No Hawrelak? No problem for the Silver Skate Festival of 2024! Among the important things to know about this year’s winter festival is the new location.
In the absence of one of Edmonton’s larger outdoor parks and venues, the 2024 Silver Skate Fest has had to adapt. And with that, they’ve taken over central Edmonton’s River Valley! The festival now stretches from Sir Wilfred Laurier Park in the west to Gold Bar Park in the east.
And in those new locations, the festival will host traditional events which they’ve continued to host over the last 33 years. From an annual skating event to help celebrate Dutch winter culture, it expanded slowly to a festival that embraces all aspects of winter fun, art, sport, and culture.
1. It won’t be at Hawrelak!
As Hawrelak Park receives and undergoes a few renovations, many Edmonton events have had to find equally-as-great outdoor venues.
For the Silver Skate Festival, they found this venue in Sir Wilfred Laurier Park, located between the Valley Zoo and the North Saskatchewan River. This new location for Silver Skate is perfect and almost like a mini-Hawrelak Park. While not as big as the Hawrelak Pond, the Laurier park skating area is also the centre of the park, with a ring road leading around the entire area and parking along the side. The park is also directly beside access to the extensive river valley trail system.
Additionally, there are two extra locations added to this year’s program to help create room for outdoor sporting events. These (mentioned below) are at Gold Bar Park (Barnebirkie Family Ski Event), and Victoria Park (Mammoet Winter Triathlon).
2. Where to Find the Heritage Village & Folk Trail
You’ll find both festival features on the southwest side of the skating rink near the Winter Cinema screenings.
- The annual set up of the Heritage Village is a way to celebrate Indigenous culture in many ways. The village is centered on Plains Cree Treaty 6 tradition and set up in the shape of a traditional medicine wheel. Follow the circle to learn new and exciting things about traditional teachings from knowledge keepers. The stops within the circle include the Sampler Café (music, art, technology), the Abraham Lake Singers (drumming, singing, and dancing), Front Step Forge (blacksmithing), Craving Colour (handmade jewelry, beadwork, and dreamcatchers), and Tim Marusiak (the creator of the village and a knowledge keeper of tipis and tipi poles).
- And on different evenings, Indigenous elders will be on location in the Heritage Village for live storytelling.
- Look just beyond the Heritage Village to find the festival Folk Trail. Throughout the festival, the Folk Trail is a place to catch live performances by travelling actors. The shows and performances take place on the trails, with visitors able to catch the shows as they walk around the trail. The Folk Trail is decorated with art, and features beautiful lanterns in the trees for evening strolls. This year, the Folk Trail and lanterns encompass the Heritage Village.
3. Sports go beyond Skating
Public skating is the heart of the Silver Skate Festival, and Sir Wilfred’s large skating rink is perfect for accommodating this. The skating rink is wide and expansive, and surrounded by the shelter of huge trees. These trees make a huge difference in cutting down the wind for skaters. Plus, under those trees are several picnic tables and benches, a picnic shelter, and firepits!
The festival offers much more in terms of outdoor winter fun, too.
- Laurier Par will have places set up for Jam Can Curling, broomball, ball hockey, and snowshoeing. The park’s newest sport, ice biking, will also be available to try for free.
- Families can participate in the Barnebirkie Family Ski event at Gold Bar Park (February 11), or the Ice Duathlon at Victoria Park (February 18). Victoria Park is also host to the Winter Triathlon on the same day. These events are open for registration but will be closed on the race days.
4. Art for Everyone
No matter what type of art you enjoy consuming and viewing, there is something for everyone at the 2024 Silver Skate Festival. These displays all have a unique winter twist, too!
- The festival plays as the annual host to the International Festival of Winter Cinema. Each of the film festival’s entries is focused on winter, alpine, and polar themes. And the unique winter twist? These films are projected onto a large screen of snow and ice and are totally free to enjoy.
- Later into the festival, snow sculptures will decorate the park paths. The carvers and artists (who come from all over the world) begin at the start of the festival with giant cubes of packed snow. Visit early to see the artists in action, or a bit later to view the final results.
- The fire sculptures have only been a part of the Silver Skate Festival since 2009. This newer tradition sees artists creating large wooden sculptures which burn in the evenings to create beautiful fire sculptures. A ceremony surrounds the burning of the sculptures ( 7:45 p.m. on Saturday & Sunday Feb 10, 11, 17 & 18 ) to provide guests with about 20-minutes’ worth of live entertainment, and a perfect way to close out a day at the festival.
5. Extra Festival Experiences
This is Edmonton’s biggest annual winter festival, and there is lots to see and do during the 10 days.
- Food trucks are on site! Choose between the Cabane à sucre, Donut Gypsy, Squirrelly Squirrel Food Truck, or Flipside Burgers.
- The park’s disc golf course is open during the winter and during the festival! The snow simply adds a new obstacle to the game.
- If visiting with kids, a stop by the Family Fun Zone is a must; they’ll have snow sculpting for kids, a snow slide, and a place for kids to display their snow sculptures.
- The City of Edmonton Outdoor Adventures Program will host a variety of kids’ workshops including snowshoeing, shelter building, and fire building. On Fridays, stop by to warm up with the free hot chocolate.
Plan Your Trip: Silver Skate Festival 2024
What: A winter festival in Edmonton for families and people of all ages. The Silver Skate Festival is centred around winter sport, arts, and culture, and celebrates each of these things in different ways throughout the festival’s 10 days. Skating is at the centre of it all,
Location: Sir Wilfred Laurier Park – 13221 Buena Vista Rd NW
From the traffic circle at 142 Street and 87 Avenue, use the Buena Vista Road exit and follow this to the end. The turn for the park is after the turn for the Edmonton Valley Zoo.
How to get there: a free ETS shuttle will operate for the festival on the two weekends from Fort Edmonton Park (parking available), and U of A South Campus (accessible by LRT with no parking available).
Limited parking is available at Laurier Park and the Valley Zoo.
Those with access to River Valley trails may simply walk, snowshoe, or fat bike the festival.
When: February 9-19, 2024
Cost: free to attend
For more information: