Here’s Why Albertans Are Obsessed With Curling & You Should Be Too

By Britanny Burr on February 19, 2025.

Trust us, there’s no shortage of rinks across this province. Here’s the lowdown on why you should grab your broom and sweep your heart out this winter in Alberta.

If you love activities, games, and a little bit of healthy competition, it’s time to get into curling. While this sport is far from underground in Canada, it’s not exactly the most common pastime. But, with sports like pickleball sweeping the nation during the summer months, we think it’s only fair to let curling share the spotlight and a little bit of time in our weekly calendars during the winter months. Maybe skiing, skating, or fat biking are your go-to winter sports, but we think it’s time to make room for another hard-hitter.

Curling dates back to as early as the 16th century in Scotland, where players slide stones across frozen lochs, hoping to land them closest to the target. Fast forward a few centuries, curling has become a beloved sport in Canada, especially Alberta. Nicknamed the “Roarin’ Game” due to the sound of the stone sliding across the ice, curling is a team sport all about strategy, skill, and a good dose of camaraderie. Curling is fantastic because it’s far more accessible for groups of varying athletic abilities than other extreme winter sports. Not to mention that you don’t actually have to be outside during those polar vortex days, but you still get to move your body, compete, and have a blast.

Long story short, we love curling, and we think you should, too. And, if you’re willing to humour us on this one, you’ll be excited to learn that our province is an absolute gold mine for places to curl.

Albertans love their curling, and it's not hard to see why. The province has a rich tradition of producing world-class curlers, including legends like Kevin Martin and Cheryl Bernard. If you’re unfamiliar with the sport, you might not recognize those names, but trust us, it’s cool.

Beyond those playing at the elite level, curling is a sport that is welcoming for everyone and players of all ages. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an aspiring champion. There’s a curling rink for everyone looking to try out the sport. From the northernmost Alberta town to the deepest south of the province and everywhere in between, Alberta is filled with local rinks. While we’d love to name them all for you, the list would go on for pages and pages. But we’ll name a few hard hitters for you. Of course, Alberta’s cities are working with multiple curling hot spots, so you won’t have any issues finding a place to play if you’re a city-living Albertan. For example, Inglewood’s Curling Club in Alberta is known as one of the best facilities in the province, with six sheets of ice and many championship curlers frequenting the place. Over in Beaumont, the local curling club is also a hub for community events and entertainment. The Thistle Curling Club is the oldest club in Edmonton, going strong since 1920, so you know they know their way around a sheet of ice.

From Peace River to Valleyview, Lac La Biche to Vermilion, there are truly rinks everywhere. You know how even the smallest towns can be expected to have post offices? Well, it seems that in Alberta, you can expect a curling rink, too.

So, it looks like we Albertans don’t have a single excuse to avoid curling. It’s literally everywhere. And, if you’re lucky, your local curling spot might even serve food and drinks.

Zooming out a little bit, let’s talk about curling on a larger scale. Each year, Curling Canada hosts 12 curling championship events and one World Curling Championship (alternating male and female yearly), showcasing Canada’s best curlers. Competitive curlers from all provinces and territories enter to play, hoping to be crowned Canadian champion. Events such as the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Montana Briar, and Mixed Doubles Championships, to name a few.

In addition, many local rinks host and participate in annual bonspiels like Curling Day in Canada, a nationwide event held every February where communities gather to participate in a fun-filled day of curling. This year’s event takes place on Saturday, February 22, 2025. Be sure to check it out.

Curling is one of the few sports where players of all ages and skill levels can participate together.  Kids will love learning to slide stones across the ice, and adults will enjoy the mix of strategy and light exercise. Plus, the laid-back pace of the game makes it easy to socialize and cheer each other on.

Whether sweeping your way to victory or just laughing over a missed throw, curling is a winter activity that embodies the best of Alberta's spirit. It brings people together for laughs, good times, and even a little healthy competition. Curling rinks across this province are where neighbours become friends, and winter feels just a little warmer.

If we haven’t convinced you yet, just give it a try and thank us later.

Britanny Burr is a freelance writer and a contributor to Great West Media. This story was written for the Great West Media & Southern Alberta Newspapers Cool Winter Guide advertising feature. The Cool Winter Guide is a special feature about winter activities, bucket list adventures, winter attractions, events, and road trip-worthy food & beverage destinations across Alberta. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff.