Edmonton, known as ‘the Festival City’ plays host to over fifty unique events annually. With that many to cram into a year, festivals take place year round with some notable ones in the cold winter months. The high attendance at these colourful, activity-driven festivals attests to both quality and the desire of Edmontonians to get out and embrace winter. It can get cold here! Minus thirty is not uncommon, but we know how to dress for it. Here’s me at Flying Canoe Volant sporting a fur-trimmed Mackage parka that keeps me warm in the deep cold. With hand warmers and alpaca socks I can stay out longer and fully enjoy these events!
Flying Canoe Volant takes place in Millcreek Ravine and La Cite Francophone, inspired by French Canadian, First Nations and Metis traditions. The Flying Canoe is a popular French-Canadian tale of lumberjacks from camps working around the river of Gatineau who make a deal with the devil that would allow their canoe to fly through the skies back home to their sweethearts. As you walk through the beautifully lit trail you will see these voyageurs in their canoes, hear lively fiddle music and taste the bannock and other treats provided for visitors as they warm by the fire.
This year, the festival’s 11th anniversary, world class illuminated works were created by Dylan Toymaker and friends. They made for stunning night time viewing! As well as outdoor stages, School of Song Cabaret, Café Croissant, and Café Bicyclette’s Winter Patio featured DJs and both local and national musicians. Grab a canoe, or a toboggan to pull the little ones in, and join in next year. It’s sure to be a great time for adults and children alike.
Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival returned to 118th Avenue after a segmented event the past couple years. The wind was strong on this sunny, Sunday afternoon and parking sparse but we were not deterred: there was too much fun to be had strolling through the Alberta Avenue district, enchanted by ice sculptures, song, dance and tasty things to eat. One of our favourites is stopping in at Green Onion Cake Man to warm up with a hot snack. Amazing fiddle music, provided by Alex Kusturok enticed us to step into a large tent, set with tables and a bar serving local craft beer. And speaking of crafts, a stop at the Nina Haggerty Centre for Arts might entice you to take home jewelry, paintings, pottery and more by local artisans.
The Deep Freeze enchanted forest hosts mythical creatures sculpted by world-renowned ice, balloon and lantern artists. Cultures of Alberta Avenue and beyond, Ukrainian, French Canadian, Franco African Indigenous, Latin American and Asian, are celebrated with stories and outdoor games. The famous Deep Freezer races are a must.
Last on the tour, although there may be more to come as winter is not yet over, was Silver Skate Festival in Hawrelak park. This is Edmonton’s longest running winter festival, helping us experience what winter has to offer, for over thirty years. It began as an annual skating event on the outdoor pond, rooted in Dutch winter traditions and has expanded into a celebration of winter sport, art, music and games. Snow sculpture is a favourite at the festival with teams of artists demonstrating how to turn blocks of snow into magical creations.
A unique feature of this festival is the fire sculpture installation, the grand finale. Artists were asked to consider the journey from darkness to light and how we can regain our voice, to sing again. Join in for the burn each evening to top off spectacular light displays and a day of figure skating demonstrations, blacksmithing and winter triathlon. And, of course, no winter festival would be complete without Cabane a sucre, the French Canadian tradition of a toffee-pull. Drizzle some maple syrup onto ice to turn it into a sweet and sticky treat.
