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Head north this summer to the county of Grande Prairie to discover endless summer fun.
Credit: William Vavrek/Bear Creek Folk Festival
There are events and festivals you can attend between the city of Grande Prairie, and its surrounding towns, or pick from the many attractions. You and your family also have various options for outdoor fun to pick from, like time on the lakes and rivers, hiking, sightseeing, and more.
Summer Events around Grande Prairie
Bear Creek Folk Festival
Grande Prairie’s Bear Creek Folk Fest will host over 30 musicians/performers for an exciting weekend of outdoor music. Their headliners include Serena Ryder and Steve Earle. The show’s setup allows you to sit back and relax on the hill on a warm summer night.
When: August 12 to 14, 2022
Where: Borstad Hill in Muskoseepi Park, Grande Prairie
Teepee Creek Stampede
The Teepee Creek Stampede will offer several rodeo events as well as live musical performances like Emerson Drive, The Reklaws, and Aaron Pritchett. There is also a Miss Teepee Creek competition, tons of food to try, and a Junior Rodeo.
When: July 14-17, 2022
Where: RR 2 Site 1 Box 26, Sexsmith
How much: $43-$325
Heritage Day in Grande Prairie
The 2022 plans for Heritage Day in Grande Prairie are still in the making, but we know to expect a party at Muskoseepi Park for the day. They are now calling on artists to participate in a live painting exhibit for the day and promise more details soon.
When: July 30, 2022
Where: Muskoseepi Park
How much: free
Weekly Outdoor Movies at Grande Sunset Theatre
Each Friday you can look forward to an outdoor drive-in movie, with a variety of genres covered all summer long. They’ll screen classic comedies and family movies and have a horror night scheduled later in the summer. The lot can hold up to 500 cars and provides the ultimate movie-going experience- which can be hard to find in Alberta!
When: Fridays until the end of October
Where: Tara Centre in Evergreen Park
How much: $30 per vehicle
Summer Markets
Spend your summer days getting to the know the growers, makers, and producers of the area. With a few summer markets popping up, you can shop home décor, local meats and produce, clothing, baked goods or sweets, and other fun goodies.
- Grande Prairie Farmers’ Market: Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
- Sexsmith Farmers’ Market: Tuesdays, June-September
- South Peace Centennial Market: Thursdays
Attractions to Visit around Grande Prairie
Credit: Alberta Parks
Visit Kleskun Hill Natural Area
The Kleskun Hill Park and Natural Area is a short drive east of the city of GP. When you arrive, you’ll notice Dinosaur Hill and Garrett Hill, the eroded remains of an old river delta-similar (just like southern Alberta’s badlands) which stand out among the northern prairies. You can visit for a picnic, a hike, or a camping trip.
When: Vsit year round, camping May-October
Where: Township Road 724
How much: camping $23 per night
Hythe Motor Speedway
Racing begins on June 24th in Hythe for the 2022 summer season! The family-friendly speedway makes for a thrilling afternoon of fast cars and sunshine. You may also get a chance to see the race cars up close between or after races. You can purchase your race tickets in advance online to ensure you get a spot. Details
When: June-September
Where: AB-721, Hythe
How much: $10-$20 per person
See Grande Prairie from a Helicopter
See Alberta’s northwest regions from way up above! The Elevation Helicopter Company offers tourism flights over the area for either sightseeing, heli-hiking, photography, or heli-picnics. Details
Where: #101C-11010 Airport Drive, Grande Prairie
See Grande Prairie from a Hot Air Balloon
Sundance Balloons
Sundance Balloons can provide another way to see Grande Prairie from up above on a slightly slower flight through the air. Their Hot Air Balloon Tours get you amazing views of the creeks, the rivers, the valleys, and the forests all around the county.
When: Monday-Sunday
Where: meet at Muskoseepi Park
How much: $290-$300 per person
Museums
From Bezanson to the B.C. border are a few museums and historical sites to check out and from which you can get a true sense of Northwest Alberta’s history. In the city are the GP Museum and the Reverend Forbes Homestead; after these, you can follow AB-43 to the north in to see all that the Spirit of the Peace Museums have to offer.
Pictures with the Roadside Attractions
There are a few items around Grande Prairie that might stick out from the regular scenery. While all of Alberta is known for its quirky and exceptionally large roadside attractions, there are some gems hidden around Grande Prairie which make excellent family photo backdrops or picnic sites in some cases.
The town of Grande Prairie is home to two attractions of this kind: the Trumpeter Swan and an active Sundial. In Falher you will come across the World’s Largest Bee, and in Beaverlodge you will encounter a beaver of all things!
- Beaverlodge: Giant Beaver
- Falher: World’s Largest Bee
- Grande Prairie: Trumpeter Swan, Sundial
The Horses at Evergreen Park
This large recreational facility is best known for its equestrian facilities, shows, and races, but can also be a great place to go for dinner, the casino, or their archery and disc golf courses. The horse races are scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays for the remainder of summer. You’ll also find baseball fields, a Learning and Innovation Centre, campground, and several event spaces available for rent.
Archery Park, Disc Golf Course, equestrian trails,
When: July 9-August 28
Where: 55051 Township Rd 710
How much: free to attend, and guests who stay at preferred hotel partners can receive meal/drink discounts at Evergreen
Down to Earth Farms Petting Zoo
Visit the farm with your entire family and feel the love of a ton of animals all at once. From cats and dogs, to goats, sheep, rabbits, and other farm animals, the Down to Earth Petting Zoo has all animal lovers covered. In addition to the time spent with the adorable animals, you can expect to learn a bit about farm life; pack a lunch and you can sit around their firepit to hear the stories.
When: open for summer
Where: 742039 Range Road 51 Sexsmith
How much: admission by donations
Outdoor Recreation around Grande Prairie
Highland Park Orchard Tours
The city of Grande Prairie is home to 15 different orchards and their staff are hosting tours all summer so you can learn more about what grows in your backyards. The free tours take about an hour of walking, and each date offers a different orchard theme.
When: June 22, July 23, August 3, September 7, 2022
Where: Highland Park – 98a Street and 91a Avenue
How much: free
Picnic and Games at Muskoseepi Park
While Muskoseepi is home to many ticketed events and festivals over the summer, you can also come here for a free afternoon of outdoor games. The Park offers all sorts of recreation like lawn bowling, mini golf, pond fishing, horseshoes, basketball, and disc golf. There are also all the amenities you’d need for a picnic after: firepits, tables, shelters.
Where: 102 Street & 102 Ave, Grande Prairie
How much: free
Canoeing & Kayaking
For an adventurous paddle, you can launch onto the Wapiti River which runs west to east from B.C. and along the southern edge of Grande Prairie County. The Wapiti is recommended for experienced paddlers and has many small rocky beaches that make great launch sites, especially in Pipestone Creek and O’Brien PP. But for the less experienced or just a more relaxed paddle, you also have the options of Saskatoon Island PP and Young’s Point on Sturgeon Lake.
Outdoor Pool & Splash Parks
The heat of summer really makes those pools and splash parks look good. Especially if you have young ones. The outdoor pool in the town of Grande Prairie, as well as the splash parks in other small towns, are a safe and easy way to get in a quick cool-down.
- Muskoseepi Park (outdoor pool and splash park): 102 Ave and 102 St., Grande Prairie
- Lions Park (splash park): 9933 90 Ave., Grande Prairie
- Sexsmith Spray Park: 9802-103 St., Sexsmith
Camping
Camping options can seem endless in Grande Prairie, but you can centre your decision around what you want to do while you’re out here. Some campgrounds are best for wide-open star gazing space and quiet relaxation, while others can offer a place to sleep while you enjoy nearby thrills and adventure.
For thrills and adventure, camp beside the Wapiti River at either Pipestone Creek Campground or O’Brien Provincial Park.
or excellent views of the stars, the Kleskun Hill campground is a peaceful option.
Or if you’re looking for more water activities, Saskatoon Island and Young’s Point are both on small lakes. And in between, there are several more municipal and provincial park campgrounds.
Hiking
There are tough hikes and easy hikes around Grande Prairie, but any number of them can take you to some spectacular viewpoints and lookouts. For shorter and family-friendly hikes you can venture onto the Whispering Ridge Lake or Wapiti Dunes trails. The Lost Lake Loop is a little longer at 9km, but for a real challenge there are the Evergreen Dunes (difficult due to length) or Magoo’s Landing Loop (difficult due to terrain).
- Whispering Ridge Lake: 1.3km; easy
- Wapiti Dunes: 7.1km; easy
- Lost Lake Loop: 9.0km; easy
- Evergreen Dunes Loop: 23.0km; moderate
- Magoo’s Landing Loop: 5.1km; difficult
Natural Swimming Areas
When you get the chance to swim around GP county, take advantage! The area is home natural areas where you can chill or cool off on a hot summer day in incredibly clear water. Both the Wapiti and Simonette River have shallow enough areas for cautious swimming and floating.
Fishing
Muskoseepi Park in the city of Grande Prairie is home to its own stocked fishing pond. This can be a wonderful spot to teach kids how to fish close to home. For a more rural fishing experience, the Simonette and Wapiti rivers are both popular spots, as well as Young’s Point on Sturgeon Lake.
Mountain Biking at Nitehawk
There are two parks in GP county built specifically for BMX and mountain biking skills and practice. Nitehawk and South Bear Creek Park both offer enclosed courses. Nitehawk is more of a mountain biking destination as it offers other recreation like camping and water ramps for snowboarding/ski practice. You can catch uphill assist nights as well, where they shuttle you up the hill with your bikes and provide food/beverage services.
When: May-September for summer operations
Where: Nitehawk Year-round Adventure Park – 6356 Township Rd 702
Pipestone Creek Park
Whether you come to Pipestone Creek for a weekend or the day, you can find several family-friendly activities to fill your time. There are group day use areas along the shores of the Wapiti, and trails along the Pipestone Creek. There are several amenities in the park like showers, washrooms, firepits, camping, rocky beaches, a playground, firewood, and picnic tables.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXmJQV4ntjE/
When: May-October for camping, year-round for day use areas
Where: township Road 702 and Pipestone Creek Road, Wembley
How much: camping $127-$125 per night
Golfing
There are several places in Grande Prairie where you can enjoy a scenic game of golf followed by dinner or drinks. Your options for your day on the greens:
- Pipestone Golf Club: 703064b, Range Rd 82, Wembley
- Riverbend Golf & Country Club: Range Rd 105, Beaverlodge
- Spruce Meadows Golf Club: Range Rd 53, Sexsmith
- Grande Prairie Golf & Country Club: 711040 Resources Rd, Grande Prairie
- Bear Creek Golf Club: 11220 132 Ave, Grande Prairie
- The Dunes Golf & Winter Club: 60042 Township Rd 704A, Grande Prairie
Wildlife Viewing and Bird Watching
There is no shortage of wildlife in Grande Prairie in late summer. This area is especially awesome for bird lovers and bird watchers as it is on a migratory route. As many bird species head back south for the summer, they’ll stop off in GP. Take in the sights of birds like mallard, ruddy, or ring-necked ducks, northern pintails, canvasbacks, and the area’s famous trumpeter swans. If you’re heading onto any of the county’s trails, other wildlife you might come across includes deer, moose, elk, coyotes, or the odd bear.
