I Heart Edmonton

There's nothing better than K-Days to make you feel like a kid all over again! BY EMIL TIEDEMANN I  REMEMBER when I was just a kid and my parents would take my siblings and I to Klondike Days at Northlands. What more could a kid ask for than what was happening at the Midway?    There were lights and sounds everywhere, coming from rides that spun you around, turned you upside down, or made you wet your pants. There was every possible junk food we could think of all in one place, and an endless supply of things to see and do. It was the ultimate playground for us. As I got older K-Days , or Capital Ex as it became known, didn't hold that same charm as when I was a child, although that's not to say it didn't cater to folks who were now too old to be screaming for "MOM!" on the kiddie coaster. Now I was there for the live music, the beer gardens, and maybe to do a little people watching. But checking out the grounds was just not on my radar anymore.

Known for his acclaimed visual art, Aboriginal artist Aaron Paquette tackles fiction for his next project BY PAULA E. KIRMAN A ARON Paquette is best known as an accomplished visual artist who incorporates his Aboriginal heritage into his work. Now, Paquette is emerging as a writer of fiction, and not surprisingly is also drawing upon his roots.  Lightfinder is Paquette's first novel. Written for young adults, it is in the fantasy genre and centers on the parallel stories of two siblings, Aisling and Eric. Aisling, a young Cree woman, heads into the woods with her kokum (grandmother) and two other men who are practically strangers to her. Their journey is to find Aisling's younger brother Eric, who has gotten himself into a lot of trouble.  As both young people head on their respective paths, each deal with battles of life and death and the future and various choices each must make (and their consequences). In Aisling's case, she discovers some

Rock legends Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers return to Edmonton to promote their upcoming album Hypnotic Eye, sharing the stage with Steve Winwood BY EMIL TIEDEMANN H E'S sold more than 80 million records around the world, he's an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, he's won three Grammy Awards, he's scored 10 #1 rock hits, and he's performed with everyone from Bob Dylan and George Harrison to Johnny Cash and Bono . Makes you feel kinda shitty about your life, eh?!  Here's where I cheer you up a little. Tom Petty and his probably aptly-named Heartbreakers are headed back to Edmonton for one night only! And he's bringing along long-time opening act Steve Winwood to start things off. See? Told'cha I'd make you feel better! The legendary Florida-born singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and actor will rock Rexall Place on Sunday, August 17 (7.30PM), and tickets are NOW on sale HERE ! But, you can take advantag

The gleaming White Big Top is beckoning your name, inviting you to experience a spectacle like no other in the world...do yourself a favour and don't deny it's enticing lure BY EMIL TIEDEMANN Y OU know when your friends tell you about the last movie they went to see, or some album you should listen to, because "OMG, it's so amazing!"?! They insist you check it out and get back to them as soon as possible, to make sure you're on the same page, right!  Well, more often than not you're not on the same page; sometimes, not even the same book! Nope, the movie either sucked, or the album was only okay, but you usually go right ahead and let them think you're just as stoked about it as they are. That's how I thought this whole ' Cavalia's Odysseo ' would go down, to be completely honest, but I was wrong, so wrong. 'Cavalia's Odysseo' is a production of epic proportions, to say the least, touring the globe as the worl

"This little booklet is a tribute in poetry and pictures to Jasper Avenue and the many reasons for loving the city of Edmonton and choosing to call it home." BY PAULA E. KIRMAN Christina Falk's 'First and Jasper' F IRST and Jasper is a short but beautiful book that can best be described as a love letter to Jasper Avenue. With short, precise poetic lines and photographs that match the words, Christine Falk presents Jasper Avenue for its history, grittiness, and importance.  Falk's writing is minimalist with precise use of language. Many of her verses are almost Haiku-like in style. Her photography, presented in black and white, feature numerous Jasper Avenue landmarks. If it was larger, I would call it a coffee table book. Instead, it is more like an end table book, and a lovely one at that. This would make an excellent gift or souvenir. Independently published, First and Jasper can be purchased through Audrey's Books , the Westin Hotel gi

As I Heart Edmonton turns five, we've hit a crossroads. Where do we go from here? BY EMIL TIEDEMANN F IVE years! That's crazy when I think about it. It was July 5, 2009 when I posted my first "hearticle" (yes, I just said " hearticle ") for the I  ♥ Edmonton blog, titled " A Love Affair with Edmonton ."  "I don't know about you," I wrote, "but I'm getting pretty tired of people having nothing good to say about the city I've come to love." That's how this whole thing got started, me being fed up with the lack of love for my hometown, and the abundance of unwarranted criticism. I knew that Edmonton had ALL kinds of things to see and do, but apparently there were plenty of folks who were unaware of our town's bustling arts and culture community, and the fact that we are one of the most sociable metros on the continent. So I made it my mission to discredit their taunts and attacks, and to prove tha

The world's most epic theatrical production is returning to Edmonton and has extended its stay due to heavy demand! Odysseo  by Cavalia is the only 6-D show in the world. The unique theatrical production is first and foremost a grandiose three dimensional show where spectators are taken to a live Hollywood-style movie set while the touching interactions between human and horse are at the heart of the action. Layers of mesmerizing decors combined with gravity-defying acrobatic and areal stunts and the staggering effects created by state-of-the-art scenery makes this humongous stage a real 3-D feast for the eyes.  To enhance this breathtaking experience, the production presents a splendid voyage with extremely high-definition computer graphic images, transporting the audience across the world’s most beautiful landscapes. To project these breathtaking 3-D graphic backdrops on an immense cyclorama the size of three IMAX screens,  Odysseo  uses projectors as powerful