While many locals escape Whistler for the fall months, the town can have much to offer in terms of fall festivities. Whistler has hosted fabulous fall events for decades—from hot air balloon rides and firework displays to mouth-watering food and drink festivals.
The first Fall Fair was organized in 1977 by the Alta Lake Community Club (ALCC) and took place in November at Myrtle Philip School. The ALCC worked with the Whistler Mountain Ski Club’s Ski Swap to create a late-autumn fundraising event where participants could buy crafts and baked goods, view ski demonstrations, and purchase raffle tickets. Over time, the Fall Fair became one of the ALCC’s most successful fundraisers, with 1980 being its most successful year.
In 1981, the Fall Festival was organized by the Whistler Resort Association (WRA; better known today as Tourism Whistler). A more expansive version of the previous Fall Fair, the festival featured arts, crafts, performers, and plenty of athletic endeavours to participate in or watch such as tennis, volleyball, and softball. In addition to the land-bound activities, there were also opportunities to see the valley from above. Blackcomb Mountain offered free chairlift rides during the festival, and Chuck Bump’s hot air balloon, labelled as the “World’s Largest Hot Air Balloon,” was also available for aerial sightseeing. As the first half of Whistler Village was still under construction in 1981, the inaugural festival included a Paint a Snowflake contest that left some of the fences surrounding construction sites covered in snowflakes. The Fall Festival was also the first big event attended by Willie Whistler, the mascot of the WRA, who was joined in the Village Square by Bo Bo the Clown.
This exciting version of the Fall Festival continued for the next four years. Although the festival no longer takes place, Whistler is home to a wide variety of events every fall. These days we can look forward to the Whistler Village Beer Festival, the Whistler Blackcomb Turkey Sale, the Whistler Writers Festival, and of course Cornucopia, the delicious fall food and drink celebration.
It is impossible to write about fall events without describing Whistler’s long-standing Halloween celebrations! With fewer stairs than most other neighbourhoods in the area, Tapley’s Farm has been the go-to neighbourhood for young trick-or-treaters for many years. Over time, extra precautions have been put in place to protect and entertain the little ghosts and goblins in the area, including closing the road to cars and holding neighbourhood competitions for the best-decorated house. Last year was Tapley’s 40th annual Halloween celebration. Complete with free hot cocoa and fireworks, the neighbourhood not only did a fantastic job maintaining the Halloween spirit, but also helped raise 400kg in donations for the Whistler Food Bank as part of the WE Scare Hunger Campaign.
However you enjoy the season, stay warm this fall and treat yourself to whatever pumpkin or cinnamon-flavoured treat your heart desires!
Ella Healey was the Summer Program Coordinator at the Whistler Museum through the Young Canada Works Program. She has now returned to her studies at the University of Victoria.
