This morning I’ll be on Calgary’s Global Morning Show chatting about spring events in the Rockies. (You can check out the segment below!) April is a month to get outdoors, eat lots chocolate and indulge in some great food and wine. Here’s some suggestions for the upcoming Easter long weekend and spring weekends (whenever they arrive).
Easter Events on Mountain this Spring
Easter egg hunts are infinitely more interesting when kids have to dig in the snow for their chocolatey treats. All of the Big Three resorts close to Banff: Mount Norquay, Lake Louise Ski Resort and Sunshine Village have chocolate eggs scattered throughout their mountains. Sunshine Village also offers a Non-Denominational Church Service at the top of Strawberry Lift on Easter Sunday. After the holiday, bookmark Norquay’s Toonie Day on Wednesday, April 12 and ski for only $2.
We all know barrelling down a hill on a sled is a fantastic rush. But who wants to race a boring old toboggan when you can craft your own snow chariot? Makers prove their cardboard carpentry during the Cardboard Box Downhill Derby at Lake Louise Ski Resort on April 23. With only a cardboard box, string, tape and glue, participants design and race the ultimate McIvered sled.
Canmore Uncorked Spring 2017
Four years strong, Canmore Uncorked is one of Alberta’s best food festivals. There’s barely any crowds in this mountain town in April and May, making it an ideal time to explore – through your stomach. Blake is a new restaurant in town that I’m keen to check out. (John Gilchrist described it as one of the best new restaurants in the province.) Weekend warriors will be happy to know local favourites Market Bistro at Three Sisters and The Georgetown Inn are still in the program.
But this food fest isn’t only about sampling delectable morsels of Rocky Mountain cuisine. There are two new Distilleries to try: Raw and Wild Life, plus new brewery Canmore Brewing Co. is set to give the Grizzly Paw some competition. And if you’re a fan of Phil & Seb’s you’ll want to check out local coffee roaster: Mountain Blends Coffee Roasters. (So good my husband schleps it back to Calgary for his office.)
The best part about Canmore Uncorked are the events. The Bistro Tour features Quartetto Gelato, a Juno-nominated band that eats and walks with you from bistro to bistro, before capping off the evening with a 20-minute set influenced by the food.
Then there’s the Progressive Dinner Tours. This year it offers new routes and restaurants, but it still includes the hugely popular cycle tour led by local Olympians. These events sell out fast, so snag your tickets ASAP at www.canmoreuncorked.com.
Mindfulness in the Mountains this Spring
Spring is a time of growth and rejuvenation, and nowhere is that more evident than in Banff National Park. Visitors are encouraged to explore something new during Spring Alive in Banff and Lake Louise. During this April and May festival, why not take in a cultural performance at the Banff Centre or perfect your downward dog at the Banff Yoga Festival.
This yoga festival is way more than mediation in the mountains (though you will get to sample wilderness yoga). It offers a offers a raw chocolate workshop, Acro-yoga and sessions on middle eastern dance. You can even try stand up paddle yoga at Two Jack Lake.
Don’t want to commit to a three day event? Consider yoga at the newly renovated Banff Gondola. On certain Sundays (like April 30) they offer hour long Ashtanga yoga sessions a with Lululemon ambassador. It costs $40 per person, but includes the Gondola admission (which is $49 anyway). Afterwards you can treat yourself to lunch at the Sky Bistro as Eve and I did.
What are you plans for spring?
