Summer is fast approaching. Are you ready for it? With the warmer season comes a flurry of obligations ready to wage war on your empty calendar. It’s important to figure out just what you’ll be getting up to, whether that’s hitting the open road in search of adventure or undertaking every family expedition in a nearby radius. Total summer enjoyment is the mood for 2018 and with that in mind, here are a few events to check out in Red Deer and Blackfalds this summer.

June 1 – RUMRUNNER Scavenger Hunt

Remember prohibition? You likely know what it is but undoubtedly don’t know what it felt like to live in that time period. But with the help of the Red Deer Symphony and Downtown Red Deer – you can feel what it was like to be a rumrunner! The goal is quite simple, raise as much money as possible beforehand and then complete as many missions as you can during the night of the event. A fun-filled evening of laughter, teamwork, challenges and scavenger hunting in vibrant Downtown Red Deer.

June 23 – 5K Foam Fest

This obstacle course filled with foamy fun is back for another year at Heritage Ranch! Its perfect central location and the fact that it’s not a race just for hardcore runners makes it an ideal summer outing for friends, province-wide. Expect massive inflatable water slides, lily pads designed to throw you into murky mud pits, an insane amount of slip n slides, and oh yeah, 2.5 million cubic feet of foam.

June 15-16 – Blackfalds Days

A fun-filled birthday bash celebrating the absolute best of Blackfalds. You want BBQ? They’ve got it. Looking for a family street dance to show off some of your new moves? They’ll have that too. Sporting a craving for top-notch breakfast? They’ve got you covered with a Pancake Breakfast. There’s even a huge block party and to top it off – a fireworks show right at the end of two awesomely jam-packed days. It’s quite the summer party.

July 1st – Canada Day Fireworks

Blackfalds’ annual Canada Day festivities are a beloved Central Alberta celebration. Besides a slew of family-friendly events and an intense fireworks display, last year’s Canada Day celebrations commemorated 150 years in style with the grand opening of the town’s off-leash dog park and the Wadey Centre. What will they do for 2018? You’ll want to head down to Blackfalds to see for yourself!

July 18 – 22 – Westerner Days Fair & Exposition

The ultimate destination for thrill seekers, fair food lovers and everyone in between; considering over 90,000 people attended last year’s festivities, we really mean that last part. This is Central Alberta’s biggest annual celebration and with so many midway rides, livestock shows, entertainment stages, performers, a thrilling parade through downtown Red Deer and yummy fair food on deck, you have lots of reason for celebration.

August 25 – Family Fun Fest

The annual kids-geared extravaganza includes plenty of next-level activities like bouncy castles, balloon animals, live magic, stilt walkers and much more, meaning the kids (and the kid in you) have something to be over the moon for this summer. See you there!

So there you have it – get your calendars out and start planning your fun-filled summer in Central Alberta!

Feature image: courtesy of Westerner Days Fair & Exposition