St. Albert has the Rainmaker; Calgary has its Stampede, and Edmonton is set to offer its premiere exhibition to visitors and residents of the capital region – K-Days – the 10-day food, music, entertainment and midway extravaganza running July 17 to 26 at the city’s Northlands grounds.
“We know people are constantly seeking more opportunities to make the most out of the short summer months,” said Northlands CEO Tim Reid. “We’re giving our community the chance to enjoy their summer holidays at Northlands – a staycation destination.”
From the kick-off K-Days parade on July 17, with local first responders serving as parade marshals, to local and big name entertainment on several stages (Arkells, Brett Kissel, Phillip Phillips and more), indoor shopping and attractions, an official after party several nights of the exhibition – there’s no shortage of adrenalin and excitement. And let’s talk rides – the adrenalin-pumping heart of every fair. All the favourites are back, including roller coasters, the huge Ferris wheel, a haunted mansion, mega drop, swing tower and tilt rides.
For the first time since 2009, K-Days sees the return of President’s Choice SuperDogs in the Expo Centre – agility and athleticism under this year’s theme of Hollywoof – where dogs will run and jump to the Hollywood hits compete with bright lights and glitzy costumes.
“We know the community comes for the nostalgia of programs they have always enjoyed, but they are also looking for new entertainment to experience each year,” said Reid.
The new Adrenaline Rush takes over another hall of the Expo Centre –think zip lines, ropes courses, paintball and acrobatics. The Expo Centre will also be home to perennial favourites like international cuisine, shopping vendors, tech life, kids town and live animals and garden displays.
Besides the artisan and international foods and beverages to be found in the Expo Centre, a fair is all about midway food, isn’t it? The smell of deep-fried corn dogs and mini-donuts just say summer to many of us, and there’s no shortage of that at K-Days. But there are many more offerings too, including the monster burger – one kilogram of beef, one kilogram of bacon, one-quarter kilogram of cheese and a whole lot of fixings that requires 40 minutes advance ordering. With each order of this mega-treat, a pound of beef is donated to the local food bank.
New for eats at this year’s fair include the blooming caramel apple with Nutella dip, ice pops flavoured like mini donuts, mojito lemonade or root beer, an 18” dog on a stick, the foot-long pizza dog, lobster corn dog, a donut corn dog, glazed donut grilled cheese and dessert fries with Nutella drizzle. How does red velvet mini-donuts with cream cheese glaze sound? Or the maple bacon box – a combination of chicken, bacon and noodles in a sweet maple sauce? And pachos – just like nachos, but with potatoes – Yep, it’s all there for 10 days on the fair grounds.
“For many people, the best thing about K-Days is how good it tastes,” Reid said. “Whether you want gourmet delights, comfort foods or new culinary innovations, it’s impossible to leave the fair hungry.”
K-Days gate admission and all-day ride passes are available, offering savings on individual rides and attractions. All advance K-Days tickets are at Ticketmaster, and schedules, pricing, concert details and more are at k-days.com.
