👋 Hello Neighbours!
We hope the long weekend treated you well — now it's time to ease into a fresh week, and the Foothills has plenty in store. From an outdoor art sale to live theatre, local authors, community plant swaps, and the return of baseball under the big Alberta sky, there's something for everyone in the coming days. Read on for the full rundown!
✨ In Today's Edition:
🎨 Art on the Lawn — outdoor art sale at the Okotoks Art Gallery this Saturday
🎭 Steel Magnolias — final weekend of the Dewdney Players' much-loved production
🎶 Songs You Love to Hear — vocal jazz & choral concert Saturday night
🌱 Plant swap, free compost & a book sale — a packed Saturday in Okotoks
📚 Local author Shannon Hurst tackles life's biggest questions — Tuesday at Okotoks Library
📰 News from the Foothills
Okotoks Film Festival 48-Hour Challenge — Screening Coming June 13 If you spotted film crews scrambling around Okotoks last weekend, that was the 48-Hour Film Challenge in action — teams had from Friday evening to Sunday to write, shoot, and edit a short film from scratch. The results screen at the Okotoks Film Festival on June 13 at 7 PM. This year marks the festival's 10th anniversary, running June 4–13 at Okotoks Cinemas. Tickets and details at okotoksfilmfestival.ca.
Inaugural Millarville Medieval Faire Coming in June Mark your calendars for June 5–7: the first-ever Millarville Medieval Faire & Artisan Market rides into the Millarville Race Track with knights, jousting, armoured combat, 72 artisan vendors, live music, and family-friendly fun. Vendor applications are still open at calgarymedievalfaire.com. A spectacular way to kick off summer in the Foothills.
🌟 Community Spotlight
Art on the Lawn — Okotoks Art Gallery, Saturday May 23 There's something genuinely special about browsing original art outdoors in May, and the Okotoks Art Gallery's Art on the Lawn event delivers exactly that. Starting at 10:00 AM at 53 North Railway Street, local and regional artists set up shop on the gallery grounds for a relaxed, open-air sale. Whether you're a serious collector or just looking for something beautiful to hang above the couch, this is the kind of community event that makes Okotoks feel like home. Free to attend — just bring your appreciation for creativity and maybe your credit card. The gallery itself is worth a wander while you're there.
📅 Events
🗓️ Friday, May 22
🌿 Nature Fridays: Harmony with Nature — 10:00 AM–4:00 PM, EEC, Okotoks. May 22 is the International Day for Biological Diversity, and the EEC is marking it with a full day of hands-on programming for all ages. Make a natural picture frame from materials gathered outside, watch short films on urban wildlife and coexisting with nature, and join a guided outdoor scavenger hunt at 1 PM to explore the biodiversity right in your own backyard. A Conservation Educator will be on hand all day to chat and answer questions. Parents must stay with children in the education centre.
⚔️ Wire Swords — Miniature Craft Workshop — 2:30 – 4:00 PM
📍 Okotoks Public Library | Adults 18+Just in time for medieval faire season — learn to craft miniature wire swords you can incorporate into jewellery, sculptures, photography, and mixed-media projects. Part of an ongoing series; register for the full run to build your skills. Spots are limited and going fast — 7 remaining as of this week.
🎭 Steel Magnolias — Dewdney Players — Doors 7 PM, show 7:30 PM, Old Church Theatre, Okotoks. Final weekend — see the full listing below.
🗓️ Saturday, May 23
🌱 Compost Giveaway Day & Garden Club Plant Swap & Sale — 9:00 AM–4:00 PM (compost all day; plant event 9:30–11:30 AM), Okotoks Recreation Centre parking lot, NW area. Free compost while quantities last — bring your own shovel and up to three containers. The Okotoks Garden Club's Annual Plant Swap & Sale runs alongside: bargain plants from $2 (cash only), silent auction 9:30–11 AM, and free gardening advice. 50% of proceeds go to Rowan House.
🎨 Art on the Lawn | Outdoor Art Sale — 10:00 AM–3:00 PM, Okotoks Art Gallery, 53 North Railway Street. Browse original works from local and regional artists in a relaxed outdoor setting. Free admission.
🎶 Songs You Love to Hear — FPS Ladies' Vocal Jazz & Men's Chorus — 7:00 PM, Okotoks Alliance Church, 322183 15 Street E. A rich evening of choral and vocal jazz from two accomplished local ensembles.
🎸 Aaron Young Live — The Listening Room — 8:00 PM, Tribal Connection Market, 41 McRae St., Okotoks. Intimate live music in one of Okotoks' best small venues.
🎭 Steel Magnolias — Dewdney Players (Matinee + Evening) — Matinee: Doors 1:30 PM, show 2:00 PM. Evening: Doors 7 PM, show 7:30 PM. Old Church Theatre, Okotoks.
🗓️ Sunday, May 24
🚲 Alberta BMX Day — 12:00 PM, Okotoks BMX Club, 1125 N Railway Street. Province-wide celebration of BMX — riders of all ages welcome.
🗓️ Monday, May 25
🍵 Okotoks United Church Annual Spring Tea — 2:30 PM, Okotoks United Church, 43 Riverside Drive. Good conversation, baked goods, and neighbours.
🎭 This Weekend on Stage
Steel Magnolias — Dewdney Players | Final Weekend 📅 Friday, May 22 | Doors 7 PM, show 7:30 PM 📅 Saturday, May 23 | Matinee: Doors 1:30 PM, show 2:00 PM · Evening: Doors 7 PM, show 7:30 PM 📍 Old Church Theatre, Okotoks
This is your last chance to catch the Dewdney Players' production of Steel Magnolias — Robert Harling's beloved comedy-drama set in a Louisiana beauty salon, filled with sharp wit, big heart, and memorable characters. The troupe has been wowing Foothills audiences for weeks; don't let the final weekend pass you by. Tickets: $25 general / $20 seniors in advance; $30/$25 at the door. 🔗 showpass.com/dewdney-players-presents-steel-magnolias-the-old-church-theatre/
👀 Coming Up
⚾ Okotoks Dawgs Home Opener — Friday, May 29, 7:05 PM vs. Sylvan Lake Gulls | Seaman Stadium. The WCBL season gets underway — there's nothing quite like a Foothills evening of baseball with the mountains in the background. dawgsbaseball.ca
🗡️ Millarville Medieval Faire — June 5–7, Millarville Race Track. Jousting, artisans, live music, and family fun. Tickets at calgarymedievalfaire.com
🎬 Okotoks Film Festival — June 4–13, Okotoks Cinemas. 10th anniversary. okotoksfilmfestival.ca
☀️ Weather Snapshot
Typical late May in the Foothills: daytime highs around 17–21°C with cooler evenings near 5–8°C. Expect a mix of sunshine and the occasional afternoon shower — classic Alberta spring. Layers are your friend for evening events outdoors.
💬 What Locals Are Talking About
🎬 Film Challenge buzz — Teams are comparing notes after last weekend's 48-Hour Film Challenge. The June 13 screening is shaping up to be a must-attend.
🌱 Summer season incoming — With the Millarville Farmers' Market opening June 20, the Medieval Faire June 5–7, and Dawgs baseball starting May 29, summer in the Foothills is about to shift into high gear.
🏡 Long weekend recovery — The Foothills is always a little quieter after Victoria Day, but this week bounces back fast. Get out there!
👉 That's your week, neighbours! From art in the open air to live theatre, community plant swaps, local authors, and the crack of a bat incoming at Seaman Stadium — the Foothills has you covered. If your event or business isn't on our radar yet, drop us a line at [email protected]. We love hearing from you.
Until next Thursday, The Foothills Scoop 🌄