🌄 Foothills Scoop

👋 Hello Neighbours:
Hello Foothills neighbours! We’ve got a cozy-but-busy weekend ahead—markets, music, winter sports, and a couple of great “go-do-something” community happenings. If you’ve been itching to get out of the house, this is your sign.

✨ In Today’s Edition:
🏛️ Okotoks joins YYC Hot Chocolate Fest (and it’s basically a month-long excuse to treat yourself)
🚓 High River’s policing priorities open house + survey window is live
🎉 Live music, markets, classic cinema, and skijoring energy in the Foothills

🍫 Okotoks is officially part of YYC Hot Chocolate Fest (and it runs all month).
Okotoks is now included in Calgary’s bigger hot chocolate festival umbrella, which means more attention on Foothills businesses—and more reason for locals to “taste-test with purpose.” If you’re the kind of person who plans errands around a sweet reward, February is your month. The Town’s community calendar lists the Okotoks Hot Chocolate Festival as running Feb 1–28, so you’ve got plenty of runway.

🚓 High River is asking residents to weigh in on policing priorities (with an in-person open house Friday).
The Town has a community input survey open right now, and there’s also a Policing Priorities Open House on Friday, Feb 6 (6:30–8:30 p.m.). If you’ve ever said “they should focus more on ____,” this is the moment to put it on record.

🍽️ Dine Out High River is on all week—and it’s built for date nights, friend hangs, and “let’s try something new.”
High River’s first Dine Out is running Feb 4–14, with participating restaurants offering limited-time menus alongside their regular options. It’s a smart mid-winter boost for local spots, and a fun way to explore places you might normally skip past. If you’ve got Valentine’s plans to make (or avoid), this is a very convenient excuse to book a table early.

• 🌲 Nature Fridays: Trees & Forests — Fri, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Environmental Education Centre (Okotoks). Drop in for a low-pressure, family-friendly nature day with lots to explore.

• 🎶 Live Music: Brett Aaron — Fri, 6:00–9:00 p.m., Eau Claire Distillery (Diamond Valley). A solid “start the weekend right” option with music in the Listening Room.

• 🎤 Live Music: Cristina Velez — Fri, 7:00–10:00 p.m., Hub Town Brewing (Okotoks). Grab a pint and settle in—this one’s an easy Friday win.

• 🍽️ Dine Out High River — Running Fri, High River (various restaurants). Your weekend meal plans: handled.

• 🎭 Raiders of the Lost Lemon Mine: Dinner Theatre — Thu, Feb 5, 5:30 p.m., Twin Cities Saloon (Longview).
Step into an interactive mystery with the Erratic Players as puzzles, plot twists, and a three-course dinner collide in this hands-on dinner theatre experience where every table helps solve the legendary Lost Lemon Mine.

• 🎨 Introduction to Vytynanka: Ukrainian Paper Cutting — Sat, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., Okotoks Art Gallery. A hands-on workshop that’s equal parts culture + creativity.

• 🛍️ A Local Love Galentine’s Market — Sat, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m., Viking Rentals Events Centre (Okotoks). Shop local makers and get your Valentine/Galentine gifting sorted early.

• 🏇 Alberta Skijor Showdown — Sat, gates open 11:00 a.m., Millarville Racetrack. If you’ve never seen skijoring live, it’s fast, loud, and wildly fun.

• 🎬 “The Godfather” on the Big Screen — Sat, 4:00–7:00 p.m., Okotoks Cinemas. A classic film night that actually feels like an event.

• 🎶 Live Music: Richard Singh — Sat, 7:00–10:00 p.m., Hub Town Brewing (Okotoks). Perfect if you want an easy night out without leaving town.

• 🎼 “Geometry of Love” (Foothills Philharmonic Chamber Chorus) — Sat, 7:00–9:00 p.m., 322183 15 Street E (Okotoks). A lovely local concert option for a more “dress-up a little” Saturday.

• 🏒 Family Shinny — Sun, 3:30 p.m., Scott Seaman Sports Rink (Diamond Valley). Free public ice time (helmets required) and a great way to burn off weekend energy.

• 🏈 Super Bowl on the Big Screen — Sun, 2:00–8:00 p.m., Hard Knox Brewery (Diamond Valley). Beer + pizza + big-screen game day vibes (call ahead for reservations).

Foothills Forecast (Fri–Sun):
Friday looks partly sunny and mild for February, with a high around 14 °C and a low near 4 °C. Saturday stays breezy and mostly cloudy, reaching about 13 °C, dipping to around 3 °C overnight. Sunday cools down a bit with cloud cover, topping out near 10 °C and falling to around −4 °C by evening—still decent weather for getting out, just layer up.

🍫 Hot Chocolate Fest chatter is everywhere. Folks are swapping favourite stops and mapping out “try them all” routes—very on-brand for February in the Foothills.

🏇 Skijoring updates are getting attention (and confusion). Some posts are flagging cancellations for certain events, so it’s worth double-checking before you drive—this weekend’s Millarville event is clearly ticketed/listed.

Have an awesome weekend out there. If you spot a great event, live-music night, or community thing we should include next time, forward it my way—and share Foothills Scoop with a friend who’s always saying “we never know what’s going on.” 🙂