Luckily, Fernie has some fabulous alternatives to your typical winter activities to give your visits to our snowy little town a lot of diversity.

If local Fernie Brewing Co. beer and a traditional Canadian hockey game is what you seek, look to the Junior B ice hockey team, the Fernie Ghostriders, for guaranteed entertainment and inspired sportsmanship. The Fernie Ghostriders play regularly at the Fernie Memorial Arena on Hwy. 3, and their Friday and Saturday night games draw an enormously rowdy and joyful crowd to the stands. With a full concession featuring hot chocolate and hot dogs for kids, and a beer gardens for adults, a Fernie Ghostriders game is a great way to begin your weekend. Have dinner at the nearby Park Place Lodge Pub, then make your way over for the 7:30 p.m. puck drop. For more information on scheduled games, visit www.fernieghostriders.com

Fernie's Vogue Theatre at 321 2nd Avenue is your go-to for entertainment any night of the week. Conveniently located downtown, the theatre is open year-round and offers two weekly movie features including the latest 3D blockbusters and has the best buttered popcorn and movie snacks. The original theatre was built in 1909 as a live-performance venue and has since been beautifully renovated with comfortable seats, new projectors, and a full-service arcade and games room on the second floor available for private bookings. Watch for special indie films hosted by The Arts Station on the second Sunday of every month. Daily showtime is 7 p.m, with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 3pm and regular special events. Check their online movie listings every week at www.ferniemovies.com.

If live theatre and musical performances is more your style, The Arts Station at 601 1st Avenue has regular musical guests at the Winter Concert Series, which runs January through April. The Arts Station, an historic building which was the original train station in town, also offers numerous workshops for children and adults including pottery, oil painting, rhumba dancing, guitar lessons and drawing. Their children's program, Club Cre8, is a great place for kids ages 5 to 12 held regularly on Fridays. New artists are featured in the foyer gallery each month. Visit www.theartsstation.com for more details.

Lastly, if those ski-boot feet need a little rest and relaxation, visit Spa 901 in Fernie's historic old schoolhouse, originally built in 1908. Warm up beneath powerful jets in the hot pool as snow gently falls around you or unwind in an infrared sauna or relaxation lounge. Every massage, body service, and facial treatment includes full use of the facilities. The 6,600 sq. ft facility, located at 901 2nd Avenue, also offers full-service manicures, pedicures, and waxing, and even provides a specialized spa treatment for men. For more information or to book an appointment, visit www.spa901.ca

Whichever adventure you choose when spending your weekends or weekdays here in historic Fernie, may they be filled with loud cheering, fresh popcorn, and an incredible sense of well-being.

--Jesse Bell

Jesse is a local writer and adventurer with a huge passion for Fernie, BC and the Canadian Rockies.