Winterlights Festival Edmonton - Upcoming Event "Common Ground"

Where in the World Are You?  Featuring the city of
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.  Keeping the fun in winter with:

COMMON GROUND


February 4th and 5th, 2011

Fri 6pm-8pm, Sat 11am-8pm

Giovanni Caboto Park (95 street and 108 A Avenue)

Welcome to Common Ground, a new mid-winter festival that brings people together through music, light, stories, and old-fashioned winter fun. Common Ground features the cultural communities that represent the McCauley neighbourhood coming together to share arts and crafts, heritage, games, and activities.

Visit a Heritage Camp with six traditional shelters, take in some African drumming and music, enjoy Italian food and costumes, and be awed by the Asian New Year display.

Friday evening's program includes the opening ceremonies and a lantern parade, a traditional blessing, the lighting of fires, cultural entertainment and special guests, all reflecting the vitality of the inner city.

On Saturday, Giovanni Caboto Park becomes a fun-filled winter festival site with dance, music, poetry, sledding, and roving performers. Everyone can get in on the action by testing their skills at the Snowshoe Hare Hop, a fun tribute to Canada's winter history and wildlife. 

Schedule

Friday: Opening Ceremonies
6 pm – 8 pm

• Lantern Parade
• Blessing of Event, Honour Song
• VIP and Guests Welcome
• Lion Dance, Canadian Ging Wu Kung Fu Martial Arts
• Music
• Italian Appennini Dancers

Saturday: Festival Fun

11:00 am – 8:00 pm

• Heritage Camp - songs, story, and visiting
• Family Fun – sledding, roving performers, warm fires and free hot chocolate!
• African Tent - tea, drumming, and special guests
• Snow Show Hare Hop – try out snowshoes
• Chinese Lanterns – celebrating the Lunar New Year
• Share the Warmth – bring a mitten or take a mitten

5:30 pm
• Community Feast – a free feast of Chinese, Italian, African and Aboriginal food

I'm joining Simply Stacie with a world wide blog hop Where in the World Are You Wednesday.  Also co-hosting this meme is Just Married With Coupons.  This week's theme is unusual events in your area.  Anyone for a snow shoe hop?