On Friday, Jan. 30, musicians and community members gathered for the opening of a special exhibit on the second floor of the Crowsnest Museum celebrating the 100 year history of the Crowsnest Community Orchestra. The evening featured selections by a five string ensemble and charcuterie provided by Country Encounters.

A longtime fundraiser is set to return to the Crowsnest Pass Public Art Gallery on Feb. 7, with organizers encouraging people to arrive early before the chili and pottery bowls run out. Curator Ryanna Kizan said the Chili Bowl Festival has run for more than 20 years, offering volunteer made chili and take-home bowls donated by the Pass Pottery Club, with proceeds supporting the gallery’s children and adult programming.

The Crowsnest Conservation Society asked Crowsnest Pass council on Jan. 27 to consider reviving a former Agricultural Services Board, exploring participation in the Waterton Biosphere region and looking at options for a new municipal park along the Crowsnest River. The group highlighted membership growth and said it brought $50,000 in grants into the community between 2021 and 2025, alongside interpretive signage, school projects and planned stream monitoring this year.

Seven year old Carter Otteson achieved what many dart players chase for years when he threw a 180 at the Bellevue Legion on Jan. 18. The score, made by hitting three triple 20s in a row, drew cheers from league members and marked a milestone for the young player, who has been throwing darts since age three.

Chad Kennedy spoke to a packed room at the Coleman Seniors Centre on Jan. 22 about living with post traumatic stress disorder and the experiences that led him to launch the Sea to Sea for PTSD campaign, sharing a deeply personal account of trauma, recovery and the ongoing need for accessible mental health supports.

The Pass Herald is set to expand its civic reporting after being approved for a reporter position through Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative, a move expected to strengthen coverage in underserved communities such as Sparwood through 2026 and 2027.

The Crowsnest Pass Taxpayers Association used a public meeting to outline Alberta municipal candidate residency rules and a court application challenging whether Colleen MacDonald met the six consecutive months requirement before nomination. Association president Carmen Roman said the presentation was educational, while MacDonald said the matter is before the Court of King’s Bench and no decision has been rendered.

The Southwest Alberta Skateboard Society says a $475,000 provincial CFEP large grant notified on Jan. 9, 2026 has pushed the Flummerfelt Park skatepark project to its fundraising target, with construction now projected to begin around July 2026 and run 13 to 16 weeks.

A long vacant commercial building near one of Blairmore’s primary entrances has been redeveloped into four two bedroom ground level rental apartments and a new Paws Claws Hooves pet food store, with Greenmore Corporation saying the suites will be ready for lease starting Feb. 1, 2026.

Grant Hunter became Alberta’s Minister of Environment and Protected Areas on January 2, 2026 after Rebecca Schulz resigned from cabinet, a change that arrives as coal related and watershed protection issues on the Eastern Slopes continue drawing intense public attention across the Highway 3 corridor.  

The Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta opened its spring grant intake Monday with $520,000 available across its Community Priorities and Henry S. Varley Fund and Rural Life Fund, with applications due by 4:00 p.m. on March 16, 2026.

In the final editorial of 2025, the Pass Herald looked back on years of weekly storytelling, local business support, and the Shop Local momentum that helped make 2025 one of its strongest advertising years in a long time. The column also highlighted a major step ahead: a Documenters program launching in 2026, developed with Mount Royal University to strengthen transparency and expand coverage of public meetings.

Christmas in the Pass can feel timeless, but the holiday is a layered mix of ancient solstice rituals, church calendars, Victorian storytelling and modern retail. From Saturnalia and Yule to the rise of the tree and Santa, the season has kept changing while still chasing the same thing: hope in the dark.

Crowsnest Pass Fire Rescue recognized Captain Darryl Johnson as Firefighter of the Year during a December 6, 2025, presentation, with Fire Chief Jesse Fox crediting him for leadership, mentorship and a steady presence in demanding situations. Fox said Johnson’s impact extended beyond emergency calls through his work improving training and advocating for firefighter safety.

A motion to publicly release the Chief Administrative Officer’s contract and the deputy CAO’s contract arrived amid rising tension in Crowsnest Pass council chambers and a broader debate over transparency, respect and governance boundaries. In an interview with municipal governance expert George B. Cuff, the Pass Herald examined how similar conflicts across Alberta have driven CAO turnover and increased taxpayer costs, while highlighting the legal limits on what councils can disclose and direct.

Castle Mountain Resort has opened for its 60th ski season with daily operations, snowmaking on Huckleberry and a major expansion underway. The new Stagecoach Express high speed quad will add more than 21 runs and boost Castle’s terrain to nearly 3,600 acres.

Crowsnest Pass council approved its 2026 operating and capital budgets on December 4, confirming more than 11 million in capital work, over 1.1 million for community groups and full municipal funding for the new outdoor skate park.

Piikani Nation Spiritual Elder and Knowledge Keeper Eric Crow Shoe shared Blackfoot teachings on honouring Mother Earth at the Crowsnest Conservation Society AGM, urging Crowsnest Pass residents to see care for the land as an everyday responsibility rooted in love, generosity and kindness.

For decades, Crowsnest Pass Santa visits have sounded like Lions Club volunteer Norm Hanson. From helicopter arrivals to Meals on Wheels fundraising, the 82 year old has used the red suit to support seniors and spread holiday joy.

The Crowsnest Pass Food Bank is seeing more families, seniors and working residents turn to hampers as costs rise, with demand up over last year and donations under pressure even as community events and volunteers work to keep shelves stocked.