The Chestermere Rec Centre brought in hundreds of residents on Sunday (Sept. 1) for the first-ever Alberta Day Western Faire.
The event featured western-themed carnival games, kids' archery, horse-drawn wagon rides, strolling fiddlers, and several food trucks from local establishments.
One of the event highlights was a live-action cowboy show held by the Calgary-based group Guns of the Golden West, which used real guns and blank ammunition to showcase how duels were held while teaching people how to operate a revolver.
"We show some of our skills in fast draw, trick shooting, and that kind of thing," said member Tim Weselak. "It's a fun hobby. It helps you get back to seeing a bit of the past and be someone else in a different time for a short period."
Although this was the first appearance of Guns of the Golden West in Chestermere, they've been performing all across North America since the 1980s.
"We have members from all walks of life," added Weselak. "It's a great way to keep the tradition alive in times that are progressively getting away from this sort of thing. We're still here, showing how things were once upon a time."
The group also displays period-authentic costumes, educational presentations, and team-building exercises.
"We love to show the public what it used to be like here, because this is Alberta Day, and in the late 1800s, this was the Wild West," added Kelli McLean. "The Sundance Kid once worked in Calgary."
Alberta Day was officially declared by the provincial government in 2022, with other festivities taking place across the province, including in the Town of Strathmore and the City of Calgary.
You can see a gallery from Chestermere's Alberta Day Western Faire below:
