Calgary Curling Club holds 'try it' event to mark the end of the season

Everyone was able to try out curling for free at the Calgary Curling Club on Sunday afternoon.

It's a popular Canadian pastime, but not many people have played it, so that's why the Calgary Curling Club opened its doors to guests on Sunday.

The facility, located at 730 Third Street N.W., invited visitors to participate in a friendly bonspiel and experience the sport that has gained recognition through a number of major events, including the Olympics.

"We hope to grow the sport by appealing to those for whom curling may be a new cultural experience," officials said in a release.

"It is a very unusual sport, although it is super popular in Canada," said Lisa Parent with the Calgary Curling Club.

"I find a lot of new curlers, especially the older ones find that they really enjoy it because it's a sport that's really easy on your body (and) it's fun and it's social."

Now that the public health restrictions on travel have eased, Parent says there are a lot of new faces from other countries who come in and are interested to try out curling.

"We love having new people in to the sport. Our biggest thing is just trying to grow the sport as big as we can."

The event, held between 1 and 3:30 p.m., included a basic introduction to curling through some simple instruction followed by a quick game with some experienced players.

More information about the club and its activities can be found online.