Northern Rural Chicks are excited to introduce its 2026 Women’s Day being held at Smoky River Community Hall on April 18.
The club’s president, Alex Brochu, says she’s hoping women from throughout the region come to participate in this year’s event with its theme She Leads, She Lives.
“Every board member has their own interpretation of what our theme means to them, however; we all agree that this year’s theme is to validate, recognize and appreciate the positive changes we, as women, have created thus far and what we wish to continue to advocate,” explains Brochu.
“Our theme means she leads with courage, she leads with compassion, she leads with grit, she leads in barns, classrooms, council chambers and within our kitchen walls,” she adds.
“It also means that she lives to see the change she helped build. She Lives to witness the doors that she helped opened for others.”
The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will be an all-day event, with lunch catered by Audrey Carlson.
“I believe that the highlight of this year’s event will be the fact that all of our eight guest speakers are from Alberta and six of them are from the Peace Country,” Brochu says.
“We are also trying something a little different with our speaker panelist which we haven’t done in the past.”
Guest speakers include I Finally Have the Smoking Hot Body That I Always Wanted author and Tim Hortons owner Barb Drummond, Wild Rose Farmer Inc. Katelyn Duban, Fifth G Farms Kristin Graves, registered dietician Sienna Aubin, clinical hynotherapist Veronik Zawacki, fitness instructor Renee Mussio, Choosing Change Counselling Laren Lauze, and Choosing Change Counselling Charis Nepinak.
“This event is a bi-annual event which means that if you don’t attend in 2026, you will have to wait until spring of 2028 for our next Women’s Day Event,” explains Brochu.
“There is no other event similar to this one in our region. From our catered lunch, our vendors, the atmosphere and so forth, our event is truly unique and catered to women living in rural settings.”
Brochu says there will be a little bit for all attendees with their unique and diverse speaker lineup.
“Every attendee will receive a swag bag filled with information on mental health, physical health, gardening, farming, business cards and more,” she says.
The Women’s Day speakers will bring a diverse range of topics to the table, from fitness and nutrition to Alzheimer’s patient care, grain farming, mental health, and everything in-between.
“The purpose of the guest panelist was to have an interactive segment to our event,” Brochu adds.
“Each panelist will introduce themselves, and our emcees will ask them a series of questions and then we will invite the audience to ask their own questions to the speakers either verbally or written.”
Brochu says the doors to the event will open at 8:30 a.m. and attendees will be able to view the vendors on display at the hall, get a beverage, and have a light breakfast. She says the event will begin at 9 a.m. and will likely conclude at 4:30 p.m.
“Our community needs this event for educational purposes, for community betterment and to advocate for women in rural settings,” Brochu says.
“Over the years, we have heard from our attendees that they were glad to attend our event because they were able to hear inspiring stories from people just like them. Stories of resilience, compassion and support. Our attendees also mention to us that they were able to reach out for professional advice for themselves or others. When our attendees go home with their swag bags, it gives them the opportunity to view the items at their own discretion.”
Tickets are $60 each and will not be sold at the door, so Brochu urges interested parties to reach out today. Tickets are being sold by Marianne at (780) 837-0816, Diane at (780) 837-4409, or Alex at (780) 837-0636.
For more information about speakers’ background, profiles and updates to the event, go to the Northern Rural Chicks website at sites.google.com/view/northernruralchicks/home, or search for them on Facebook or Instagra
Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter