Local Scoop

If you're new to the area, jumpstart your local knowledge by visiting the Nose Creek Valley Museum. The facility offers 2,000 years of local history, including collections of photos and artifacts. For more specialized history, check out Iron Horse Park. You'll find miniature trains, a track, and a landscape that recreates the prairies-to-coast Canadian Pacific Railway experience at the turn of the century—only on a miniaturized 1.6-kilometre track!

Another spot where you’ll find Airdrie locals of all ages is Nose Creek Regional Park, located in the downtown core. Nose Creek boasts an amphitheater, concession area, fire pit, picnic tables, playground, nature trails, and trout fishing in the 20-acre park. The park also hosts the popular Airdrie Festival of Lights in December, where you’ll find walk-through light displays, miniature trains, nightly events, and more. On rainy days, spend your time indoors either at the bowling alleys of Shamrock Lanes or letting your kids run wild at the Fun Place indoor playground inside Genesis Place.

The city is home to several sports franchises, including the Rockyview Knights, a senior men's lacrosse team that plays in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League. The city is also home to the Airdrie Irish, a senior men's semi-pro Alberta Football League team. The Airdrie & District Soccer Association (ADSA) is the largest competitive junior amateur league. Over 2,000 children between the ages of 3 and 18 are registered in the association's ever-growing program. Quite often, these kids play in one of eight adult soccer teams that fight to contend in the Calgary Soccer Association's competition.

The longest-standing athletic event in the city is the Airdrie Pro Rodeo. The five-day event is one of the largest 10 rodeos in Canada, and it’s held every year in mid-summer. The rodeo attracts pro cowboys and cowgirls from across North America and includes bull riding, cow rustling, and even mutton-busting.

If you are thirsty, check out the Balzac Craft Brewing Company. It offers an extensive craft beer selection and community events. If you'd prefer a non-alcoholic brew, check out Rocket Fizz Airdrie. With soda and candy from all over the world, there's a soda for everyone in the family at this specialty store.

Locals check out the city's Farmer's Market every Wednesday from June to Thanksgiving. Though small, it offers a selection of locally grown produce. In addition, the annual airdrieFEST takes place in September. This downtown street festival includes local food and drinks, entertainment, artisans, and businesses.

Everyone has a little bit of the picker in them, and in Airdrie, the best place to find a little antique gold is at Where On Earth Antique Mall and Vintage Marketplace. Despite the eclectic mix of collectibles and the large, open store space, this antique and trinket store is well-organized. The store gets many repeat customers, who rave about the helpful staff. It turns out many of these customers are from surrounding cities, as there's nothing quite like this store anywhere else in the area.

Big-box retail is found in the city's southern end, with Walmart and London Drugs opening doors here. In the north end, residents can find Real Canadian Superstore and Canadian Tire, as well as major grocery chains like Sobeys, Canada Safeway, and Calgary Co-Op. The city is immediately north of the hamlet of Balzac, where the CrossIron Mills opened its doors in 2009. This fully enclosed shopping centre is considered a major retail spot for the region and provides almost 1.2 million square feet of single-level shopping.

Airdrie is a short drive from the Canadian Rocky Mountains, offering outdoor enthusiasts easy access to National Parks, hiking trails, mountain biking, camping, skiing, and snowboarding.