
Grand Prairie is the main city in the northwestern part of the province of Alberta within Western Canada. It is named after the prairie, which was first occupied by the Beaver First Nation bands who began their trade with the North West Company at Dunvegan in the early 1800's. In the year 1910, the Grand Prairie Townsite was sub-divided, and in the year 1912, it included a hotel, a post office, a land office, and a bank. During the year 1911, the Edson Trail from Edson to Grande Prairie was opened in order to help settlers reach Grande Prairie. This move led to the development of large scale settlements in the area, moving it further compared to other major farming regions within southern Canada. During 1914, Grande Prairie was incorporated as a village by the Province of Alberta. The construction of Highway 43 in the year 1956 significantly cut down traveling time, which further enhanced Grand Prairie's economy and accessibility. It was incorporated as a City in the year 1958 with an estimated population of 7,600 during that time.
There are numerous locations in the city for music enthusiasts to enjoy, including downtown bars, like for instance the GPRC's Howler's Lounge. There are lots of festivals which occur within the city like for instance summer-long festivals, that are funded and organized by charitable foundations and private individuals. The type of its music scene has been dominated by emo, metal and punk bands. Some of the more popular ones include the Emerson Drive, The Goodbye Generation, Reject, Damn Plastards, Calculating Collapse, and This Conviction. The Grand Prairie Live Theatre and the Douglas J. Cardinal Performing Arts Centre are great entertainment places to see a reenactment of life's greatest stories.