Edmonton Tourism

Edmonton, Alberta — Festival City blossoms with great performances when the 101st Annual Edmonton Kiwanis Music Festival comes to life, April 20 through May 6. The gala opening is at McDougall United Church, April 19 at 2:30 p.m. which showcases many of last year's winners playing a wide variety of music.

With 2300 entries featuring 14,000 competitors, the scope of this Edmonton festival is enormous and includes solo players, ensembles, bands, orchestras and choirs. Festival venues include the Cosmopolitan Music Society, McDougall Church, and Grant MacEwan College (Alberta College Campus).It's the best ticket in town with past performers including Robert Goulet, Amanda Forsyth, and Linda Perillo.

One of the all ages Edmonton music festivals, entrants range from four years old to seniors. For those competing, the festival provides a rare chance to perform and be coached by internationally acclaimed adjudicators. Performers also compete for scholarships, worth anywhere from $50 dollars to $1000 dollars. For more information about the 101st Annual Edmonton Kiwanis Music Festival, visit www.edmontonkiwanis.com/musicfest/.

PoFest, Edmonton's Poetry Festival, also roars to life in April, with poets vying for a chance at super-stardom from April 23 to April 26, 2009. Events in Edmonton include the Lit Pub Crawl, where festival goers wander from venue to venue taking in an incredible line-up of special guests. The infamous Killer Blinks event, at the Artery, showcases the brief but deadly art known as "blink poetry" with a multitude of poets performing for 30 seconds each. For huge variety there are also the latte-driven Cafe Readings at a number of Festival City coffee shops. The Glam Slam finale stars poets and musicians performing at the Artery, and offers wordsmiths a chance to win a $500 grand prize. For more information on PoFest in Edmonton, Alberta, visit www.edmontonpoetryfestival.com.

Whether with words or music, the Edmonton calendar of events is springing up with talent this April.

Jenifer Christenson
Executive Director, External Relations
780.917.7890