By Dan Walton
Pioneer Staff
With an abundance of attractions that lure people to visit and live in the valley, the executive chef at Copper Point Resort has decided to bring it all together during his sophomore year in the area.
In tying together Albertas Family Day weekend with Valentines Day, a new event called For The Love of the Valley will feature several of the valleys impressive entrepreneurs and artists.
Happening at Copper Point Resort on Saturday, February 15th with live music, painting demonstrations, ice carving, and a wide range of hospitality, the event will remind guests of the valleys overwhelming appeal.
Ive only been here for a year, so as Ive been exploring the valley, its been really cool to find out about all of the different things that make up the valley, said chef Jeff Hicks.
Mentioning local coffee bean producers and the Arrowhead Brewery, as well as the massive roster of artistically inclined residents, weve got a lot of cool things in our small community that you mostly see in big towns, he observed.
After arriving in the valley more than a year ago, Mr. Hicks said the valley needed an event that could tie together all of the areas activities and artisans in one place.
It all fit together as a way to showcase all the unique things there are to do in the area.
The event takes place at Copper Point Resorts Courts Ballroom, which provides outdoor access for the ice sculpting. Anybody itching to take a crack at moulding frozen figures will have the opportunity, as one-foot chipper blocks of ice will be waiting to get chiselled away.
One block of ice will be more than decorative, as vodka cocktails will be created, shaken then poured through the luge structure, which has been sponsored by the main ingredient Absolut Vodka.
A luge is an ice carving and you pour a cocktail through the top, so you can actually see it flow through the ice, and then it comes out chilled through the bottom; its dual purpose, explained Mr. Hicks.
Most of the attractions at For The Love of the Valley will be local, but the ice carver company Frozen Memories, as well as some B.C. wineries, have also been invited from afar.
Saturdays soundtrack will come courtesy of Invermere musician Oso Simple, and local visual artists that will be part of For The Love of the Valley will not only be showcasing their work, but also creating it during the event.
Artists that are coming wont just be displaying their work, but theyll be producing it as well, he said.
Those with children dont have to worry about keeping their young ones occupied, as the Amber Ballroom will be featuring kids movies with complimentary popcorn.
For The Love of the Valley costs $20 to attend and runs from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m.
The resort will be providing appies, while businesses including Stolen Church Coffee, Quality Bakery, and Konigs Meat and Sausage Co. will all be showcasing their products.
We live in a diverse valley and there are a ton of things you may not be aware of, Mr. Hicks said. For The Love of the Valley gives you a little bit of a taste of all the things you can do here and see what all is produced here, he said, adding that he hopes to see the event become an annual tradition at the resort.
