July 31 & August 1, 2021 - Days of Yore Outdoor Living History Museum, Rosebud Park, Didsbury
September 11 & 12, 2021 - Mountain View Arts Festival, Throughout Didsbury
End of September/October - Culture Days (Dates TBA)
2020 -
2020 was a hard year for event planners, including the Mountain View Arts Society. We had 5 major events scheduled for 2020, but due to Covid-19 pandemic, all had to be cancelled.
9th Annual "A Brush With Art" Art Show and Sale, April 18 & 19 - Didsbury Memorial Complex. Held during the 35th Annual Didsbury Art Travel & Trade Expo, "A Brush With Art" features visual artists and artisans from Mountain View County and surrounding area.
National Canadian Film Day - Wednesday, April 22nd.
5th Annual "Days of Yore", A re-enactment Heritage Day Weekend in Didsbury featuring the Company of Viking Archers, Dragons Own Medieval Combat Group, WWII First Special Service Force Re-enactment Group, Victorian Society of Alberta, Yankee Valley Yankees, Edmonton House Brigade, Prairie Motor Brigade, 10th Battalion (CEF) Commemorative Assoc., and Painted Warriors (Metis) at Rosebud Park, Didsbury. August 1 & 2.
10th Annual Mountain View Arts Festival at the Didsbury Train Station, Library, Museum, Elks Lodge, Chalk Art, Family Glow Dance, Music all day Saturday and more. Saturday & Sunday, September 12 & 13. This is Mountain View County's largest festival of its kind. Art lovers see Didsbury Alberta come alive with all that is arts and culture in our region, including dancers, storytellers, musicians and songwriters, handicrafts, painters, potters, carvers - you name it, if it's artsy, it'll be here!
3rd edition of Alberta Culture Days throughout Didsbury. We join others across the country as we experience Alberta's largest celebration of arts, heritage, diversity and community spirit on September 25, 26, and 27.
Our History
In 2019, we hosted the Art Show & Sale in April, National Canadian Film Day in April, Days of Yore Living Museum festival in August, and Arts Festival in September. A very special project this year was the introduction of our new Art Alley Mural project. Over 200 visitors to the Arts Festival painted their own leaves to fill our tree on the back of the Didsbury Elks Hall. The Town is eager to see this project continue and expand. We ended the year by working on a partnership with Keep Alberta Rolling, as we support and raise awareness of the film industry in Alberta. Didsbury has had two TV shows produced here over the recent years (Fargo and Wynonna Earp), and in 2019, large production movies with Kevin Costner and Diane Lane (Let Him Go), and Robin Wright and Benicio del Toro (Land).
In addition to hosting these events, we will continue our promotion of other art events, doing everything we can to let people know about arts & cultural events in Didsbury and Mountain View County, (and our nearby neighbours in surrounding communities). Our almost daily postings in social media helps get the word out for local area painters, high school drama productions, band concerts, art galleries, museum exhibits, library programs - everybody who's doing anything that has to do with the arts!
In 2018, we hosted the Art Show & Sale in April, Days of Yore Living Museum festival in August, and Arts Festival in September. In addition, we co-hosted the Global Drums Concert in May with the Didsbury High School Music Program. This included percussion workshops for both Westglen Middle School students and DHS band students. We had booths at Olds nd Showcase Didsbury, and continue supporting all artists, musicians, museums, and more throughout the year through social media and through our member newsletter. Guests at our Annual General Meeting in February included Didsbury's own, Prairie Wool. Special guest speakers: Darlene Moore, President, and Mary Frost, Vice-President, Airdrie Regional ARTS Society.
In 2017, we hosted the annual Art Show & Sale in April, Days of Yore Living Museum festival in August, Arts Festival in September, and joined communities across the nation during Culture Days, with our first Indigenous Day of the Arts. We had booths at Community Registration Nights in Carstairs, Olds, and at Showcase Didsbury. We had a booth at the Didsbury Block Party, and had our first casino in Red Deer to kick off the year. Special Guest Speaker at our Annual General Meeting in February was Elsie Archer.
In 2016, we hosted the 4th Annual "A Brush With Art" Art Show & Sale in April, 2 shows of the "Sir John Eh Road Show", also in April, and the 5th Annual Mountain View Arts Festival in September. We had a float in the Didsbury Elks Parade, and booths at Community Registration Nights in Carstairs, Olds, and Didsbury.
We ended 2015 on a very high note as we were named Didsbury's Not-For-Profit Society of the Year!!
We held our 2014 AGM in February at the Didsbury Museum with book author, Maxine Spence sharing her journey and reading from her newest book, Down in the Jungle (released later that spring). In April, we held our Art Show & Sale during the Art, Travel, & Trade Expo at the Didsbury Memorial Complex. Tammy Ryrie, entered her very first art show, received the People's Choice Award, AND sold two pieces of art! We had a float in the summer parade. Our main event of the year, the Mountain View Arts Festival was in September and our attendance zoomed to over 4,000 art lovers! We ended the year with a booth during Didsbury Showcase, and running the concession at the Elks Hall during Country Christmas.
In 2013, we hosted the "A Brush With Art" Art Show & Sale again in April; Concert with JUNO Award winners, Valdy and Gary Fjellgaard; and the 3rd Annual Mountain View Arts Festival - 4 venues of all that is arts, culture, and heritage in Didsbury, Mountain View County, and Central Alberta. With the success of the first Arts Festival in 2011 came the incorporation of the Mountain View Arts Society.
In 2012, we hosted three major events: the Art Show & Sale during the Didsbury Art, Travel & Trade Expo in April; Mountain View Rocks, a rock concert held in July; and in September, the 2nd Annual Mountain View Arts Festival, a showcase of virtually every artistic discipline from modern digital art to historical yarn spinning.
Check out our website at www.mountainviewartssociety.ca or Facebook Events pages for details on each of our events.
