The Silver Skate Festival takes place February 15-24, 2013, and offers a variety of FREE sport and recreational events and attractions for guests of all ages. This festival celebrates the beauty of winter, and also embraces the contributions of arts, sports, and culture to a thriving winter climate. This year marks the 23rd Anniversary of this annual event, making it the longest running-winter festival in Festival City!

Photo courtesy of the City of Edmonton

Our Top Don’t-Miss Festival Activities Include:

• The exhilarating Marathon Skate Races! Watch professional speed skaters compete in a series of 10 km and 25 km competitions. Feb 17 at 9 am & Feb 18 9:30 am.
• The Family Fun Zone will have activities for all ages, including horse drawn sleigh rides, figure skating demonstrations, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and face-painting. Feb 16-18, Feb 23-24 1 pm – 5 pm.
• Stroll through the Heritage Village and watch dogsledding demonstrations, then grab a tasty cabane a sucre – delicious maple sugar frozen on snow! Feb 16-18, Feb 23-24 1 pm – 5 pm.
• Watch as artists create six sculptures made from materials like green poplar, willow, caragana, bulrushes, reeds, various grasses, fabric, straw, string, wire, and wax, then set them on fire in a dazzling display. Based on a Dutch tradition, guests are invited to write down their fears and add them to the sculptures to be burned. Feb 16-17.
• Heat up the cold evenings during Night Works with a stunning light show and live music performed by various local musicians representing jazz, baroque, reggae, pop, and folk genres. Feb 15-17, Feb 22-23

Many of the events will continue throughout the festival, but some will only be held during the first weekend.Visit www.silverskatefestival.org for a complete list of events, dates, and times. The stunning giant snow sculptures – created from blocks of stow over  8 feet high – will be on display during the entire festival.

Parking is limited on-site, so guests are encouraged to take public transit. Edmonton Transit Services (ETS) is providing a FREE shuttle service between the University of Alberta Transit Centre (Stop #2636), University Stadium Parkade (89 Ave. & 115 St.) and the festival. ETS also has regular stops at Hawrelak Park on routes 130 and and 128. Visit www.silverskatefestival.org or call #311 for more information.