What a gorgeous summer it’s been so far, mixed in with some good thunderstorms and smoke in the air. It’s also Music Festival Time and I am excited to attend a few of them as is my tradition every year.
The annual Longstock Music and Arts Festival is coming up the weekend of August 11-13. They are hosting some new bands this year, 16 altogether for the weekend. The Friday night headliner is Cash Uncaged, and one of our crowd favorites, the Shannon Smith Band, is playing on the weekend as well. The Festival offers food trucks, market vendors, artists and photographers, a playground, and much more. It is held in Longview and for weekend passes and full details, go to longstockmusicfestival.com.
Another great Music Festival is the same weekend, August 11 and 12, at the Aspen Crossing. This is in support of STARS Air Ambulance and promotes 12 bands, with main stage entertainment Friday from 7-11, and Saturday from 10am-11pm. After 11 The Shoplive After Party goes until the
wee hours. Camping is available, to get your passes and to find out more, go to aspencrossing.com or call 403-534-2129.
Our local Foothills agricultural farmers have had a struggle this year with more rain needed for crops. It’s Alberta Open Farm Days coming up on the weekend of August 19 and 20, come and support your local Alberta farmers and see what life is like on our farms. This two -day event offers a map of participating farms in Alberta for you and your family to drop by and learn a thing or two about milking a cow, harvesting vegetables, or riding a tractor, amongst other things. There are quite a few farms participating this year, including ones near Millarville, Nanton, Aldersyde, Hartell, and Peskiko. For full details of participating farms and a good map to plan your trip, go to albertaopenfarmdays.ca.
Plan to include the Priddis and Millarville Fair in your farm weekend, this is the 116th annual Fair on August 19 and 20 from 9-4. Admission is only $5 with children 8 and under free. Founded in 1907 this Fair is one of the last great traditional old-time Agricultural Fairs in Canada. Experience the ribbon winner’s crafts, baking, grains, and animals or enter your own! Lots of things to see and do including a petting zoo, hayrides, horses, competitions, and tons more, with the Farmer’s Market there at the same time. I’d say all this is all definitely worth $5! For full details, go to millarvilleracetrack.com.
Or perhaps you’d like to attend an Old Time Ranch Rodeo this year. The Bar U Ranch National Historic Site is hosting their annual Old Time Ranch Rodeo on August 20 from 10-5. Experience how the west was won in the old days and watch local cowboys and cowgirls do their thing. On the grounds they also have lots of buildings, like a mini Heritage Park, but it’s much more hands- on and the staff are so good at explaining how things were back when and can tell a story or two. The Bar U is located south of Longview about 15 minutes or so, for more info, visit parks. canada.ca/baru.
The Agricultural Service Board is offering their annual Scholarship. They will be awarded upon proof of post -secondary education registration, with criteria of being a Foothills County resident, in a field of agricultural or veterinary medicine, and is based on academic standing and financial need. The deadline to apply for the Scholarship is August 31, to apply and for full details, go to foothillscounty.ab.ca and search for the Scholarship.
The Turner Valley Pool is a great place to spend a hot summer day, and they are open for the season. Usually they are open until the first week of September, and offer private bookings, swim lessons, and all kinds of different programs. The Pool is named after the Landers brothers who were doctors, and was built in 1963. I dug up an archived email I received a long time ago from one of our residents. He says the first pool (from the Light of the Flares book page 192) was built in 1936 by the employees of Royalite Oil Company for the staff and their families but later opened to the public, and was run by the Ladies of the W.I. The water was heated too, as it came from the gas plant boilers, which was just across the road. The pool was built by the river where the old swinging bridge was that went into Dog Town, Snob Hill, the Golf Course, and the High School. The pool was drained into the river in those days, and it was an honor to be able to pull the drain plug on Sunday nights and let her go! Our current pool is located on Main Street in Turner Valley, for a full schedule of swim times, go to turnervalley.ca or pop by.
Residents experiencing low income or financial stress who want to participate in recreation programs such as swimming and other activiites can search program eligibility at okotoks.ca. You must live in Diamond Valley, Okotoks, or Foothills County in close proximity to these towns, and you could be eligible for recreation fee assistance.
Any events or news for September, please drop me a line before the 15th of August, and I wish you a great rest of the summer, and hope you can get out to enjoy the many fun and fine events the Foothills has to offer!
Elaine Wansleeben
