Building Refuge: Private Refugee Sponsorship in Lethbridge
- Galt Museum & Archives 502 1 Street South Lethbridge, AB, T1J 1Y4 Canada (map)
Building Refuge Logo. Courtesy Mariah Besplug.
Since the creation of the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program in 1978, Canadians have sponsored the settlement of more than 370,000 refugees across the nation. Groups in Lethbridge have participated in the sponsorship of 610 refugees, with larger groups of Indo-Chinese refugees arriving in the late 1970s and early 1980s and Syrian refugees in the 2010s. Mariah Besplug will share the stories of refugees and sponsors who have participated in this program in the Lethbridge area over the past several decades. These stories were collected through interviews conducted by Mariah Besplug for her MA research at the University of Lethbridge.
2–3 pm | registration not required | museum admission applies | free to annual pass holders
Bring your toddler and small children to an interactive morning at the Galt Museum & Archives. A fun-filled morning with toys, activities, book reading, and a private toddler time in the museum to explore the current exhibition
Bring the family down to Fort Whoop‑Up for a fun and festive Easter Egg Hunt! Explore the fort, search for hidden eggs, and enjoy a lively spring outing in the heart of the Oldman River Valley.
This program provides art activities with a connection to local history, museum exhibitions and culture for adults and seniors, including those requiring accessibility.
Celebrate spring with colour, creativity, and good company! This Paint & Sip includes all supplies, a glass of wine or a soda, and complimentary charcuterie from Gather & Graze. Sip, snack, and paint among spring florals—no experience needed, just come ready to have fun with our incredible instructor and artist Smelotie Mpofu.
“The 4th Annual Lethbridge International Film Festival runs April 17–20, 2026, featuring 70+ films from 18 countries, including local premieres. Enjoy galas, Q&As, live scores, sharing circles, and screenings at the Galt, The Movie Mill, and Sterndale Bennett Theatre. Tickets and full program launch March 27 at galtmuseum.com.”
Join curator Stephanie Laine Hamilton for a special guided tour celebrating Lethbridge’s rich brewing history through the story of Sick’s Breweries and the 100th anniversary of the iconic Old Style Pilsner brand. Through historic photographs, archival materials, research and personal stories - this tour offers an inside look at the people, places, and moments that made Lethbridge a brewing hub.
Discover the amazing events related to the prohibition of alcohol in Alberta at the beginning of the 20th Century. Follow the rise of a temperance movement in the province and the immense impact the Great War had on social behaviours and morals. Witness the period where liquor sales and consumption became illegal but also the ingenuity of local residents who rapidly found numerous ways to circumvent the law! In addition, watch how the American prohibition era deeply impacted Western Canada with contraband networks, gangster raids and even murders. A riveting and entertaining presentation, not to be missed." Dr. Stéphane Guevremont is a former aircraft mechanic. He holds a B.A. in History (McGill), a M.A. in War Studies (RMC) and a Ph.D. (UofC) on the Canadian aircraft industry. He teaches history and talks on CBC French Radio One (Alberta)
Bring your toddler and small children to an interactive morning at the Galt Museum & Archives. A fun-filled morning with toys, activities, book reading, and a private toddler time in the museum to explore the current exhibition.
Join Galt’s own Community Programmer, Kristin Krein, and Archives Assistant, Bobbie Fox, as we make a delicious beer inspired recipes and taste some sample dishes - this time we will be taking recipes from the Fritz Sick's Enterpriser magazines with Stephanie Laine Hamilton.
A Smile in Every Bottle: Sicks’ Breweries Ltd celebrates the 100th anniversary of Old Style Pilsner (first brewed here in 1926) and shows how Lethbridge’s family-run brewery became a global leader in beer production and distribution. Dried Out: Prohibition in Alberta examines how the moral and political crusade to ban alcohol had unintended consequences, both good and bad. Down in the Valley demonstrates how the Oldman River is vital for life on the prairies. How has the Oldman River landscape changed throughout human history?
The Galt is hosting the Southern Alberta Regional Heritage Fair for students up to grade nine. The fair program encourages students to explore Canadian heritage in a dynamic, hands-on learning environment. Preparing and presenting a heritage fair project helps students develop critical thinking, historical thinking, writing, research, performance, and public speaking skills. These projects are initially shown in the schools and the best are chosen to present at the Southern Alberta Regional Heritage Fair.
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- Tagged Presentation, Lecture, The Galt Presents, Adults & Seniors, Adults, Seniors