Castle’s Huckleberry Festival this weekend
Castle Mountain Resort will celebrate three decades of one of its largest summer traditions when the Huckleberry Festival returns Saturday, Aug. 22.
The 30th annual festival will feature huckleberry picking, scenic chairlift rides, live music, a vendor market, children’s activities and food and drink options. Access to the main festival grounds is free, while lift tickets, meals and some activities cost extra.
The weekend begins Friday evening with The Confusionaires performing at the T-Bar Pub from 9 to 11:45 p.m.
Saturday’s activities start with a Castle Snowboard Club pancake breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. The mountain market and children’s zone open at 9:30 a.m., followed by face painting, dance workshops, a scavenger hunt and several games and contests.
Live music will run from noon until 7:45 p.m. on the outdoor ATCO stage. The lineup includes Johnny Bolo, Jasmak Projekt, Caliya and Mudlarker. Pour Decisions will close the evening with a performance at the T-Bar Pub beginning at 9 p.m.
One of the festival’s main attractions is the Huckleberry Chair, which operates for scenic rides only once during the summer. The lift will carry visitors to higher-elevation berry patches between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., with the final download from the summit scheduled for 4 p.m.
Regular lift-ticket prices range from $16.95 for children between six and 12 to $41.95 for adults, plus GST. Children ages 2 – 5 and adults 75 and older can ride free. Castle Mountain recommends buying tickets in advance because capacity is limited.
Festival organizers are also reminding visitors that the upper mountain is backcountry terrain without cellular service. Berry pickers should bring water, suitable footwear, weather-appropriate clothing and bear spray. Visitors are encouraged to travel in groups, make noise and pick only ripe berries.
The outdoor barbecue will operate from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the beer garden will be open from noon to 8 p.m. A seafood boil will also be available by advance order, with pickup scheduled between 5:30 and 7 p.m.
Dogs will not be permitted in the main festival grounds because of the expected crowds. Leashed dogs will remain welcome outside the festival area, including in the campground, parking lot and berry-picking areas.
Castle Mountain Resort estimates the annual festival attracts approximately 1,500 visitors. Powered camping and other accommodations are available at the resort and elsewhere in the Castle Mountain, Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass region.
Complete schedules and ticket information are available on the Castle Mountain Resort website.