okotoks.news

Tag: Arts and Culture

  • Okotoks concert series returns to Seaman Stadium in August

    This lineup should hit the right Centerfield note.

    Live music is returning to Seaman Stadium in Okotoks this summer with a concert scheduled for Saturday, August 29, 2026.

    The event runs from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Seaman Stadium, 256 Don Seaman Way.

    The main act is Centerfield, starring Dan Hare, a tribute performance focused on the music of John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival. The show is expected to include well-known songs such as Proud Mary, Bad Moon Rising and Fortunate Son.

    The evening will open with local country singer-songwriter Amelia Paquette, winner of United Way’s 2025 Okotoks Got Talent, followed by Calgary-based all-female cover band Girl Crush.

    Tickets are available online through tickets.dawgsbaseball.ca. More event information is available at okotoks.ca/events.

  • Okotoks events anchor Heritage Day weekend plans across the Foothills

    With art, baseball and rodeo on deck, the Foothills weekend has all its bases covered.

    Okotoks residents have several local and regional options for the Heritage Day long weekend, with events running from Saturday, Aug. 1, through Monday, Aug. 3.

    In downtown Okotoks, the Nooks and Crannies Festival continues through the weekend with nine installations by local artists using discarded and repurposed materials.

    Families can also try Mouse Adventures, a self-guided scavenger hunt with seven downtown stops inspired by Okotoks author Laurie Carmichael’s The Longtail Brothers Misadventures book series.

    The Okotoks Art Gallery is hosting two family-friendly shows: Colour Your World, where visitors can add to oversized colouring pages, and the annual Members Show and Sale, featuring original work by local gallery members.

    Saturday’s Okotoks events include the free Okotoks Cemetery Tour at 10 a.m. Karen Petres will lead the walk through the older section of the cemetery, with this year’s theme focused on Chinook Country influences and icons.

    The Okotoks Dawgs host the Cactus Rats at Seaman Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m. as the Western Canadian Baseball League regular season nears its close. The Dawgs are back at Seaman Stadium Sunday at 2 p.m. against the 57’s.

    Other weekend events in the region include the Millarville Farmers’ Market on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Millarville Racing and Agriculture Society, with more than 100 vendors.

    Nanton Round-Up Days runs all weekend with rodeo events, entertainment and family activities. Saturday includes a morning farmers’ market, a children’s festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., open swim and Nite Rodeo at 5 p.m. Sunday features a free pancake breakfast, festival activities, a chili cook-off, family dance and fireworks. Monday includes parade day, with a pancake breakfast, the Nanton Boosters Parade at 10 a.m., the Bomber Command Museum Engine Run at 2 p.m. and Nanton Nite Rodeo Finals at 3 p.m.

    On Sunday, a backyard concert in Crystalridge will feature musicians Celin and Regina Espina. Tickets are $40 and include desserts and refreshments, with proceeds supporting the performers. More information is available by emailing [email protected].

    On Monday, High River will mark Heritage Day at Sheppard Family Park. Admission is by donation, with a vintage sale, live music, old-time games, blacksmith demonstrations, a barbecue lunch and other activities planned.

  • Foothills Pride events set for Saturday in Okotoks and Diamond Valley

    With celebrations in two communities, Foothills Pride is ready to raise the flag and the fun.

    Foothills Pride celebrations are scheduled for Saturday, June 13, with events planned in Okotoks and Diamond Valley.

    The day begins in Okotoks with a flag raising at the Okotoks Municipal Centre at noon. An all-ages Pink Pony Party will follow from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Ethel Tucker Centennial Park.

    Okotoks Pride’s park festival will include live entertainment, games and food trucks. Cabaret Co. is among the performers, bringing acts that can include burlesque, drag, comedy, live music and circus-style performance.

    Later in the day, The Stop Coffee House and Gather Place will host a Pride Extravaganza at The Feed Lot in Diamond Valley from 5 to 8 p.m. The evening event will feature live performers and costumes. Advance tickets are required and cost $21.

    Organizers are also looking for volunteers to help with the Okotoks event, including people able to assist with setup tasks such as lifting and carrying, as well as allies to help support event safety.

    The events are part of Pride Month, which commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots and is now marked by events recognizing 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and culture.

  • Water Not Coal campaign says it has met Alberta petition threshold

    For now, the campaign has cleared a major seam in the process.

    Corb Lund’s Water Not Coal campaign says it has collected enough signatures to meet the minimum requirement under Alberta’s Citizen Initiative Act.

    The petition seeks legislation to stop new coal mining and exploration on Alberta’s Eastern Slopes. It specifically names Northback Holdings’ Grassy Mountain Mine and Valory Resources’ Blackstone Mine project.

    The campaign needed 177,732 signatures between Feb. 11 and June 10 to move the citizen-led initiative forward. Lund made stops in High River and Okotoks on June 8 during the final days of signature collection.

    Since launching in February, organizers say more than 3,000 registered canvassers have collected signatures across Alberta, including at community events, markets, ranches, breweries, sidewalks and doorsteps. The campaign also included a multi-day horseback ride from Longview to Edmonton to draw attention to concerns about coal development in the Eastern Slopes.

    A Water Not Coal news release said the effort reflects concern about potential long-term effects of coal mining on water quality, headwaters protection and downstream communities.

    Lund, campaign organizers and volunteers are scheduled to deliver the petition to Elections Alberta on June 10 at 3 p.m. for formal verification.

    If Elections Alberta validates the petition, the initiative will move to the next step under the Citizen Initiative Act.

  • Foothills student bands recognized at provincial festival

    These Foothills students clearly struck the right chord.

    Several Foothills-area school bands earned Superior Band Awards at the Alberta Festival of Bands, held in Red Deer in May.

    Holy Trinity Academy said its Grade 10 Symphonic Band received a Superior Band Award in the Grade 3 category after performances, sight-reading and adjudication. The school’s Grade 11 and 12 Wind Ensemble also received a Superior Band Award and an Adjudicator’s Choice Award in the Grade 5 category.

    Only four of the 154 bands at the festival received an Adjudicator’s Choice Award.

    Holy Trinity Academy’s bands are directed by Brianne Coventry.

    Other Foothills-region groups were also listed among the festival’s Superior Band Award recipients.

    • Foothills Junior Concert Band, directed by Breanne Jamieson, in the Grade 1 category.
    • Senator Riley Middle School Grade 7 Concert Band, directed by Paul Stetler, in the Grade 1 category.
    • St. John Paul II Collegiate Grade 8 Concert Band, directed by Jennifer Ralph, in the Grade 2 category.
    • Alberta High School of Fine Arts Concert Band, directed by Matthew Ellis, in the Grade 4 category.
    • Highwood High School Grades 9-12 Concert Band, directed by Jace Stearn and Dylan Wiest, in the Grade 4 category.

    The Alberta Festival of Bands drew more than 150 bands from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

    In a Facebook message, Stetler said 51 bands performed in the Grade 1 category. He said the Okotoks middle school was one of two bands in that category made up of Grade 7 and 8 students, and credited school support and the middle school’s Grade 6 band start for helping students take part.

  • Okotoks summer concert series moves to Arts and Learning Campus Plaza

    With a bigger plaza and a full lineup, Okotoks is set to hit the right notes this summer.

    Okotoks’ Thursday Nights at the Plaza concert series will return in 2026 with a new location and eight scheduled summer performances.

    The free, family-friendly series begins July 9 and runs Thursday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Arts and Learning Campus Plaza, beside the Okotoks Public Library at 7 Riverside Drive.

    The Town of Okotoks says the move is intended to accommodate larger crowds. Residents are encouraged to arrive early and bring lawn chairs or blankets. Parking will be available at the Okotoks Public Library, and the town recommends walking, cycling or using other active transportation where possible.

    The 2026 schedule is:

    The series is presented by Canadiana Music. More details are available on the town’s Thursday Nights at the Plaza page.

  • Okotoks hosts second annual competition powwow

    The weekend gave Okotoks plenty to drum up community spirit.

    Hundreds of people gathered at the Viking Rentals Centre in Okotoks for the town’s second annual competition powwow.

    The two-day event featured dance and drum contests celebrating Indigenous culture and identity. Dance categories ranged from Tiny Tots to Golden Age competitors 55 and older.

    The drum competition awarded $12,000 for first place, $9,000 for second place and $7,000 for third place. Motown from Red Lake, Minnesota, served as the host drum for the weekend.

    During Saturday’s supper break, an Indigenous high school graduation ceremony was held in partnership with the Foothills School Division. An Indigenous auction was also held Sunday before the second day’s grand entry.

    The Town of Okotoks said the powwow, held shortly before National Indigenous History Month begins in June, reflects its commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.

  • The Town’s Annual Powwow, Tipi Camp & All-Indigenous Artisan Market return to Okotoks this weekend!

    The artisan market is a fitting place to drum up support for Indigenous creators.

    Indigenous culture, art, music and tradition are taking centre stage in Okotoks this weekend as the Town’s annual Powwow, Tipi Camp and All-Indigenous Artisan Market continues through Sunday, May 31.

    The free event is being held at the Viking Rentals Centre, 204 Community Way. The Powwow and artisan market are indoors in the Infinity Paving Arena and Events Hall. The Tipi Camp is behind the facility in Howard Park, 229 Woodhaven Drive.

    Sunday’s schedule includes the All-Indigenous Artisan Market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Competition Powwow, with Grand Entry at 1 p.m.

    The event reflects the Town’s Truth and Reconciliation efforts and honours the ceremonial transfer of a Blackfoot-style painted lodge to Mayor Tanya Thorn and Chief Administrative Officer Elaine Vincent by Blackfoot Elders and Knowledge Keepers on June 3, 2023. That transfer also marked the introduction of the Town’s first Tipi Camp and All-Indigenous Artisan Market, known as Iitohpoom’op, a Blackfoot word meaning “store.” The program expanded to include a competition Powwow in 2025.

    Visitors can watch dancers and drummers, hear live music, shop for handcrafted goods from Indigenous artisans and purchase food and beverages inside the facility or from food trucks at the north end of the parking lot.

    On-site parking is available in front of the arena and events hall. Overflow parking is available at Foothills Composite High School.

  • Environment Week in Okotoks: Learn, repair, swap and explore

    Okotoks residents have plenty of opportunities to turn over a new leaf during Environment Week.

    Okotoks residents can take part in free activities for all ages during Environment Week from June 1 to 8, with events focused on nature, waste reduction, reuse and repair.

    The Town of Okotoks is hosting the following activities:

    Trash to Treasure – Recycled Art Creations runs June 3 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Environmental Education Centre, 1118 North Railway Street. Participants will create mixed-media artwork using recycled materials while learning how to keep resources in use longer. Space is limited and registration is required.

    Nature Friday takes place June 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residents can celebrate World Environment Day by making nature-inspired letters from compostable materials.

    Document Shredding is available June 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Okotoks Operations Centre parking lot at 1118 North Railway Street. Residents can securely shred and recycle sensitive documents, with a limit of three boxes per household.

    A Repair Café runs June 6 from noon to 4 p.m. in the Olympic Room at the Viking Rentals Centre, 204 Community Way. Volunteers will help repair household items, small appliances, electronics, clothing and other items to extend their useful life and keep them out of the landfill.

    A Clothing and Sports Equipment Swap will be held June 7 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Environmental Education Centre. Residents can bring clean, gently used clothing, shoes and accessories for all ages. The swap has expanded this year to include sports equipment such as sticks, bats, racquets, skates, bikes, skis and snowboards. Undergarments, intimates, helmets and protective gear will not be accepted. Advance drop-off is available from June 2 to 6 at the Eco Centre.

    Throughout the week, residents can join the Environment Week BioBlitz by photographing animals, insects, plants or fungi in Okotoks and sharing their observations through the iNaturalist app. The records will help the scientific community better understand local biodiversity and support nature protection.

    Full details are available at okotoks.ca/Environment-Week.

    Canadian Environment Week was established in 1971 to celebrate environmental accomplishments and encourage conservation.

  • Art, culture and community on display at Indigenous Artisan Market in Okotoks

    The market gave local shoppers an artful way to bead part of the community.

    Okotoks welcomed the fourth annual Iitohpoom’op Indigenous Artisan Market at the Viking Rentals Centre Event Centre on Saturday.

    More than 49 Indigenous, First Nations and Métis artists and creators from across Canada sold crafts and artwork, with proceeds going directly to the creators. Shoppers browsed clothing, paintings, jewelry, toys, soaps and other handmade goods while Okotoks musician Brettyn Rose performed live.

    The market ran alongside a powwow in the Viking Rentals Centre’s Infinity Paving Arena.

    Held just before National Indigenous History Month begins in June, the annual market is part of the Town of Okotoks’ commitment to advancing Truth and Reconciliation through the celebration of Indigenous art and culture.