Heritage Days celebrating 50th anniversary at new location

Heritage Days is back celebrating its 50th anniversary. Due to construction, it’s happening at Borden Park as well as the Edmonton Expo grounds.

As the tents go up, there’s no question this year will be a bit different. With construction closing Hawrelak Park, organizers had to find a new temporary home.

While locations like the asphalt parking lot near northlands may feel different, there’s a silver lining for accessibility.

“One of the sites is called the west lot, its typically known where K-Days is and its asphalt or concrete. And the really good thing about this site is its going to be a little more accessible for people with mobility issues,” explained Rob Rohatyn, the executive director of the Heritage Festival.

The festival runs the whole long weekend, but 2023 wasn’t without controversy.

Organizers cancelled the Russia pavilion over safety concerns, due to protests from Alberta’s Ukrainian community relating to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The decision prompted a complaint of discrimination to Alberta’s Human Rights commission, with those behind the Russian pavilion saying in a letter, “by excluding individuals based on their ancestry or place of origin, the event organizers are perpetuating stereotypes, reinforcing divisions, and limiting the free expression of cultural identity.”

https://www.facebook.com/groups/russianheritagefestival/posts/6770842602926049/

“It’s certainly, it was disappointing. We really had to access the situation and we took our time with it. It was a very difficult decision. The board of directors really did their due diligence in making the decision that was made,” explained Rohatyn.

But Rohatyn says the decision is solely for this year and the situation will be evaluated for future festivals.

The event kicks off at noon on Saturday. Transit is recommended to get there, with the LRT near to the site.

“Safety of course is a top concern, there will be extra transit peace officers available this weekend on site,” said Daniel Vriend, the director of Transit Service Development at ETS.

There will also be park and ride across the city, and paid parking at the Coliseum.