The Beaver Valley May Days celebration always takes place the last weekend of May, this year May 24 – 26. Activities are happening all over Fruitvale, including the parks, the arena and the downtown area. Friday night the festivities begin at Haines Park with the Citizen of the Year Award. The ceremony is followed, after dark, by a spectacular fireworks display. For the 11th year in a row you can get on board by taking the train....

Mountain biking in the Nelson area is a biker’s dream. Showcased in many mountain bike films, Nelson trails offer everything from gentle railway grades to steep, rooty technical tracks. For the hard core freestylers there is enough diversity to keep the adrenalin pumping. There are many great rides within a 15 minute drive from Nelson. For those looking for a serious workout, most trails are accessible by bike right from town.Stop...

Not so many years ago, the Trail landscape looked like a lunar wilderness because of the smelter tailings. Now Trail is a five bloom community! The city’s parks are filled with flowers and shrubs, and even the riverbank below the smelter has been completely transformed with greenery. Each year since 2004 Trail has proudly maintained the prestigious five bloom rating on the provincial level of Communities in Bloom. In 2010 the city was...

It can often feel like summer by the middle of May when the apple and cherry trees bloom in Creston. It’s time for a festival, and what a festival it is!

This year it is bigger and better than ever. The 72nd Annual Creston Valley Blossom Festival is happening on the Victoria Day weekend, May 17 – 20. The event kicks off with musical entertainment on the opening Friday night, and continues through the weekend with pancake...

The Brilliant Bridge was built in 1913 to cross the Columbia River, joining the Doukhobor community of Brilliant to the growing city of Castlegar. A piece of heroic construction, it nevertheless fell into disuse after a new bigger and better bridge was built to serve the community of Castlegar.

Discussion surrounding its inevitable deconstruction was halted when the Doukhobor Historical Society began raising awareness about the bridge'...

This is a great lookout point you can drive to. The access road is an active logging road and is rough and narrow. Turnoff is located about 12 km west of Kaslo and is approximately 8 km to the summit. It is worth the drive.

Buchanan Lookout (elevation 6263 feet/1909 metres) is a great day-use spot for family picnics, with spectacular views over Kootenay Lake and the mountains. In season, there are lovely alpine flowers gracing the...

Bull riding and barn dancing! It’s the 12th Annual Kootenay Chrysler Bull-a-Rama and it’s coming to Trail! This event has proved wildly popular since the bulls first thundered into the Cominco Arena more than a decade ago. This is western entertainment at its most exciting: world class bull riders, rodeo clowns and all the flavour of the wild west.After the last of the rodeo events, the arena floor is swept off and the party...

Come to Lakeside Park on Monday, July 1st and join the party! From 10:30 am until dark there will be music, refreshments and fun! This is Canada’s birthday, so cake will be served. There will be a sail-by of local vessels and bands will play from noon till late. The park will be filled with booths and displays. It is a great family day event. The grand finale is one of the best displays of fireworks in the West Kootenay. Come and be a...

Nelson’s Capitol Theatre is perfect for an evening’s entertainment. Constructed in 1927 and renovated in 1988, this historical facility is a terrific place to absorb some local atmosphere during your visit. Over the years the theatre has served principally as a movie house, but interspersed in the movie schedule were live dramatic performances of travelling companies and local groups, including Nelson Little Theatre and...

Embraced within the valley where the mighty Columbia and Kootenay Rivers converge, Castlegar is a small city with a big heart. It overflows with natural beauty and abundant community spirit. Castlegar is one of the friendliest cities in the Kootenays and its residents make all visitors welcome.

The urban core population is 7816 as of last count (2011 census). The  surrounding communities of Blueberry Creek, Robson, Brilliant,...

The Castlegar Farmers Market is in its third year of making, baking, growing and raising our own. Come to the market for fresh produce grown by neighbours, hand made crafts, plants and herbs, fresh bread and canned goodies galore!

This market is held in the parking lot of the United Church at 809 Merry Creek Road (just up from the Fireside Inn) and runs from Saturday July 17 to Saturday September 11 from 8 am until 12 noon.

The...

Now entering its fourth year, Castlegar Sculpturewalk’s success is a sight to behold.

The idea behind Sculpturewalk is simple – utilize public art as a means to rejuvenate and revitalize the downtown core of Castlegar. Sculpturewalk’s ambitious 2013 program, supported by the Castlegar business community, brings 30 original sculptures to the city. The sculptures are on loan to the city for the entire year...

This 9 hole golf course is in a beautiful setting surrounded by mountains with an abundance of trees, a winding creek, rolling hills, 3 ponds and 41 strategically placed bunkers that will test your accuracy.

There is an excellent licensed restaurant and they also offer on-site overnight parking for self contained RVs. Green fees are $23 for 9 holes and $37 for 18. The course is located on Highway 3, 8 kms east of Fruitvale on the...

It’s a canoeist’s dream and an ideal place for the whole family, with an adventure playground and the “safe for kids” shallow swimming area right next to the campground. You’ll enjoy the weekend interpretive programs, and the many nature walking trails. 

The Champion Lakes consist of a series of three small lakes. The largest of the three  (1500 metres long) lies at the centre of the park...

Trail has a rich legacy of excellence in sports – a history of international, national, provincial and local titles, records held, times broken, games won. Almost more than their fair share.

These achievements reflect the level of dedication the community expects from their volunteers, fans, coaches and rising stars.

As you walk through the Allen Tognotti Sports Hall of Fame located in the Trail Memorial Centre, you will...