There may still be a few spots available to take the Amazing Cochrane Culture Quest this Sunday, Sept. 12.

The Cochrane Immigrant Services Committee (CISC) can accommodate 30 carloads of people for a journey around the globe without having to leave the community.

There have been a few cancellations, and interested people are encouraged to join the waitlist should any spots shake free.

You can register by clicking here or emailing cisccochrane@gmail.com.

Regardless, it's worth heading to the east parking lot of the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre for what will be a spectacular and touching send-off. It begins shortly after 12 noon and will last until about 1 p.m.

"We'll have a send-off party representing different nations here in Cochrane," explains Caroline Barclay, of the organizing committee. "They will be lined up, some of them wearing their traditional outfits."

The Stoney Nakoda First Nation will have a strong presence at the send-off.

There's more planned, but organizers want to keep it a surprise.

The quest is an amazing race-style scavenger hunt.

There are 11 stops. Teams will receive two clues to discover each of their locations. Once there, teams get their souvenir passport stamped, take part in a short activity about the culture, and receive clues for the next stop.

"I'm not telling you what they're going to be doing, because that's part of the surprise, but it has something to do with the culture of the country they are visiting," she says, "and the traditions that will be presented, or the things they'll be doing."

After completing the quest, participants return to the SLS rec centre, where they can enter to win prizes and have their picture taken with the "Amazing Cochrane Culture Quest" sign.

Cochrane continues to grow in cultural diversity as its population increases.

"Definitely, there are more than 10 nations represented in Cochrane, but this is a start," says Barclay. 

COVID restrictions are being carefully followed.