FALKLAND

Is a small community located in the northwest corner of the Okanagan Valley, 44 kilometers northwest of Vernon along Highway #97.

Named from Falkland Warren, a retired British colonel, who opened the area’s first post office and whom, was one of Falkland’s first white settlers, Falkland is located in a heavy ranching area with lots of farms surrounding the community, it celebrates this lifestyle and heritage with a popular international stampede and rodeo that is held here every May long weekend (Victoria Day). Falkland is also well-known for its Canadian patriotism as it is home of a huge metal Canadian Flag on a hillside that overlooks the community to the east. Constructed in 1992 and considered to one of Canada’s largest made-made Canadian flags ever built, the flag is measured 28 feet long (2X6 lumber framework), held intact by 8 14 meter-long telephone poles, 84 metric ton cement bricks, and its metal is attached by an astonishing 3,500 screws. A big draw for tourists, visitors and photographers, the flag can be seen up to about 10 kilometers away at both ends of the community and is even illuminate and lit at night.

First known as Slahaltkan, Falkland’s history dates back to when the members of the Salish Indian Tribes gathered food for the tribes to eat for the winter. “Slahaltkan”, is a First Nations word for “meeting of the winds”, a reference to the ever-changing breeze and frequent direction of the wind this area is often prone to.

Falkland’s population: 620