives the full lowdown on the Calgary Eyeopener.
Calgary Eyeopener6:54Talk of the Town: Hitchin’ Post
This week on Talk of the Town, we hear about a sign that spring has arrived in High River. We’re going for burgers and shakes at the Hitchin’ Post!
Three Hills: Building new homes
The town of Three Hills is set to welcome a batch of new homes after the town made the decision to cut prices on residential lots.
Three Hills is also working on an incentive program for houses that will be reviewed by the town council on Monday. The town’s mayor, Ray Wildeman, breaks it all down on the Calgary Eyeopener.
Calgary Eyeopener8:33Talk of the Town – Three Hills
Talk of the Town heads to Three Hills to find out why there’s a discount on lots to build new houses on.
Milo: Creating a community cookbook from scratch
Locals in the village of Milo have worked hard to bring a community cookbook to life. Recipes from scores of homes in the village have been compiled into a cookbook by the Milo Library.
This is the cookbook’s second volume. Celia Lahd, who is the library manager, offers more details on the Calgary Eyeopener.
Calgary Eyeopener6:10Talk of the Town: Milo
It’s time for another Talk of the Town. This week, we find out what the locals are cookin’ in Milo.
Crossfield: Competing with root vegetables
The town of Crossfield is gearing up for an annual event called the February Food Fest. Now in its fourth year, the festival is bringing back one of its most unusual traditions — bowling with rutabagas.
The game made its way to the festival during the pandemic. The organizer of the Rutabaga Bowl, Cheryl Shea, shares more details on the Calgary Eyeopener.
Calgary Eyeopener7:11Talk of the Town – Crossfield
On Talk of the Town, we head up to Crossfield to hear why the locals are bowling with rutabagas.
Olds: Museum turns 50, celebrates with the 1950s
This is a big year for a local museum in central Alberta. It’s celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Chantal Marchildon is the manager and curator of the Mountain View Museum and Archives in Olds. Every year, the museum’s theme changes to reflect a different part of the town’s history.
Marchildon says they just reopened for the 2024 season, and this year, the exhibits are focused on Olds in the 1950s to mark the occasion.
Calgary Eyeopener6:38Talk of the Town – Olds
Penhold: Honouring local world record holder
The town of Penhold is home to a Guinness World Record holder, Josephine Michaluk, who has made the most blood donations by a woman.
Penhold has now launched a special blood drive to mark her achievement. Michaluk shared more details on the Calgary Eyeopener.
Calgary Eyeopener7:05Talk of the Town – Penhold
It’s Talk of the Town. This week we hear how the town of Penhold is honoring a local world record holder.
Brooks: Bandits changing leagues
The Brooks Bandits have now officially left the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The team will finish out the season as a member of the British Columbia Hockey League instead.
The Bandits are one of five Alberta teams making the move. The news comes after more than a week of cancelled games and uncertainty. Sandra Stanway, a reporter with the Brooks Bulletin, breaks it all down.
Calgary Eyeopener6:36Talk of the Town – Brooks
It’s Talk of the Town. This week, we hear about a big change for the Brooks Bandits.
Arrowwood: Documenting the community’s history
The Arrowwood Restoration Society is updating the community’s history book. The previous one was published in 1982 — and now community members are catching up on what’s happened over the past four decades.
The group recently received a $10,000 grant to cover publishing costs. Linda Gooch is the head of the committee that’s putting the book together.
Calgary Eyeopener7:11Talk of the Town – Arrowwood
We dive into the history of the village of Arrowwood, for Talk of the Town.
Drumheller: Easing a housing crunch
As municipalities big and small across Alberta are dealing with a tight housing market, Drumheller has come up with a way to ease things a bit.
It’s a new home-sharing program aimed at helping seasonal workers find a place to stay. Alison Roppel, the executive director of Community Futures Big Country, explains.
Calgary Eyeopener8:29Talk of the Town – Drumheller
It’s Talk of the Town. This week, we hear about a way Drumheller is dealing with the housing crunch.
Diamond Valley: One year in a new municipality
It’s been one year since Black Diamond and Turner Valley officially tied the knot, creating a new municipality known as Diamond Valley.
Mayor Barry Crane gives an update.
Calgary Eyeopener7:53Talk of the Town – Diamond Valley
It’s Talk of the Town. This week, we check if the shiny promise of amalgamation in Diamond Valley is in its honeymoon period.
Etzikom: Roof repair at a windmill museum
Windy conditions are more than welcome in Etzikom. The hamlet southeast of Calgary is home to a windmill museum.
And that’s where a costly roof renovation is in the works. Skyler Stromsmoe, a volunteer at Etzikom Museum, explains.
Calgary Eyeopener7:29Talk of the Town – Etzikom
We head to a windmill museum in the windswept southeast corner of the province.
East Coulee: Hanging lights at historic site
We headed up to East Coulee in the Drumheller Valley to celebrate Christmas in a coal mine. More than 40,000 lights have been strung for Christmas in the Coulee at the old Atlas Coal Mine.
Sarah Newstead, the executive director of the historic site, is our guide.
Calgary Eyeopener7:08Talk of the Town – East Coulee
It’s Talk of the Town. This week, it’s Christmas in a coal mine.
Beiseker: All out for Christmas
Folks in Beiseker went all out for their annual Christmas in the village event.
Cathryn Hagel with the Village of Beiseker explains.
Calgary Eyeopener4:56Talk of the Town – Beiseker
On Talk of the Town, it’s up to Beiseker to hear about Christmas in the Village.
Nanton: Lights the Way
Each year, Nanton hosts a Christmas lights contest called Lights the Way.
Steve Rooke was the 2022 champion in the residential category. And this year he’s trying to top it.
Calgary Eyeopener7:33Talk of the Town – Nanton
It’s Talk of the Town. We chat with the Clark W. Griswold of Nanton.
Rosedale: Repairing a pedestrian bridge
Work has now begun to repair the old Star Mine Suspension Bridge in Rosedale, a community roughly 150 kilometres northeast of Calgary. The pedestrian bridge over the Red Deer River has been closed since 2020 due to structural concerns.
Don Johnston is the owner of Wild West Badlands Tours. He’s been running tours that visit the bridge for 15 years.
Calgary Eyeopener7:03Talk of the Town – Rosedale
It’s Talk of the Town. We hear about an old suspension bridge in the Badlands that is finally being repaired.
Cardston: Remembrance Day
Saturday, Nov. 11, is Remembrance Day in Canada. Ceremonies are scheduled in communities throughout southern Alberta, including in the town of Cardston.
Cammi Bevans is the facilitator of that ceremony. She explained it on the Calgary Eyeopener.
Calgary Eyeopener5:43Talk of the Town – Cardston
On Talk of the Town, we head to Cardston for the community’s annual Remembrance Day ceremony.
Coleman: Working to build a new skate park
We’re grabbing our boards and shredding down to the Crowsnest Pass. Efforts are underway to build a new skate park in the community of Coleman.
Ian Gauthier is with the Southwest Alberta Skateboard Society, which is behind the effort.
Calgary Eyeopener6:50Talk of the Town – Crowsnest Pass
On Talk of the Town, we hear about the plans for a new skatepark in the Crowsnest Pass.
Fort Macleod: A special anniversary
This week we’re hurrying hard in Fort Macleod. The local curling club is celebrating 125 years of rocks and rings.
Sherri Zoeteman, the club president, explains the club’s history.
Calgary Eyeopener7:22Talk of the Town: Fort Macleod
This week we celebrate 125 years of curling in Fort Macleod.
Taber: Town’s largest hunting festival
The Taber Pheasant Festival begins on Saturday. The week long event is billed as the largest hunting festival in the country.
It’s put on by the Alberta Conservation Association.
Todd Zimmerling president and CEO, explained how it works.
Penhold: Fundraising for the fire department
Members of Penhold’s volunteer fire department have teamed up with a restaurant in Red Deer for a fundraiser.
All October, if you buy the special burger at Cilantro and Chive, $2 from each purchase goes to the Penhold Volunteer Fire Association.
The special is called the Firehouse Burger and Dwayne Marsden helped come up with the recipe. He spoke to the Calgary Eyeopener about the burger.
Delburne: A big day for card sharks
The fall cribbage tournament is underway in Delburne.
Dozens of players are registered to count some fifteen-twos and try not to get skunked too bad. Linda Attfield is the president of the Delburne and District Drop-In Centre — she explains the event.
Bow Island: A new festival
We headed down to Bow Island — the town recently launched a new harvest festival.
To talk about it is Christina Unruh, Bow Island’s tourism coordinator.
Coleman: New plans for an old school
Work has just begun to fix up a former school in Coleman.
The plan is to turn the old classrooms into bedrooms.
Greg Bueckert owns the property, and he shared the story with the Calgary Eyeopener.
Didsbury: A parade of scarecrows
Didsbury is home to the annual Scarecrows on Parade event. It’s a contest where families, businesses, and local municipal governments create their own scarecrow, hoping for a chance to receive a people’s choice award in their category.
Listen to more from Dawn Stewart, manager of the Didsbury Museum, which played host to the scarecrows.
Sundre: 105 years of the local fair
The annual school and community fair has been happening in Sundre, about 110 kilometres northwest of Calgary, for more than a century.
Kids get the day off of school for the special event.
Fair committee member Karen Tubb dived into its history.
Champion: Ricky the rock snake
A colourful snake has been slithering through the village of Champion, about 140 kilometres southeast of Calgary.
However, this is no ordinary reptile — he’s made of rocks.
Kathy Perley, executive director of family and community support services for the village, shared the story of Ricky.
Cardston: Temple’s 100-year anniversary
Cardston is celebrating 100 years since the original dedication of its famous The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple.
Diana Mackenzie explains why the anniversary is so significant to the town located 230 kilometres south of Calgary.
Stettler: The Amazing Race
A popular reality show has inspired an annual summer event at the library in Stettler, about 220 kilometres northeast of Calgary.
Jaden Norman, a summer student at the Stettler Public Library, shared what to expect at this year’s Amazing Race challenge.
Irricana: Celebrating 100 Years of John Deere Tractor
Pioneer Acres near the town of Irricana, about 65 kilometres northeast of Calgary, is holding its annual show celebrating the agricultural history of the prairies.
This year’s theme is “The Year of the Deere.” The museum is marking 100 years of the John Deere Model D tractor.
Bob Anderson, president of Pioneer Acres, shared the details.
Diamond Valley: Ian Tyson Memorial Music Festival
Diamond Valley is hosting its first annual Ian Tyson Music Festival.
The community, about 65 kilometres southwest of Calgary, wants to honour the work of the late cowboy singer-songwriter.
Murray Rodgers, president of the Diamond Valley Chamber of Commerce, explained why.
Claresholm: A grueling gravel bike race
For the third time, the town of Claresholm, about 130 kilometres south of Calgary, is hosting a gravel bike race called The Range.
More than 300 riders will take on the 124-kilometre challenge.
Creator and organizer Garth Stotts shared what riders are in for.
Longview: Little New York Daze
The annual Little New York Daze festival is back in Longview, about 50 kilometres south of Calgary.
It’s a two-day festival, with a parade that hasn’t waltzed through town in four years.
Sean McCarthy, president of the Little New York Daze Association, spoke to the Calgary Eyeopener about what to expect and how the festival got its name.
Hanna: Hosting all-star football
The 25th annual CanAm Bowl is coming to Hanna, located northeast of Calgary.
It’s the first time the game has been held in the province.
The best six-man high school football players from Alberta and Saskatchewan make up Team Canada. They’re up against an all-star team from the Unites States.
Team Canada’s offensive co-ordinator, Darryl Dickson, set the stage.
Athabasca: Flooding before a festival
Flooding along the Athabasca River caused last minute issues ahead of a big festival in the northern Alberta town.
However, that’s not stopping the Magnificent River Rats Festival from happening in Athabasca.
Fred Minville, the vice-president of the festival, explained what they’re up against.
Champion: Discovering an old mural
An old mural was discovered on the side of a building on the main drag in the town of Champion, 130 kilometres southeast of Calgary.
And no one in the community can remember it.
Racille Ellis, 91, was born and raised in the area. She shared what she knows about the building.
Langdon: New life in the heart of town
Langdon, located just east of Calgary, is one of the fastest-growing communities in Alberta. This week, the town of roughly 6,000 celebrated the opening of a new park in the heart of town.
The amenity features a community garden, fire pits, a playground, a skate park, a library, basketball hoops and even pickleball courts.
Chrissy Craig, executive director of the Langdon Community Association, spoke to the Calgary Eyeopener about the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which happened amid this week’s tornado warnings.
Lethbridge and Coaldale: Beef club marks 100 years
The Lethbridge Coaldale 4-H Beef Club marked a major milestone recently. The group celebrated its 100-year anniversary.
Club leader Rebecca Tokariuk shared the impact the club has had over the years.
Strathmore: Mural unveiling
There’s a fresh new splash of colour in the town of Strathmore, east of Calgary. A new mural has been unveiled downtown.
It was created in part by participants in the Prospect Human Services Skills for Success program, which helps unemployed or underemployed people in the area gain skills through art.
Team lead Shantelle Vermeylen explained how the mural was created.
Castor: Renovating the town’s last grain elevator
The last remaining grain elevator in the town of Castor, about 140 kilometres east of Red Deer, has been undergoing renovations. It’s also being repainted in its original colours from the early 1900s.
John Wright, secretary of the Castor and District Museum Society, shares the history of the structure and why it’s important to the community.
High River: Little Britches Parade and Rodeo
The annual Little Britches Parade and Rodeo kicks off in High River, about 50 kilometres south of Calgary.
Parade chair Hank Leeferink explains what’s happening over the weekend and how this special event got started in 1959.
Mossleigh: Train rides to revisit history
There’s no time like the present to revisit Alberta’s railway past.
Passenger train rides are back at Aspen Crossing, near the hamlet of Mossleigh, about 90 kilometres southeast of Calgary.
Roma Howlett, the train lead at Aspen Crossing, shares some of the history that passengers will learn and the adventures they’ll experience along the ride — including a mock robbery.
Strathmore: Over the Hill Gang
A group in Strathmore is calling themselves the Over the Hill Gang, and they cruise around the community on mobility scooters!
Allan McKinnon is one of the founders. He described how the gang came to be, and why they banded together.
Stettler: Restoring an old locomotive
People in Stettler, about 80 kilometres east of Red Deer, are working to get a locomotive chugging again.
The 6060 locomotive was a gift to the people of Alberta to mark the 75th anniversary of the province.
The Rocky Mountain Rail Society owns the train. Brian Henderson, the group’s treasurer, shared a bit about the train’s history.
Rosebud: Celebrating 50 years of the arts
Over the years, the hamlet of Rosebud — about 100 kilometres northeast of Calgary — has become synonymous with live theatre.
This year, it’s marking 50 years since it all began, when a small arts summer camp took form in the community.
Morris Ertman, the Rosebud Theatre’s artistic director, described how they plan to celebrate.
Crossfield: Do Good in Your Hood
Typically, you want to avoid getting ticketed by a police officer, but not in the town of Crossfield, about 50 kilometres north of Calgary.
Local kids are trying to get ticketed for performing good deeds. It’s part of a program called, “Do Good in Your Hood.”
Nicole Vandenberghe runs it. She explained how the program works.
Hanna: Restoring the town roundhouse
Residents of Hanna are trying to keep the town’s railroad heritage alive by fixing up a historic roundhouse.
Sandra Beaudoin is the president and founder of the Hanna Roundhouse Society, which is fixing up the building.
She described the structure, its current condition and residents’ hopes for its future.
Trochu: Small town wants more people to move there
You’ve likely heard of the Alberta is Calling campaign, which encourages people from across the country to move to the province. But did you know Trochu is calling, too?
The town is trying to grow the community of about 1,000 people northeast of Calgary.
Jamie Collins, executive assistant with the Town of Trochu, explained why.
Sundre: The push for a pump and cycle track in town
The Sundre Bike n Ski Club wants to build a pump and cycle track in the town.
The club, formed in 2015, is made up of a group of residents who promote the enjoyment of outdoor physical activities.
Club member Josh Rozenhart explained the group’s latest idea.
Nanton: Popular Nanton antique shop closes its doors
Nanton is known as a destination for antique hunters.
But one of the town’s most popular shops, Sentimental Journey Antiques, has closed.
Becky Scott is the president of the Nanton and District Chamber of Commerce. She explained what the closure means for the town.
Strathmore: Raising funds for the local food bank
Members of the Strathmore Fire Department challenged their community for a good cause.
They wanted to see who could raise more donations for the Wheatland County Food Bank over a two-week period, between Feb. 27 and March 10.
Chief David Sturgeon with the Strathmore Fire Department explained the goal of the campaign.
Pincher Creek: The end of a local paper
Twelve community newspapers in Alberta ended their print editions on Feb. 27. The Postmedia-owned outlets are now publishing their stories only online.
One of those papers is the Pincher Creek Echo, which has been published weekly since 1900.
Farley Wuth is the curator of the Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village in Pincher Creek and has thumbed through countless editions of the paper. He explained a bit about its history.
Coleman: Bringing new life to an old theatre
Efforts are underway to transform an old theatre in Coleman, in the Crowsnest Pass, into an arts destination for the area.
Howard Vandenhoef is with the Crowsnest Cando Society, which owns the Roxy Theatre and is behind the push to restore it.
He described the theatre’s history and his vision for its future.
Drumheller: Flood mitigation project requires some to leave homes
A massive flood mitigation project is going on in Drumheller, and soon, it’s heading into a new phase.
A public information session was held Feb. 9 to give folks a sense of what’s coming.
Darryl Drohomerski is the chief administrative officer with the Town of Drumheller. He explained why the mitigation work is necessary.
Torrington: Beloved museum in need of repairs
The hamlet of Torrington, in central Alberta, is known for its World Famous Gopher Hole Museum.
But the site has seen better days. The two buildings housing the dozens of displays of taxidermy gophers are in need of significant repairs.
Museum director Laural Kurta told us what’s needed to get the museum back to its former glory.
