Colourful Sights and Sounds Spark Festival City this August
Upcoming entertainment in Edmonton includes the Caribbean Carnival, Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival, Sobeys Symphony Under the Sky and more
Edmonton, Alberta – Late summer is all about extraordinarily colourful sights and sounds in Festival City – whether it's cruising dragon boats down the North Saskatchewan River, partying it up in Caribbean celebrations, or hearing symphonies under the sky.
Cariwest (August 7 – 9) brings the spirit of Caribbean Carnival to Edmonton. The festival includes the Colourful Costume Extravaganza, August 7, 7:00 p.m. at the Shaw Conference Centre, and the Annual Cariwest Caribbean Carnival Parade, August 8, at Jasper Avenue and 121 Street. Enjoy the sweet sounds of a steel pan drum, savour the flavour of West Indian Cuisine, and 'jump up' in the streets as you dance alongside the Mas band parade. Calypso music will resonate through your soul at the Cariwest Fete, August 8, 9:00 p.m. at the Hellenic Hall. Visit the Caribbean Village at Sir Winston Churchill Square for food and drinks while enjoying fabulous family entertainment in Edmonton.
Launching at Louise McKinney Riverfront Park, the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival (August 21 – 23) is Alberta's largest festival and competition event. The colourful dragon boats, sporting fun-loving volunteer crews, have been creating a huge splash on the Edmonton festival scene for thirteen years. This year's Go Green theme showcases environmentally friendly products and ideas. The Festival promotes multiculturalism, sporting and fun all in three days of competitive river racing. Dragon boat racing traces back 2,000 years to Southern China when dragon head boats encouraged rains and harvest.
Late summer heralds Sobeys Symphony Under the Sky (September 4 – 7). The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra takes over Hawrelak Park filling the air with five amazing concerts. Kicking off Friday night at 7:00 p.m. is "Sparkling Classics" featuring fabulous piano solos. Extraordinary soprano Kathleen Brett performs favourites in "Operamania" on Saturday, 2:00 p.m., and on Saturday, 7:00 p.m., in "Hollywood Adventures and Romances." Sunday it's "Family Concert" time at 2:00 p.m. when kids get in free. Sunday night "Simply Sinatra" serenades at 7:00 p.m. The Festival concludes with the 20th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery in "Trumpets and Tchaikovsky", Sunday, 2:00 p.m. Don't miss the crowd favourite finale: the 1812 Overture with live cannons!
Cariwest
August 7 – 9, 2009
Various venues in Edmonton
Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival
August 21 – 23, 2009
Louise McKinney Riverfront Park
www.edmontondragonboatfestival.com
Sobeys Symphony Under the Sky
September 4 – 7, 2009
Hawrelak Park
For more information about Edmonton festivals and events, visit www.festivalcity.ca.
Jenifer Christenson
Executive Director, External Relations
780.917.7890
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