If you're a fan of the TV show Heartland, chances are you were hanging out on 3rd Avenue in High River on Fri. Sept. 4.

Some of the characters in the show made their final stop in High River for the Cruise With A Cause fundraiser, where they rode motorcycles to various towns to raise money for the Canadian Mental Health Association.

The street was packed all day with very excited fans, including Avalon Banks, who came all the way from Three Hills, Alta. with her dad to meet the cast.

"I wanted to meet the characters and see what they were like in reality," she said. "I saw (Alisha Newton) and (Graham Wardle) and my heart stopped when I saw them."

Members of the cast thrilled the crowds by serving up pancakes for breakfast, while interacting with the group by signing autographs, having their photos taken and participating in a Q&A.

And for the first time ever, Maggie's Dinner, was opened to the public.

High River Visitor Information Centre representative, Madeleine Meszaros, says events like this are great for the town because they bring in people who wouldn't normally come.

An inside look at Maggie's Diner

"We've had a couple people come from Manitoba, Ontario, some people from Saskatchewan, people from all over Alberta, like Edmonton, Turner Valley, Black Diamond and Spruce Grove," she said. "We've had a couple people come from the States and even some from Northern BC."

Businesses in town saw the effect of this event as well, as A Little Of This was packed at times and the Museum of the Highwood also got rushes of people coming to check out its Heartland exhibit.

And of course, tourists got to enjoy the newly redesigned 3rd Avenue.

Avalon's father from Three Hills, Darrell Banks, said he was really impressed with how great High River looks, given all that it's gone through.

"We've only seen a bit of it, but considering what's happened here in the last few years, it looks pretty nice—very homey," he said.