La Crete, Alberta

La Crete is located in Northern Alberta, just 56 kilometers (35 miles) southwest of High Level. A Mennonite community with a population of more than 2,000, La Crete serves a trading area of about 7,000 residents and is also the largest rural municipality in the province with an area of 78,995 square kilometers (30,500 square miles).

La Crete (meaning rooster's comb in French) got its name because of the ridge of land's unusual shape. The first Mennonites moved into the area in the mid-1930s, and the community became a hamlet in 1955. Most of La Crete's residents speak Plautdietsch or Low German, but there's no need to dig out your German phrase book before visiting, since all businesses serve their customers in English.

Agriculture and logging are the two primary industries in the region. The Agricultural Society hosts two annual events to celebrate the area's farming roots: Farmer's Day in July and Pioneer Days in September. Explore the region's Mennonite heritage at Mennonite Heritage Village. Located three kilometers (two miles) southwest of La Crete, the Village features many buildings and artifacts left by early settlers and a working flour mill. Also be sure to take a ride across the mighty Peace River aboard the Tompkins Ferry, one of the only two operating ferries in Alberta.

La Crete's location at the base of the Buffalo Head Hills and just west of the Peace River means that there's plenty to do outdoors. Camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, water sports, and snowmobiling are just some of the wilderness pursuits to be enjoyed.

Sports fans will find plenty to do all year round. The local sports year kicks off in March with the Challenge Cup Hockey Tournament at the Northern Lights Recreation Centre. The La Crete Golf and Country Club is a wonderful summertime destination and hosts several tournaments throughout the season. There's also an annual professional rodeo, which attracts some of the same cowboys who compete at the world-famous Calgary Stampede.

The Northern Lights Recreation Centre offers an arena for hockey and figure skating and a curling rink with three sheets of ice. Off the ice, there's a four-lane bowling alley, baseball diamonds, and tennis courts. The Centre is also the location for most of the special events in La Crete, such as the annual La Crete Spring Trade Show in April.

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