Bring your bicycle to Devon, Alberta
From oil roots to bike town
Devon is rather young in comparison to many Canadian towns. Its foundations trace back only to February 1947, when Imperial Oil Resources discovered oil just one kilometre south of what is now the townsite of Devon.
“We’re an oil-built town, built by Imperial Oil to house all the workers coming to work in the oil fields,” said Kathy Dettman of Devon Lions Park, the local RV campground. “What’s unique is that we’re a stand-alone town, not part of any county—most towns are in a county somewhere.”
To learn more about the history of oil in the area, visitors can head to the Canadian Petroleum Interpretive Centre, a museum just up the highway from Devon.
Though the town was based around the discovery of oil, Devon has recently rebranded itself with a greener identity as a pedal bike town.
“We have big bike races and there’s also the Tour of Alberta, a big international bike tour that comes through Devon,” said Dettman. “We have an excellent trail system that goes into the river valley and a super campground that attracts people to all of these summer events.”
One of the best places to go biking in Devon is the Riverview Bike Park, where patrons can find a skills area, pump tracks, dirt jumps and downhill flow trails. Bikers at Riverview have to remember to keep safety in mind while practicing their tricks and jumps—the park has strict rules about always wearing a helmet.
Music festival
Among the many summer events in Devon, this year will mark the inauguration of the town’s International MusicFest, initiated by the international program at the local high school.
“The high school in Devon has gone to Germany and then German students have come back to Edmonton on exchange in the music program,” said Dettman. “The students have gone back and forth for a number of years and they finally just decided to put on an international music festival.”
The event will feature a gala evening on July 19, a semi-formal affair. The evening will feature dance and music with an international connection. The JMHS Stage Band from Devon and the Winterschneise Blaskapelle from Bom Principio Brazil will be featured individually, each playing their own songs, then the night will conclude with the two bands coming together for one grand performance.
The second day of the International MusicFest will showcase a wide variety of performance genres, from big band to artillery band, and a special appearance by a German dance group from Edmonton. Tickets for both days of the festival can be purchased from the Town of Devon municipal office.
