Heritage Park Historical Village
ICONIC PARK TURNS 60 IN 2024
Antique cars. A steam train. Wagon rides, a carousel and a dairy barn.
A trip to Heritage Park Historical Village is a step back in time — with plenty of appeal for modern-day visitors.
The popular venue won two awards in this year’s Calgary Herald and Sun Readers’ Choice Awards: Gold for Favourite Wedding Venue and Silver in the Family Entertainment category.
The awards are a sign to the Heritage Park team that they’re doing something right, says Dominic Terry, Heritage Park’s strategic communications manager.
“It makes us extremely proud to know that we’re still one of those iconic destinations in Calgary — not just for Calgarians, but for visitors to the city, too,” he says.
“When people come to Calgary, they come to Heritage Park.”
Next year promises to be extra special. In 2024, the historical village will celebrate its 60th anniversary; the park officially opened its doors on July 1, 1964, with 12,000 visitors that first day.
Plans to mark the anniversary are already underway. Watch for live music, a children’s festival, wedding vow renewals and partnerships with community and sports groups.
“We’re part of the community,” Terry says. “But we’re also creating community.”
For instance, there are more than 450 volunteers on the roster, and of that, at least 10 have been with the park for more than 30 years. More than half a million children have come through the gates in the past decade, and the park has been the location for hundreds of weddings, holiday gatherings and birthday parties, too.
Visitors are invited to share their photos and other memories of the park at heritagepark.ca/ memories. Those stories will be used to create an exhibition for the park’s Gasoline Alley in 2024.