About Us

Hi, I’m Shandy — the heart behind River Events and Rentals.

My Métis roots run deep in Alberta. My great grandfather was raised in Buttertown near Fort Vermilion. He worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company, moving freight up and down the Peace River — by dog sled in the winter and by boat and horse-drawn wagon in the summer. He also served as a Cree interpreter for the RCMP, Hudson’s Bay company and local doctors. That history is part of who I am and has shaped the land-based values I carry with me today.

I grew up just outside of Brooks, Alberta, and some of my best memories are from summers spent living in a tipi. We got our first tipi when I was 8 years old, and we’d set it up at Lake Newell every summer. My cousins would often join us, and our days were filled with riding horses, swimming, and sharing stories around the fire.

We slept on air mattresses and cooked all our meals inside the tipi on the open fire. We even washed our dishes inside the tipi, warming our water in a large pot on the fire, then pouring it into a gopher hole we had purposefully set the tipi up over — a little tradition that always stuck with us. It was simple living, but it felt magical.

Horses were a huge part of my life. I rode nearly every day and competed in rodeo and barrel racing. One summer, we set the tipi up at Rolling Hills Lake, where we kept the horses nearby and rode them bareback into the water to swim — a memory I’ll never forget.

Our first tipi canvas was hand-painted by a Native artist with beautiful images of our horses, making the space feel even more meaningful. Our family now owns 5 tipis.

River Events and Rentals was born from that same spirit — a place to reconnect with nature, embrace simplicity, and make lasting memories. I’ve built this business with plenty of love, help, and support from my mom, Shelley, who has been there every step of the way. Her hard work, creativity, and encouragement have helped bring this dream to life.

Whether you’re staying in one of our tipis, visiting for a glamping weekend, or hosting a special event, I hope you feel the warmth, welcome, and heart that’s always been part of this land — and part of my story.