Community Mental Health Fair Returns May 2 with Guest Speakers, Youth Voices and Swag Bags

If your spring calendar is starting to fill up, here’s one event worth making room for.

The Community Mental Health Fair is happening on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Chestermere Recreation Centre (main hall). It brings together local organizations, youth voices, and a couple of very recognizable Canadian athletes for a day focused on connection, resilience, and real-life mental wellness.

It’s free, drop-in, and zero pressure. Come for five minutes or stay the whole afternoon.

Special Guest Speakers

The event features keynote talks from Jon Cornish and Jocelyn Peterman.

Jon Cornish, former Calgary Stampeders running back, has become a strong voice for mental health, speaking openly about performance pressure and life beyond sport.

Jocelyn Peterman, world champion curler and Olympian, knows a thing or two about handling pressure, staying focused, and bouncing back when things don’t go your way.

Together, they’ll share honest, real-world insight on resilience and what it actually looks like when life gets hard.

What to Expect

This isn’t a sit-quietly-and-listen kind of event. It’s designed to be interactive, welcoming, and actually useful.

Here’s what’s happening:

• Youth-led presentations on topics that matter right now:

  • Aging and adapting: ways older adults can support their mental health

  • Impacts of AI: how tools like ChatGPT can affect mental health, plus how to use them safely

  • Supporting men’s mental health

• An interactive trade fair with local mental health supports and resources

• Booths where you can ask questions, have real conversations, and find what fits for you

• Door prizes throughout the day

• Coffee and refreshments to keep things relaxed

• Swag bags for the first 100 attendees, filled with feel-good goodies, mental wellness tools, practical items you’ll actually use, and a few surprises

  • One bag per household

  • Bring a donation for the Chestermere Food Bank and you’ll score a second bag

Why It Matters

Mental health conversations are getting more open, but they can still feel heavy or awkward. Events like this make it easier. You can show up, look around, learn something new, or just feel a bit more connected to what’s available in the community.

Event Details at a Glance

• Date: May 2, 2026

• Time: 11:00 am to 3:00 pm

• Location: Chestermere Recreation Centre, Main Hall

• Cost: Free

• Who Can Attend: Everyone