- Festivals in Edmonton
Edmonton plays host to several large
festival s each year, hence its local nickname as 'the Festival City.'List of festivals
* The last week of April to May 1st is the "May Week Labour Arts Festival" [ [http://www.mayweek.ab.ca May Week Labour Arts Festival] ] a celebration of workers rights and struggles culminating in the
May Day March on May 1st.* In mid-June,
Rapid Fire Theatre hostsImprovaganza , an international festival of improvised comedy that is one of Canada's largest, welcoming improvisors from across the world to a tournament of champions.*
The Works Art & Design Festival , which takes place from late June to early August, showcases Canadian and international art & design from well-know, award-winning artists, as well as emerging and student artists.* The
Free Will Shakespeare Festival (formerly called River City Shakespeare Festival) - Since1989 , the Free Will Players have staged the annual Free Will Shakespeare Festival, which takes place every summer from late June to mid-July. The festival includes full-scale professional productions of two plays byWilliam Shakespeare , as well as Camp Shakespeare - a summer drama camp for youth ages 8–16. All festival activities take place in the 1,000 seat Heritage Amphitheatre in Edmonton's beautiful Hawrelak Park.* In either mid-July or early August, Canada's longest-running Japanese animation festival -
Animethon - is held indowntown Edmonton inGrant MacEwan College . Animethon has been a staple of Edmonton's festival scene since 1993 and welcomes over 4000 attendees during the weekend.* The
Edmonton International Street Performer's Festival [ [http://www.edmontonstreetfest.com/ Edmonton International Street Performer's Festival] ] , taking place in mid-July, showcases street performance artists from around the world.* For two weeks in July, Capital EX (formerly called Klondike Days) provides rides, music and other entertainment. Originally, Klondike Days (or K-Days) was an annual fair and exhibition which eventually adopted a gold rush theme. In early
2006 it was decided that the Klondike theme would be abandoned and the festival would be renamed 'The Capital City Exhibition' (or Capital Ex). Activities includechuckwagon races, carnival rides and fairways, music, trade shows and daily fireworks. Since1960 , the Sourdough Raft Races have also been a popular event.* The Heritage Days Festival is an ethnocultural food festival that takes place in Hawrelak Park on the Heritage Day long weekend (which includes the first Monday in August).
* Mid-summer also is the time of the
Taste of Edmonton food festival , showcasing localrestaurant s.* The
Edmonton International Fringe Festival , which takes place in mid-August inOld Strathcona , is the largest Fringe Theatre Festival in North America, and second only to theEdinburgh Fringe festival in the world.* In August, Edmonton is also host to the
Edmonton Folk Music Festival , one of the most successful and popularfolk music festivals inNorth America .* The
Edmonton International Film Festival , which runs from late September to early October, is now in its 19th year and is one of Canada's primaryfilm festival s.* In early November, Edmonton plays host to the
Canadian Finals Rodeo and Farmfair. This is the crown jewel in Canada's rodeo circuit and second only to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in prestige. Calgary's world-famous Stampede is a stop on the qualifying circuit for this million dollar event.*Other festivals and events include the Yardbird Jazz Festival [ [http://www.yardbirdsuite.com/ Yardbird Jazz Festival] ] , and a
Dragon Boat Festival.Canada Day is celebrated with apancake breakfast and other morning events at the Alberta Legislature grounds, the Silly Summer Parade inOld Strathcona , the Great Dividewaterfall over the High Level Bridge, and eveningfireworks .ee also
*
Festivals in Alberta External links
* [http://www.festivalcity.ca/ Edmonton Festival City]
References
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