Beers, Brews and Fort Building for a Cause

June 08, 2022

Beers, Brews and Fort Building for a Cause

What do interior designers, beer sampling, barbecue and local businesses have in common? They all play a part in the charity event Barley & Smoke, which is back for its third year of fundraising for the Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta. The event, which takes place at ENMAX Park in August, embraces two of the best parts of summer — barbecue grilled by local restaurants and beers from local breweries. Attendees get to vote for their favourites in categories like “Best Ribs” and “Best Pairing.”

Barley & Smoke was the brainchild of Carlos Soares, CEO of Divine Flooring. Soares was inspired by his own journey with cancer and the challenges he faced in treatment and wanted to find a way to give back. Today, after two successful years of fundraising, Barley & Smoke is expected to raise $125,000 for Kids Cancer Care.

The Tailor & Dress Up Shoppe designed by Barb Walters of Jam Interiors was one of several miniature buildings that make up the mini western town.

Besides the barbecue and beer tasting, one of the event’s most unique features began last year. Organizers brought together local architects, designers and contractors to create a kid-sized old-fashioned western town. The town, which is an event highlight, is displayed at ENMAX Park during the fundraiser. Afterwards, it moves to Camp Kindle, the summer camp run by Kids Cancer Care, for campers to play in.

“Some forts are made out of recycled products, so they look old and sort of distressed,” says Barb Walters, founder of Jam Interiors and “Chief Fort Wrangler” volunteer. “The saloon last year was made from barn board from a barn in Alberta that was taken down. They all have a unique story.”

In 2021, the town consisted of five forts — a sheriff’s office and jail, a bakery café, a theatre, a tailor and dress-up shop and a saloon. This year, five more forts will be added, including a bank, general store, schoolhouse, hotel and a train station.

“I just think that it’s such a unique way a design firm can give back using our resources and our design knowledge,” says Alykhan Velji, principal of Alykhan Velji Designs. Velji leads the team designing the hotel this year. “We’re just really looking forward to creating a super, unique, fun hotel lobby experience for the kids,” he says.

A rendering of the interior of the miniature hotel planned for this year’s western town designed by Aly Velji.

Besides giving back, the architects, designers and contractors all agree building the forts is an exciting challenge, unlike anything they’ve done before.

“The coolest thing about this whole project is the fact that something can exist not just through one season, but that this little community exists for many years and will have lots of little heartbeats running through it every summer,” says Jennifer Mehalko, founder and principal designer at Environment Design Studio, and part of the 2022 team of fort designers.

“It’s also seeing the world through a child’s eyes,” adds principal designer and co-founder Jenelle Erickson of SmithErickson Designs, which will create the train station fort this year. “Kids are always making up their little fairy tales in their own head. I think our fort is going to be a fun little interactive spot for them where they can play out a story.”

Behind the scenes with the SmithErickson Design Studio selecting materials and reviewing sketches of the Train Station – one of this year’s miniature buildings destined for Camp Kindle.

Attendees also have the chance to win their own miniature fort for their backyard, thanks to Calbridge Homes’ Miniature Dream Home Lottery Playhouse. The vision of the Calbridge design team is to create a waterfront playhouse property for kids ages 5 to 12 that inspires creativity, builds relationships, provides shelter and houses memories, moments and dreams for the little ones. The mini building will be auctioned off to the highest bidder, with all proceeds donated to Kids Cancer Care.

Barley & Smoke takes place at ENMAX Park on August 27, 2022, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. General Admission tickets are $95 and $200 for VIP. For more information, visit barleysmoke.ca.



Leave a comment

Comments will be approved before showing up.


Also in DIVINE MUZES

Divine Flooring CEO Carlos Soares jumps in playhouse lottery pool designed and built by Calbridge Homes for the 2022 Barley & Smoke charity fundraising event
Finding Hope in Adversity

August 24, 2023

Local businessman Carlos Soares is the man behind the vision for Barley & Smoke. In 2000, while his wife Tammy is pregnant with their first child, he receives the devastating news that he has stage 3 cancer. With his loving father by his side at the cancer clinic, he is overwhelmed with emotion - he has pelvic carcinoma and the tumour is the size of a football. He is too young to go - he has a new son on the way and can't leave his young wife to raise a child on her own. Determined to overcome this setback with every fibre of his being, he undergoes life-saving surgery and several rounds of chemotherapy. With his mind and spirit focused on recovery, Carlos becomes cancer free. His journey motivates him to help others battling cancer, especially children.

Read More

attendees in the VIP lounge at the annual Barley & Smoke charity event toasting their cups of Caesar cocktails
Local Breweries & Restaurants Compete in Barley & Smoke to Raise Funds for Children with Cancer

August 24, 2023

On Saturday, August 26 from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm over 30 local breweries and restaurants will join forces in the fourth annual Barley & Smoke: Grillin’ for a Cure at Enmax Park (Elbow River Pathway & MacDonald Ave SE) when Calgary chefs and brew masters go head to head for the title of Best Beer, Best Beverage, Best BBQBest Street Food and Best Vendor Tent. The annual craft beer and BBQ food-tasting event raises funds for Kids Cancer Care.

Read More

Freshly redesigned vignettes at the Divine Flooring flagship showroom are revealed to guests at a party
Divine Flooring Reveals Newly Designed Vignettes at Flagship Location

July 24, 2023

Six all star Interior Designers were assigned the clandestine task of redesigning the company's lifestyle themed vignettes. These small alcoves of inspiration located within the showroom are meant to ignite the imagination of the new homeowner, renovator or professional client along their flooring purchasing journey. The vignettes convey an art gallery like appeal and are unique to Divine Flooring

Read More