The annual Red Deer Welcoming Week is back, with activities starting Sept. 11.Hosted by the Red Deer Local Immigration Partnership (RDLIP), Welcoming Week is intended to bring the community together to celebrate connection, belonging, and what it means to call Red Deer home.It is part of both national and global moveme...

Calling all art enthusiasts!Open studio tours will be given by members of the Red Deer Arts Council on Sept. 12 and 13.That means you can join local artists in their home studios as they demonstrate their creative process with live demonstrations and viewings of their artworkThere will be 23+ artists across a wide rang...

Condolences have been pouring in since Saturday night from community members remembering the profound life of Cree filmmaker Georgina Lightning.Lightning, who was from Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, died Saturday during the annual Indian Relays event at the Enoch Cree Rodeo Grounds.RCMP say they responded just before...

A new film with an all-Alberta cast and crew wrapped up filming in Red Deer this week.Called Bollards, a microbudget feature film, it follows three retired Navy officers as they follow their old boss to the Prairies.Before their boss dies, he builds them a bar, which they end up running.Dean Busch, owner of Bubbadog Pr...

Red Deer's historic Scott Block Theatre has a new operator. Artifact Properties Ltd. shared Friday that Kyle Key, a familiar face in Red Deer's arts and business community, will now take the helm. They note that Key has hands-on experience on both sides of the stage, adding that his community connections and understand...

Friends of the Red Deer Public Library PSA -- The Friends of the Red Deer Public Library are pleased to present Boris Konovolav, a pianist who has played previously at the First Thursday concerts.The free concert will be held on Thursday, September 3, 2026, in the Snell Auditorium of the Red Deer Public Library (Downto...

Alberta has its first commissioner of music. The province says Jennifer Venance will fill the role. Venance has worked in the government developing the school curriculum, and has more than two decades' experience as a musician and music educator.She will be the liaison between the province and the music industry. Her d...

You may have noticed that the world-famous Red Deer Royals have been donning some flashy new uniforms as of late. Opportunity beckoned for a fresh look as normal wear and tear, discolouration, and other factors were becoming an issue with the iconic outfits the organization most recently tweaked in 2004, shares Calista...

It's that time of the year again when Albertans are invited to visit local farms and learn about what producers are doing to make the world go round. Alberta Open Farm Days runs Aug. 15 and 16, with about 150 sites participating this year. Executive committee member Tannis Baker shares that this year's theme is 'Rangel...

For the first time in over a decade, the Central Alberta Artwalk Festival will happen Aug. 29 in Red Deer. Colourful market booths featuring locally created paintings, ceramics, textile arts and jewelry will line the site of the former Buffalo Hotel at the corner of Ross Street and 51 Avenue. Organizers say the 10 a.m....

Mercedes Brown is just 15, but she's already carving out a stellar path in music.The Red Deer teen and St. Joseph High School student recently released her debut album, entitled Light the Fire.It contains four tracks: Playing With Fire, No Tomorrow, So What?, and Kwin nedïhk'ayh (Home Awaits You).The latter transl...

The Friends of the Red Deer Public Library are pleased to present Ms.Tracie Skeet-Brook soprano, Celtic lap harp, Merlin, Irish Whistle. Tracie brings to life the magic of traditional Celtic music through song while allowing her beautiful voice to soar.The free concert will be held on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026 in the Snel...

Central Albertans looking for something fun to do this August long weekend are encouraged to check out a pair of events taking place, including the Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery's annual Hootenanny on Monday, Aug. 3.Heritage Day activities run from 12:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at the MAG in Red Deer (4525 47A Ave), and is an...

A Lacombe performer is the recipient of a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Scholarship for Performing and Visual Arts. Acacia Roshel, a graduate of Lacombe Composite High School, was announced earlier this month as one of two scholarship recipients, along with eight others receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum J...

Lacombe Pride Weekend is set for Aug. 14-16.You may be wondering, 'Why August? Isn't Pride Month in June?'Jonathan Luscombe, spokesperson for the organization, points out that while international Pride Month is widely recognized in June, there are plenty of reasons that make it appropriate for Pride to be celebrated at...

When the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, more famously known as the Canadian Forces SnowbirdS, takes to the central Alberta sky this weekend during the Red Deer Regional Airshow, it'll be the last time for several years. According to Capt. Iain Muir, who pilots the outer left wing aircraft, the final tour featuring the...

(0:00) Intro, and what really 'grinded' my gears this week!(5:12) In Case You Missed It(11:29) Premier Danielle Smith and Red Deer-North MLA Adriana LaGrange take questions at Red Deer District Chamber event.(20:05) Jennifer Erickson, fund development coordinator at CA Humane. *Jennifer slightly misspoke on the garage ...

If you'd talked with Red Deer's Tyler Gardner in 2008, he'd have told you he never thought he could or would be the world's best anything.Technically, while the man known on-stage as 'Cat Friday' still has the world title to capture, Gardner can at least say he is the reigning Canadian National Air Guitar Champion.Gard...

This July marks ten years since the launch of rdnewsNOW.com.We've published thousands of stories, big and small, happy, sad, and everywhere in between since the website became a reality. For decades prior, newsies in the building on historic Bremner Avenue had been pumping out quality journalism.The last generation ran...

The Blindman Valley Lions Club has launched a unique new tourist attraction.The 'Barn Quilt Trail' borrows from a rural art form started in 2001 by an Ohio woman.There are now over 40 states and three provinces with such a trail, and the Lions Club views it as a scavenger hunt for curious folks."We wanted to showc...

Didsbury and the Mountain View Regional Film Office (MVRFO) are celebrating the grand opening of a new film production facility.West of 22 Productions Inc., which includes a 20-foot green screen and sound stage, cut the ribbon on Canada Day. It is the only facility of its kind in Alberta, outside of Calgary and Edmonto...

Pride events are set to get going this weekend around Red Deer. Traditionally, Pride Month takes place around the world in June. However, in Alberta, groups have staggered their events throughout the summer so that they don't take attendees away from one another. Kaelyn Yeager is the coordinator for Red Deer Pride 2026...

The Ponoka Stampede is here, running June 25 to July 1, and organizers have announced the winners of its 2026 stampede art contest. The contest was for students in grades 1-12, with winners receiving a day pass for the stampede midway. More than 450 posters were submitted, more than double the number in 2024. Submissio...

If you're hoping to celebrate Canada Day this July 1 (and maybe before), check out the list below of all that's happening around central Alberta.RED DEERPONOKALACOMBE View this post on Instagram A post shared by City of Lacombe (@cityoflacombe)<script async src="//" target="_blank" rel="noop...

It didn't matter that it was raining, and it mattered not that Scotland was officially eliminated from the World Cup on Saturday; the 79th Red Deer Highland Games went on and were enjoyed by many."This is more like a Scottish afternoon than ever with this overcast weather," remarked Ben Arthur, organization p...

This July, rdnewsNOW.com is celebrating 10 years, continuing a legacy of news at Pattison Media in Red Deer that pre-dates the site by many years and many people. One way we're marking the occasion is by counting down the top 10 most memorable stories of the last decade, as reported by rdnewsNOW. Return each day to thi...

Make-A-Wish Northern Alberta was slated to hold the annual Heroes Challenge this September in Red Deer.Unfortunately, it had to be cancelled due to unforeseen and uncontrollable weather-caused issues at the venue.While officials are searching for the best path forward for fundraisers and events in central Alberta, rdne...

A major Alberta music festival has cancelled this year's show, citing construction and noise levels. Country Thunder Alberta announced it two days before its shows were set to begin. Festival organizers say they're flushing the festival because they reached an impasse with city officials over decibel levels below the l...