“Discover the World,” at Edmonton’s Heritage Festival this
long weekend! Experience worldwide cul
ture on a local and personal level without leaving the city! This is a celebration of Edmonton’s vibrant multicultural backdrop, with 67 pavilions representing over 85 cultures, and over 500 delicious menu items to sample from.
Food tickets are available at the festival site, or purchase them in advance at Save on Foods, Servus Credit Union branches, or Tix on the Square. Entrance to the festival is free, but don’t forget to bring a non-perishable food donation for the Edmonton Food Bank. Over the years the festival has collected 1.4 million kilograms of food for the Food Bank! This year they hope to beat last year’s record of 85,000 kilograms of donated food.
Catch the kickoff on at noon on Saturday to hear “O Canada” sung by each pavilion in its native language. Record a video of yourself singing the national anthem, and use the hashtag #heritagefestocanada for a chance to be featured in a video celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary next year.
New & Exciting Stops This Year
Drop by the Centre for Newcomers, featuring five brand new mini-pavilions for Barbados, Syria, Togo, Burundi, and Mali. Other never-before-seen pavilions include Puerto Rico and Liberia. After years of absence, Tanzania, Uganda, and Spain make a grand return to the festival in 2016.
Be sure to stop by the three Iranian tents this year to experience the regional multiculturalism of Iran. Food tents will be serving up kebabs, Iranian ice cream, watermelon and baklava. In the cultural tent, eight distinct regional Iranian dance groups will perform every half hour.
Getting There
There is no on-site parking at the festival. Bicycling, walking, and bussing are the best ways to get there. ETS offers park and ride services and shuttle services in various neighbourhoods. Or, book a Tapp Car to take you to the festival site. Skip the ticket lineups, and purchase your tickets while you ride, using the Tapp Car app or call 780-222-5555.
Festival Hours
Saturday, July 30: 12pm – 9pm
Sunday, July 31: 10am to 9pm
Monday, August 1: 10am to 7pm
—Danielle Mohr
