The feel and refreshing fun of country life this fall is easy to enjoy when Butterfield Acres and Carousel Stables are both easily accessible from University District!
Don your favourite flannel check shirt, denims and boots and join us on a country jaunt.
Make your first stop Butterfield Acres (located just off Stoney Trail NW) to celebrate country living with:
Let the piglets chew your shoelaces. Hee-haw with the donkeys. Get the turkeys to gobble back to you. Milk a goat! There are many options to get up close and interact with animals at Butterfield Acres.
There’s also so much more, with a huge choice of rustic, fun activities to choose from. Ride over the hills and through the woods on a tractor-pulled wagon, book a fire pit and roast some hot dogs, explore Nursery Rhyme Park, or get practical and hunt for freshly laid eggs.
There’s always something new to do at Butterfield Acres and no two visits are the same, as things on the farm change with the seasons. You can get up close with lambs, chicks, calves and piglets on Barnyard Babies Days in spring, give your child a memorable and educational experience at summer day camps, or in the fall, join in the hunt for pumpkins.
Although from November to March Butterfield Acres is closed, animals are still available to come and see you year-round. Plan your visit at ButterfieldAcres.com.
Stroll through the farmyard and find your perfect pumpkin among hundreds. Stop along the way for animal visits, fabulous fall photo-opps, pony rides, and a bumpy ride through Scarecrow Alley in the back woodlands. Later, gather round a campfire and toast a s’more, and enjoy a hot chocolate, apple cider or a pumpkin sipper.
“Harvest Pumpkin Festival is one of the highlights of our year,” says Butterfield Acres’ Tania Katay. “It’s one big party and a family favourite with lots of pumpkins to seek out and decorate. Scarecrow Alley is not scary like it may sound but a fun tractor-pulled wagon ride for all the family. We can’t wait to see you.”
Harvest Pumpkin Festival runs every weekend until Halloween, October 31. Get more details and book your ticket at Harvest Pumpkin Fest.
Make your event memorable by adding animals to it with Butterfield Acres’ ‘We Come to You’ service.
While their regular ‘mini-farm’ petting zoo sees two goats, two lambs, two bunnies and a pot belly piglet come to your party or social gathering, there are options of Little Goats Gruff (four cute little goats), Three Little Pigs, or The 8 Bunny Fluffle (eight beautiful rabbits).
Pony rides at birthday parties from ‘My Little Pony’ or a ‘unicorn’ also run all year round, while the Live Nativity is a special festive season offering.
For full details and booking, see We Come to You.
Let’s go one step further in our country-life goals with Clip Clop and Carousel Stables on the boundary to the Foothills for horseback riding lessons and training programs!
Giddy-up! Every horse lover starts riding somewhere! If your child or grandchild is keen to start riding, let it be with Clip Clop at Carousel Stables on Bearspaw Road, a short drive from University District. Clip Clop offers a fun and educational horsemanship program that teaches children how to ride, bond, and care for horses safely through riding lessons.
The goal is for riders aged 5 to 18 to learn through guided exposure to horses and knowledgeable instruction. Clip Clop understands that many parents may not be ‘horse people’, and are unfamiliar with this sport, so they go the extra mile to include and educate parents so they become comfortable around the animals.
It’s simple and affordable to get started, and each level is recognized and rewarded when achieved.
See Clip Clop’s Learn to Ride and Growth Track lesson options.
Clip Clop is based at Carousel Stables, a beautiful, boutique dressage, full-service, equine education, and horse boarding stable. Once riders graduate from Clip Clop, Carousel Stables offers advanced riding programs and is able to accommodate all recreational and competitive riders’ needs.
Bonus: their indoor facility is heated and warm in the winter!
Owner and trainer, Crystal Kroetch is a Level 3 Certified Equestrian Canada Coach. A member of the Canadian Equestrian team in dressage, she won a Silver Medal at the 2011 Pan American Games.
“We train both riders and horses, and I’m personally available for private lessons as riders progress through our equestrian academy,” says Crystal.
“At Carousel Stables, we look forward to hearing from anyone who owns their own horse or who would like help choosing the right horse. We take pride in our equine education, sound training principles and compassionate horse care. Your horse becomes part of the family.”
Learn more about what they have to offer at Carousel Stables Calgary.
Let’s make the most of our Albertan agricultural and equestrian allure with a country jaunt close to home. Do you have a favourite way to enjoy being “a little bit country” in our neck of the woods? Please share your comments and suggestions with us on social media!
The University District blog is a resource for Calgarians who want to live, work, play, visit or buy in the northwest. We will provide you with information, stories, news and a closer look at the things that matter so you can live a more inspired, active and connected life in NW Calgary at University District… Life works here.
Join the Discussion