Festival

A man rides a horse through a bonfire as part of a ritual in honor of Saint Anthony the Abbot, the patron saint of animals, in San Bartolome de Pinares, Spain, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Horses burst through the soaring flames of night-time bonfires in a dramatic annual festival in this small Spanish town. The bonfires are called “luminarias,” and the Las Luminarias festival is believed to be centuries-old. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

VIDEO: Locals ride horses through fires as Spanish festival makes comeback

Las Luminarias celebrates Spain’s patron saint of animals

 

Ukrainians take photos of a newly built Christmas tree as partial power outages continue in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Jewish festival of lights begins in Ukraine as battles rage

Tens of thousands remain without electricity

 

Vancouver police have identified another 15 people they believe took part in criminal activity during a riot at Breakout Festival in September 2022. (Image courtesy of VPD)

7 Breakout Festival riot suspects identified, more sought: Vancouver police

Police department released photos of 15 more suspects Nov. 24

Vancouver police have identified another 15 people they believe took part in criminal activity during a riot at Breakout Festival in September 2022. (Image courtesy of VPD)
People gathered on the City Hall lawn for Chautauqua 2022. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)

PHOTOS: Fernie Chautauqua festival returns in 2022

Events were held throughout the weekend to celebrate heritage and culture

People gathered on the City Hall lawn for Chautauqua 2022. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)
The Fernie Heritage Library hosted Drag Queen Storytime as a part of a previous Pride Festival. Free Press file

Elk Valley Pride Festival returning to Fernie in September

The goal of the festival is to celebrate the queer community in the region

The Fernie Heritage Library hosted Drag Queen Storytime as a part of a previous Pride Festival. Free Press file
The Fall Fair during the 2018 Chautauqua festival in Fernie. The 2022 Fall Fair will be held at the Mountain Market in Rotary Park on Sunday, Sept. 11. (Photo by Tourism Fernie)

Fernie’s Chautauqua festival returning to celebrate culture and heritage

The festival will be back in full form from Sept. 9 to 11

The Fall Fair during the 2018 Chautauqua festival in Fernie. The 2022 Fall Fair will be held at the Mountain Market in Rotary Park on Sunday, Sept. 11. (Photo by Tourism Fernie)
The Creston Valley Blossom Festival is back again this year. (Black Press file)

Creston Valley Blossom Festival returns for 81st annual celebration

Festivities will be held over the long weekend from May 20 to 23

The Creston Valley Blossom Festival is back again this year. (Black Press file)
The Sheepdogs will be headlining the Wapiti 2022 music festival in Fernie, out of a lineup of 11 bands from Fernie to as far as Toronto. (Image courtesy of Wapiti Music Festival).

Summer’s looking brighter for Fernie: Wapiti Music Festival 2022 lineup announced

The lineup of the August music festival includes 11 bands, including Fernie locals and from afar

The Sheepdogs will be headlining the Wapiti 2022 music festival in Fernie, out of a lineup of 11 bands from Fernie to as far as Toronto. (Image courtesy of Wapiti Music Festival).
Griz faces drawn by 1/2 students at École Isabella Dicken Elementary School in the lead-up to the 45th Griz Days. (Image courtesy of Jesse Bell / École Isabella Dicken Elementary School)

EIDES students get creative for Griz Days

Grade 1/2 students wrote about what they’d do if they were the Griz

  • Mar 7, 2022
Griz faces drawn by 1/2 students at École Isabella Dicken Elementary School in the lead-up to the 45th Griz Days. (Image courtesy of Jesse Bell / École Isabella Dicken Elementary School)
Riders on horseback were trotting down the Fernie streets as preparations were being made for the Griz Goes Wild Parade for Griz Days 2022. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)

PHOTOS: Sunny skies and community spirit for Griz Days 2022

The 45th annual Griz Days was back in traditional format after a modified 2021

Riders on horseback were trotting down the Fernie streets as preparations were being made for the Griz Goes Wild Parade for Griz Days 2022. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)
Fernie woodcarvers Michael Penny and Dave Richards participate in Elkford’s ‘Winter in the Wild’ 2022. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)

Winter fireworks and family fun in Elkford

The longstanding tradition did not take place last year due to COVID-19

Fernie woodcarvers Michael Penny and Dave Richards participate in Elkford’s ‘Winter in the Wild’ 2022. (Joshua Fischlin/The Free Press)
Wapiti is returning in 2022, just not at Annex Park where it’s been held before. (Kimberley Vlasic / The Free Press)

Wapiti 2022 going ahead – just not at Fernie’s Annex Park

Annex Park will be a construction site for half of 2022

Wapiti is returning in 2022, just not at Annex Park where it’s been held before. (Kimberley Vlasic / The Free Press)
The Griz himself hard at work ahead of the 2021 festival. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Fernie’s Griz Days back again for 2022

The popular winter festival will return for a 45th year in a row

The Griz himself hard at work ahead of the 2021 festival. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Pride and Transgender flags wave on the lawn of Fernie’s City Hall. (Soranne Floarea/ The Free Press)

Festivals and events in Fernie to get $190k in provincial funding

Griz Days, the Pride Festival and the Wednesday Socials are among beneficiaries of $30 million spread around B.C.

Pride and Transgender flags wave on the lawn of Fernie’s City Hall. (Soranne Floarea/ The Free Press)
A crowd gathered for the 2019 Ski and Board Film Fest. (Courtesy of Ted Van Rhijn)

Fernie ski season to kick off with film festival, ski swap

The Ski and Board Film Fest and the FAST Ski Swap are both fundraising events

A crowd gathered for the 2019 Ski and Board Film Fest. (Courtesy of Ted Van Rhijn)
Johnny Cash, June Carter and others pictured on a page from “Memories From the Mountain,” a new book that documents the history of Merritt Mountain Music Festival in photographs by Surrey’s Dee Lippingwell. (Photos: Dee Lippingwell)

Merritt country music festival’s ‘crazy-ass scene’ recalled in photographer’s new book

Campground C party zone and more remembered in Dee Lippingwell’s third book

Johnny Cash, June Carter and others pictured on a page from “Memories From the Mountain,” a new book that documents the history of Merritt Mountain Music Festival in photographs by Surrey’s Dee Lippingwell. (Photos: Dee Lippingwell)
The Wapiti music festival on a typical year. (Kimberley Vlasic / The Free Press)

Fernie’s Wapiti 2021 struck off the lineup, due for a comeback in 2022

The music festival in Fernie has been cancelled for the second year in a row, but is looking good for 2022

The Wapiti music festival on a typical year. (Kimberley Vlasic / The Free Press)
Shaking things up a little, the annual festival had a Drive-by Float Parade instead of the traditional parade, in keeping with COVID-prototols. (Photo credit: Vince Mo)

Griz Days goes off without a hitch

The modified event kept some of the favourite events from years past

Shaking things up a little, the annual festival had a Drive-by Float Parade instead of the traditional parade, in keeping with COVID-prototols. (Photo credit: Vince Mo)
Michelle Thorne of Fernie Distillers with some Griz-themed cocktails available for Griz Days 2021. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Griz Days comes to town

While mostly virtual, there’s Griz-themed food and drink around town

Michelle Thorne of Fernie Distillers with some Griz-themed cocktails available for Griz Days 2021. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
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