Engadine hosts magical music series

AMANDA FOLLETT CANMORE

It's a magical setting set to music.

This summer, Mount Engadine Lodge celebrates its 20th anniversary with a musical concert series at an intimate venue nestled in the Spray Valley. The Music in the Meadow series will host three acts over the next two months in the lodge's dining room, which gazes out over Kananaskis' Tent Ridge.

"The nice thing about these concerts is it's a small, intimate venue," says innkeeper Chris Williams, who began managing the lodge with his wife, Shari-Lynn, nearly two years ago. "Most guests come up early in the afternoon, they go for a hike, have dinner with us and watch the concert."

The recently renovated lodge accommodates up to 19 guests, who have the opportunity to spend the weekend and take in the concert. The event is also open to an additional six visitors. Dinner can be arranged, with 24 hours' notice, for those not spending the night, Williams says.

The concert series began mid-June with Canmore singer-songwriter Cori Brewster and Calgary-based musician Steve Fisher. It continues July 25 and 26 with southern Ontario singer

JP Riemens, who will be performing songs from his new album Redneck Lullaby.

The lodge hosts all-female bluegrass band Barley Wik on Aug. 22 and 23 and Edmonton-based blues musician Kat Danser on Sept. 26 and 27. Barley Wik officially kicked off Engadine's concert tradition last summer with the first performance at the lodge.

"It worked out wonderfully - the reaction we got, not just from the guests but from the band," Williams says. With the performers spending the weekend at the lodge, guests have the chance to get to know them outside the concert setting.

Also this summer, Engadine will hold a Sing for your Supper event, hosting Grammy-nominated folk singer Eliza Gilkyson. Between shows at the Canmore and Edmonton folk music festival, Gilkyson will spend the first weekend in August at Engadine.

"We put her up for two days and she got a place to stay free of charge and she puts on an impromptu concert for our guests,"

Williams says.

Since being purchased by the Kyles in 2006, the lodge has taken on a greater arts focus as major sponsor of The Banff Centre's Mountain Writing Program and an artist-in-residence program, which will host Alberta artist Fran Olynyk this September.

Changes to the 20-year-old lodge haven't gone unnoticed. Over the past year, the lodge has been rated either first or second best place to stay in the Canmore area by Tripadvisor.com and listed in the website's Top 10 Hidden Gems in Canada. It also made National Geographic Traveler's list of top 150 accommodations around the world.

"Which was a great honour for us," Williams adds. "We've had some really amazing publicity this year."

The lodge, which is open summers and winters but closes during the shoulder season, also hosts afternoon tea on weekends between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Weekend rates for the Music in the Meadow series are $740 for two people, or $370 for one person, including a room for two nights, meals and the Saturday evening concert. For more information visit www.mountengadine.com