🎟️ Event Review:
📍 Quick Facts
- Event Type: Public appearance, Fan event
- Location: Undisclosed film set
- Duration: Full Day
- Ticket Info: By invitation only
When I first saw the article written on CBC Calgary, I was excited but not hopeful. I mean, what were our chances of being picked?
‘This year, we’re doing something we’ve never done before… hosting TWO Fan Extras Days, on MONDAY, AUGUST 10 & TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2026. Whether you call Alberta home or you’re willing to make the trip, we’d love to have you out for our favourite time of year. Selected fans will join the Heartland cast and crew on either MONDAY, AUGUST 10TH or TUESDAY, AUGUST 11TH, spending the afternoon as part of a rodeo scene crowd.’
‘If you want to participate in the Season 20 Fan Extras Days, please RSVP HERE’ (that’s not a button; this is just me telling the story…please don’t click there)
Boy, did I ever want to apply! I clicked that button, filled out the form and then went on my way.
I was a latecomer to the Heartland Fan base. The popular CBC series has had very special meaning to me for almost 10 years now. To tell this story properly, I have to go back to 2017.
We’re living in Newfoundland, and our son had just graduated and had gotten his first job in his field….
I remember him calling with mixed emotions to tell me,
‘I got a job, Mom, but you’re not going to like it. It’s in Calgary, and I leave in two weeks!’
I was ever so excited for him, but not feeling so good about the fact that he was going so far away.
Time passes, and he’s a brand-new Calgarian. I knew he was all grown up, but a mother’s heart is what it is…he and his new Alberta home felt VERY far away. I didn’t know a whole lot about Calgary itself, other than, in terms of Canadian cities, it was really big. I pictured a Canadian version of New York City; skyscrapers, old buildings, dirty sidewalks and unfriendly people.
It was at this time that I found Heartland. I watched, fascinated, as this Canadian television favourite told the story of a family from a fictional small town called Hudson, in Alberta. Even more interesting to me was the fact that it was filmed just outside Calgary, and it was beautiful there. There were absolutely breathtaking mountains, quaint ranches, farmers’ fields as far as the eye could see, and there were good people. It gave me more comfort than most people realize.
I got to the point where I heard the theme song and saw those far-away mountains in the opening credits, it would make me teary-eyed. It made me feel like my kid would be ok.
Side note: I couldn’t even get through writing that without getting all welled up.
Fast forward to the present day, and Geoff and I have since followed the younger generation out west and are happily living in Calgary ourselves. Those beautiful mountains that I once watched on the TV show are a daily view for me, and I swear, I will never get used to seeing them.
The incoming mailbox dings, and I’ll be danged, but it’s a…
‘We are excited to share that you have been selected to participate at the Heartland Fan Extras Day on TUESDAY, AUGUST 11TH, 2026. Thank you for your RSVP to participate in Heartland’s milestone 20th season!’
My hands were shaking so much when I RSVPed that I was afraid I would somehow delete the invite.
I did my research and saw that the fans day had never happened on ‘the Ranch’ before, but there was a clause in the invitation about ‘keeping the location secret’. We didn’t know where we were going yet, but we would get last-minute instructions with details.
I was still convinced we were going to Heartland Ranch.
The day before the event, the instruction sheet arrived with a map to a local racetrack. Geoff tried to manage my expectations, fearing I would be disappointed, but I secretly held my convictions.
Finally, it’s the day of the big event; we get all dressed up in our finest rodeo attire and off we go. We were both as nervous as teenagers on a first date.
As we pulled into Millarville racetrack, we saw our first sign: ‘Heartland parking here’
We parked and registered. They were very careful to ensure we had everything we needed from our cars because once we checked in, we wouldn’t be able to access them anymore.
We took our place with the other fans in the racetrack’s bleachers.
It was only then that we were told that buses were waiting to take us to a secret location. I turned to Geoff and excitedly whispered, ‘I frikkin knew it, we’re going to Heartland Ranch’
The bus ride was quick. Everybody was jovial and excited at the beginning of the ride, but when the convoy of buses turned the corner and we all caught our first look at Heartland Ranch, that level expanded tenfold. You could cut the electricity in the air.
One family, visiting from France, had two young girls— who apparently had no idea where they were going that day— burst into tears at the sight of the filming location.
The bus rolled past that iconic ‘Heartland’ sign. I felt like pinching myself; I’m sure nobody aboard the bus could believe it. We were really here.
From here, we were given firm instructions; certain areas were off-limits. No running amok wherever we pleased. As we walked, we were shown where the bathrooms and water-filling stations were located. Excited chatter was all around us.
‘Look, there’s the ranch house,’ I said to Geoff.
‘Oh my God, it’s the barn,’ said another fan.
‘That’s Caleb’s and Jack’s truck,’ said another voice.
By the time we took our seats in the bleachers, we all felt like we’d seen enough of Heartland for a paid tour. It was exciting.
We settled into the bleachers and got our ‘acting’ orders: Pay careful attention to the director’s instructions. Clap or cheer when told to cheer or applaud. We were allowed to take photos between scenes but not when they were filming. We were to act like rodeo fans who were watching a real rodeo.
Words like…
Lock it up: stop all movement, vehicle traffic, and background noise near set.
Roll sound: The sound recordist is cued and replies ‘speeding’ once audio is recording.
Roll camera: The camera operator starts the camera and confirms it is running.
Frame: The camera operator calls out ‘frame’, meaning he’s got his angle of the scene locked into position.
Action: The director cues the actors to start.
…all became commonplace through the rest of the day.
We cheered and hoorayed when asked to do so. We fake/mime clapped so as not to spook the horses and cows. We oohed and aahhed.
Just for one afternoon, we were actors, pretending to be watching a rodeo… as the real actors (and stunt doubles) worked the scenes. Sometimes they ran the same scenes over and over until they got it right. ‘Moving on,’ told us that they were content with the footage.
In between sets, the stars of the show came to chat with us. While the crew worked to set up the next scene, they asked and answered our questions, and they entertained us with stories and jokes.
For us, the crowd in the bleachers, it was surreal to be close to ‘Jack’, ‘Georgie’, ‘Caleb’, ‘Amy ’, and ‘Lou’. Even though we all knew they were actors who played a role, and they talked to us like themselves…the hardcore Heartland fans amongst us were ‘geeking out’ over the fact that we were there in the flesh at Heartland Ranch, watching these ‘characters’ play their part. It was pretty darn cool.
It was also interesting to watch the stunt doubles first work the scenes, then see the actors/stars get ready to step in and do their part. As they transitioned from stunt double to the real McCoy, it was like there were two ‘Lous’ and two ‘Katies’; from the stands, it was hard to tell them apart. Props to Alisha Newton, aka Georgie, for doing all her own stunt work.
It was still super cool to see Michelle Morgan (Lou), Baye McPherson (Katie) and Alisha Newton work the cattle in the ring. I can’t wait to see how they put it all together when it airs on CBC.
The crew and actors were all amazing; they made us feel like part of the show, and they made the day feel very special.
At the end of the day, when the television cameras were all packed away, they asked us to stay in our seats for just a moment longer as they took a ‘class picture’ of all the actors and us in the background. It would become the poster for season 20… and we would be in it!
When it was finally time to get back on board the buses, there was a hush. Everybody’s tushes were half gone from sitting in the bleachers the whole day, but wow, what a day it had been.
We all went away feeling like we had really contributed to the little TV show they called Heartland and that we were lucky enough to spend the day rubbing elbows with Canadian cowboy royalty.
📊 Scorecard
- Organization and Flow: 5/5
- Engagement & Content: 5/5
- Location & Venue Comfort: 5/5
- Value for Money: 5/5
- ⭐ Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars
