Winter in the Woods Festival brings out the best of Bragg Creek

The third annual Winter in the Woods event was held Saturday in Bragg Creek.

Hundreds of Bragg Creek residents soaked in the sunshine and raised money for their "holy grail" during a small-town celebration. 

The third annual Winter in the Woods event was held Saturday. 

It's an opportunity for the community to come together and fundraise for the upkeep of the Bragg Creek Community Centre outdoor rink. 

The by-donation, all-day event is pegged as a celebration of Alberta winter -- and one of the community's most popular gathering spots. 

Residents were thrilled to come out. 

"Bragg Creek is community, and it's so close to the big city but it still has a small town feel," festival chair David Rupert said. "We've been raising money to refinish the rink, to get the boards done and perhaps get a canopy."

The day began with two hockey games between local teams, followed by an afternoon family skate and evening "Chuck-a-Puck" event. 

In between, families participated in activities ranging from mini-sticks to human curling to shopping at the local market.

And 2024's Winter in the Woods iteration featured something new. 

Money is being raised for Easter Seals Alberta and Camp Horizon through a nighttime hockey game. 

Foothills MP John Barlow helped organize. 

"This is our first crack at an outdoor hockey game, and it's such an amazing background," Barlow told CTV News. "It's really about not only raising funds to make sure we can send as many kids as possible to camp this summer, but raising some awareness so people realize this camp is here."

The Hockey for Horizon fundraising goal of $25,000 was surpassed long before puck drop. 

Last year, Winter in the Woods raised enough money to resurface the rink. The year before that, the cash went to a new fence around the boards.

Bragg Creek hosted its second Winter in the Woods festival Saturday