Alec Baldwin was all smiles when he arrived in Calgary last night.

"It is so nice to be back. I've said this before and I'll be saying it again but there is no more beautiful place in the world than Southern Alberta. The beauty Banff and Canmore offer is unparalleled. The Canadian Rockies are truly breathtaking," said Baldwin as he shook hands, chatted and posed with members of the airport's White Hat welcoming committee.

The Calgary ambassadors had waited two hours for Baldwin and fellow celebrity passenger Jason Priestley whose plane had suffered a two-hour delay in Los Angeles.

They all agreed the wait was worth it because Baldwin and Priestley were so charming and accommodating.

The two actors were the first celebrities to arrive for the Waterkeeper Alliance annual fundraiser that kicks off at Banff's Sunshine Village on Thursday. The event is organized by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mary Richard Kennedy to raise money for his environmental organization, Riverkeeper.

"I've been friends of the Kennedy family for years. I like to help out Robert with this charity tournament every couple of years," says Baldwin.

The Oscar-nominated actor is particularly excited about his participation this year.

"I'm co-hosting the event (with Meg Ryan) this year. That's an honour."

It won't be all work.

"I'm an avid skier so that's also big appeal in coming here for me."

Baldwin spent two months in 1996 in the Canmore and Banff areas filming the mountain thriller The Edge with Anthony Hopkins. Like many stars who film in Alberta, Baldwin considered buying property in the province. He joked last night about the rising loonie and rising real estate prices in Alberta putting a damper on that plan. "The time to have bought property up here would have been back when I was filming The Edge. It was more to my advantage back then."

Baldwin is taking these next six days off from what is one of the busiest times in his 25-year career. He is one of the most sought after character actors in Hollywood today.

He is currently starring as airline mogul Juan Trippe opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator and has already completed roles in Elizabethtown and Mimi's First Time.

Baldwin's fellow skier Priestley considers Alberta his second home.

"It seems I'm up here every six months working or playing and I'm definitely not complaining," says Priestley, 35, who shot such films as Cover Story and Chicks With Sticks in the area.

He also attended Kennedy's fundraiser two years ago. "It was a blast. It's great to be part of it again," Priestley says.

"I'm from British Columbia. I've been skiing and playing hockey all my life.

"I feel at home on ice and snow."

Though he'll be competing against such celebrities as Woody Harrelson, Treat Williams, Peter Fonda, Fran Drescher and William Shatner, Priestley is not making any bets.

"No matter what event I'm competing in, I never make predictions.

"I really only compete against myself and these (fundraising) events are really more about entertainment."

Tickets for this fundraiser, which cost $325 per person, are still available and can be purchased by calling (403)762-6860.