Family Day festivities across central Alberta

That same day, the Kerry Wood Nature Centre (6300 45 Ave) will be hosting a “Family Day Snowshoe Quest”. Families can snowshoe a 1km trail with games and an obstacle course for just a small suggested donation of $3 per person or $10 per family.

From 1 – 4 p.m., the Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery (MAG) (4525 47A Ave) will be celebrating their 50^th anniversary with “Get into the Groove: Family Day at the MAG!”, a free 70s themed party. Guests can write their best wishes for the MAG on paper candles and add it to the cake mural, take a family selfie, dance to disco music while dressed in 70s fashion, and participate in a “sketch party” where they will can draw their favorite artifact on display. Families can also enter into the Family Day Coloring Contest for a prize.

Finally, the Red Deer Cultural Heritage society will be hosting a “Family Day at the Cronquist House” (4707 Fountain Dr) from 12 – 5 p.m. with chilli, desserts, hot chocolate and coffee.

SYLVAN LAKE

The Winterfest Big Jig is back from February 17-20 with a poutine contest, skating rinks on the lake, ice sliding and winter village lights all weekend long. Saturday will host the majority of the festival’s activities including fishing classes, polar bear dips, sleigh rides, a farmer’s market, Fire on Ice Show, and a Kinabik Discovery Village with skating activities, an Indigenous Storytelling Firepit, lake curling and more, ending the night with fireworks. The Ice Fishing Derby will run from Saturday to Monday with over $7,500 in prizes.

PENHOLD

The town will also be kicking off the long weekend with their Winterfest on Friday from 6 – 8 p.m. at Ma & Pa’s Bakery Cafe (1220 Windsor Ave). Not only is this the first event of the year for the town, but officials say they will also be building their traditional Community Ice Fort over the month, using empty containers to create ice blocks. There will be games, activities, road hockey, hot chocolate, and s’mores.

INNISFAIL

The town and local services clubs have put together various free activities, beginning with Family Day Bowling on Sunday at Innisfail Bowling Lanes (5039 50 St). The Age-Friendly Committee is sponsoring time slots registered for up to six people, shoes included, in one hour increments from 12 – 6 p.m., with 2 – 3 p.m. reserved for bowlers aged 50 and over.

On Monday, families can register for a 3-on-3 Family Day hockey tournament in support of the Helping Hand Fund beginning at 10 a.m. at the Innisfail Twin Area (5804 42 St) or curling from 10 – 11 a.m. at the Innisfail Curling Club (5704 42 St). The Innisfail Kinsmen will host an event from 12 – 3 p.m. at the arena with skating, music, hot chocolate, coffee, hot dogs, a warm-up station, wagon rides and more. Apart from outdoor skating, families can donate to the Innisfail Food Bank for a swim at the Innisfail Aquatic Centre (5117 42 St) from 1:30 – 4 p.m.

BLACKFALDS

On Monday from 12 – 3 p.m., the town will be holding their Winterfest event at the Eagle Builders Centre (5302 Broadway Ave). There will be free indoor skating, barbeque by donation, ice sculptor demonstrations and carving lessons, bingo, games, painting, movies and a firepit.

PONOKA

On Monday, the town is offering free skating at the Ponoka Arena Complex (4410 54 St) from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. while accepting donations to the Ponoka Food Bank and offering hot chocolate and cookies. The Ponoka Kinettes and Kinsmen will be hosting a Skate-a-Thon during that time to raise funds for the Ponoka Youth Centre’s summer programming and Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

Families can also swim free at the Ponoka Aquaplex (5315 46 Ave) from 12 – 4 p.m. and have free drop-in access to the golf simulators at the Ponoka Golf Club (3519 46 St) from 1 – 4 p.m.

For a swag prize pack, families can post a photo of themselves participating in an activity together using the hashtag #TownofPonoka or by emailing the photo to communications@ponoka.ca.

LACOMBE

Families can skate for free at the Gary Moe Auto Group Sportsplex Arena (5210 54 Ave) from 1 – 3 p.m. on Monday.

SUNDRE

The town will be hosting their Winterfest on February 19 and 20 from 11 a.m. – 4p.m. at the Greenwood Park & Campground / The Gazebo (139 Centre St S) with ice sculptures, live music , free cross-country ski and fat biking lessons and wagon rides to the Sundre & District Pioneer Village Museum (211 1 Ave SW). Families will have free access to the museum from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. with free bannock and fry bread samples and a movie. At the new eastside boardwalk near the Visitor Information Centre (500 Main Ave E), families can register for a free Indigenous medicine walk in the woods alongside free tea. Free public skating will also be available at the Sundre Arena (101 2 Ave NW).

On Monday, the festival will also feature their third annual Mountain Survivalist Competition from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., judging teams on their survival skills such as making a basic shelter and a fire hot enough to make hard boiled eggs and tea.

by Alessia Proietti

Family Day festivities across central Alberta

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