Yeg This Weekend: Sept 18-20

Summer ends after this weekend, so it’s your last excuse to wear your summer clothes outdoors. Some fall festivals are already beginning this weekend being celebrated in several communities in the capital region with a couple highlighted in this round-up. The other events happening are of observance with a model train show, film festival, and one in remembrance and honour.

If we’ve missed any major events, please comment below to add them.

PARK(ing) Day (Sept 18) Free

As another event with CityLab, public parking spaces around MacCauley neighbourhood will be taken over on Parking Day with temporary art and event projects on Sept 18. You’ll also notice the city has quietly used this as an opportunity to introduce the new Aboriginal names for 97 St and 101A Av which were unveiled in June. Chinatown has never been more confused in its identity.

Here’s a video on some of the other CityLab projects that have happened including the painted alley.

Access the main intersection by walking 2 blocks east from exit F3 at Churchill Station through Canada Place East exit.

Fort Saskatchewan Fall Festival (Sept 19) Free

If you missed the Sheep Parade in Fort Saskatchewan, there’s still events going on every weekend in September.

This Saturday (10am-4pm) they’ll have their Fall Festival. For food lovers, there is a taste of downtown where you can sample foods from various restaurants in their historical downtown. For kids, there’s pony rides, a petting zoo, balloon animals, and a giant slide. For everyone else, there’s a ferris wheel, caricatures, and other entertainment on the live stage. You can even dunk Mayor Gale Katchur to raise money for local charities.

Information poster located here.

Fire Station 10 Open House (Sept 19) Free

Although all the Fire Stations in the city have hours where the public can request to visit on a free tour, Fire Station 10 will have an Open House on Saturday (12-4pm) where you can tour the station, meet the firefighters, and be interactive with them. It’s an initiative with Fire Safe Communities so it’s also a time to learn about fire safety in your homes and places you work. And remember, when it’s time to change your clocks for the Fall, it’s also time to change out your batteries for your fire alarm. Fire Station 10 is located at 12735 101 Street. Take the 9 from downtown towards Northgate, alight on 127 Ave (after crossing Yellowhead), and cross 97 street and it will be behind the power substation. Since it is a fire station, as a PSA, they do accept food bank donations as well.

If you can’t make it out this Saturday with all the other events going on, here’s a tour of the Meadows Fire Rescue and EMS Station.

Mid-Autumn Festival (Sept 19) Free

Although not scheduled on the actual date of this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival when the full moon is supposed to be the fullest in the Lunar calendar year, the Edmonton version has charms about it you won’t find celebrated anywhere else. The fall festival in China celebrates the moon and the harvest. It’s conceptually similar to Thanksgiving but based around a Chinese folklore. Edmonton’s Mid-Autumn Festival (1pm-10pm) incorporates influences from different regions of Southeast Asia, and includes latern boats and a parade. Bring out your lanterns and join in on the fun as the moon comes up. Most of the events will happen around exit A1 at Churchill Station. Here’s a video from last year’s celebration.

Great Edmonton Model Train Show (Sept 19-20) $

The model train show is always a fascinating one. If you’ve seen the Amazing Race last week you’d know how incredibly complex and detailed it could be. Well, look forward to 21 displays filling up the size of two soccer fields at the Great Edmonton Model Train Show at Millennium Place in Sherwood Park. Despite the size of the models, it’s an expensive hobby. However, admission is only $10, and $5 for 16 and under. Show is Sept 19-20 10am-5pm.A list of all the displays and vendors may be found here.

Sherwood Park’s Strathcona Transit is only an extra dollar for ETS riders with a bus pass or transfer traveling out of Edmonton.

Gotta Minute Film Festival (Sept 14-20) Free

If you’ve taken the LRT this week, chances are you’ve already noticed the minute films being broadcast at the LRT stations. It’s part of the Gotta Minute Film Festival, the first film festival for commuters in Western Canada. With the new advertising tv screens at the platforms, there might not be romanticized projections on the walls of the platform, but there are more films than ever before. In fact, every day is a different program being played.

If you really don’t got a minute on the platform and your train arrives, you can also catch the films on your mobile device or at select Edmonton Public Libraries across the city. Awards will be presented Sunday 2:30-4pm at the Stanley Milner Library (exit F2 at Churchill Station).

RCAF Week (Sept 14-20)

The City proclaimed RCAF week as we remember the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain this year. Eight aviators in Edmonton’s history will have streets named in their honour.

On Saturday, tour the cockpits of rare aircraft and snack on 5 food trucks while you watch a squadron of 200 cadets on parade at the Alberta Aviation Museum. ETS will be on a weekend schedule, so walk 7 blocks west from exit A2 at NAIT station and it should take around 12 minutes.

The week ends on Sunday with an RCAF monument dedication and street naming at McCrae Avenue and Veterans Way in the Village at Griesbach. It’s a 10 minute walk from Castle Downs Transit Centre.

The Home & Renovation Show (Sept 18-20) $

The Edmonton Home & Renovation Show is back at Northlands Expo Centre among the different home trade shows of its type that happen almost every season. But with a market like Edmonton’s, it’s always the place to be for those home-owners and house flippers. Take exit D at Coliseum Station, turn right at the street, and up the stairs to the Edmonton Expo Centre. If reduced mobility, take exit A and cross the pedestrian bridge to the Edmonton Expo Centre. Here’s a Yegventures visit at one of the Home Shows.