This story was originally published in December 2011. This year’s Once Upon a Christmas details are available here.
Heritage Park was always one of my favourite places to visit when I was a kid but I had never gone in the winter until last Saturday. Once Upon A Christmas is Heritage Park’s homage to Christmas past and they do a wonderful job of representing the romance that I have always associated with the season.
The first stop we made was The Prince House and it was a proper clove-scented introduction to the day!
Then we moved on to The Christmas Shop for some free hot apple cider which was enjoyed by young and old! Across from the shops, there were two mazes set up, one for older kids and one that was perfectly sized for the three little guys that we had with us.
While coaxing the kids through the maze we were continually bombarded with smells, first it was fresh evergreen trees, then something roasting on a fire, followed by the enticing aroma from the Alberta Bakery around the corner. The line for the wagon ride was very long and we had worked up an appetite getting the boys around all those corners so we followed our noses to an equally long line outside the bakery. It was well worth the wait. Sausage rolls, cheese buns, cinnamon buns and cookies galore. Yes, we bought all of that and ate it!
We contemplated getting in line for the wagon ride but the line had grown even longer so we moved on to Baron’s Snooker Parlour where we were all mesmerized by the Rocky Mountain Garden Railroaders Train Display. The trains were moving quite quickly and the pictures turned out blurry but trust me, it is worth going in to see.
The Wheedon School had a music class in session and that was a huge hit with kids and adults singing, clapping and stomping. After class, the schoolmaster handed out age-appropriate instruments and we had a performance outside.
Santa came by to say hello and pass out candy canes and then our little ones were ready for a nap so our visit came to an end.
My recommendations would be:
- Go with friends like we did so that the wait time in lines is filled with conversation and laughter.
- Wear footwear that keeps your feet warm and dry.
- If you have older children there are many more activities to participate in so check out the agenda on Heritage Park’s special event page.
There is only one weekend left so stop by First Calgary Financial and Calgary Canada Safeway locations for 50% off coupons and take your family to Once Upon A Christmas at Heritage Park!
