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Food & Drink
Alberta’s prairie is ideal for cattle rearing and its Western beef is world famous. Beef is barbecued, braised, grilled, minced and skewered with different complements such as onions, mushrooms, green peppers, rice, sauces and beans. Unusual beef dishes are stew (combination of diced steak, garden vegetables and biscuits cooked in rich gravy) and beef mincemeat (combines chopped suet, fruits and spices) used in pies and tarts and as a traditional Christmas dish served with ice-cream, cream or rum sauce. Wild berries and nuts are used in desserts. During the season, try the blueberry muffins from local bakeries. Honey is made from alfalfa and clover nectar and is a widely used sweetener and breakfast food. Apart from traditional foods, Alberta’s towns and cities offer an excellent range of international cuisine.
Alcohol is sold in ‘liquor stores’, although beer may be obtained in the majority of hotels. The minimum legal drinking age is 18 years old.

Nightlife
Both Edmonton and Calgary have a rich variety of night-time entertainment. Nightclubs, cabarets, taverns, lounges and that infamous Alberta watering hole, the beer parlour, combine to provide constant local and international entertainment. Calgary and Edmonton boast full-scale orchestras.

Shopping
Alberta is the only province (apart from the Northwest Territories and Yukon) that does not apply an extra sales tax on all purchases over and above the general sales tax of 7 per cent. Artwork available in the province includes pottery, ceramics, sculptures and paintings. There are numerous malls in Edmonton, including Heritage Mall and the huge West Edmonton Mall (see Resorts & Excursions section). Speciality shops can be found in the Old Strathcona district, from boutiques to a farmers market. The Kensington district – Calgary’s village in the city – has over 140 excellent shops and restaurants. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1700; Sat 1000-2100 (malls are generally open until 2100).

Special Events
For full details, contact Travel Alberta (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of special events occurring in Alberta in 2005:
Jan-Feb Banff/Lake Louise Winter Festival. Jan 14-16 Ice Magic – Annual Ice Sculpture Competition and Exhibition, Banff. Feb 26 Athabasca Winterfest 2005. Mar 11 Cody Snyder's Bullbustin. Jun Jazz City International Music Festival, Edmonton; Calgary International Jazz Festival. Jul 1 Canada Day Celebrations. Jul 15-16 Peace Fest. Aug Canadian Death Ride 2005, Grand Cache and Edmonton. Aug 19 Jasper Heritage Rodeo. Sep 9 Waynefest Folk Festival. Oct 22 Jasper Root Romp. Dec 10 Farmer’s Market Christmas Bazaar, Drumheller.