The Spirit of the Rockies festival is Cranbrook’s longest running community festival, and is organized by a non-profit, volunteer organization. The goal of the festival is to provide a primarily free city-wide celebration for residents, visitors, and businesses to come together and enjoy. The festival is a three-day event featuring a variety of activities and events, including a parade, food park, market and art exhibit, pancake breakfasts, BBQs, beer gardens, live music, demonstrations, a 40+ team softball tournament, a youth soccer tournament, a car show, and many others.
The festival offers numerous ways for individuals and businesses to get involved, such as volunteering, sponsoring an event, hosting an event, participating in the parade, selling at the food market, or hosting a booth at the market. The inaugural festival was first held in 1966 and was called “Sam Steele Days,” named after Sam Steele – the Northwest Mounted Police officer who oversaw the Cranbrook area for a year (1887-1888). In 2023, the festival was renamed to “Spirit of the Rockies” as the festival continues to grow and attract new people, events, and entertainment.