This week, Kendra sits down with longtime Banff local Matt Widmer, founder and CEO of Wildlife Distillery in Canmore. Born and raised in Banff, Matt reflects on growing up in a small mountain community shaped by skiing, backcountry adventures, and his family’s longtime restaurant in town. The conversation explores how those early roots eventually led him to craft distilling, building Wildlife around local ingredients, Bow Valley hospitality, and a deep connection to place.

What is it you love about winter? Is it the thrill, the beauty, the stillness? As Canadian’s winter is part of our DNA. The snowy season is something that unites from coast to coast. For The Love of Winter, is a podcast that celebrates Canada’s longest season.

This week, Kendra sits down with longtime Bow Valley local and art dealer Doug Maclean, whose connection to Sunshine stretches back to a solo train ride west at just ten years old. From Trapper’s Lodge ski weeks in the early 60s to decades spent carving morning laps before heading into the gallery world, Doug reflects on how the mountains shaped both his life and his eye. The conversation moves from his grandmother skinning into Sunshine in the 1930s to the artists who helped define how we see the Canadian Rockies today. Doug shares how history, art, and skiing intersect in this place, and why the mountains continue to draw people back season after season.

What is it you love about winter? Is it the thrill, the beauty, the stillness? As Canadian’s winter is part of our DNA. The snowy season is something that unites from coast to coast. For The Love of Winter, is a podcast that celebrates Canada’s longest season.

This week, Kendra sits down with Aviva Kohen from Tourism Calgary to explore why the city is so much more than its old “Cowtown” reputation. Aviva shares how Calgary has evolved into a diverse, creative destination that blends big city energy with easy access to the Rockies, supported by a growing international visitor base. Together, they dive into Calgary’s standout food and craft drink scene, unexpected urban winter adventures and “Avant Ski,” Aviva’s idea to encourage visitors to spend time in Calgary before heading to the slopes.

What is it you love about winter? Is it the thrill, the beauty, the stillness? As Canadian’s winter is part of our DNA. The snowy season is something that unites from coast to coast. For The Love of Winter, is a podcast that celebrates Canada’s longest season.