Haven’t heard of Alberta Culture Days? Well, you are in for a crazy, unique, and surprising weekend, September 27 – 29, 2019. Alberta Culture Days is a chance for us to discover, experience, and celebrate the arts and culture communities across the province that makes Alberta so special. Every year, this three-day event takes place as part of National Culture Days, which includes more than 300 communities from coast to beautiful coast! The objective is to increase awareness, participation, accessibility, and engagement of Canadians in the Arts and Culture of Canada, a must-see for all Alberta ..read more

Haven’t heard of Alberta Culture Days? Well, you are in for a crazy, unique, and surprising weekend, September 27 – 29, 2019. Alberta Culture Days is a chance for us to discover, experience, and celebrate the arts and culture communities across the province that makes Alberta so special. Every year, this three-day event takes place as part of National Culture Days, which includes more than 300 communities from coast to beautiful coast! The objective is to increase awareness, participation, accessibility, and engagement of Canadians in the Arts and Culture of Canada, a must-see for all Alberta ..read more

Image credit: Charles M. Russell, The Jerkline, 1912, oil on canvas, 24.25 x 36 inches (C.M. Russell Museum, Gift of Fred Birch) In 1919, after four long years of global conflict and great loss, the world was finally at peace. Calgary joined the global celebration by hosting a Victory Stampede in Victoria Park. This space, now known as the Calgary Exhibition Grounds, was used through the war as a training space for local regiments and was a fitting place to celebrate the troops’ return to Calgary. As a part of this celebration, Guy Weadick, the founder of the Calgary Stampede, secured a fin ..read more

Image credit: Charles M. Russell, The Jerkline, 1912, oil on canvas, 24.25 x 36 inches (C.M. Russell Museum, Gift of Fred Birch) In 1919, after four long years of global conflict and great loss, the world was finally at peace. Calgary joined the global celebration by hosting a Victory Stampede in Victoria Park. This space, now known as the Calgary Exhibition Grounds, was used through the war as a training space for local regiments and was a fitting place to celebrate the troops’ return to Calgary. As a part of this celebration, Guy Weadick, the founder of the Calgary Stampede, secured a fin ..read more

By Courtney Sidders Sitting high on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, in the heart of the University of Alberta campus, sits a beautiful brick mansion—Rutherford House. It was once home to the renowned Rutherford family: Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first Premier of Alberta, his wife Mattie, and their children, son Cecil and daughter Hazel. The family travelled from Ontario to the west in 1895 and lived here from 1911 to 1940. Today their historic home is a provincially operated house museum offering tours, curriculum based education programs and special even ..read more

By Courtney Sidders In the middle of the bustling community of St Albert, high up on Mission Hill sits the oldest building in Alberta: Father Lacombe Chapel. Established in 1861 by Father Albert Lacombe and Bishop Tache of the Oblate of Mary Immaculate missionary, this early Western Canada settlement offers a glimpse into life in the 1860s. We arrived on a busy Saturday. St. Albert is famous for its summer Farmers’ Market that is just down the hill from the Chapel. We were greeted by three Historic Interpreters dressed in their best 1860’s garb despite the heat. Laura, an experienced Interpr ..read more

By Courtney Sidders To truly understand what life was like at the height of the Canadian fur trade, look no further than a visit to Fort George and Buckingham House Provincial Historic Site. It’s located 13 kilometers southeast of the charming Town of Elk Point, Alberta. The competing trading posts operated side by side from 1792 to 1800 and were owned by two of the most famous fur-trading companies: the North West Company (Fort George), and the Hudson’s Bay Company (Buckingham House). With access to and stunning views of the North Saskatchewan River, it is easy to see why these two posts we ..read more

Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology From June 2 to 8, it will be even more affordable for Alberta’s seniors to learn from and enjoy the photographs, fossils, artifacts and stories that have shaped our province. In celebration of seniors in Alberta, we are providing free general admission to provincial historic sites and museums to anyone 65 years of age or older throughout Seniors’ Week. Note: Free admission does not apply to tour groups; fees for special programming at facilities still apply. Hours for most sites are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Visit alberta.ca for full details on hours, acces ..read more

Days are getting longer, the weather’s getting warmer and with a long weekend ahead of us, it’s the perfect time to take a look at what provincial historic sites and museums have planned for 2019! Seasonal sites are opening this week, and many have special events and experiences to immerse you in our history and heritage. Take a look to start planning your weekend road trips, and stay tuned for roundups of activities through the summer. Victoria Settlement Provincial Historic Site A Victorian Birthday Come celebrate Victoria Settlement’s namesake, Queen Victoria, on May 19. We’re donning our ..read more