The Drumheller Valley’s tourism industry has certainly turned heads and stopped cars this season and local operators are being recognized for their efforts.
    Last Week The Drumheller Mail informed readers that the Canadian Badland Passion Play were nominated for an Alberta Tourism “ALTO“ Award   in the Alberta Pride category. It turns out they are not the only one.
    The Atlas Coal Mine and the Belles of the Badlands are also nominated. The Belles of the Badlands are nominated in the Marketing Partnership category and the Atlas Coal Mine will be going head to head with Passion Play in Alberta Pride Category.
    Linda Digby, Executive Director for the Atlas Coal Mine says they are really excited to be nominated. Over the last few years thee Atlas Coal Mine has seen impressive growth in its visitation. This growth is not coincidental, it was mapped out through its Tunnel Vision campaign.
    Tunnel Vision laid out a plan for developing and maintaining the site to increase its offerings for tourists, and in turn increase visitation.
    To that end, it created the underground experience that allows guided tours through the working right up to the mouth of the mine. It also continued its work on the building the narrow gauge train tracks to offer rides in a coal car as part of its tours.
    “We are really excited to see Tunnel Vision roll out the way it was intended to,” said Digby.
    According to Travel Alberta, The Alto Alberta Pride Award was created to recognize a business or organization that captures the essence of the Alberta experience. What is the Alberta experience? It could be what your guests do when they arrive or how they feel when they leave. It could be a vacation experience that’s unique to the province or it may be that your guests perceive Alberta as a very special place
    The Belles of the Badlands are nominated in the Marketing Partnership Category. According to Travel Alberta, The Alto Marketing Partnership Award recognizes partnerships of two or more organizations exhibiting exceptional achievement in tourism marketing and who demonstrate the success of working together.
    The Belles of the Badlands are a collection of women from all points in the Badlands.  They have the aim of demonstrating and showcasing life in the area from a historical women’s perspective. Often in period pioneer attire, they are entertaining and strong proponents of the area. This summer they were part of a pilot bus tour designed to showcase the valley.  Members of the Belles of the Badlands from the area include Linda Digby, Linda Miller, B.J. Janzen of Rosebud and Shelley Rymal.
    The Alto Awards will be presented at the Travel Alberta Conference on October 22.

    Autumn is in full swing and harvest is done, that can only mean one thing; it’s time once again for the annual Fall Fair in Delia.
    This year, the Fall Fair will pay special tribute to the centennial of the small community of Craigmyle and the farms in the area that recently turned 100.
    “It’s been 100 years since it [Craigmyle] started, we’re saluting that achievement and looking forward to celebrating it. Plus, there’s so many centennial farms around the community so we’re celebrating turning 100,” said Janice Hoover, an organizer with the Fall Fair.
    The fun begins on Saturday, October 13, at 10 a.m. when participants in the parade and show register. The parade then begins at 11:30 a.m.
    “It’ll be a great day for people to journey out to Delia and enjoy what there is,” said Hoover. “It’s an action packed day.”
    After the parade, the trade show, mini carnival, face painting, and rock climbing will last from noon to 5 p.m. The live auction begins at 4 p.m.
    If people want to bring exhibits to the fair, they need to bring them to the Delia Arena on Friday, October 12, from 5 to 8 p.m.
    The trade show will be a chance for area residents to display their homemade crafts, in a huge variety of categories, with a chance to win prizes.
    In the Garden Produce category, residents can show off how well their gardens did this year.
    “It’s just like the stew pot you have in the paper, people can actually enter in vegetable stews for competition,” said Hoover. “It’s always interesting to see how big the veggies are and what combinations people use. Everyone seems to be talking about how good the crops were this year,”
    There is also a unique twist in the baking category this year. Men can enter their baked goods in their own, separate category. Most others are men and women.
    “In that category there is a men’s open. Guys can whip something up and the winner gets their own choice of prize,” said Hoover.
    Other categories include; horticulture (grains, forage, crops, and hay), preserves (jams, jellies, pickles, and homemade beer and wine), hobbies and needlecraft, sewing, art (painting, photography, drawing), and a junior section for those aged 11 to 16.
    “If you have anything you want to enter, there is probably a category for it,”
    After the trade show is done, the entertainment will begin, provided by the Keister Family Fiddlers.
    “They are four young ladies and it’s just amazing what they can do with their fiddles. I saw them in Edmonton and they were fantastic. They can do all sorts of songs, from country, to pop, to just about anything,” said Hoover.
    Everyone is welcome to attend and have some fun.
    “Come to see the activities,” said Hoover. “It’s a family event, so there’s something for everybody.”