Thinking of staying close to home this summer? Hoping to explore Alberta?

Join us for Travel Day 2013 and find out about great Alberta staycations.

Saturday, May 4

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

John Dutton Theatre

Central Library, 2nd Floor

616 Macleod Trail SE

Travel Alberta the Budget Way (10 – 11 a.m.)

Find out about free and inexpensive ways to enjoy travelling around Alberta.

Day Trips from Calgary (11 a.m. – 12 p.m.)

Learn about the amazing landscapes, communities and history of South-Central Alberta, all within a two-hour drive of Calgary! Presented by Day Trips from Calgary author, Bill Corbett.

Brown Bag Lunch and Travel Film (12 – 1 p.m.)

Bring your own bag lunch and watch Long Horizons, a documentary on the intriguing prairie landscapes of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

West on One – History along the Highway (1 – 2 p.m.)

Discover fascinating facts and stories behind the scenery as you travel the Trans-Canada Highway from Calgary to Lake Louise. Presented by author Kathryn Manry.

I Love Parks (2 – 3 p.m.)

Learn about the many parks you can visit close to Calgary, why they are important and the many activities you can enjoy in them. Presented by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society.

The Hiking Lifestyle (3 – 4 p.m.)

Check out beginner and intermediate level hikes found in Kananaskis country and learn bear and other safety tips to ensure hiking can become a lifestyle for the rest of your life. Presented by Julie Walker, Guide, Full Circle Adventures.

Please register in person, online or by phone at 403-260-2620.

Christmas holidays provide a wonderful opportunity to have some quality family time. Here are some activities that your family can do that won't break the bank.

Calgary Public Library is offering free programs during the holidays.

Crowfoot is also offering Winter Break Activities. School's out, snow and cold are in, but not at the Library. Join us for a variety of fun indoor activities. Ages 6 to 12 Wednesday, Jan 02, Thursday, Jan 03, Friday, Jan 04 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Main floor - Open Area. No registration required.

Signal Hill is offering Game-a-palooza, an extravaganza of games: giant chess, checkers, Snakes 'n Ladders, and more! Ages 6 to 12 with a parent/caregiver. No registration required.

On Thursdays, December 27^th and January 3^rd from 2:00 - 3:30 pm, Country Hills Library will be offering a Family Wii Party (ages 7 and up with a parent/caregiver). Bring the whole family and enjoy some video game fun with the Nintendo Wii. No registration is required.

Don't forget that your public library is a great place to find books, ebooks audiobooks and DVDs for everyone in the family. I think some of my favourite memories are browsing through the children's books looking for my kids' favourites.

The Olympic Oval’s Christmas Family Skate, invites you and your family to skate with Santa on Sunday December 23^rd, from 12:00- 4:00 pm. The admission is $2:00/person.

City of Calgary is offering a Free Public Skate on Boxing Day at various arenas.

As well, there are many outdoor rinks, run either by the City of Calgary or by the various community associations.

The city also has designated parks for tobogganing and sledding.

Watch a family favourite film each week for only $2.50 at Cineplex, on Saturday mornings at 11 am. A portion of proceeds go towards supporting Starlight Children's Foundation.

If you are looking for Christmas light displays, check out the Airdrie Festival of Lights and the Lion's Festival of Lights.

There is lots to see and do with your family in Calgary without having to spend a lot of money.

Have a Happy Holiday Season!!

As the holiday season approaches, we all look towards the mountains for winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding. Don't forget that there are many other family oriented things to do whether you are going just for a day or have longer to spend.

Banff is always a great place to spend some time. My kids used to love stopping to see the hoodoos, riding up the gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain and, of course, spending time on Banff Avenue visiting the candy store and the rock shop.

Think of dog-sledding and horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice skating, tobogganing and sledding. The Hot Springs are open year round as is the Gondola. Just imagine the snowy vistas you can see from the top of the mountain!! Check the Town of Banff website for information on winter activities.

If you prefer to be indoors, you can visit some of the museums such as the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies (I loved the historic photographs) or the Banff Park Museum National Historic Site of Canada (The kids loved the animals.) One of my personal favorites is a stroll through the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. Legend has it that the main stairway is haunted by the ghost of a bride who fell as she descended the stairs.

Jasper is another great place to go. The Maligne Canyon ice walk offers a chance to see frozen waterfalls and fanciful ice formations. The Jasper tourism site lists the tour companies which will guide you through this frozen wonderland. You can find information on both indoor and outdoor activities on this webpage.

Lake Louise and Canmore also offer a host of winter activities. I particularly love skating on Lake Louise with the mountains towering around us.

You can make the most of your visit by checking out some of these great books at Calgary Public Library before you go. Find some hidden corners that you haven't discovered before.

Banff and the Kananaskis are wonderful places to visit on a beautiful long weekend. However, if you are staying in town this weekend, there are lots of intriguing options to keep the kids occupied.

Calgary Public Library has some great programs for families on Saturday, May 19.

Fish Creek Library is offering an exciting program at 2:00 p.m., Elephone and Telephee: A herd of elephant stories, jokes, songs, and poems are presented with puppets and lots of audience help. This program is presented by WP Puppet Theatre.

Join our Drop-in Storytime at Crowfoot Library at 10:30 a.m. Bring the little ones for a half hour of stories, songs, and fingerplays the whole family can enjoy. Ages 2 to 5 with a parent/caregiver. No registration required.

Don't forget to drop by your local branch on Friday or Saturday for books and movies to entertain the kids. The library will start our summer Sunday closures on May 20 and will be closed on Monday, May 21 for Victoria Day.

Calaway Park Grand Opening is on Saturday, May 19 with all the usual fun rides and tempting treats.

Heritage Park will start opening daily on Saturday, May 19. The park is celebrating Victoria Day on Monday, May 21 with a free pancake breakfast for the first 500 customers. On Monday you can also enjoy a traditional Afternoon Tea in the upstairs Tea Room of the Wainwright Hotel (Check in advance for ticket availability.)

Celebrate Mountie Day on Monday May 21^st from 11-4 at Fort Calgary. “You are invited to join Fort Calgary on Victoria Day to commemorate the formation of the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) by Sir John A. Macdonald in 1873...”

The Royal Tyrrell Museum begins its spring programs on Saturday, May 19th. Check out their website for times and details. One of our staff members visited with her family recently and was very enthusiastic about the whole experience. She shares her impressions in a blog entry, "Walking with the Dinosaurs".

Curious about the history behind Victoria Day? Place your hold on this new book: Victoria Day by Lynn Peppas.

"Victoria Day is celebrated across Canada on the third Monday of May. It is a federal statutory holiday in honor of the birthday of England's Queen Victoria. It is informally considered the beginning of the summer season in Canada. Readers will learn about the importance of the first sovereign of confederated Canada, as well as Empire Day, celebrated in Britain."

Explore the roads less travelled as Joan Donaldson-Yarmey talks about the roadside attractions of Southern Alberta.

Joan has written several books on exploring Alberta, Backroads of Southern Alberta and Backroads of Northern Alberta, as well as Backroads of Central and Northern British Columbia.

Monday, May 14, 2012

12:00 - 12:45 p.m.

Main floor South - New and Notable area

Register In Person, By Phone at 403-260-2620 or Online.

On Monday evening, Joan will be reading from her newest mystery, Whistler's Murder. This book, third in the Travelling Detective series, features travel writer, Elizabeth Oliver, who becomes involved in murder and mayhem when visiting Whistler, B.C. (This title will soon be available to borrow from Calgary Public Library.

Monday, May 14, 2012

6:00 - 7:30 pm

Main floor South - New and Notable area

Register In Person, By Phone at 403-260-2620 or Online.