It’s hard to believe that the Boardwalk Ice On Whyte Festival has been Edmonton’s winter favourite for only 15 years. From its original location at McIntyre Park, to End-of-Steel Park, to this year being right on Whyte Avenue, the festival has gone through several changes. Let’s go back 16 years before Ice On Whyte began. Back in 2002, the closest ice carving festival was over 3 hours away, if you’d brave the unpredictable winter driving…
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Over 5,000 people made a pilgrimage to St Albert the Great Parish in southeast Calgary for the public veneration of the relic of St Francis Xavier. Nearly 2,500 attended Sunday Mass at the church in the presence of the incorrupt arm of the saint, on a special tour marking Canada’s sesquicentennial celebrations. An additional 200 more visitors waited patiently in a line overflowing into the basement as evening vespers prayers with the relic after mass….
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On Law Day April 22, 2017, visitors get to have a tour of the court rooms, get locked up in a paddy wagon, take selfies behind bars, and ask legal questions to experts face to face. Exhibitors will also be there for further learning and information. If you received a traffic ticket, get tips and pointers on how to proceed, whether to save money or to fight your ticket. There’s activities for all ages and items…
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Don’t miss the light up of the most extensive Christmas light display in the city. It MAY be the first time Rachel Notley will take the honour of launching this Alberta holiday tradition which began in 1985. 2016 Celebrate the Season (Dec 2-23, 2016, light up Dec 1) The December 2nd event will begin Celebrate The Season, a 3 week long festivity (Dec 2-23, 2016) at the Alberta Legislature featuring daily performances by choirs across the…
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Here’s an enlightening history of lights on the Edmonton skyline. While ATB Lights was a one time even (for now), it continues three decades of Edmonton’s experimentation with light to brighten up the city. After all, the city at latitude 53 does get up to 17 hours of evening darkness in the winter. Here’s an enlightening history of lights on the Edmonton skyline. Last week, Edmonton’s skyline had a unique lights show when ATB Place was lit…
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With spring just arriving in Edmonton, everyone is just dying to go out and take some refreshing photos with family, friends, and that special someone. In Edmonton, the golden window for tree blossoms around the city has been between May 18 to May 28. Note that these are tree blossoms, as opposed to bush blossoms, which started blooming early in 2016 early on April 19, so be prepared for any week now. Here are some…
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The 109 Street Subway, also known as the Rat Hole, was a tunnel under the original CN Rail yard in downtown Edmonton. Built in 1927 and completed in 1928, it served as a 2 lane tunnel (one lane each direction) connecting downtown and Kingsway traffic for over seven decades. There was much love for this little hole in the ground, and much hate for it as a second parallel tunnel was never built to alleviate…
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Pope Francis declared the 2016 church year a Jubilee year of Mercy. His Holiness asked the Holy Door be opened in every diocese around the world. The Holy Door is a designated door of a cathedral which remains closed until a year of Jubilee. In Edmonton, Archbishop Richard Smith blessed the doors on Gaudete Sunday (December 13, 2015) and opened the doors in communion with churches around the world. While the Holy Doors in Rome open every…
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The 4th annual Valley Zoo Festival of Light has its theme this year as Zoominescence. It’s already becoming an Edmonton holiday favourite. The Valley Zoo is lit up by several light installations and open to visitors for rare evening visits. The 2016 Festival of Light, hosted by the Valley Zoo Development Society, has been extended until Friday, December 23! See full information here. Admission is less than regular price and you get to go into the zoo…
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It’s a mouthful but it’s a whole lotta fun as the annual Christmas tree gets lit up in Churchill Square. Holiday Light Up On The Square this year is Saturday, Nov 14, 2015 from 4-7pm and is free. Organized by the Downtown Business Association, there will be family fun (including family-friendly burlesque) after the City Market closes with extended hours. Fireworks will launch as the tree is lit up. Food bank donations will also be accepted…
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