A Tour of the Lacombe Region Communities

A Tour of the Lacombe Region Communities

Let's begin our tour of Lacombe County with the Town of Lacombe, located at the busy crossroads of Highways 12 and 2A. Take some time to explore all that Lacombe has to offer, be it walking trails, a picturesque downtown with many restored heritage buildings and attractions, or simply small-town charm with many city conveniences.

Lacombe is always bustling with activity: some of the events found throughout the year are the Art Exhibit & Sale, Lacombe Days, the Annual Show and Shine and the Fiddler's Jamboree.

Just 15 minutes east of Lacombe, Clive is an affordable and ideal spot only 30 minutes from Red Deer. For enjoyable country living that allows quick access to all amenities, Clive is aptly nicknamed the Village of Opportunity.

Further down Hwy. 12, we'll find the small community of Tees. Tees is famous for its Longears Days in August, the annual celebration of all that is Donkey and Mule.

Halfway between Lacombe and Stettler on Hwy. 12, Alix is a small but vibrant community that boasts "Where Less is More". Alix Lake provides excellent camping, a 6 km nature trail, boating and fishing while nearby Haunted Lakes hosts a challenging 9 hole golf course and campground.

The Village of Alix has an abundance of recreation activities. Popular summer events include Alix Beach Days, the Provincial Wakeboard Competition, and a Show and Shine.

The Hamlet of Mirror is next up on our tour. Located just off Hwy. 21 and Hwy.50, Mirror has many recreational opportunities in and out of town. Visit the Mirror & District Museum, 4 golf courses, the Mirror Fish Pond or one of many activities that nearby Buffalo Lake has to offer.

If we change direction and venture south of Lacombe on Hwy 2A, we'll find Blackfalds, a fast growing community that’s just a ten minute commute to reach either Lacombe or Red Deer. It's a short drive to a wide range of employment opportunities and post secondary educational institutions, as well as quick access to shopping outlets and entertainment.

Blackfalds prides itself on offering a variety of recreation and culture programs, first-rate facilities and big-time special events. Blackfalds Days, held in June, is the most notable of the events, involving three days of activities, including a parade, soapbox derby, youth dance, and tons of other fun events.

Twenty kilometers west of Lacombe, just past the south shore of Gull Lake, lies the Town of Bentley. Famous for its small-town charm, Bentley hosts one of the largest and most popular weekly Farmer's Markets in Central Alberta. You can check it out for yourself every Saturday beginning May Long Weekend and finishing up on the Labour Day long weekend. Joining Bentley and Gull Lake is a paved walking path - a popular attraction for residents and visitors alike. Many weekend campers choose to walk or bike into Bentley on Saturdays, visit the Farmers' Market, possibly stop for an ice cream or a few groceries and then back to the campground.

Heading southwest of Bentley, and manouevering around Sylvan Lake, we can find the town of Eckville. Eckville is surrounded by major lakes, trout ponds, golf courses, campgrounds and unique guest ranches. While many central Albertan communities promote their summer events, Eckville puts some major focus on their big winter activities, like their Shop Local "Christmas in Eckville' program, the Tree Lighting Festival or the Winter Ice Carnival in February. Of course they have summer events too: an annual Bullarama in May and the Eckville Rodeo in June.