Westworld Alberta
Issue link: http://westworldmagazine.ama.ab.ca/i/402160
PICK-A-STITCH PULL UP THE PANT LEG of any well-heeled cowboy and you'll likely nd a pair of boots designed by Calgary-based Alberta Boot Company. The handmade boots come in all kinds of leather, from cowhide to alligator, and styles for work and play. But the biggest decision is which stitch pattern to choose for the shaft. Company founder Clem Gerwing came up with the idea of designing patterns for di erent places in the province, such as Calgary, Edmonton, Bow Valley, Jasper and Medicine Hat. e ery Okotoks pattern is popular with men, while the wing-like Edmonton design is a favourite of female customers. Gerwing passed away earlier this year, at the age of 94. His fancy? "There were a few that grandpa really liked the look of," says his grandson Ben Gerwing, "but his favourite was the Calgary pattern. It's got different circles and edges, and it's a prominent pattern that takes up the whole boot." albertaboot.com –Tracy Hyatt of any well-heeled cowboy and you'll likely nd a pair of boots designed by Calgary-based Alberta Boot Company. The handmade boots come in all kinds of leather, from cowhide to alligator, and styles for work and play. But the biggest decision is which ompany founder Clem Gerwing came up with the idea of designing patterns for di erent places in the province, such as Calgary, Edmonton, Bow Valley, Jasper and Medicine Hat. e ery Okotoks pattern is popular with men, while the wing-like Edmonton design is a favourite of female customers. Gerwing passed away earlier this year, at the age of 94. His fancy? "There were a few that grandpa really liked the look of," says his grandson Ben Gerwing, "but his favourite was the Calgary pattern. It's got different circles and edges, and it's a prominent pattern that takes up the whole boot." this one's for thor! Deep freeze fest 2013 freezer racers. A pair of Alberta Boot co. boots sports the edmonton stitch pattern. 10 w e s t w o r l d A l b e r t A | w i n t e r 2 0 1 4 (CloCkWisE FroM lEFt) EpiC pHotoGrapHY, istoCk, aVEnuE MaGaZinE Party the Chill Away T he Vikings are coming . . . back. To Edmonton's eighth annual Deep Freeze Festival January 11–12, 2015. And, thanks be to Odin, all of the event's most popular offerings are returning along with the Norse theme: freezer races, outdoor rink, street hockey tourney, artisan market, chisel-and-chainsaw ice-carving competition and, of course, Saturday night's Valhalla-worthy shindig, the Melt the Deep Freeze Dance. Last year, the festival brought out 25,000 celebrants, and organizers expect similar crowds to descend on 118 Avenue, between 90 and 94 Streets, this year. Other big draws, says organizer Christy Morin, will be plenty of Ukrainian and French- Canadian music, dance, crafts and food – borscht with a side of poutine, anyone? Also the thaw-hut competition, wherein local architects, engineers and designers construct "beautiful yet functional" winter warming structures. "They build them onsite during the festival and patrons will go out and use them, and then we have judges who come out and evaluate whether they would stand up in our northern climate," says Morin. deepfreezefest.ca FOREST OF LIGHTS E very evening from mid-December until early January, the Trochu Arboretum and Gardens – around 140 kilometres northeast of Calgary – lights up in a cheery display. Everything, including the new interpretive centre, is adorned with lights, and volunteers o er hot chocolate and stoke bon res among elaborate Christmas scenes, including a 12 Days of Christmas display that expands a little each year. is year, the big reveal is "seven swans-a-swimming." Volunteer Rick Kober says he worries about how he's going to nd seven swans for the display but admits their bigger challenge is still to come: "Eight maids-a-milking? Now that's going to be tough." Entrance is by donation. www.town.trochu.ab.ca –S.R.