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Stettler poised for Culture Days spotlight

Stettler will spotlight a weekend of special cultural events as one of 64 communities awarded funding to celebrate the fifth annual

Stettler will spotlight a weekend of special cultural events as one of 64 communities awarded funding to celebrate the fifth annual Alberta Culture Days, which are set for late September.

Stettler Regional Board of Trade and Community Development was one of the communities selected as a celebration site to share $375,000 from Alberta Culture to host free family-friendly and cultural events for the weekend Sept. 28 to 30.

“It’s an opportunity to bring the regional community together and share our cultures,” said Aubrey Brown, the executive-director of the board of trade, which applied for funding of $5,000, though no figure has been finalized. “Local businesses are very interested in Alberta Culture Days and recognize its value.”

Events will be based at the Stettler Recreation Centre, with a family skating party with a DJ on the Friday night, while organizers are also considering a concert Saturday night, Brown said.

The Clearview School Division and Stettler and District Agricultural Society will be participating partners in the event, while local dance groups are also being encouraged to perform at the seniors’ lodges and other local facilities, he said.

Brown also believes this event would be a great opportunity to showcase the many cultural and ethnic groups in the region.

“Maybe we can turn this into a local annual event and see it grow year after year,” he said.

That’s the focus of the provincial program.

“Alberta Culture Days is about family, community, diversity and cultural vibrancy,” said Culture Minister Heather Klimchuk in a news release.

“We are hoping the leadership shown by the celebration sites will inspire even more Albertans to get involved.

“Participation not only helps to strengthen community spirit and showcase local talent, but it’s also an opportunity to boost the impact and reach of existing cultural programming.”

Watch for more details on the local events in the coming weeks.