the
VALLEY BEAT 2016 /2017
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Your guide to events in the Columbia Valley
At the source of the Mighty Columbia River We invite you to take a journey to a place where sense of community, friendship and pride live together in perfect harmony.
Canal Flats is nestled in the heart of the Kootenays halfway between Cranbrook to the south and Invermere to the north. It is a place where one can experience Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep and deer roaming the streets. Canal Flats offers a variety of amenities, such as a public beach, arena and parks.
250.349.5462 • www.canalflats.com
Summer at Nipika
R O C K Y M O U N TA I N E C O - L O D G E
Simply Spectacular... Spectacularly Simple.
Luxury Log Cabins • Wetlands Paddling Birding Tours • Guided Alpine Day Hikes • Kootenay River Canoeing
For more information: Local: 1-250-342-6516 Toll Free: 1-877-647-4525 www.nipika.com
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Weekly flyers • Competitive prices • Manager’s in-store specials • Monthly custom features
906 - 7th Avenue, Invermere Shop well. Eat well. Live well. Like us on
Facebook or visit us at www.agvalleyfoods.com
More frIendly servIce
More coMMunIty rewArds
The store with more! More local suppliers
More chefs MAke It fresh
• • • • • • • •
Aunt France’s Brownies Be Gifted Creston Cherries Dave’s Hot Pepper Jelly Edible Acres Fort Steele Corn From Scratch Gerry’s Gelati
• • • • • • • •
Inland Allcare It’s a Wrap! Kicking Horse Coffee Konig Meat & Sausage Co. Kootenay Bayou Hot Sauce Kootenay Meadows Dairy Rocky Mountain Hemp Hearts Rocky Mountain Honey Farm
• • • • • • • •
Saunder’s Family Farm Scheffer’s Ice Cream Sherry Mallach Cards Spatzle Factory Sophie’s Pickles Stolen Church Coffee The Invermere Bakery Wicked Witch Onions
More alternative foods 800 +
organic
• More is better • More years serving the Valley • More family • More local foods • More awesome customers • More great food choices • More awesome staff
Shop well. Eat well. Live well. See you at the Store, SA :)
900 + Gluten free
SATURDAY AUGUST 6, 2016
5 Km NEW
Start at Mt Nelson Athletic Park in Invermere. The route goes through Invermere and joins the 10 km route near the finish line.
REGISTER
10 Km
Start at the Windermere Community Hall. The route winds its way through a variety of terrain, roads, trails, and residential areas.
Starting at $45
ONLINE until August 3rd at noon. IN PERSON at Crazy Soles, Invermere until August 4th 6pm. AT CHECK-IN from 11am - 8pm at the Invermere Curling Rink.
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2016
INDERMERE ALLEY
½ Marathon
The route begins at Skandia Concrete near Windermere, does an ‘out and back’ past the Windermere Golf Course, and joins the 10 km route.
Route details, registration, and more information can be found at:
LoopTheLake.bc.ca
Player Friendly, Walkable & Affordable since 1988. Driving Range • Pro Shop • Cart/Club Rentals • “Shot Shapers” Golf Academy 18 holes $27 - $35 Twilight Golf (after 4 p.m.) Kids Golf Free (some restrictions apply)
Golf Course
Annie’s Grill Tee Times 250-342-3004 • www.windermerevalleygolfcourse.com
Windermere Fall Fair & Scarecrow Festival -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------• Come share the day with our valley community ALL ARTISANS, CALLING • Contests for: baking, floral, horticulture, photography and much more! • Make a scarecrow, dress like a scarecrow! • JoinCRAFTSPEOPLE the parade! & VENDORS! • Old fashioned fun, food and entertainment for all ages!
For more information contact Sunday, September 18th Theresa Wood at 250-688-9663 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. WindermereCommunity.ca Festival Windermere Fall Fair & Scarecrow th September 15• Gas 11am Sunday, • Boat and Seadoo Rentals and Oil Sales •to Valet4 and pm Boat Storage • Ice Cream MARINA: 250-342-9626
• Marine Repairs • Boat Detailing • Worry-Free Winterization • Winter Storage BOOK YOUR TABLE NOW!! SERVICE: 250-342-9625
Phone Gracie 250-342-0589 Or contact info@windermerecommunity.ca
www.petesmarina.ca ahoy@petesmarina.ca -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------valley 4 beat
TABLE OF CONTENTS A spectacular setting for single track �������������������������������������������6
Spring & Summer Events Calendar ����������������������� 7-10 Art Walk animates local galleries ������������������������������������������������������ 11 Ancient legends retold at Lakeshore ����������������������������������������� 12
PULL-OUT CALENDAR.............. 13-16 Get your heart racing in Heart of the Rockies ��������������������17 A lasting legacy along Lake Windermere ������������������18-19
Fall & WINTER Events Calendar �������������������20-21 Colourful fair welcomes fall with a flourish ����������������������� 22 Cultural dish ignites competition ������������������������������������������������ 22 Season wraps up with Slush Showdown ����������������������������� 23
Winter & Spring Events Calendar ������������ 24-25 Craft spirits flourish at new fest ����������������������������������������������� 26
ADVERTISING INDEX Village of Canal Flats ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������2 Nipika Mountain Resort ������������������������������������������������������������ 2,
Photo courtesy of FlyingMax.com
The Valley Beat is published annually by The Invermere Valley Echo Newspaper, Black Press. Publisher Editor Graphic design Sales Associates Writers Photographers Cover art Cover reproduction
Dean Midyette Nicole Trigg Shawn Wernig - Eggplant Studios Angela Miller Greg Amos, Eric Elliott, Dorothy Isted, James Rose Marlene Chabot, Rachel Dick/FHSR, Flying Max, Mark Halwa, Breanne Massey, Kevin Nimmock, Nipika Mountain Resort, Nicole Trigg, Dan Walton, Katie Watt Maegan Stanbury The Artym Gallery
Box 70, #8, 1008 – 8th Avenue, Invermere, B.C. V0A 1K0 Phone 250-341-6299 Fax 1-855-377-0312 customerservice@invermerevalleyecho.com www.invermerevalleyecho.com
This material, written or artistic, may not be reprinted or electronically reproduced in any way without the written consent of the publisher. The opinions and statements in articles, columns and advertising are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff of The Valley Beat. It is agreed by any display advertiser requesting space that the owner's responsibility, if any, for errors or omissions of any kind, is limited to the amount paid by the advertiser for that portion of the space as occupied by the incorrect item and there shall be no liability in any event greater than the amount paid for the advertisement.
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14 AG Valley Foods �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3 Loop the Lake �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������4 Windermere Valley Golf Course ���������������������������������������������������������4 Windermere Fall Fair & Scarecrow Festival ������������������������������4 Pete's Marina ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������4 Sétetkwa Golf Course �������������������������������������������������������������������������������6 König Meat & Sausage Company ����������������������������������������������������6 Poutine Palooza �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11 Columbia Valley Winter in Motion Festival ����������������������������� 13 High Country Vacation Rentals ���������������������������������������� 13, 14 College of the Rockies �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13 Fairmont Hot Springs Pizza & Ice Cream Parlour ������������ 14 Invermere on the Lake �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15 Scrappers' Cove ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 16 Valley Alley Bowling ����������������������������������������������������������������� 16, 19 The Old Salzburg Restaurant ���������������������������������������� 16, 27 Bavin Glassworks �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������17 Invermere Visitor Centre ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 19 Rocky Mountain Safaris ������������������������������������������������������������������� 23 Buskins ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 23 Tony's Greek Grill ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26 Dutch Creek Resort ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26 Horsethief Creek Pub & Eatery ���������������������������������������������������27 Petro-Canada Invermere �����������������������������������������������������������������27 RONA �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������27 Fusion Wellness Spa �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 28
A spectacular setting for single track By James Rose
Put more fun in your golf! 250-347-6945 9-holes Walkable & Affordable
Just $10.00/round (just walk on)
Join us down by the River. Located halfway between Radium & Invermere off Hwy 93/95 For group bookings or events, call 250 347 6945 or 250 347 9401 or email ox.e1@hotmail.com.
Locally crafted award winning sausages, Full deli, BBQ ready meals and dine in take out made to order lunches.
250-342-9661 250-342-9661
250-342-9661
1210 - 7th Ave., Invermere konigmeats.com
Returning for its sixth year in 2016 is the Kootenay Krusher 50-kilometre single track mountain bike race at the beautiful Nipika Mountain Resort. Co-sponsored by Bicycle Works in Invermere, the race takes place Saturday, June 11th and, including the 50-km (solo or as a two-person team), offers a variety of distances: 25 km, 5 km, 3 km and a 1.5 km run-bike event. “There’s something for the entire family,” says Nipika’s owner and operator Lyle Wilson. The course follows the beautiful Kootenay and Cross rivers. The 50-km event does two laps of the 25-km loop, while the 25 km does only one circuit. The 5-km, 3-km and 1.5-km loops incorporate some single track and stay very close to the Nipika Meadow area. “The original idea for the race was that we wanted a single track cross-country mountain bike race in the valley,” said Lyle. “The main thing for us is that we run it because we have such a beautiful trail system and it does a great job of bringing attention to the Nipika trails, which are, in fact, all sanctioned B.C. Rec Site and Trails.” The popularity of the race has grown every year. “This year we expect to have just over 150 registrants to the race, which is fantastic,” said Lyle. “We would like to in the near future have over 200 participants, but we are very pleased with how the event has been received by all those that have done it!” While single track mountain bike racing has grown in popularity over the years, what separates the Kootenay valley
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Krusher from the others is the spectacular scenery offered throughout the Nipika trail system. “The beauty of the course is that the race course follows the Cross River canyon up to the natural bridge
Photo courtesy of Nipika Mountain Resort
where bikers then cross. Racers then find themselves eventually passing two big gorgeous waterfalls and, then, to finish the race, participants ride alongside the Kootenay River to the finish line,” Lyle explained. “These are spectacular places as there are trails cruising along the tops of high cliffs looking down into river canyons, and the course is still accessible enough for a typical weekend warrior.” After the race, participants are invited to a barbecue and awards ceremony at the Nipika Day Lodge. The barbecue is included with race registration and additional tickets can be purchased on site. “We also provide camping right at the event site on race weekend for a nominal charge,” Lyle added. If you would like to volunteer at the event, and for more information on the event in general, visit the Kootenay Krusher event page at nipika.com, call 250-342-6516, or email info@ nipika.com. Nipika Mountain Resort is located on Settlers Road, accessed through Kootenay National Park.
MAY May - May The Best of BC Wine Tasting in the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort lobby every Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com. May - May Live Music Mondays 7 to 9 p.m. (free) and Karaoke Thursdays 8 p.m. to late at the Horsethief Creek Pub & Eatery in Radium. Call 250347-6400. May - May Senior’s Lunch for $5. Every second Thursday throughout the year at Royal Canadian Legion Branch #71 in Invermere. Call 250-342-9517.
May 20th - June 2nd Summer Creative Series featuring Kimberly Keil and introducing Sculptor Tobias Luttmer at Effusion Art Gallery. Kimberly Keil will be at the gallery May 20th and 21st. Visit effusionartgallery.com. May 21st Steamboat Mountain Music Festival fundraiser launch. Dinner and dance at Edgewater community hall. For tickets and more information contact Gisele at 403-850-2255. May 21st - 27th Brian Porter, Steve Tracy and Vance Theoret Exhibition at the Artym Gallery. Visit artymgallery.com.
Society. Call Sheila Tutty at 250342-5266. May 31st - June 12th REACH: David Thompson Secondary School Art Show at Pynelogs. Annual art show featuring out-there art from local high school students. Artist opening on June 2nd, 5 to 9 p.m. at Pynelogs. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com.
JUNE June - September Lake Water Quality Testing. Join the boat crew on Tuesday mornings to test the health of Lake Windermere! Have your photo featured in the Valley Echo Pulse Check. Visit lakeambassadors.ca.
June 4th 10th Annual Mountain of Hope Gala at Chopper’s Landing at Panorama Mountain Resort starting 6 p.m. Silent auction, cocktails, dinner. Email mountainofhopesociety@gmail. com or visit panoramaresort.com/ events. June 4th Fairmont Lions Family Fun Day at Coys Par 3 Golf Course. Two shotgun starts, noon and 2:30 p.m. Call 250- 345-6504. June 4th, 25th Dreamcatcher Making at Lakeshore Resort & Campground at 1 p.m. Cost is $10. Call 250342-6352. June 4th - 5th Rocky Mountain Rally in Invermere. Some of the best on and off-road driving in North America. Exciting spectator viewpoints. Visit rockymountainrally.com.
May 10th Tuesday Toonie Races Mountain Bike and/or Trail Run for Fun. Hosted by Crazy Soles.Visit crazysoles.ca.
June 5th June Mini Clays. Clay target event hosted by the Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club. Visit lwdrodgun.com.
May 17th - 29th Pynelogs Art Show featuring George Oliver, Patrick Markle, Rita Rankin, Paula Cravens. Artist Opening on May 19th. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com. May 20th Invermere Roller Rink opens for summer season. Fridays 7 to 9 p.m. Sundays 2 to 5 p.m. More info at www.curlinginvermere.ca or call 250-342-3315. May 20th - 21st Run, Ride & Rock the Ranch. Pig roast, barn dance and family fun at K2 Ranch. Free from 2 to 6 p.m. Evening events $50. Visit ourtrail. org/K2Ranch for more information. May 20th - 29th Purcell Mountain Painters’ Studio Grand Opening. Access is side entrance next to Grant’s Foods, up stairwell. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., open to 9 p.m. both Fridays.Email rvpaige@ shaw.ca.
June 1st - 30th Windermere Valley Museum in Invermere opens for visitors Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4p.m. Visit windermerevalleymuseum.ca.
May 22nd Pig Roast at the Horsethief Creek Pub & Eatery in Radium. Starts in the evening and goes until quantities last. Call 250-347-6400.
June 3rd Fresh Fridays Youth Open Mic at Pynelogs. 7 to 10 p.m. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com.
May 28th - 29th Panorama Hare Scramble and Valley to Peak Challenge at Panorama. An off-road motorcycle race. Call 250-342-5892, visit wvdr.ca/events or visit panoramaresort.com/events. May 28th - October 10th Brilliance: 15th annual Radium Hot Springs Glass Art Show and Sale. In Radium Hot Springs pool lobby in Kootenay National Park. Free entry. Visit pc.gc.ca/kootenay. May 29th Best Friends Bash. A three-course dinner and live/silent auction at The Black Forest Restaurant. Fundraiser for Canadian Cancer valley
June 3rd - 4th Canal Days in the Village of Canal Flats. Annual multi-day celebration that includes themed parade, live music, community dances and more. Visit TheColumbiaValley.ca. June 4th Crazy Soles Nipika Trail Run at Nipika Mountain Resort. Single track run with distances for the whole family. Visit nipika.com/ events. Prizes and barbecue included.
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June 7th Tuesday Toonie Races Mountain Bike and/or Trail Run for Fun. Hosted by Crazy Soles. Visit crazysoles.ca. June 7th Women’s Golf Day at Greywolf Golf Course. A one-day, fourhour, free event open to all ladies with an interest in golf. Visit panoramaresort.com/event to register. June 11th 6th annual Kootenay Krusher Mountain Bike Race. A mountain bike race at Nipika Mountain Resort with kids distances, team relay options. Visit nipika.com/ events. June 11th Windermere Valley Museum Open House. Theme is “Uses of the Lake” with guest speaker. Starts at 2 p.m. Visit windermerevalleymuseum.ca.
SPRING
May 7th, 14th, 28th Dreamcatcher Making at Lakeshore Resort & Campground at 1 p.m. Cost is $10. Call 250342-6352.
SUMMER
June 11th - September 10th Invermere Farmers and Artists Market in Downtown Invermere. Outdoor market every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Delectable treats, organic produce, live music. Visit invermerefarmersmarket.net.
June 18th 5th Annual East Kootenay Beer Festival at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Ski Area. More than 70 brews to sample, live music. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com or call 250-345-6070.
Canada Day begins, don’t miss the Annual Kinsmen Club of Windermere Valley Fireworks. 12:01 a.m. on July 1st. Best places to watch are beside Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena, Lakeview Road, James Chabot Beach.
June 12th 2nd Annual Hike the Hoodoos for Hospice. Enjoy the beautiful Columbia Valley and support the Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley. Visit hospicesocietycv.com or call 250-688-1143.
June 18th Radium Days and the Brits Best Classic Car & Motorbike Show in the Village of Radium Hot Springs. Parade, games, kids zone and, of course, cars! Visit radiumhotsprings.com.
June 30th - July 3rd Western Canadian Challenge. Registered clay target event. Hosted by the Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club. Visit lwdrodgun.com.
June 13th Ram into Summer Golf Tournament at The Radium Course. Registration at 9 a.m. Shotgun start at 10 a.m. Dinner, prizes and more. Visit radiumhotsprings.com.
June 18th 6th Annual Branch Out Bike Tour.100-kilometre annual charity ride starting at Panorama. Contact Jenn Egroff call 403-512-8727 or visit branchoutfoundation.com.
June 14th - 26th Pynelogs art show featuring artists Sherry Mallach, Alice Hale, Cat McDiarmid and Jane Murray. Art opening June 16th from 7 to 9 p.m.
June 19th Yuk Yuk’s on tour at the Horsethief Creek Pub & Eatery in Radium. Have some laughs with these touring comics. Call 250-347-6400.
July - August Movies in the Mountains. Free feature film shown outdoors every Monday evening at Pothole Park in downtown Invermere. Starts at dusk (around 9:30 p.m.)
July 1st Canada Day Celebration at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort all day, free. Live music, barbecue, face painting, cake and more! Fireworks at 10:30 p.m.
June 17th Fairmont Hot Springs Resort’s Long Drive Competition at Fairmont Hot Springs Airport. Call Riverside Golf Course at 250-345-6346.
June 19th - September 11th Invermere Art Walk. Walk through the Invermere Art Galleries every Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Visit theartwalk.ca.
July - August Thursday Beach Party every Thursday at Kinsmen Beach from 5 to 8 p.m.
July 1st - 2nd Summer Creative Series featuring Connie Geerts at Effusion Art Gallery. Visit effusionartgallery.com.
June 18th - 24th Angela Morgan Exhibition at the Artym. Visit artymgallery.com.
June 25th-26th ICAN Garage Sale at Deck Properties. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit icanbc.com.
July - August Daily Art Workshops at Black Star Studios for ages 5 to 99. Calendar at blackstarstudios.ca or call 250342-6663.
July 1st - 7th Min Ma and Bayot Heer Exhibition at Artym Gallery. Visit www. artymgallery.com.
July - August Adventure Radium every Tuesday/ Wednesday/Thursday. Youth summer program. Register at Village Office or online at radiumhotsprings.ca.
July 1st - August 26th Music & Market on Main at the Radium Hot Springs Visitor Information Centre. Every Friday. Market from 4 to 9 p.m. Live music from 7 to 9 p.m. Visit radiumhotsprings.com.
June 18th Aboriginal Day celebration at Lakeshore Resort and Campground, a joint event organized by Akisqnuk and Shuswap First Nations. Pancake breakfast at 9 to 11 a.m. Grand entry at 11 a.m. Closing ceremony at 2 p.m.
June 28th - July 10th Pynelogs Art Show featuring Donna Deschenes, Cathy Parkes, Laila Jensen and Jim Robertson. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com. June 30th One minute after midnight as valley
JULY July - August Windermere Valley Museum in Invermere opens for visitors seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit windermerevalleymuseum.ca.
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July - August Radium Library Summer Reading Club. Every Tuesday to Thursday. Visit radiumhotsprings.com. July 1st Annual Canada Day Parade and Mountain Mosaic Festival in Downtown Invermere from Pothole Park to Kinsmen Beach. Parade begins at 11 a.m. July 1st Mountain Mosaic Festival of the Arts following the Canada Day Parade in downtown Invermere. At Kinsmen Beach and Pynelogs greenspace. A free family event featuring enterintament, face painting, food vendors. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com.
July 2nd - 3rd 5th Annual Steamboat Mountain Music Festival. All-genre outdoor music festival in Edgewater with spectacular views. Visit steamboatmtnmusicfest.ca. July 4th - 10th Take a Kid to the Course Week at all local courses. For kids 16 and under (check with your local course, some restrictions apply). Free golf free with paying adult. Visit columbiavalleygolftrail.com. July 5th Tuesday Toonie Races Mountain Bike and/or Trail Run for Fun. Hosted by Crazy Soles. Visit crazysoles.ca.
youth ages five to 18. Register by June 20th at 4 p.m. Email katrina@ pgabc.org or call 604-303-6766. July 9th Soiree en Blanc. A dinner in white at a secret location. The dining event of the year! Call 250-6889664, email events@invermere.net or visit www.SoireEnBlanc.ca. July 9th - 10th Heart of the Rockies Triathlon in Invermere. Young Hearts kids’ event on Saturday. Adult event on Sunday with sprint/Olympic/individual/ team options. Visit heartoftherockiestri.ca.
Copper Point Golf Club. 10 a.m. to noon. For children and youth ages five to 18 years. Register by June 20th at 4 p.m. Email katrina@ pgabc.org or call 604-303-6766.
July 10th Yuk Yuk’s on tour at the Horsethief Creek Pub & Eatery in Radium. Have some laughs with these touring comics. Call 250-347-6400.
July 7th Lisa Longball at Copper Point Golf Club. Ladies Night clinic with seven-time Canadian Long Drive Champion Lisa Vlooswyk. Call 250341-3392 .
July 11th Westside Legacy Trail Golf Tournament at Eagle Ranch. 144 golfers will participate in a shot gun tournament at Eagle Ranch Golf Course. All green fees donated to the Westside Legacy Trail. Call 250342-0562.
July 7th - 10th Horsethief Hideout Memorial Motorcycle Rally. An old school rally with live music, vendors, free camping, hot showers. No minors, glass or dogs.Visit horsethiefhideout.com. July 8th - 9th Canucks Junior Golf Week at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For children and
July 12th Lake Windermere District Lions’ Charity Golf Day on The Point Course at Copper Point Golf Club. Green fees for that day are donated to the Lions Club. Call Copper Point at 250-341-3392 to book a tee time.
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July 12th - August 23rd Windermere Valley Museum’s Children Program for children six to 10 years. Every Tuesday 10:30 a.m. to noon. Visit windermerevalleymuseum.ca. July 15th -16th Client Photos Become Artist Creations at the Artym Gallery. Visit artymgallery.com. July 15th - 16th Summer Creative Series featuring Lynne Harrison at Effusion Art Gallery. Visit effusionartgallery.com.
prices. All proceeds support Invermere Public Library. Call 250342-6416. July 16th - 17th BC Cup/Canada Cup Downhill Mountain Bike Race at Panorama, part of the Dunbar Summer Series, presented by Intense Cycles USA, featuring many of Canada’s best riders. Contact Stephen Exley at 403-473-3817, stephenexley@ shaw.ca or visit seracing.ca/#1. July 22nd 18th Annual Bull Riding in the Rockies. Next to the Invermere Curling Centre. World professional bull riders followed by a family dance. Visit TheColumbiaValley.ca. July 22nd - 24th 2016 Invermere Ballfest. Fun-
July 16th Legend Night. Listen to local First Nation legends told by a Ktunaxa Elder. 7 p.m. at Lakeshore Resort and Campground. Visit www. lakeshoreresortcampground.com.
first Slo-Pitch tournament event organized by the Invermere Lion’s Club. This year, the Westside Legacy Trail has been chosen as the recipient of the fundraising tournament. Visit ballfest.ca.
July 16th Mr. & Mrs. Open Tournament. Couples golf tournament, call the Spur Valley Golf Resort pro shop at 250-347-6500.
July 22nd - 24th Horizon Unlimited Mountain Madness. An off-road, competitive, motorcycle navigation challenge for teams of 2 to 4 bikes. Contact Trent Schumann at 403-270-0000, trents@experienca.com, or visit horizonsunlimited.com/humm/ humm-info.
July 16th Tim Horton’s Junior Golf Tournament. The Ridge course at Copper Point Golf Club. All kids ages 5 to 16 are eligible for the tournament. Parent volunteers will be needed. Call 250-341-3392. July 16th BIG Book Sale. Thousands of gently used books sorted into dozens of categories at very reasonable
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July 23rd Toby Creek 2nd annual Kayak Race hosted by Aquabatics Calgary. Contact Simon Coward at 403288-9283, simon@aquabatics. com or visit www.facebook.com/ events/1717246801844068/.
SUMMER
July 5th, 7th Canucks Junior Golf Week at
July 9th, 16th, 31st Dreamcatcher Making at Lakeshore Resort & Campground at 1 p.m. Cost is $10. Call 250-342-6352.
July 12th - 24th Pynelogs Art Show featuring Kyle MacDonald, Dale Hunt, Maggie Leal-Valias and Gerry George. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com.
July 23rd Valley Appreciation Day in downtown Invermere. Free pancake breakfast, live music, Gagne Logging Show, children’s activities, outdoor market. Visit TheColumbiaValley.ca.
SUMMER
July 24th 3rd Annual Summer Fair at the Agri Park south of Crossroads off Highway 93/95. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vendors, farm animals, pony rides and more. Visit wdfi.ca or call 250346-3227.
Lynne Harrison at Effusion Art Gallery. Visit effusionart gallery.com. August 6th Wafkna Demonstration at Lakeshore Resort and Campground at 11 a.m. How jerky (wafkna) is traditionally made. Visit lakeshoreresortcampground.com. Free, open to the public.
July 25th - 29th Columbia Valley Hockey School with NHL guest instructors. General Camps for ages 9-11 and 12-14. High Performance Camp for 15-19. Visit columbivalleyhockeyschool.com.
August 6th 21st Annual Loop the Lake. A running race event for the community and Rotary Club fundraiser. In addition to half marathon and 10-km courses, 2016 will see its inaugural 5-km course. All proceeds from the 5-km will go to the Westside Legacy Trail. Visit loopthelake.bc.ca.
July 26th - August 7th Pynelogs Art Show featuring Carney Oudendag, Heather Van Riesen, Cajsa Fredin, Catherine Tumason, Will Green and Kimberly Olson. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com.
August 6th 40th Annual Lakeside Event. Hang glider and paraglider pilots take off from Mt. Swansea and land in water targets at James Chabot Beach. August 7th rain day. Visit lakesideevent.com.
July 29th - August 4th Cameron Bird and Sandy Graves Exhibition at the Artym. Visit www. artymgallery.com. July 31st July Mini Clays. Clay target event hosted by the Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club. Visit lwdrodgun.com. July 31st Moonlight Movie at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. Bring your lawn chair and blankets and enjoy a movie under the stars. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com.
AUGUST August 1st -5th Columbia Valley Hockey School with NHL guest instructors. General Camps for ages 5-8 and 9-14. High Performance Camp for ages 15-19. Visit columbivalleyhockeyschool.com. August 5th - 6th Summer Creative Series featuring
August 6th, 20th Dreamcatcher Making at Lakeshore Resort & Campground at 1 p.m. Cost is $10. Call 250342-6352. August 7th BC Day Pancake Breakfast at Copper Point Resort/ Opal Patio. For more information call 250341-4019. August 7th Lake Windermere Open Water Swim. Visit heartoftherockiestri.ca. August 8th - 12th Columbia Valley Hockey School with NHL guest instructors. General Camps for ages 5-8, 9-11 and 12-14. Visit www. columbivalleyhockeyschool.com. August 9th Tuesday Toonie Races Mountain Bike and/or Trail Run for Fun. Hosted by Crazy Soles. Visit crazysoles.ca. August 9th Summer Splash. Annual free valley
family-friendly event to have fun and learn about the lake! Enjoy kayak races, paddleboard demos, aquatic treasure hunts, lake trivia and more. Visit lakeambassadors. ca or call 250-341-6898. August 9th - 21st Pynelogs Art Show featuring Mary Kate Woodward, Lynne Grillmair, Jim Lawrence,Ron Robinson and Jerry Kohorst. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com. August 12th - 13th Summer Creative Series featuring Veronica Funk at Effusion Art Gallery. Visit effusionartgallery.com. August 12th - 14th Horseback Archery Tournament at Luxor Corrals at Spur Valley. Call Doug at 250-347-9048 for information. August 12th - 18th Andrew Kiss and Margo Fearn Exhibition at the Artym. Visit artymgallery.com. August 13th Radium Public Library’s Teddy Bear Picnic at Legends Field. Visit radiumhotsprings.com. August 13th - 14th 8th annual Columbia Basin Culture Tour. Self-directed tour of studios/galleries throughout the Columbia Basin. Free of charge. Call 250-505-5505 or visit cbculturetour.com. August 14th Yuk Yuk’s on tour at the Horsethief Creek Pub & Eatery in Radium. Have some laughs with these touring comics. Call 250-347-6400. August 17th - 19th RAWK the Rockies at Panorama Resort. Speed Control’s RAWK the Rockies is back for another hit camp of music education. Call 250-342-6941or visit panoramaresort.com/events. August 18th Panorama Homeowner Golf Tournament. A private annual tournament at Greywolf Golf
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Course and banquet, open to Panorama Homeowners. Call 1-866-378-7282. August 19th - 20th Summer Creative Series featuring Sarinah Haba at Effusion. Visit effusionartgallery.com. August 19th - 21st Invermere MusicFest on the shores of Lake Windermere featuring Canadian bands, beer garden, workshops and more. Visit invermeremusicfest.com. August 20th Legend Night. Listen to local First Nation legends told by a Ktunaxa Elder. 7 p.m. at Lakeshore Resort & Campground. Visit lakeshoreresortcampground.com. August 20th - 21st 5th annual Free Fairmont Hot Springs Airport Fly In. Shuttle to Fairmont resort, discount on golf. Contact 250-345-2121 or sjestley@fhsr.com. August 22nd Lorne Rowe Memorial Charity Tournament at Mountainside Golf Course in Fairmont. Lorne Rowe was the club professional at Mountainside Golf Course for many years. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com. August 23rd - September 4th Pynelogs Art Show featuring Cheryl Goodwin, Kathleen Davies, Paulina Stankovski and Lori Lees-Stout. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com. August 26th - 27th Summer Creative Series featuring Caio Paagman at Effusion. Visit effusionartgallery.com. August 26th - 28th Bugaboo Blast. Registered clay target event. Hosted by the Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club. Visit lwdrodgun.com. August 26th - September 1st Maya Eventov Exhibition at the Artym Gallery. Visit www.artymgallery.com.
Art Walk animates local galleries
By Dorothy Isted For 10 Fridays this summer, from June 19th to September 11th, locals and visitors will be delighted to participate in the evening Art Walk, a self-guided tour through nine Invermere art galleries, bookended by Pynelogs at Kinsmen Beach on one end and the Cross Roads Collective on Highway 93/95 at the Invermere Crossroads on the other. Heather Cuell, local artist and owner of Effusion Art Gallery and Glass Studio, and one of the event’s organizers, explained that the Art Walk experience is to “be inspired, have refreshments, look at jewelry and art, (and) talk to the artists.” Running for its second year in 2016, the Art Walk is an occasion that is becoming more and more popular as street buskers and musicians take part, and storeowners leave their doors open later to serve all the passerbys. In recalling the first Art Walk, Heather said, “All the locations had great traffic. Whether it was adults or kids participating in things in the galleries, they really enjoyed it. We heard lots of positive comments that this was a really nice event to have for downtown.” The Columbia Valley has a strong art community and patrons take pleasure in interacting on various levels with the artists. All the art is one-ofa-kind original works. Art enthusiasts can expect to see paintings, fused and
blown glass, metal work, and jewelry made from gold, glass and other mediums. What they may not expect are serendipitous finds made from unexpected elements in truly remarkable designs. And, this year, the Art Walk will have new demonstrations, new artists and classes on making art. From the artists’ perspective, Heather explained, “We love art and showing what we have… Each location will showcase someone doing a live demo, talking about art or showing a body of work.” An Art Walk Passport and map can be picked up at any one of the participating galleries. Art Walkers can fill up their passport with stamps from each of the galleries to win prizes from local businesses within the community. Another event organizer, Cajsa Fredin of Black Star Studios, said each person who completes their passport can leave it at one of the participating venues for the chance to win one of seven $100 gift certificates to be spent in the galleries, as well as an overnight stay at a local resort plus there are more sponsors coming on board. “We’re hoping to attract a new type of clientele,” said Cajsa. “With the things going on with art in the making, busking and wine… it’s learning about the art experience and how the different
Breanne Massey photo
Kevin Nimmock photo
galleries contribute to the cultural tourism in town.” Check out theartwalk.ca for more information on events, venues, dining options and passport locations. Some galleries will have events that will continue into the weekend while select restaurants will remain open past normal hours during the event time of 12 to 8 p.m. on Fridays.
POUTINE PALOOZA OCTOBER 9-15
EAT AND VOTE ALL WEEK!
$10 poutine at participating restaurants
PALOOZA PARTY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15 Invermere Community Hall $15 entry SAMPLE GREAT POUTINES Cash Bar • Live Music valley
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Elder Herman Alpine
Ancient legends retold at Lakeshore
Marlene Chabot photo
By Eric Elliott For the first time since 2014, Legend Night will be returning to Lakeshore Resort and Campground for the public to enjoy. The ʔakisq̓nuk (Akisqnuk: pronounced a-kiss-quh-nuk) First Nation will be hosting two Legend Nights this summer in the traditional tipi circle located at the heart of the campground just outside of Windermere off Highway 93/95. The first Legend Night will be held on July 16th with a second night occurring a month later on August 20th. ʔakisq̓nuk — which translates to “land between the lakes” in Ktunaxa (pronounced too-nah-ha) — is made up of nearly 9,000 acres of some of the most scenic and undeveloped land left in the Columbia Valley. It is one of six First Nations that make up the modern Ktunaxa Nation. Four are located in Canada with two more in the United States. On Legend Night, people will be able to come to the campground and listen to a Ktunaxa Elder recite a legend from their history along with drumming and dancing mixed in. The event typically takes up to two hours with breaks mixed in and an opportunity for guests to ask questions to the Elder, drummers or dancers after the legend is over. Kaylene Earl, manager at the Lakeshore Resort and Campground, said
those in attendance at Legend Night in 2014, with the drumming that was heard across the campground, “absolutely loved it.” “All the guests would come in; kids would just sit here on the floor and be amazed at the dancing,” she said. “Anybody who came out loved it. “ Legend Night offers the ʔakisq̓nuk First Nation the opportunity to share their culture and traditions with people from around the valley in hopes of keeping their rich history alive throughout successive generations, Kaylene explained. “The younger generations coming up are now getting back into the dancing because it was stripped from them,” she said. “During the residential schools, a lot of their culture was lost… So now, it’s about reintroducing it and sharing it with the public. Legend Night keeps it alive just a little bit more. “ She said events like Legend Night educate people about the real values of First Nations that extend beyond stereotypes and discrimination. “I feel that it’s important to break down those barriers because we are all basically one. It creates a whole lot more harmony in even the valley.” Both Legend Nights this summer will begin at 7 p.m. and will be open for the public to attend free of admission. The Lakeshore Resort and Campground is easily accessible right off of Highway 93/95 five kilometres south of Windermere (look for signs adjacent to the highway as you get near). Visit lakeshoreresortcampground.com or call 250-342-6352.
Nicole Trigg photo
q̓u¢a¢ ¢ t̕awa¢̕ikxu (The Chipmunk and the Grasshopper)
Once there lived Chipmunk and her children. Their neighbors were the Grasshopper family. One wintry day, Grasshopper called on Chipmunk. She knew that Chipmunk had been busy all ʔaqsuk̓utnamu (summer) storing food for the wanuyitnamu (winter). Grasshopper said, “Do you have any food for me? I am very hungry for the nuts and berries you have stored away.” Chipmunk said, “No we have been out of food for a long time.” So Grasshopper went outside, but she stood by the door. She heard Chipmunk say, “It was a long, hot ʔaqsuk̓utnamu, and Grasshopper had plenty of time to gather food for her home. Instead, she just hopped around all ʔaqsuk̓utnamu. The killers of this world threaten my life when I go to gather food, but I always prepare for wanuyitnamu just the same.” Grasshopper slowly hopped away. She had learned a lesson the hard way. From the book Ktunaxa Legends, compiled and translated by the Kootenai Culture Committee
Celebrate First Nations culture ʔakisq̓nuk First Nation’s Lakeshore Resort and Campground will also be the location for the Columbia Valley’s National Aboriginal Day Festival on Saturday, June 18th. The ʔakisq̓nuk First Nation is working with the neighboring kǂitqatwumǂaʔt (Shuswap) Band to organize the event, which will start with a pancake breakfast served from 9 a.m. followed by a Grand Entry of Chiefs and Elders with dancers and drummers at 11 a.m. There will also be food vendors on site with games and activities for youth to participate in before the closing ceremony at 2 p.m. Come out and celebrate! valley
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September 17th, 24th Tamarack Ridge Walk at Panorama
September 16th - 17th Columbia Valley Classics Autumn Show & Shine
September 13th Tuesday Toonie Races by Crazy Soles
September 10th 6th Columbia Salmon Festival at Kinsmen
September 10th Kootenay Savings Movie in the Park in Radium
September 8th Coast to Coast Ride to Cure Childhood Cancer
September 6th - 18th, 20th - Oct 1st Pynelogs Art Show featuring various artists
September 4th Grizzly Panorama Ultra Marathon & Relay
September 2nd - 4th Walkers Labour Day Classic Old Timers Tourney
September 1st - 30th Windermere Valley Museum fall hours begin
November 4th - 6th 15th EK Wine Festival at Fairmont Resort
November TBA Casino Night at the Horsethief Pub
October 29th Halloween Bash at the Horsethief Pub
October 29th Pumpkin Carving at Copper Point Resort
October 29th Monster Mash Dash
October 21st - 23rd Scrapper’s Cove Annual Retreat
October 17th Invermere Curling Club league starts
October 14th - 15th Link to Rink - a curling and golf tournament
October 9th - 15th Poutine Palooza
October 9th Tuesday Toonie Races by Crazy Soles
October 9th Thanksgiving Shoot with Rod & Gun Club
December 25th Radium Feastival at LaCabina Ristorante
December 25th Free Soak or Swim at Fairmont Resort
December 24th 34th Torchlight Parade at Fairmont Resort
December 17th - 18th Toby Creek Nordic Ski Club Learn to Ski at Nipika
December 17th - 18th Santa Photos at Copper Point Resort
December 16th Small Business Big Party at Copper Point Resort
December 13th Radium Fire Dept. Children’s Christmas Party
December 9th - 11th Ski With The Pros at Panorama
December 9th 3rd Annual Butterfly Tree of Lights
December 9th 5th Annual Friday Night Shopping in Fairmont
December 4th One-Day Turkey Spiel
December 4th 13th Annual Feed the Town
March 17th - 19th St. Patty’s Curling Party and Golf
March 4th 3rd Annual Charity Ski Day at Fairmont Resort
March 3rd -5th 4th annual Invermere Coffee Fest
March TBA Kootenay Freestyle Classic at Panorama
February 18th Alberta Family Day Fireworks at Panorama
February 11th Puppy Love at Invermere Community Hall
February 10th - 12th Men’s Annual Steel Skins Bonspiel
February 3rd, 10th,17th, 24th 33rd Starlight Challenge Fridays in Fairmont
February TBA Annual Wild Game Dinner and Dance
January 28th - 29th Nordic Loppet Weekend at Nipika Resort
January 28th 16th Fishing Derby on Lake Windermere
January 27th - 29th Rockies BC Pond Hockey Championships
regis ine now tration avail able!
September 18th 17th Windermere Fall Fair & Scarecrow Fest
November 4th - 6th, 18th - 20th Ladies Annual Bonspiel then Junior Bonspiel
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September 24th Headbanger Trail Challenge in Radium
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July 1st Mountain Mosaic Festival of the Arts July 1st Canada Day at Fairmont Resort July 1st - 7th Min Ma and Bayot Heer at Artym Gallery July 2nd - 3rd 5th Steamboat Mountain Music Festival July 4th - 10th Take a Kid to the Course Week July 5th, 7th Canucks Junior Golf Week at Copper Point July 7th Lisa Longball at Copper Point Golf Club July 7th - 10th Horsethief Hideout Motorcycle Rally July 8th - 9th Canucks Junior Golf Week at Fairmont Resort July 9th Soiree en Blanc in Invermere July 9th - 10th Heart of the Rockies Triathlon in Invermere July 9th, 16th, 31st, August 6th, 20th Dreamcatcher Making at Lakeshore Resort
June 7th Women’s Golf Day at Greywolf Golf Course June 11th 6th Kootenay Krusher Mountain Bike Race June 11th Windermere Valley Museum Open House June 11th - September 10th Invermere Farmers and Artists Market June 12th 2nd Annual Hike the Hoodoos for Hospice June 13th Ram into Summer Golf Tourney Radium course June 14th - 26th, 28th - July 10th Pynelogs art show featuring various artists June 17th Fairmont Resort’s Long Drive Competition June 18th - 24th Angela Morgan at Artym Gallery June 18th Aboriginal Day at Lakeshore Resort June 18th 5th EK Beer Fest at Fairmont Resort June 18th Radium Days and the Classic Show in Radium
May - May Music Mon/Karaoke Thurs at Horsethief
May - May Senior’s Lunch 2nd Thurs of month at Legion
May 7th, 14th, 28th, June 4th, 25th Dreamcatcher Making at Lakeshore Resort
May 10th, June 7th, July 5th, Aug 9th Tuesday Toonie Races by Crazy Soles
May 17th - 29th Pynelogs Art Show featuring various artists
May 20th Invermere Roller Rink opens
May 20th - 21st Run, Ride & Rock the Ranch — Ourtrail.org
May 20th - 29th Purcell Mountain Painters’ Studio Opening
May 20th - June 2nd, July 1st - 2nd Summer Creative Series at Effusion Gallery
May 21st Steamboat Mountain Music Fest fundraiser
May 21st - 27th Exhibition at the Artym ft. various artists
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August 7th Lake Windermere Open Water Swim
August 6th 40th Annual Lakeside Event
August 6th 21st Annual Loop the Lake
August 6th Wafkna Demonstration at Lakeshore Resort
August 5th - 6th, 12th - 13th Summer Creative Series at Effusion Art Gallery
August 1st - 5th, 8th - 12th Columbia Valley Hockey School with NHL guests
July 31st Moonlight Movie at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
July 31st July Mini Clays with Rod & Gun Club
July 29th - August 4th Cameron Bird and Sandy Graves at Artym
July 25th - 29th Columbia Valley Hockey School with NHL guests
July 24th 3rd Annual Summer Fair at the Agri Park
July 23rd Valley Appreciation Day in Invermere
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July 12th - 24th, 26th - August 7th Pynelogs Art Show featuring various artists July 12th - August 23rd Museum’s Children Program every Tuesday July 15th -16th Client Photos Become Artist Creations at Artym July 16th, August 20th Legend Night at Lakeshore Resort July 16th Mr. & Mrs. Open Tourney at Spur Valley July 16th Tim Horton’s Junior Golf Tourney at Copper Point July 16th BIG Book Sale fundraiser for Invermere Library July 16th - 17th BC Cup/Canada Cup Bike Race at Panorama July 22nd 18th Annual Bull Riding in the Rockies July 22nd - 24th 2016 Invermere Ballfest July 22nd - 24th Horizon Unlimited Mountain Madness July 23rd Toby Creek 2nd annual Kayak Race
June 19th - September 11th Invermere ArtWalk for 10 Fridays June 25th-26th ICAN Garage Sale at Deck Properties June 30th (one minute after midnight) Kinsmen Club of Windermere Valley Fireworks June 30th - July 3rd Western Cdn Challenge by LW Rod & Gun Club. July - August WV Museum open 7 days a week July - August Movies in the Mountains Mondays at Pothole Park July - August Thursday Beach Party at Kinsmen Beach July - August Daily Art Workshops at Black Star Studios July 1st - August 26th Music & Market on Main in Radium July - August Adventure Radium every Tues/Weds/Thurs July - August Radium Library Summer Reading Club July 1st Canada Day Parade in downtown Invermere
May 28th - October 10th 15th annual Radium Hot Springs Glass Art Show
May 29th Best Friends Bash at Black Forest Restaurant
May 31st - June 12th REACH: DTSS Art Show at Pynelogs
June - September Tuesday Testing with Lake Ambassadors
June 1st - 30th WV Museum open 5 days a week
June 3rd Fresh Fridays Open Mic at Pynelogs
June 3rd - 4th Canal Days in Canal Flats
June 4th Crazy Soles Trail Run at Nipika Resort
June 4th 10th Annual Mountain of Hope Gala
June 4th Fairmont Lions Family Fun Day at Coys
June 4th - 5th Rocky Mountain Rally in Invermere
June 5th June Mini Clays with Rod & Gun Club
5-8 p.m., Kinsmen Beach
Every Thursday July and August
Every Monday in July and August Movies start at dark Pothole Park, Downtown Invermere Cash concession
Thursday Beach Party
Movies in the Mountains
Great Family Entertainment
July 12th Lions’ Charity Golf Day Copper Point
June 19th, July 10th, August 14th Yuk Yuk’s on tour at the Horsethief Pub
May 28th - 29th Panorama Hare Scramble at Panorama
July 11th Legacy Trail Golf Tourny at Eagle Ranch
June 18th 6th Branch Out Bike Tour at Panorama
May 22nd Pig Roast at the Horsethief Creek Pub
For more information visit InvermerePanorama.com
August 26th - September 1st Maya Eventov Exhibition at the Artym
August 26th - 28th Bugaboo Blast with Rod & Gun Club
August 22nd Lorne Rowe Memorial Charity Tourney
August 20th - 21st 5th annual Fairmont Hot Springs Airport Fly In
August 19th - 21st Invermere MusicFest at Pynelogs Greenspace
August 19th - 20th, 26th - 27th Summer Creative Series at Effusion Art Gallery
August 18th Panorama Homeowner Golf Tournament.
August 17th - 19th RAWK the Rockies at Panorama Resort.
August 13th - 14th 8th annual Columbia Basin Culture Tour
August 13th Radium Public Library’s Teddy Bear Picnic
August 12th - 18th Andrew Kiss, Margo Fearn Exhibition at Artym
August 12th - 14th Horseback Archery Tournament at Luxor Corrals
August 9th - 21st, 23rd - Sept 4th Pynelogs Art Show featuring various artists
August 9th Summer Splash at James Chabot Provincial Park
October 8th - 10th Thanksgiving at Fairmont Resort
October 8th Bavin Glassworks Annual Thanksgiving Show
October 1st Oktoberfest in downtown Invermere
October - May Windermere Valley Museum winter hours begin
October - April Cinefest at Pynelogs every second Tuesday
October TBA Ski Swap at Invermere Community Hall
September 30th - October 2nd 3rd Radium Colours - A Fall Artists’ Retreat
September 29th - October 2nd Artist Retreat at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
September 25th Rockies Hockey Golf Tourney at Copper Point
September 25th Fall Shoreline Clean Up with Lake Ambassadors
September 25th September Mini Clays with Rod & Gun Club
September 24th - 30th Artym Gallery presents Plein Air Exhibition
September 24th 4th Annual Butterfly Barn Dance at K2 Ranch
December 3rd Global Fat Bike Day - location TBA
December - March Winter in Motion Festival
December - March Syndicate & Rockstar Rail Jam at Panorama
December TBA 23rd Big Christmas Craft Sale in Invermere
November 27th Grey Cup Party at the Horsethief Pub.
November 27th Grey Cup Party at the Legion in Invermere
November 27th Movember Mile, downtown Invermere
November 26th 3rd Annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival
November 25th - 26th Christmas Craft & Tea at Legion
November 19th - December 24th The Big Show of Little Paintings at Artym
November 19th Invermere Light Up and Santa Claus Parade
November 11th - Remembrance Day Services in Canal Flats, Invermere, Edgewater
November 5th 3nd Annual Headbanger Festival in Radium
January 20th Snowflake Festival & Taste of the Valley
January 14th 15th Snow Golf Tourney on Lake Windermere
January 14th Locals’ Day at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
January 13th - 15th Seniors Zone and Juvenile Zone 2 Playdowns
January 8th Banff Mtn Film Festival World Tour in Invermere
January 7th - 8th CANSI Lvl 2 Certification clinic at Nipika Resort.
January 4th - 8th CANSI Lvl 1 Certification clinic at Nipika Resort.
January 1st - 31st Joguary - get active all January
January TBA Dragon Tail Loppet at Panorama
December 31st Fireworks at Fairmont Resort
December 31st Fireworks at Panorama Resort
December 31st Radium’s 26th Birthday & NYE Celebration
December 26th Bavin Glassworks Christmas show
May 14th 3rd Annual Pooch Plunge at Fairmont Resort
May 9th - 15th Wings Over the Rockies Festival.
May 8th Turn Copper Into Gold Chamber Golf Tourney
May 1st - 14th Lil Peeps & Wings Over the Rockies art show
April 28th - 30th CV Rockies Rec Hockey Tournament at Eddie Mtn
April 21st - 23rd BCHL &KIJHL CV Rockies Spring Showcase
April 15th - 16th Super Hero Sun Fest and Slush Cup at Panorama
April 15th Invermere Easter Egg Hunt at Kinsmen Beach
April 8th 2nd Annual Distillery Festival at Fairmont Resort
April 1st - 2nd 30th Easy Rider Snowboard Cup at Panorama
April - June U-Pick at Groundswell Community Greenhouse
March 29th – April 16th Art from the Heart Part 11 at Pynelogs
May 29th ICAN Volunteer Recruitment/Appreciation Party
March 24th - 26th 20th annual Panorama Easter Meet
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January 20th - 22nd Bonspiel on the Lake at Kinsmen Beach
Scrappers’ Cove The little scrapbook store
Supplies • Crops • Classes Online Shop • Local Delivery • Worldwide Shipping Join us at our annual retreat, October 21-23, 2016
SCRAPPERSCOVEINVERMERE.NET 250-342-7238
• Licensed Lounge • Ice Cream Parlour
December 3rd, 10th, 17th Visit Santa’s Cabin at Fairmont Resort
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October 8th - 14th Exhibition at the Artym Gallery
Fresh Food... Radium Hot Springs, B.C.
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Get your heart racing
in Heart of the Rockies By James Rose Bruce Stroud never thought his idea of hosting a triathlon in the Columbia Valley would result in a tradition that would continue for the next 30 odd years. The year he started? 1983. Back then, the mere thought of registration over the Internet would leave faces blank. Now, in its 34th year for 2016, the Heart of the Rockies Triathlon is once again returning for what will undoubtedly be another outstanding event. The adult triathlon takes place on Sunday, July 10th in Invermere, and is one of three Heart of the Rockies events organized by Bruce and his wife Sandra Boot. The Young Hearts Triathlon, for kids between the age of four and 15, takes place on Saturday, July 9th, the day before the adult triathlon, ensuring that the whole family has a chance to participate in a triathlon event. Rounding out the Heart of the Rockies summer event roster is the Lake Windermere Open Water Swim, and out Katie Watt photo and back swim in Lake Windermere. This relatively newer race takes place on Sunday, August 7th and is fast becoming a swim race not to be missed. It is also now part of the Canada-wide Canaqua Sports Open Water Swim Series, a testament to its expanding popularity and significance. Athletes of all different ages and skill levels are encouraged to sign up for any of the three events taking place this summer. “Every year, we have Olympian-calibre athletes participating alongside the most ambitious of weekend warriors trying the sport of triathlon out for the first time,” Bruce said. “What counts is that, for many, it’s a great opportunity to spend quality time in the Invermere area right in the heart of the summer, and of course, right in the heart of the Rockies!”
Dan Walton photo
With majestic views of Chisel Peak rising up above the crisp waters of Lake Windermere, getting in the water to start each race is a sight to behold. “Although our course, compared to others in the Kootenay region, is considered more of a challenge, the vistas offered by the Columbia Valley make all the difference,” said Sandra. For the Heart of the Rockies adult triathlon, categories available on race-day include Sprint, Olympic, and Team (Team for Olympic distance only). The Olympic course consists of a 1.5-kilometre swim, 40-km bike ride, and a 10-km run. The Sprint distance is exactly half the distance of the Olympic event for each of the swim, bike and run disciplines. The Young Hearts race features each of the three disciplines with varying distances for each age group. “The focus of the children’s triathlon is safety, enjoyment and participation,” Bruce explained. The Lake Windermere Open Water Swim features an out-and-back 2-km and 5-km swim distance. For more details and to register, visit heartoftherockies triathlon.ca or email heartofthe rockiestri@shaw.ca. valley
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Dan Walton photo
A lasting legacy
along Lake Windermere
By Greg Amos A new 25-kilometre paved trail promises not just to provide a non-motorized connection between Invermere and Fairmont Hot Springs, but a connection for the hearts and minds of the many people who make the Columbia Valley their place to play. The Westside Legacy Trail — the latest project from the successful Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance — will provide a biking, running, wheelchair friendly and rollerblading pathway through wildly scenic and mostly undeveloped land on the west slopes above Lake Windermere and alongside Westside Road, vastly improving what is already a very popular corridor. “The Westside Road route has always been popular, and I loved the idea of it becoming a safe, smooth trail — one that I could confidently take my own kids on,” said events and volunteer co-ordinator Kim Turgeon, a long-time Invermere resident. “It’s wonderful to go on bike rides ever since the District of Invermere put in the path along 13th Avenue, and this is a continuation of that.” When the last kilometre is paved, the trail will slightly surpass the length of the 22-kilometre Rocky Mountain Legacy Trail between Banff and Canmore, while offering a distinct beauty derived from views of lake, grassland, mountain, and sky. Greenways anticipates the trail will have 100 users per day in the summer. “We want to make the trail absolutely world class,” said Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance executive director Mark Halwa. We wil have bridges, benches, picnic areas, trailhead kiosks and interpretive signage which will make this trail a unique first class experience.” Constructed primarily on private land — much of it provided as an in-kind contribution from K2 Ranch owners Bob and Barb Shaunessy — and within Ministry of Transportation right-of-ways, the trail will be five meters wide with a three-metre paved width and a painted centerline. Various features along the way have served as excellent fundraising anchors
to help cover the $5 million cost, which includes the estimated land value, in-kind donations, fundraising and administration costs. Each of the five bridges, for example, have been “sold” to sponsors for $15,000 apiece, allowing Greenways to create an engineered, sustainable and low-maintenance design. All 15 benches along the route have been sold for $5,000 apiece, while all five picnic areas have been sold for $20,000. Four kilometre-long sponsorships have sold for $100,000 — and one donation opportunity to name the trail at a cost of $1,000,000 remains. A huge chunk of the fundraising has come from 500+ individual donors, several of them anonymous, who have donated anywhere from $50 to $100,000. Those who contribute $200 or more and who choose to be named will have their contributions recognized on a large donor wall at both trailheads. “Our goal is really to have everyone in town talking about the trail. To create a level of excitement that will encourage community residents and valley
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visitors to get involved in this project,” said Kim, noting the excitement has been noticeably building over the course of the winter, in part due to innovative marketing. A piece of snow art — a giant bicycle stomped out on the snow-covered surface of frozen Lake Windermere — early in 2016, for example, captured the imagination of many. “The reach of that image on Facebook and Twitter was huge,” commented Mark. “You have to build awareness, and from the awareness comes the fundraising momentum.” A Run, Ride and Rock the Ranch fundraiser for the Trail is taking place at K2 Ranch on Saturday, May 21st. In addition, three events have been designated at Westside Legacy fundraisers this summer: the Eagle Ranch Golf Tournament on July 11th; Invermere Ballfest from July 22nd to 24th; and the 5-km Loop the Lake event on August 6th. Greenways hopes the summer events will help fundraise an additional $125,000. “We were approached by the organizers and businesses behind these
Upcoming Events: May 21st: Run, Ride and Rock the Ranch K2 Ranch fundraiser. Afternoon of free family events followed by a ticketed dance and dinner. July 11th: OurTrail Open Golf Tournament The Eagle Ranch Golf Tournament. Teams of 4, shotgun start. July 22nd-24th: Invermere Ballfest Invermere Ballfest at the ball fields at the Invermere Crossroads. August 6th: Loop the Lake A new 5-km Loop the Lake event to benefit the Westside Legacy Trail. events as they wanted to get involved with the trail,” said Kim. “It is a real life example of a community coming together to build something that will last forever. Together, we are creating a legacy.” The entire trail as been adopted as a regional park, managed by the Regional District of East Kootenay, which estimates the annual tax cost will be $0.011 per $1,000 of home value — or $3.84 per year for a $350,000 home in the Columbia Valley. “That is very inexpensive for a worldclass trail usable by everyone, and the trail will have no debt burden for future generations,” said Mark. To learn more about the Westside Legacy Trail, events and more, visit ourtrail.org, and search “#OurTrail Westside Legacy Trail” on YouTube to watch a short video.
One of the views from the new Westside Legacy Trail. Mark Halwa photo
The Greenways Trail Alliance has existed in the valley since 2002 and has already completed five trail projects: the Sinclair Creek trail (in Radium), the Old Coach Trail (between Invermere and Radium), the Dragonfly
www. .ca
• Glow Bowling • Pool Tables • Licensed Lounge
• Ice Cream Parlour • Flavoured Soft Ice Cream • Snacks & Treats
250-342-BOWL
(2695)
Boardwalk (at James Chabot Provincial Park in Athalmer), the Columbia Valley Botanical Garden & Greenhouse Trails (near Kinsmen Beach), and the Source of the Columbia Pathway in Canal Flats.
Full Service Gas at Self-Serve Price • Propane/Diesel • Convenience Store • Fireworks
250-342-6117
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK Visit us on Highway 93/95 between Invermere & Windermere
e m o welc Visit the Information Centre for information on what’s going on in the Columbia Valley, or check out our online events calendar!
651 Hwy 93/95 Halfway between Radium & Fairmont www.TheColumbiaValley.ca • 250-342-2844 valley
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SEPTEMBER September - December The Best of BC Wine Tasting in the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort lobby. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com. September 1st - 30th Windermere Valley Museum fall hours begin. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit windermerevalleymuseum.ca.
FALL
September 2nd - 4th Walkers Labour Day Classic Old Timers Tournament. Old Timers Charity Hockey Tournament at Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena with Saturday night Dinner & Dance at Invermere Curling Centre. Email walkersrepair@cyberlink.bc.ca. September 4th Labour Day Buffet/Brunch at Copper Point Resort/Elements. Call 250-341-4019 or visit copperpointresort.com. September 4th Grizzly Panorama Ultra Marathon & Relay. 50-km solo, 2- or 5-person relay options at Panorama Mountain Resort. Contact Tony Smith at 403-678-7813 or visit grizzlyevents.ca. September 6th - 18th Pynelogs Art Show featuring Sandy Orsten, Alistair Rance, Sebastian Bell, Robert Pohl, Robert Michiel. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com. September 8th Coast to Coast Ride to Cure Childhood Cancer. Hosted at the Radium Hot Springs Visitor Center. Riders arrive at 11 a.m. Visit radiumhotsprings.com. September 10th Kootenay Savings Movie in the Park at Legends Field in Radium. Park under the stars or bring your lawn chair and blankets. Admission is a food bank donation Visit kscu.com or radiumhotsprings.com. September 10th 6th Annual Columbia Salmon Festival at Kinsmen Beach from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. in Invermere. A day full of fun free activities to
create awareness of the loss of salmon in the Upper Columbia. Visit columbiasalmonfest.ca. September 13th Tuesday Toonie Races Mountain Bike and/or Trail Run for Fun. Hosted by Crazy Soles. Visit crazysoles.ca.
September 25th - TBC Columbia Valley Rockies Hockey Golf Tournament at Copper Point Golf Club (Ridge Course). Fundraiser tournament for CV Rockies Junior B team. Email cvrockies@live.ca.
September 16th - 17th Columbia Valley Classics Autumn Show and Shine. Annual classic car show in Radium. Visit radiumcarshow.com or radiumhotsprings.com. September 17th, 24th Tamarack Ridge Walk at Panorama Mountain Resort.Spectacular vistas of fall colours. Visit panoramaresort.com/events. September 18th 17th Annual Windermere Fall Fair & Scarecrow Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Windermere Community Hall and adjacent field. A jam-packed day! Visit windermerecommunity.ca.
OCTOBER October TBA Annual Ski Swap presented by the Windermere Valley Ski Club at Invermere Community Hall. Sale starts at noon. Drop off gear to be sold beforehand from 9 to 11 a.m. Call 250-342-3819.
September 24th Headbanger Trail Challenge in Radium Hot Springs. 3-, 5-, and 10-km distances. Visit headbangertrailchallenge.ca. September 24th 4th Annual Butterfly Barn Dance at the historic K2 Ranch. Fundraiser for the Hospice Society. Visit hospicesocietycv.com or call 250688-1143. September 24th - 30th Artym Gallery presents Plein Air Exhibition featuring Cameron Bird Andrew Kiss, Denise Lemaster, Neil Patterson and Susan Woolgar. Visit artymgallery.com.
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September 29th - October 2nd Artist Retreat at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. Explore your creative side with some of the Columbia Valley’s top artists. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com. September 30th - October 2nd 3rd Annual Radium Colours - A Fall Artists’ Retreat. Workshops in a beautiful setting. Visit radiumhotsprings.com.
September 20th - October 1st Pynelogs Art Show featuring Bryn Stevenson, Stephanie Kellett, Carol Gordon, Jim McElroy and Ingrid Vincent. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com.
September 25th September Mini Clays. Clay target event hosted by the Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club. Visit lwdrodgun.com.
September 25th Fall Shoreline Clean Up. Gloves and bags provided. All litter data collected is contributed to the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up. Visit lakeambassadors.ca.
October - April Cinefest at Pynelogs. Weekly independant film series second Tuesday of each month. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com. October - May Windermere Valley Museum winter hours begin. Noon to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays. Visit windermerevalleymuseum.ca. October 1st Oktoberfest in downtown Invermere. Family celebration inlcudes live music, bratwursts and more! InvermereEvents.ca October 8th Bavin Glassworks Annual Thanksgiving Show. Visit bavinglass.com for details.
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October 8th - 10th Thanksgiving Celebrations at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com. October 8th - 14th Eduard Gurevich, Sabina and Aleksandra Savina Exhibition at the Artym Gallery. Visit artymgallery.com. October 9th Thanksgiving Shoot. Informal clay target event hosted by the Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club. Visit lwdrodgun.com. October 9th Tuesday Toonie Races Mountain Bike and/or Trail Run for Fun. Hosted by Crazy Soles. Wind up event at Nipika Mountain Resort. Visit crazysoles.ca. October 9th - 15th Poutine Palooza. $10 Poutines all week, vote for your favourite. Call 250-688-9663 or visit InvermereEvents.ca. October 14th - 15th Link to Rink. A curling and golf tournament. More info at curlinginvermere.ca or call 250-342-3315. October 17th Invermere Curling Club league starts. More info at curlinginvermere.ca or call 250-342-3315. October 21st - 23rd Scrapper’s Cove Annual Retreat. Visit scrapperscoveinvermere.net or call 250-342-7238. October 29th Monster Mash Dash. A fun costumed walk/run with downtown trick or treating. Visit monstermashdash.ca. October 29th Pumpkin Carving Contest at Copper Point Resort. Call 250-341-4019 or visit copperpointresort.com. October 29th Halloween Bash at the Horsethief Creek Pub & Eatery in Radium. Call 250-347-6400.
NOVEMBER November TBA Casino Night at the Horsethief Creek Pub & Eatery in Radium. Call 250-347-6400. November 4th - 6th 15th Annual East Kootenay Wine Festival at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. Featuring the best in B.C. wine. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com or call 250-345-6070. November 4th - 6th Invermere Curling Club presents the Ladies Annual Bonspiel. More info at curlinginvermere.ca or call 250-342-3315. November 5th 3nd Annual Headbanger Festival (the Rut not the Run) in Radium Hot Springs. Visit radiumhotsprings.ca.
November 11th Remembrance Day service in Invermere. Formal march to Cenotaph Park at 10:30 a.m. November 11th Remembrance Day service in Edgewater. Formal march to the Cenotaph at 4 p.m. November 18th - 20th Invermere Curling Club presents the Junior Bonspiel. More info at www.curlinginvermere.ca or call 250-342-3315. November 19th Invermere Light Up and Santa Claus Parade in downtown Invermere. Visit TheColumbiaValley.ca. November 19th - December 24th The Big Show of Little Paintings by allery artists at the Artym. Visit artymgallery.com. November 25th - 26th Christmas Craft & Tea. Hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #71 in Invermere. Email roycan71sec@hotmail.ca.
November 27th Movember Mile. 1 mile Underwear and Mustache run around downtown to raise awareness around men’s health. Visit crazysoles.ca. November 27th Grey Cup Party. Celebrating the 104th Grey Cup at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #71 in Invermere. Email roycan71sec@ hotmail.ca. November 27th Grey Cup Party at the Horsethief Creek Pub & Eatery in Radium. Join us for the Grey Cup projected on an 8-foot screen. Call 250-347-6400.
DECEMBER December TBA 23rd Annual Big Christmas Craft Sale at Invermere Community Hall. $2 entry fee goes to Columbia Valley Food Bank and Windermere Valley Child Care Society. Call 250342-1475. December TBA Winter Season opens at Panorama Mountain Resort. Visit panoramaresort.com. December - March Syndicate & Rockstar Rail Jam Series at Panorama. See panoramaresort.com/events for more detals. December - March Winter in Motion Festival. A celebration of winter and all there is to experience in the Columbia Valley. Visit TheColumbiaValley.ca. December 3rd Global Fat Bike Day. Group Fat Bike Ride as part of the global movement. Location TBA. Visit crazysoles.ca. December 3rd, 10th, 17th Visit Santa’s Cabin at Fairmont Hot
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Springs Resort for a photo with Santa and a hot chocolate from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Free! December 4th 13th Annual Feed the Town. Free holiday feast at Copper Point Golf Club. Food bank donations accepted. December 4th Invermere Curling Club presents the One-Day Turkey Spiel. More info at www.curlinginvermere.ca or call 250-342-3315. December 9th 5th Annual Friday Night Shopping in Fairmont. Local businesses open 4 to 8 p.m. Super deals and prizes from participating businesses. Call 250-342-1475. December 9th 3rd Annual Butterfly Tree of Lights. A special evening of remembrance. Held annually on second Friday of December at Frater’s Landing in Invermere. Visit hospicesocietycv. com or call 250-688-1143. December 9th - 11th Ski With The Pros at Panorama Ski & Ride Centre. This 3-day program is designed to ignite your season. Contact Jason Simpson at 1-800663-2929, email takealesson@ panoramaresort.com or visit panoramaresort.com/ski-pros. December 13th Radium Fire Department Annual Children’s Christmas Party at Radium Hot Springs Fire Hall. Visit radiumhotsprings.com. December 16th Small Business Big Party at Copper Point Resort. Call 250-341-4019 or visit copperpointresort.com. December 17th - 18th Santa Photos at Copper Point Resort. Call 250-341-4019 or visit copperpointresort.com. December 17th - 18th Toby Creek Nordic Ski Club Learn to Ski at Nipika Mountain Resort. No charge for members. Classic ski on Saturday. Skate ski on Sunday. Visit tobycreeknordic.ca.
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December 24th The 34th Annual Torchlight Parade and Fireworks on Christmas Eve at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Family Ski Area. Starts at 5:30 p.m. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com. December 25th Free Soak or Swim on Christmas Day in the hot pools at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort with a food or cash donation to the Columbia Valley Food Bank. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com. December 25th Radium Feastival. A Village Christmas Dinner at LaCabina Ristorante in Radium. Doors open from 5 to 7 p.m. Visit radiumhotspring.com. December 26th Bavin Glassworks Christmas show. Visit bavinglass.com for details. December 31st Village of Radium’s 26th Birthday Celebration starting at 3 p.m. Takes place at Brent’s Shack, Legends Field and Radium Hot Springs Seniors Hall. Skating, tobogganing, chili, hot dogs, birthday cake. Visit radiumhotsprings.com. December 31st Radium Hot Springs New Year’s Eve Fireworks starting at 6 p.m. at The Springs Driving Range. Spectacular viewing from anywhere in the village. Visit radiumhotsprings.com. December 31st New Year’s Eve Fireworks at Panorama Mountain Resort. A torchlight parade from the ski instructors followed by a fireworks display. Call 250-342-6941or visit panoramaresort.com/events. December 31st New Years Eve Party at Copper Point Resort For more information call 250-341-4019, email adventure@copperpointresort.com or visit copperpointresort.com. December 31st New Year’s Eve Fireworks Display at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort lodge grounds. Starting at 9 p.m. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com.
WINTER
November 11th Remembrance Day service in Canal Flats at the Civic Centre. Service at 10 a.m.
November 26th 3rd Annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival hosted by Wildsight Invermere at the Invermere Community Hall. Contact invermere@wildsight.ca.
Dan Walton photos
Colourful fair welcomes fall with
a flourish By Dorothy Isted
Ask any kid if they’d like to play on a mountain of hay and you’ll likely get a bright-eyed grinning little person jumping and raring to go. Held during the third Sunday of September at the Windermere Community Hall and grounds, the Windermere Scarecrow Festival and Fall Fair offers the chance to do just that and has become a valley favourite, celebrating its 17th year in 2016. According to event co-ordinator Theresa Wood, “It’s all great outdoor family fun. They run, play and have a blast.” The popular foam slide provided by the Fire Department will once again be available for kids. Of course, children and their families can make a scarecrow and enter, hoping to win. Bringing back the traditional agricultural aspect of a fall fair has been her main focus in planning this year’s event, says Theresa. “This involves showcasing and judging garden produce, including floral arrangements, home canning and baking and other possibilities like photography and home crafts.” There’ll be a market with vendors offering all kinds of things for sale plus food venues, music and lots of activities for kids to do. Fairgoers can expect to see
interesting demonstrations and the fall weather usually co-operates with a blazing sun, blue skies and warm temperatures. One popular event is the Wife Carrying Competition, with some rather hilarious rules. A man can carry a woman in a race, not necessarily his wife. She must be a minimum of 108 pounds or bulked up with a weighted knapsack. There are three carrying styles: the piggyback, the thrown over and the Estonian carry, whereby the male grabs the female’s thighs and carries her upside down. More animals are being planned for this year and attendees can look forward to bunnies or horses, or possibly even pets that need to be adopted. The usual races and games historically associated with country fairs will also be featured, like three-legged races, tug of wars or Red Rover. One of the things Theresa is excited for, as part of the gardening showcase
is, “showing kids all the great produce that’s grown here.” Past years have featured belly dancers, bands, stilt-walkers, clowns, face-painting, tickle trunk dressing up, displays by artisans and non-profit organizations, farm fresh produce for sale, woodcarving and magical acts. The 2016 Windermere Scarecrow Festival and Fall Fair is the largest fundraiser for the Windermere Community Association, with all proceeds going to the organization to help it run its other year-round activities. The 2016 takes place on takes place on Sunday, September 18th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit windermerecommunity.ca for more information.
Cultural dish
ignites competition
By James Rose
Rightfully so, cult followings surround the signature Canadian dish known simply as poutine. Perhaps not surprisingly, in 2007, CBC declared poutine as the 10th greatest Canadian invention of all time (beating out the Blackberry)! A complicated dish? Hardly. Cheese, fries, and gravy… that’s it! But, like a lot of things in life, quality comes from simplicity. From October 9th to 15th, a variety of restaurants in the Columbia Valley will
host the inaugural Poutine Palooza. The Palooza is all about determining which participating restaurant serves the best dish of poutine. Throughout the week, customers will be given the opportunity to vote, by judging on a scale from one to five, the different poutine dishes’ creativity, and quality of cheese, fries and gravy. Each participating restaurant will offer up their poutine for $10 during the week-long competition. valley
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On Saturday, October 15th, each poutine will be available for sampling at the Invermere Community Hall with live music and a cash bar included. Entry to the party is $15. Around 10 to 15 restaurants are expected to participate and enter the compeition, including Rocky River Grill, Safta’s and Copper City Saloon. For more information, visit the “Invermere BC Events” Facebook page and follow #Curdistheword.
Season wraps up with
Slush Showdown By James Rose One of Panorama Mountain Resort’s most popular end-of-season events made a triumphant return this past ski season. The Slush Showdown drew a large crowd of people keen to observe participants try their hand at making it across a man-made pond near the base of the mountain without getting wet. A Panorama tradition from 1989 to 2008, the event was resurrected for the 201516 ski season to much excitement. “We like to end the season with a big celebration for guests of the resort and the surrounding community, so for last season we created the Super Hero Sun Fest. The Slush Showdown was a highlight,” said Amy Green, Panorama Mountain Resort’s event co-ordinator. But how, one may wonder, does the event unfold? “All participants start at the top of the run and the goal is to skim across the 20 feet of chilly water and slush. The ultimate goal is to get across the pond while staying dry, but participants can also choose to hit a jump as an added challenge before crossing the pond.” Usually, about half the participants make it across the pond dry, while some make it across after hitting the jump as well. “Thankfully we have our awesome volunteers from Panorama Fire Rescue and Columbia Valley Search and Rescue in the pond helping out our wetter participants,” laughed Amy. The pond itself is four feet deep and 20 feet long. “It takes the team four days to build,” explained Amy. “The first day is piling
Nicole Trigg photos
up snow, making it level and letting it set. The next two days are spent carving out the pond to fit the tarp, which lies at the bottom. On the last day, the pond is filled with water from a snowmaking pipe located nearby. We also design the pond to be a little shorter than average so that kids could get involved in the event as well. We see a lot of juniors take to the pond, with the youngest usually around five years old!” Event organizers expected around 60 participants to sign up, but were thrilled when a total of 124 people ended up registering for the 2016 event. “We probably had around 200 spectators watching the event, as well as a nearby barbecue and beer garden.” The Showdown is but one of the many fun-filled events taking place over Panorama’s final ski weekend. There is live music at the T-Bar and Grill, kids’ activities in the village, a Dummy Downhill on the Sunday, and fun dual slalom races on the hill. For more details, visit Panorama’s events page at panorama resort.com/events.
Mild to wild adventures in the Columbia Valley @rockymtnsafaris.com • Find us on Phone: 250-341-1552 • info@rockymtnsafaris.com
www.rockymtnsafaris.com
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Firstname Lastname Photo
Kathaleen Thomson
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JANUARY January TBA Dragon Tail Loppet at Panorama. Visit panoramaresort.com/events.
WINTER
January - May The Best of BC Wine Tasting in the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort lobby. Learn about B.C. wines from the in-house sommelier every Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. $15 per person or $25 for 2. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com. January 1st - 31st Joguary. Challenge yourself to get active with 30 minutes of outside activity everyday for the entire month. Weekly prizes and challenges! Visit crazysoles.ca. January 4th - 8th CANSI Instructor Certification clinic at Nipika Mountain Resort. Level 2 instructors course. Visit nipika.com. January 7th - 8th CANSI Instructor Certification clinic at Nipika Mountain Resort. Level 1 instructors course. Visit nipika.com. January 8th Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour in Invermere. Fundraiser for the Toby Creek Nordic Ski Club. Visit tobycreeknordic.ca. January 13th - 15th Invermere Curling Club hosts the Seniors Zone Playdowns and the Juvenile Zone 2 Playdowns. More info at curlinginvermere.ca or call 250-342-3315. January 14th Locals’ Day at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Ski Hill. Ski all day for only a toonie! Visit fairmonthotsprings.com.
Visit curlinginvermere.ca. January 20th Snowflake Festival and Taste of the Valley at Kinsmen Beach in Invermere. Food sampling, fireworks, kick off to Bonspiel on the Lake and more. Visit TheColumbiaValley.ca. January 27th - 29th Columbia Valley Rockies BC Pond Hockey Championships on Lake Windermere off Kinsmen Beach in Invermere. A Columbia Valley Rockies fundraiser. Visit TheColumbiaValley.ca or rockieshockey.ca. January 28th 16th Annual Fishing Derby on Lake Windermere. Presented by Kinsmen Club of Windermere Valley. Contact Station Pub at 250342-5557 for details. January 28th - 29th Nipika/ Toby Creek Nordic Loppet Weekend hosted by Nipika Mountain Resort & Toby Creek Nordic Ski Club. This two-race weekend offers a classic race on Saturday then a skate event on Sunday. Variety of distances. Fun for all levels of skiers. Prizes, draws and barbecue included on both days. Visit nipika.com or call 1-877-647-4525.
FEBRUARY February TBA Family Fish Day. A fun day for the entire family. The Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club supplies everything, hut, rods, etc. and holds a barbecue on the ice for all to enjoy. Visit lwdrodgun.com.
January 14th 15th Annual Snow Golf Tournament on Lake Windermere. Presented by Kinsmen Club of Windermere Valley. Contact Station Pub at 250342-5557 for more info.
February TBA Annual Wild Game Dinner and Dance. At the Invermere Community Hall, presented by the Lake Windermere District Rod & Gun Club. A tantalising culinary delight of wild fare. Visit lwdrodgun.com.
January 20th - 22nd Bonspiel on the Lake at Kinsmen Beach in Invermere. Largest outdoor curling bonspiel in Canada.
February 3rd, 10th,17th, 24th The 33rd Annual Starlight Challenge every Friday night at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Ski valley
Area. Adult (19+) ski race series. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com. February 10th - 12th Invermere Curling Club presents the Men’s Annual Steel Skins Bonspiel. More info at curlinginvermere.ca or call 250-342-3315. February 11th Annual Puppy Love fundraiser presented by Fire Vixen Tattoos at Invermere Community Hall. All proceeds from tattoos go to Global Animal Lovers to help with animal rescue efforts. Call 250-342-8844 for details. February 18th Alberta Family Day Fireworks at Panorama Mountain Resort. For more information call 250-3426941 or visit panoramaresort.com/ events.
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MARCH March TBA Kootenay Freestyle Classic by the Panorama Mountain Freeride Club at Panorama Mountain Resort. A BC Freestyle-sanctioned event, includes moguls and slopestyle. Email programdirector@pmfc.ca or visit panoramaresort.com/events. March 3rd -5th 4th annual Invermere Coffee Fest. Celebrating Coffee Culture. Workshop, sampling, contests and more! For more information contact Theresa Wood by email events@invermere.net or visit InvermereEvents.ca March 4th The 3rd Annual Charity Ski Day at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Family Ski Area. Enjoy family fun for a good cause! Visit fairmonthotsprings.com.
March 24th - 26th 20th annual Panorama Easter Meet. Paragliders soar the skies of Panorama Mountain Resort, dropping “easter eggs” in targets, and competing for the best target landing. Visit flyingmax.com or panoramaresort.com/events.
April - June U-Pick at Groundswell’s Community Greenhouse. Delicious and nutritious fresh greens and herbs available for sale. Open doors in our beautiful award winning energy efficient facility. Contact Patsy Lussier at 250-342-3337 or visit groundswellnetwork.ca. April - September Pynelogs Cafe featuring the Scotty Burger opens for the season at Pynelogs, Invermere. Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com. April - October Pynelogs Art Gallery, Cultural Centre and Gift Shop open for the season. Daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com. April 1st - 2nd 30th Annual Easy Rider Snowboard Cup at Panorama Mountain Resort. Banked Slalom on Saturday and Sunday plus other awesome snowboarding fun! Call 250-342-6941 or visit panoramaresort.com/events. April 8th 2nd Annual Distillery Festival. Come taste dozens of different spirits offered by some of B.C.’s best craft distilleries. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com.
accepted. For more information email events@invermere.net April 15th - 16th Super Hero Sun Fest and Slush Cup at Panorama Resort. Avengers, shmavengers. Welcome to the real hero party. Visit panoramaresort. com/events for more details. April 21st - 23rd BCHL &KIJHL Columbia Valley Rockies Spring Showcase. Spring Junior Hockey Recruitment Camp & Showcase at Eddie Mountain Arena. Visit rockieshockey.ca. April 28th - 30th CV Rockies Rec Hockey Tournament at Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena. Female and Male 35+ Divisions. Visit rockieshockey.ca.
MAY/JUNE May 1st - 14th Pynelogs’ Lil Peeps & Wings Over the Rockies art show. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com. May 8th Turn Copper Into Gold Chamber Golf Tourney. Visit TheColumbiaValley.ca. May 8th - 14th Wings Over the Rockies Festival. One-week festival the first full week of May. Almost 100 high quality, creative and informative events. Activities include guided nature walks, river floats, hikes in the grasslands, art exhibits, presentations and much more. Visit wingsovertherockies.org for a list of events, dates and times. Visit wingsovertherockies.org.
March 29th – April 16th Art from the Heart Part 11 at Pynelogs. Featuring over 600 pieces of art from elementary school aged kids from the Columbia Valley. Visit columbiavalleyarts.com.
April 14th - 17th Easter Celebration at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort all weekend! Enjoy a family Easter egg hunt, egg colouring, basket decorating, brunch. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com.
May 29th ICAN Volunteer Recruitment/ Appreciation Party. Visit icanbc.com.
April 14th - 17th Easter Celebration at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. Celebrate Easter with plenty of family-friendly activities. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com.
May 14th 3rd Annual Pooch Plunge. Bring your furry four legged friends for a swim at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort and help raise funds animal charities. Visit fairmonthotsprings.com.
April 15th Invermere Easter Egg Hunt. Gather at Kinsmen Beach for 10:00am for a free Easter Egg Hunt. Donations to the foodbank greatfully
June - September The Windermere Valley Museum in Invermere opens for visitors seven days a week. Visit windermerevalleymuseum.ca.
APRIL April TBA Easter Celebrations at Panorama Mountain Resort. Celebrate Easter with Easter egg hunts, carnivals, valley
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SPRING
March 17th - 19th Invermere Curling Club hosts the End of Year wrap up — Green to Green: St. Patty’s Curling Party and Golf. More info at curlinginvermere. ca or call 250-342-3315.
and hardboiled egg decorating. Visit panoramaresort.com/events or call 250-342-6941.
Craft spirits flourish
at new fest
YEAR-ROUND RV & PARK MODEL LOTS FOR SALE
By Greg Amos
Connoisseurs of scotch, whiskey, gin and more will have an opportunity to refine their tastes for B.C.-born spirits at the second annual East Kootenay Distillery Festival, which returns to Fairmont Hot Springs Resort (FHSR) in 2017. After a successful launch event in February 2016, round two is set for Saturday, April 8th, 2017 — and the resort hopes to double the selection of 10 distilleries that represented the Kootenays, Okanagan, Vancouver and Vancouver Island at the initial distillery fest. “B.C. produces many distilled products, and many producers don’t sell their spirits in the valley yet,” said FHSR events co-ordinator Patrick Tolchard, who noted that the strong growth in B.C.’s craft distillery scene mirrors the rise of craft breweries. “After the first distillery festival, many of those producers got their products into local stores.” “We want to give people the chance to try these local products,” he added. “We could’ve opened the festival to big names like Glenfiddich and Smirnofff, but that’s not the intent.” The 2016 event — which was part of Fairmont’s annual Fire and Ice Festival and was originally slated to be a whiskey tasting only — proved popular, and all the spirit producers present will be returning in 2017. Among the mix at the 2017 fest will be Invermere’s own Taynton Bay Distillers, a new company currently in the process of finalizing its production facility located in the basement of The Station Pub near Kinsmen Beach. “The goal is to be set up by mid-July, and we should be good to go after October,” said Justin Atterbury, one of the four local partners behind the business (who also include Jason Powers, Ricky Ebeunga and Paul Christie), which will produce gin, whiskey, vodka and possibly a liqueur. The first distillery fest proved to be
Gated community, paved roads, large lots all backing onto green space. Deep serviced for yearround use with water, sewer, 100 amp power, cable TV, internet. A quiet forest setting with spectacular views of the mountains and hoodoos only minutes away from hot springs, spa, 4 golf courses, shopping, restaurants, lakes, hiking, boating, swimming, river floating, fishing, ski hill, unlimited backcountry for off road vehicles.
Titled Ownership
5 km south of Fairmont Hot Springs, BC www.dutchcreekresort.com 250-345-6558
Rachel Dick/FHSR photos
an intimate affair, with booths occupied by the distillers themselves, rather than sales representatives, which afforded many opportunities for guests to talk in detail about the distilling process. The 2017 event may have a competition component, added Patrick, whose preferred spirit is scotch. Those more inclined towards vodka, gin or bourbon will find intriguing offerings at the fest, as will those who are looking for innovative ideas about spirits. “One of the vodkas last year was a cucumber-melon-tarragon mix, which sounds really strange, but it tasted incredible,” said Patrick. Tickets to the event are expected to start at $49, and weekend packages will be offered. Those looking to learn more can visit fairmonthotsprings.com/ events-and-festivals/east-kootenaydistillery-festival or contact Patrick at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort at 1-800663-4979. valley
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We pride ourselves in using the finest quality products with natural ingredients to create traditional and entirely homemade dishes
Eat-in or Take-out Open for lunch and dinner from May to October 5009 Hot Springs Road 250-345-6661 Fairmont Hot Springs, BC tonysgreekgrill@gmail.com
Invermere Petro-Canada 185 Laurier Street • Invermere, B.C. 250-342-3050
Earn Petro Points Rewards Offering Motorists . . . • Self-Service Gasoline • Diesel • Propane • Large Convenience Store • ATM • Fishing Supplies • Three-Bay Wand Wash • Vacuums • Kicking Horse Coffee • Slushies • Phone Cards Hours of Operation: Sunday 6:30 am - 11:00 pm Monday to Thursday 6:00 am - 11:00 pm Friday 6:00 am - 12 midnight Saturday 6:30 am - 12 midnight
Next to the Mountainside Market in Radium Hot Springs
Open Daily year-round for lunch, dinner, and late night drinks LIVE MUSIC
onday at 7 p.m.
KARAOKE
Every Thursday
FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE Available upon request
Kitchen open late! 2 patios with lots of outdoor seating
/horsethiefpub 25 0 - 3 47- 6 4 0 0
Marlene Chabot photo TRULY CANADIAN
North Star Hardware & Building Supplies Ltd. Independently owned 410 Borden Street • Athalmer
250-342-6226
ner in success Your part ! Your choice for power tools in the Valley! We have the largest brand selection, specializing in:
Fully Licensed
Restaurant & Lounge Specializing in Austrian & Continental Cuisine • Schnitzel • Steak • Seafood • Bratwurst • Homemade Pasta Try our homemade desserts!
Children’s Menu Fresh Food and Fresh Ingredients!
Y DAIL RSE U 3-CO NER DIN IAL SPEC Private Functions/Seminars: We can help you with entertainment, buffet or fine dining menus.
Visit our outdoor patio.
Fabulous Lunch Menu 11:30 a.m. daily (Summer only)
Dinner - Open 5 p.m.
• Plumbing & electrical • Interior/exterior doors & windows • Floors & trusses • Custom cut fir timbers & beams • and so much more!
Sma ll town service...city prices
Hwy. 93 Radium Hot Springs, B.C. www.OldSalzburgRestaurant.com info@oldsalzburgrestaurant.com
For Reservations Call
250.347.6553
W h e r e
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