Every year in Fernie, visitors and locals alike celebrate the legendary mountain man called the Griz with a huge winter festival which is set to occur this upcoming March 4th to March 6th. This year’s Griz Days Winter Festival will feature a host of fun events that will delight everyone big and small.
According to legend as retold by Fernie Mayor Mary Giuliano, “the Griz was born in a bear cave, and the people of the area could hear a commotion, but they were too afraid to go up and see. Finally, a young boy emerged, wearing a bear coat and hat — he had won over a bear. The legend began. He grew to be a man with shoulders six feet wide and carried a musket. He would shoot the musket into the sky, bringing the world-class snow to the mountains for people to enjoy.”
To kick off Griz Days on Friday, Park Place Lodge is hosting a performance by Tallest to Shortest Live in the Pub. In addition, the Pub will be one of the popular watering holes visited as part of the Griz Pub Crawl winding its way through Fernie Friday night.
On Saturday, Park Place Lodge will be host to the Pub Bar & Grill’s 17th Annual Classic Canadian Street Hockey Tournament. This tournament and attracts teams from as far away as Lethbridge and Kalispell. The event is also a popular affair with spectators who come out to cheer on the teams while enjoying the beer gardens and BBQ which is being hosted in conjunction with the Avalanche City Roller Girls.
In addition to the events at the hotel, here are a few of our other favourite Griz Days events:
- Fernie Community Centre – Griz Days Craft Fair, Extreme Griz Pancake Eating Contest& Baby Griz Crawl
- Fernie Museum – Griz Wiz Scavenger Hunt
- Fernie Alpine Resort – Sunday Dummy Downhill
For more information on all of the Griz Days happenings, visit the Griz Days website and Tourism Fernie website.
Also be sure to contact us at Park Place Lodge if you would like to book a Fernie stay for Griz Days!
