Silver Skate Festival

Silver Skate Festival: A Celebration of Culture

    Photo credit: Breann Gurney 


Just as Edmonton is home to its historic communities, it is also home to a variety of different cultures and people who also call this city home. The strive of Edmonton to celebrate and promote its historic communities, as through its revitalization of the Alberta Avenue, is also just as prominent in its celebration and promotion of these cultures. Oftentimes, cultural celebrations take the form of festivals which allow the cultures to be displayed and celebrated by everyone. One such of these celebrations is the Silver Skate Festival; a annually celebrated festival rooted in Dutch culture and tradition that this is celebrating its 28th anniversary.

During the course of the 10-day festival, running February 9-19, there are festivities, sculptures, sports, horse-drawn carriages, an interactive story, "The Land of the Golden Apples" about a princess and a terrible curse, and much more for all Edmontonians alike to attend and enjoy together.
As a grand finale to the days festivities, a large sculpture is set on fire. The symbolic burning serves to represent an end to the curse mentioned in the story, as well as a chance for festival attendants to burn any regrets, sad memories, or unhappy feelings that they have written down during the Latern Walk that leads to the burning of the sculpture.
As the fires burn and take with them the notes written by the festival goers, the night ends with everyone going home with their own happily ever afters and a new sense of community and culture.

Photograph Credit: Breann Gurney