Medicine Hat
Around Medicine Hat
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Alberta · 76k people
Medicine Hat
Locals say The Hat · “The Gas City”, “The Hat”
Where the prairie meets the river, and the gas lights the sky.
Medicine Hat Tigers OrangeRiver Valley Blue
Welcome to The Hat, the sunniest spot in Canada. Grab a coffee, stroll the river valley, and catch a Tigers game – you'll feel at home in no time.
Clubs for Medicine Hat
No clubs for Medicine Hat yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Medicine Hat. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Medicine Hat. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Medalta Potteries Historic pottery factory turned museum
- Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre Museum and performing arts venue
- Co-op Place Home of the Medicine Hat Tigers
- World's Largest Teepee Iconic roadside attraction
- Police Point Park River valley park with trails
- Kin Coulee Park Popular park with playgrounds and picnic areas
- Outdoors Walk or bike the river valley trails
- Outdoors Paddle the South Saskatchewan River
- With kids Visit the World's Largest Teepee
- With kids Explore Medalta Potteries
- Evenings Catch a Medicine Hat Tigers game
- Evenings Watch the Medicine Hat Mavericks
- Locals love River valley parks
- Locals love Pottery studios
Through the year
- Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede July Rodeo, chuckwagon races, and midway
- Medicine Hat JazzFest June Jazz performances across the city
- Farmers Market Summer Local produce and crafts every Saturday
- Christmas Light Up Parade November/December Holiday parade with lights and floats
- Canada Day Celebrations July 1 Fireworks and festivities at the river
Medicine Hat is Canada's sunniest city, with low precipitation and a dry climate. Winters are cold but sunny, while summers are hot and dry. Best: Late spring to early fall is ideal, with long sunny days.
Talk like a local
- “The Hat”
- The city of Medicine Hat
- “Gas City”
- Nickname for Medicine Hat due to natural gas
- “The Stampede”
- The annual exhibition and rodeo
- “The Tigers”
- The Medicine Hat Tigers hockey team
Getaways
- Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park Hiking, camping, and dark sky preserve
- Dinosaur Provincial Park UNESCO site with badlands and fossil tours
- Lethbridge Visit the High Level Bridge and Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden
- Brooks Gateway to Dinosaur Provincial Park
Local flavour
Teams
- Medicine Hat Tigers WHL
- Medicine Hat Mavericks WCBL
Eat and drink
- Perogies
- Saskatoon berry pie Prairie favourite, made from local berries.
- The Hat's 'Gas City' style burgers Local diners and drive-ins serve hearty, no-frills burgers.
Where people go
- Badlands Dramatic eroded landscapes nearby, part of the Red Deer River valley system.
- River valley parks Cottonwood-lined paths and green spaces along the South Saskatchewan River.
- Pottery studios Historic clay industry and local artisan pottery.
- Hockey arenas Community rinks where junior hockey thrives.
Heritage and traditions
Medicine Hat is proud of its nickname 'The Gas City,' its sunny prairie skies, and its deep roots in clay, pottery, and the badlands that surround it.
This time of year in Medicine Hat
- Birdwatching at the sewage lagoons Spring and fall Spring and fall migrations attract birders.
- Harvest festivals in Bow Island Fall Fall celebrates the local corn and agricultural bounty.
Say it like a local: “Gas City” — Nickname for Medicine Hat
Festivals
- Bow Island Cornfest August Celebrates the local corn harvest with food, games, and a parade.
- Medicine Hat Highland Games June Scottish heritage celebration with pipe bands, dancing, and heavy athletics.
- Redcliff Days July A small-town summer festival with a parade, live music, and family activities.
Landmarks with a story
- St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church Historic parish church dating back to the early 1900s, a landmark in the city.
- Medicine Hat Court House Built in 1913, a fine example of Beaux-Arts architecture.
- Ewart Duggan House One of the oldest houses in the city, built in 1887, now a museum.
- Saamis Archaeological Site An ancient bison kill site near the Saamis Teepee, significant to First Nations.
Food traditions
- Hutterite colony produce Local Hutterite colonies sell fresh eggs, chicken, and vegetables at farmers markets, known for their quality.
- Ukrainian community suppers Perogies, cabbage rolls, and borscht are staples at church dinners and community events, reflecting the area's Ukrainian heritage.
- Saskatoon berry picking In summer, families pick wild saskatoon berries along the river valley and bake pies and jams.
- Beef and bison dishes Ranching is big, and locals enjoy steaks and bison burgers from the Cypress Hills region.
Music and arts
- Pottery and ceramics The legacy of Medalta Potteries continues with a thriving ceramics community and the Clay District.
- Jazz The Medicine Hat JazzFest brings local and international jazz musicians each year.
- Country music The Stampede and local bars feature country music, reflecting the prairie culture.
- Theatre The Medicine Hat Musical Theatre produces local shows and fosters community talent.
A little history
- 1883 North-West Mounted Police post established at Medicine Hat
- 1883 Canadian Pacific Railway arrives, spurring growth
- 1904 Natural gas discovered, leading to the nickname 'Gas City'
- 1912 Medalta Potteries founded, starting the clay industry
- 1988 Saamis Teepee built for the Calgary Winter Olympics
Rivalries
- Tigers vs Lethbridge Hurricanes WHL rivalry with southern Alberta neighbours
- Medicine Hat vs Lethbridge Friendly city rivalry for bragging rights
- Mavericks vs Okotoks Dawgs Baseball rivalry in the WCBL
- Game day Medicine Hat Tigers hockey games
- Game day Medicine Hat Mavericks baseball
- Outdoors Walk or bike the river valley trails
- Outdoors Paddle the South Saskatchewan River
- With kids Watch the Medicine Hat Tigers
- With kids Play at Riverside Park spray park
Locals speak with a typical Western Canadian accent, using 'eh' and 'pop' for soft drinks. They often refer to the city as 'The Hat' and take pride in the 'Gas City' nickname.
Only here
- The World's Largest Teepee (Saamis Teepee) stands as a landmark.
- The city had natural gas streetlights as early as 1909, one of the first in Canada.
- The Clay District features old brick buildings from the pottery era.
- The city enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year.
New here? A few tips
- Embrace the sunshine – Medicine Hat is one of Canada's sunniest cities, but winters are cold, so dress in layers.
- Try a perogy at a community supper or church dinner to taste the local Ukrainian heritage.
- Explore the river valley – it's the heart of the city with trails and parks.
- Learn about the Gas City nickname – natural gas has shaped the city's history and economy.
- Be prepared for dry air – keep water handy, especially in summer.
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Nearby
Every areaBrooksAlbertaPrairie warmth and badlands wonder.TaberAlbertaGolden fields, warm hearts, and the sweetest corn.LethbridgeAlbertaWhere the prairies meet the coulees, and the wind tells stories.HavreMontanaBig skies, small towns, and the warmth of the Hi-Line.Cut Bank–ConradMontanaWhere the prairie meets the peaksWest Central SaskatchewanSaskatchewanGolden fields and friendly townsSwift CurrentSaskatchewanWhere the wheat meets the wind.StrathmoreAlbertaSmall town, big skies, warm hearts
Medicine Hat. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.