👋 Hello Neighbours!
Spring is truly delivering this week across the Foothills — and honestly, the events calendar is bursting at the seams. We've got professional comedy, a showstopping musical, live music on multiple nights, a massive community expo, a heartwarming veterans gala, a historic film festival milestone, and a beautiful community story out of High River that's been quietly unfolding all winter. Read on — there's something here for everyone.
✨ In Today's Edition:
🎪 The Foothills Spring Expo takes over the Rec Centre for a full weekend — 200+ vendors, food trucks & beer garden
🎭 Yuk Yuk's comedians roll into Okotoks tonight for a night of laughs
🎵 Scott Nolan headlines Beneath the Arch's final concert of the season
🐾 Dinner for a Dog Gala raises funds for veteran service dogs — tissues recommended
🎬 The 10th Okotoks Film Festival — launch party coming this weekend!
🪶 A retired aircraft mechanic hand-crafts 600+ wooden flag toppers for High River's Rotary fundraiser
📰 News from the Foothills
High River Man Crafts 600 Flag Toppers — One at a Time
There's a story unfolding in a High River workshop that perfectly captures why this community is special. Silvano Girardi, a retired Canadian Airlines aircraft mechanic who moved to High River seven years ago, noticed something missing when 600+ Canadian flags went up around town last May for the Rotary Club's annual fundraiser. "I really loved seeing all the flags, but I felt they looked naked, unfinished," he said.
So he got to work. Using salvaged fir scraps from Highwood Trusses and his wood lathe, Girardi designed a hand-turned wooden finial — a decorative flag topper — and offered to make one for every single flagpole in the fundraiser. All 600+ of them. Each one takes about 40 minutes. He's been averaging 100 a month since January.
"As long as my free wood supply holds up, I'm still standing, and my lathe is still working, I'll get it done," he says. "I love the smell of wood and doing this type of work is like medicine for my soul."
The first flags go up May 9th for the Victoria Day long weekend. To sponsor a flag ($50/year) and support local scholarships, the High River Handi-Bus, food banks, and more, visit RotaryClubofHighRiver.com or email [email protected] with "Flag Coordinator" in the subject line.
🌟 Community Spotlight
Scott Nolan Closes Beneath the Arch's Season — Saturday April 25
If you've never made the drive out to Beneath the Arch in Diamond Valley for one of their concerts, this Saturday is the perfect excuse to finally go. Canadian roots singer-songwriter Scott Nolan is headlining the final show of the 2025-2026 season — and BTA's intimate venue, with its exceptional acoustics courtesy of a professional sound engineer, turns every concert into something that feels like a private performance.
Nolan is a Winnipeg-based artist with a voice and a pen that have earned him serious respect in the Canadian Americana and folk world. His songs sit at the intersection of storytelling, heartache, and honesty — the kind of music that lingers for days. This is the last chance to catch BTA live until fall, so don't let it slip past.
📅 Saturday, April 25 | 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM (doors 7:00 PM) 📍 Flare 'n' Derrick Community Hall, 131 Main St NE, Diamond Valley 🎟️ Tickets at beneaththearch.ca
📅 Events
🗓️ Friday, April 24
🎸 Live Music: Earl Morgan Band — Hub Town Brewing, 41 Elizabeth St., Okotoks. A crowd favourite back at Hub Town — the Earl Morgan Band lights up the taproom with a high-energy night of your favourite songs all night long.
🎭 Yuk Yuk's On Tour! — 7:30 PM, Old Church Theatre, 3 Elma St E, Okotoks. Canada's iconic comedy brand brings touring comedians to Okotoks for a night of laughs, headlined by Dale Ward — a Just For Laughs veteran who's opened for Bill Burr and Tom Segura. Tickets $25 in advance, $35 at the door.
🎭 9 to 5: The Musical — 7:30 PM, Highwood Centre, 128 5th Ave, High River. Windmill Theatre Players' closing weekend of the Dolly Parton-scored workplace comedy classic. Runs Friday and Saturday. Contact Layne at (403) 603-8708 for tickets.
🗓️ Saturday, April 25
🎪 Foothills Spring Expo — 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Okotoks Recreation Centre. The Okotoks Chamber of Commerce and MarketSquare have joined forces for something big: 200+ local vendors, artisans, food trucks, a beer garden, and live entertainment all under one roof. Kids under 12 get in free. Runs Sunday too.
📸 Spring Photo Fest — 9:00 AM, Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex, 228 12 Ave SE, High River. A full morning for photography enthusiasts in High River.
🎭 9 to 5: The Musical — 2:00 PM & 7:30 PM (matinee + evening), Highwood Centre, High River. Two final chances to catch Windmill Theatre's full production. Contact Layne at (403) 603-8708 for tickets.
🎻 Fiddles on the Prairies...Our Heritage! — 2:00 PM, High River United Church, 123 MacLeod Trail SW, High River. A warm celebration of Canadian fiddle heritage — a great roots-music afternoon.
🐾 Dinner for a Dog Gala — 5:30 PM, Viking Rentals Centre, Okotoks. The Veterans Service Dog Society of Alberta's annual fundraiser gala supports placing trained service dogs with military veterans living with PTSD. Expect dinner, a 90+ item silent auction, speeches from previous recipients (bring tissues), and live entertainment hosted by broadcaster Tom Barker. Tickets are $100.
🎵 Scott Nolan: Beneath the Arch Season Finale — 7:30 PM, Diamond Valley. See Community Spotlight above.
🎶 Kailee Duggan Duo: Live in The Listening Room — 8:00 PM (doors 7:30 PM), Tribal Connection Market, 41 McRae St., Okotoks. Okanagan-based singer-songwriter Kailee Duggan brings her soulful folk-pop sound to the Listening Room — drawing comparisons to Norah Jones and Lianne La Havas, with a debut album that earned CBC Radio One airtime. Tickets $15 in store or by calling 403-995-1898.
😂 The Loonie Bin: Amateur Comedy Night — Hub Town Brewing, 41 Elizabeth St., Okotoks. Hub Town's own amateur comedy night — where your bucket of laughs determines the winner. A fun, casual evening.
🗓️ Sunday, April 26
🎪 Foothills Spring Expo (Day 2) — 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Okotoks Recreation Centre. Second day of the Expo. Bring an Okotoks Food Bank donation between 2–4 PM for free entry.
🎻 Chris Ronald & Nathan Smith: Live in The Listening Room — 7:00 PM (doors 6:00 PM), Tribal Connection Market, 41 McRae St., Okotoks. A special Sunday evening pairing — UK-born Canadian folk artist Chris Ronald (Borealis Records, Canadian Folk Music Award nominee) alongside Ontario fiddler Nathan Smith of The Barrel Boys and Vinta. Rich harmonies, masterful musicianship, and the kind of storytelling that fills a room. Tickets $25 — call or stop in at 403-995-1898.
🎬 Launch Party: 10th Annual Okotoks Film Festival — 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM, Okotoks Cinemas, Stockton Ave, Okotoks. Sunday April 26. The big one — after 10 years, the Okotoks Film Festival is pulling back the curtain on what's shaping up to be their biggest edition yet. Free admission, free popcorn, sneak-peek trailers of films coming June 4–13, a chance to meet filmmakers, and first dibs on tickets before they go public.
🗓️ Monday, April 27
🎬 Okotoks Filmmaker Meetup — April — 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Pizzaberg Cafe, Village Lane, Okotoks. Monday April 27. Monthly drop-in for filmmakers and film lovers — talk movies, festivals, acting, and whatever sparks up that night. New to the scene or seasoned storyteller, all are welcome. Free; just cover your own tab.
🗓️ Wednesday, April 29
📖 Author Reading: Honouring the Gold Mountain Dreamers — 6:30 PM, Okotoks Public Library, 23 Riverside Dr, Okotoks. Author Jacqueline Louie reads from her book honouring the Chinese-Canadian experience. A meaningful evening for history lovers and book club types alike.
☀️ Weather (Foothills Snapshot)
We're in classic Foothills spring territory this week — expect plenty of sun mixed with breezy afternoons and the occasional reminder that Alberta doesn't fully give up on winter until May. Highs likely in the 10–14°C range through the weekend, with cooler evenings. A jacket is always a good call for outdoor or evening events.
💬 What Locals Are Talking About
🎪 The Expo is back and bigger: The rebranded Foothills Spring Expo has community buzz — 200+ vendors, food trucks and a beer garden at the Rec Centre all weekend is hard to ignore.
🐾 Dinner for a Dog: Quiet word-of-mouth on this one has been building for weeks. Veteran service dogs, a packed silent auction, Tom Barker emceeing — it's going to be a special evening.
🎬 Okotoks Film Festival turns 10: The 2026 festival runs June 4–13 — 10 full days for the 10th anniversary. Keep an eye on okotoksfilmfestival.ca for the launch party date.
🪵 The finial guy: Silvano Girardi's flag-topper project has been quietly making the rounds in High River circles. 600 hand-turned wooden toppers, one at a time. Pure Foothills spirit.
🎭 9 to 5 closing weekend: Windmill Theatre's production of the Dolly Parton musical wraps this weekend — grab tickets before it's gone.
👉 That's your week in the Foothills, neighbours! From a massive community expo to comedy nights, concert season closers, a veterans gala, and a truly touching story of community craftsmanship — it's a packed one. Got an event you'd like to see in next week's edition? Send it our way at [email protected] — we love hearing from you.
Until next Thursday, The Foothills Scoop 🌄