What to Do in the Mountains in April

This month, say goodbye to winter by attending splashy, slushy festivals at ski resorts, enjoying Easter brunches in Canmore, celebrating at the Jasper Pride & Ski Festival and more.

Brunch at Mount Engadine Lodge. Photograph courtesy of Mount Engadine Lodge.

Gear up for a retro weekend in Fernie

When: April 1 to 2

Retro-themed events are always popular on the slopes. Dust off your neon, one-piece, ski suit for the upcoming Retro Weekend at Fernie Alpine Resort, which includes a ski ballet competition, an old-school run competition, a photo contest and an aprės-ski party. Registration is required for some events.

Fernie Alpine Resort, 5339 Ski Hill Road, Fernie, 1-800-258-7669, skifernie.com

 

Get soaked at the Red Bull Slopesoakers Competition

When: April 8

Snow meets spring as 150 skiers and snowboarders show off their best tricks on rails suspended above water in the Red Bull Slopesoakers competition, which combines a slope-style rail competition with a pond skim competition. Open to competitors ages 16 and over, entrants have the chance to win one of three prizes for best overall, best trick and best dressed. For the spectators, enjoy an on-slope barbecue and beer garden at Panorama Mountain Resort while watching this splashy event.

Panorama Mountain Resort, 2000 Panorama Dr., Panorama,1-800-663-2929, panoramaresort.com

 

Check out the Spring Splash Festival in Kimberley

When: April 8

For those closer to Kimberley, Kimberley Alpine Resort is hosting its own goodbye to the ski season with the Spring Splash event, a weekend of live music, beer gardens, a pond skim challenge and a dummy downhill event. The family friendly event is open to all ages and participants are encouraged to get creative for the pond skim challenge by using skis, boards or even lawn chairs. More information on how to register is available online.

Kimberley Alpine Resort, 301 North Star Blvd., Kimberley, 1-800-258-7669, skikimberley.com

 

Enjoy Easter brunch in Canmore

When: April 9

Mount Engadine Lodge, which hosts Sunday brunches periodically throughout the year, will have a special Easter brunch running on April 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. that includes a cold buffet of pastries, yogurt parfait, fresh fruit and smoked salmon. There will also be the choice of a sweet or savoury main dish like eggs Benedict or French toast. Brunch is open to adults for $55 and children for $35, and reservations are required online or by phone.

Mount Engadine Lodge, 1 Mount Shark Road, Canmore, 587-807-0570, mountengadine.com

 

Take your family for Easter brunch at a golf resort

When: April 9

Dive into an Easter brunch at Rustica, the onsite restaurant at the Silvertip Golf Resort in Canmore, and enjoy a full hot and cold brunch buffet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for adults and children. Reservations are required online where a full menu will be available soon.

Silvertip Resort, 2000 Silvertip Trail, Canmore, 403-678-1602, silvertipresort.com 

 

Head to Banff for a new food and drink festival

When: April 10 to 23

The Made with Love festival runs for just under two weeks and includes a multitude of events for many palates. Starting April 10, guide yourself to participating Banff restaurants for featured pairings of cocktails (or mocktails) and food. Other events you can check out include a cocktail competition at Rundle Bar on April 13, a bartending school event where you can try making classic cocktails on April 13, and a ticketed, outdoor cocktail, spirits and food tasting event on Bear Street from April 21 to 22.

madewithlovebanff.com

 

Join in on the fun at the Jasper Pride & Ski Festival

When: April 14 to 23

Check out this year’s Jasper Pride & Ski Festival and join in on more than 10 days of events in support of the local and visiting LGBTQ2S+ community. Start off with a free kick-off party at the Whistle Stop Pub on April 14, attend the Dungeons & Drag event on April 15 where Canada’s Drag Race finalist Kendall Gender will be headlining and more. Plus, the Jasper Pride Pass, which is available for purchase online, provides discounts to activities in Marmot Basin including discounted rides on the Jasper SkyTram or discounted treatments at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge spa.

jasperpride.ca

 

Compete at the Sunsplash Funkfest in Golden

When: April 15 to 16

Feel good about getting a little wet at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort’s end-of-season dummy downhill event on April 15 and Slush Cup event on April 16. Registration for the events is $15 each, with raised funds supporting the Golden Food Bank and local search and rescue team GADSAR. Finish things off at the after party at Whitetooth Grill.

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, 1500 Kicking Horse Trail, Golden, 1-800-258-7669, kickinghorseresort.com

 

Attend a blues concert featuring award-winning artists in Canmore

When: April 16

Fans of roots and blues music will be thrilled to hear that five-time East Coast Music Award winner Charlie A’Court, three-time JUNO Award nominee Suzie Vinnick and 14-time Australian Blues Award winner Lloyd Spiegel have assembled as a trio to release A’Court, Spiegel and Vinnick, an album celebrating blues in all its forms with the genre’s leading artists of today. Ahead of the album’s May release, A’Court, Spiegel and Vinnick will host a performance at ArtsPlace Canmore on April 16 at 7:30 p.m.

ArtsPlace Canmore, 950 8 Ave., Canmore, 403-609-2623, artsplacecanmore.com

 

Watch a musical about a spelling bee

When: April 19 to 29

Canmore’s Pine Tree Players will be performing the award-winning musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, from April 19 to 29 at the Canmore Miners’ Union Hall. The plot, which revolves around six “tween” competitors disclosing their funny, awkward and touching life stories to each other during a spelling bee, is made all the more engaging by the fact that this production will be performed by adult-aged actors and accompanied by a live band. Tickets are $30 except for the first show on April 19, which is pay-what-you-can. Note that the April 28 show will have an optional live audio description.

Canmore Miners’ Union Hall, 738 7 St., Canmore, pinetreeplayers.com

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