Got plans this May? You’re invited to the #exploreNWAB Online Festival!
#exploreNWAB Online Festival is a series of live, virtual social media broadcasts taking place Tuesdays and Thursdays May 6-15, 2025 featuring artists, makers, businesses, tourism operators and entrepreneurs representing and hosted by the diverse North West Alberta communities of Whitecourt and Grande Prairie.
It’s actually a really easy opportunity to spotlight and support local Alberta tourism, businesses you can support and experiences you can try right in your backyard, which feels especially important these days amidst the Canada-U.S. trade war. I’ve always encouraged folks to explore and support local—and plan cross-Alberta getaways. But not since perhaps the start of the pandemic has a summer felt most important to do that. To spend your dollars and your time in Canada, in Alberta!
#exploreNWAB will give you some great ideas on things to do as you plan your Alberta experiences.
I’ve partnered with FestivalSeekers, Whitecourt Tourism and Grande Prairie Regional Tourism Association to help put a deserved spotlight on local business owners and tourism operators in those areas of North West Alberta.
The online festival will include virtual tours, behind-the-scenes, product demos and more, shared by local makers, creators, cultural tastemakers and experience operators every Tuesday and Thursday May 6, 8, 13, and 15. #exploreNWAB Online Festival allows viewers to get to know the owner/operators of some of the region’s best businesses and tourist attractions.
Participating in the online festival as an engaged viewer is a wonderful way to learn about and support small Alberta business owners and tourism operators, and plan your own visits to check out Whitecourt and Grande Prairie in North West Alberta, located just 2-4.5 hours drive north west of Edmonton. It’s also an easy way to win some free stuff! (more on that below).
Here’s how you can participate in #exploreNWAB Online Festival:
1. Plan to watch the Facebook or Instagram LIVE broadcasts from each of the business’ account:
- Whitecourt broadcasts take place Tuesday May 6 and Thursday May 8
- Businesses + line-up coming soon!
- Grande Prairie broadcasts take place Tuesday May 13 and Thursday May 15
- Businesses + line-up coming soon!
2. Catch LIVE videos and stories of North West Alberta businesses and operators via FestivalSeekers, Whitecourt Tourism or Grande Prairie Regional Tourism Association:
- @FestivalSeekers
- Whitecourt Tourism
- Grande Prairie Regional Tourism Association
- We’re all about supporting local here with the #exploreNWAB online festival, so we’re giving away $100 to spend at a participating business in Whitecourt and $100 for a participating business in the Grande Prairie Region. Every time you share one of the LIVE #exploreNWAB Online Festival videos on either Facebook or Instagram, and tag a few friends, you are entered to win $100 to spend in one of these communities. The more #exploreNWAB videos you share, the better chance you have to win! It’s a win-win for you and the local restaurants.
Ahead of #exploreNWAB North West Alberta Online Festival, here’s a preview of just some of the great artists, makers, and entrepreneurs who will be participating this May 2025.
The Bead Lodge – Grande Prairie, Alberta
The Bead Lodge is an Indigenous-owned beading business in Grande Prairie, where tradition meets artistry. Rooted in the rich cultural heritage of their ancestors, owner Frances creates handcrafted, one-of-a-kind beadwork that tells stories of resilience, beauty, and connection.
From intricate jewelry to custom regalia, each piece is a celebration of Indigenous identity, made with love and intention. Whether you’re looking for a meaningful gift or a personal treasure, you’ll want to stop into The Bead Lodge while in Grande Prairie. Frances’ wide range of designs honour tradition while embracing modern creativity.
I love meeting and supporting Indigenous artists. Many of my earrings are Indigenous-made, for example, and it’s so heartwarming to see Indigenous culture thriving more than ever before.
Frances invites you to celebrate the art of beading through The Bead Lodge, where every bead holds a story and every stitch weaves a legacy.
Frances and The Bead Lodge will be part of #exploreNWAB Online Festival this May 2025.
Brooke’s Creek – Whitecourt, Alberta
Brooke’s Creek is a local family-owned and operated campground and recreation station in the middle of Whitecourt, Alberta. Here you’ll find an awesome 18-hole outdoor mini golf course and a 54-site partially serviced, intimate campground. Named after owner Amanda’s daughter Brooke, the site has been in Amanda’s family since the late 90s, but its current operation with golf course launched in 2021.
“I started this business because in my teens, it was my favourite place to work. I met so many new people, with stories of their travels, obstacles and triumphs. I love connecting with people who are looking for adventure, to have a good time and just looking to get away from their daily grind. I get fired up watching children play in the playground or cheer when they get a hole in one on the golf course. I get most fired up when I see people enjoying themselves on the property and just having a great time,” Amanda tells me.
“We are surrounded by forest and there are so many free activities to pass the time. We are Jasper’s Nordegg – a must=stop before venturing into the Rockies. We have spectacular walking trails through Centennial Park, our ATV and snowmobiling trails are phenomenal and well groomed, we have a beautiful little hike at Hard Luck Canyon, Festival Park is a free water park and provides hours of family entertainment, and then we have my favourite activity—tubing down the McLeod River. The sights are spectacular and with some good company you can have an afternoon that you’ll be talking about for years,” Amanda said.
Amanda and Brook’s Creek will be part of #exploreNWAB Online Festival this May 2025.
92 Beverage Co. – Grande Prairie, Alberta
92 Beverage Co is a cocktail bar located in downtown Grande Prairie, offering more than 20+ cocktails on a rotating, seasonal menu, a curated craft beer, wine and cider menu, as well as the most extensive backbar in the city, where you’ll find unique whiskies, gins, and other spirits.
They also do cocktail kits, host special multi-course chef table meals, and are open late on weekends—something that’s sometimes a rare find in smaller towns and cities in the province.
92 Beverage Co. will be part of #exploreNWAB Online Festival this May 2025.
Whitecourt & Woodlands Performing Arts Society – Whitecourt, Alberta
The Whitecourt & Woodlands Performing Society is all about Good Music. Good Friends. and Good Vibes. The local non-profit aims to promote and enhance arts and culture opportunities in the area and present professional performing arts productions.
Each year the society presents a season of talent and performers to the community!
And the performances are truly wide-ranging, from fiddles and banjo performers, to rock concerts and comedians, to bringing in multi-platinum selling Canadian artists and more.
This season they launched a new website they’re hoping to draw attention to—that’s where you’ll want to check for show announcements and to buy performance tickets.
The Whitecourt & Woodlands Performing Society will be part of #exploreNWAB Online Festival this May 2025.
Indian Trail Adventures – Grande Prairie, Alberta
For those seeking a wilderness experience (trail adventures, horseback riding, wilderness camping and hiking), rooted in Indigenous culture in north west Alberta, look no farther than Indian Trail Adventures.
Curtis Hallock is the owner/operator of Indian Trail Adventures, and is a third-generation outfitter. His “kâ-miķocit” or natural gift is deeply rooted in the rich history and traditions of his ancestors, who are the Mountain Métis and Aseniwuche Winewak Nation.
The legacy of Curtis’ family’s connection to the land spans generations where his Indigenous roots and way of life were passed down from his mother’s line, the Delormes, as they lived in a traditional way “in the bush” until the 1960s.
The experiences offered by Indian Trail Adventures—multi-day trips—are modelled after traditional Indigenous ways of living, providing visitors with a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the rhythms of nature and connect with the land in a profound way.
Curtis’ dedication to preserving Indigenous heritage and sharing it with others is a reflection of belief in the seventh generation principle. Acknowledgment that one belongs to this place but does not own it. Decisions are made based on the knowledge of the seven generations before but also thinking of the seven generations to come.
It is through this that ITA not only offers adventure but also a transformative experience rooted in cultural exchange and deep connection to the natural world and something so in demand that you’ll need to reach out well in advance to book a trip with Curtis.
Indian Trail Adventures will be part of #exploreNWAB Online Festival this May 2025.
Beaver Creek General Store – Whitecourt, Alberta
No visit to Whitecourt is complete without a stop into the iconic Beaver Creek General Store. Celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, this all-purpose store is located in the heart of downtown Whitecourt, where you find all sorts of gifts and souvenirs, ice cream, food and drinks, fresh florals to clothing and more.
The Beaver Creek General Store’s exterior is also really cute. It gives off that quintessential small town Alberta vibe and is certainly worth checking out while in the Whitecourt area.
The Beaver Creek General Store will be part of #exploreNWAB Online Festival this May 2025.
Philip J. Currie Museum – Wembley, Alberta (just outside Grande Prairie)
One of the most popular tourist attractions in north west Alberta is easily the Philip J. Currie Museum, where visitors can experience dinosaur skeletons to recreated bone beds to real palaeontologists working in a lab and more.
2025 is actually the museum’s 10-year anniversary, so visiting this summer is an extra special time to learn about the paleontological research and dinosaur discoveries in this region. It’s pretty incredible to stand where some of these great creatures once roamed.
We know the Grande Prairie region is full of fossils representing a range of dinos and this family-friendly museum is such a wonderful stop to experience “dino tourism” and education in the area.
Philip J. Currie Museum will be part of #exploreNWAB Online Festival this May 2025.
Just Peachy Arts & Crafts – Whitecourt, Alberta
Just Peachy Arts & Crafts is a Whitecourt shop that puts the spotlight on local makers—like, a lot of them. More than 90 local vendors sell their handmade items at Just Peachy, which opened in August 2023! Owner Sandy tells me she started the business to help promote art in all its forms from the making, teaching, sharing and gifting! “I want to promote the local creative spirit,” she says.
I love their mission to act as a space for artisans to sell their creations. From home decor to bath and body, to 3D printing and perogies, plus hosting art workshops, this shop is where you want to go to pick up some handcrafted pieces from Whitecourt makers.
Just Peachy Arts & Crafts will be part of #exploreNWAB Online Festival this May 2025.
Grain Bin Brewing Co. – Grande Prairie, Alberta
Grain Bin Brewing Co. is an independent craft beer business with deep roots in the Grande Prairie community. Their taproom is considered a home away from home for locals, and a destination for travelling beer lovers. Grain Bin brews small-batch, big-flavour beers with a whole lot of heart — inspired by the Peace Region land they love and the people who live there.
When you visit, you can find over 22 beers in Grain Bin’s cooler, the cozy taproom, and a community vibe not quite like any other brewer you’ve been. As they say:
Come for the beer. Stay for the good times!
Grain Bin Brewing Co. will be part of #exploreNWAB Online Festival this May 2025.
That’s just a handful of North West Alberta business owners and tourism operators who will be virtually welcoming you into their space as part of #exploreNWAB Online Festival this May 6, 8, 13 and 15 2025.
I’ll be tuning into the festival virtually and I hope you join me! I also can’t wait to shop + book + support these north west Alberta makers, artists, and entrepreneurs!
Disclaimer: This blog post was shared as part of a paid partnership with Festival Seekers to highlight the #exploreNWAB Online Festival. This does not impact opinions stated in the post! I love supporting local businesses and exploring Alberta—in person or virtually and I encourage you to do the same.
Linda
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