Places & Spaces: Cowley Lions Castle River Campground

Southwestern Alberta is about to catch a case of Beaver Fever, as the fifth annual Beaver Fever Music Festival returns to Cowley Lions Castle River Campground with an exciting new lineup of musical acts that capture the stories and spirit of the region.

The two-day grassroots and folk music festival takes place near Beaver Mines on June 26 and 27, featuring 11 musical acts.

Duncan McDowall, the festival’s director and lead organizer, says Beaver Fever was created to celebrate the stories that make the region unique.

“What we do is we aim to have singer-songwriters that sing of the area, sing of the culture, whether it’s cattle management, wildlife conservation, working in the mines, whatever it is that people do that constitutes the cultural fabric of the area,” he says.

Founded by a committee of five volunteers that included McDowall, the inaugural festival was held on the McDowall family homestead in 2022. Following the isolation of the Covid-19 pandemic, organizers weren’t sure what to expect.

“We saw the community splintering, and we’re like, wouldn’t it be great to have something to bring people together,” says McDowall. “We noticed that live music is something that really brings people together, so we’re like, let’s do a live music event.”

The event quickly outgrew the homestead and moved to the stockades of Cowley Lions Castle River Campground, where it has thrived.

This year’s lineup opens Friday evening with Eric Braun, followed by Sid Marty and the Wailback, Christie Mae Casey and Orvald Wayne before wrapping up with the Bing Bang Boys.

Following the show, folks can take in a fireside jam, whether performing themselves or simply enjoying the tunes.

Festivities resume Saturday morning with a pancake breakfast courtesy of the Cowley Lions, followed by performances from Tennessee Rindal, Eden Taylor, Aly Williams, Luc Roach, Jacqui Daniels and River Poets. The festival wraps up with another fireside jam.

Apart from live music, attendees can look forward to local food and drink vendors and dancing. Whether it’s by camping or swinging by the festival grounds early in the day, McDowall says folks will have the opportunity to spend their days enjoying the Castle River area before the evening performances begin.

“During the day, people just get to enjoy swimming in the Castle River, taking hikes in the foothills, tossing the Frisbee, having a cookout, doing whatever they want,” he says.

One thing that sets Beaver Fever apart, he says, is the atmosphere.

“Once the performance is over, performers will be in the crowd, mixing and chatting and hanging out with their friends and making new friends,” McDowall says. “It’s really kind of a convivial environment where everyone’s hanging out together.”

The festival is intentionally kept small, as McDowall says the aim is to maintain an authentic atmosphere rather than pursuing rapid growth.

“People love the campfire jam, and they love that they’re able to sit at the same table as the people that are going to be up on stage in only a few minutes,” says McDowall.

For those who have never attended, McDowall encourages people to make the trip.

“Take a chance on Beaver Fever,” he says. “Sometimes when you go just a little bit further, just past that bend in the highway, you discover something that you didn’t know existed.”

While McDowall stresses that Beaver Fever is rooted in a celebration of Beaver Mines and the wider community, the event site has a history within the McDowall family and their commitment to community.

His great-grandfather, William David (W.D.) McDowall, helped establish the Castle River Stampede around 1920, serving as secretary and primary organizer on the very grounds that now host Beaver Fever. The rodeo continued until about 1950, apart from a pause during the Second World War.

Now, more than 100 years after his great-grandfather established the rodeo as a community-oriented event, McDowall does the same as he carries on the area’s spirit.

The event is well supported by local businesses, volunteers and community organizations. Sponsors this year include Shootin’ the Breeze, Oldman River Brewing, the South Canadian Rockies Tourism Association and Farm Real Estate.

Weekend passes are $100, while single-day tickets are $60. Admission is free for children under 15. Tent camping is $15 per night in advance or $20 at the gate, and unserviced RV sites are $30 per night in advance or $35 at the gate.

For tickets and additional information, check out Beaver Fever Music Festival on its social media pages or at www.thebeaverfever.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the gate.