Fuzzy llamas, frozen snakes, and sword-swinging Vikings are coming to Edmonton this weekend as a farm-themed winter festival blows back into town.
Some 50,000 guests will roam 118th Ave. this Jan. 18 to 19 as Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival returns to Edmonton. This free celebration of winter and culture is a fundraiser for Arts on the Ave, a non-profit group that supports food security and cultural vibrancy along 118th Ave.
“This a winter festival in its truest form,” said Deep Freeze artistic director Christy Morin, with plenty of indoor and outdoor activities to celebrate the season.
The festival itself takes place on and around 118th Ave. between 90 and 95 St. Guests can play street hockey, ride ice slides, race freezers on skates, and roast candied nuts over an open fire at this year’s event. Visitors could encounter Scandinavian trolls, yarn-swaddled lampposts, or Vikings bearing a roast pig as they wander the grounds, and experience First Nations hoop dancing, Métis fiddling by the legendary Calvin Vollrath (and many others), Ukrainian dancing, Chinese lion dances, and a spoon-playing workshop by Ethan Graves.
Morin said the theme of this year’s event was “Barnyard Blitz” — a spin-off of last year’s rural focus on foraging. Visitors should expect many farm-themed activities, including a petting zoo and horse and wagon rides.
St. Albert talent
St. Albert artist Barry Collier was busy this week using chainsaws and chisels to turn hunks of ice into the elaborate ice sculptures scattered throughout the festival grounds — a task made challenging by the above-zero daytime temperatures. His team planned to carve in the morning cold and frigid night to compensate.
“Our biggest enemy right now would be the sun,” he said, adding that his team planned to shield their work from it with tarps and snow.
Collier was still designing his sculptures when reached by the Gazette Jan. 13. He said he and his team definitely planned to have a giant ice snake at the festival to mark the upcoming Chinese New Year (2025 is the Year of the Snake). They would also carve a dreamcatcher, an eagle’s head, and plenty of farm animals, the latter of which might include icy chickens in unexpected places. The team would perform live ice-carving demos during the festival as well.
MacEwan University student and St. Albert resident Ava Nayana will make her Deep Freeze debut this weekend, playing and singing a wide mix of guitar, piano, pop, country, and classic rock songs at the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts on Jan. 19.
Nayana said she was invited to perform at this year’s festival after twice performing at the Kaleido Family Arts Festival (also run by Arts on the Ave). She has two songs on Spotify and planned to release her first album later this year.
“I’m so excited,” she said of her Deep Freeze debut.
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
Collier said the festival was a great place to have some community fun.
“You’re not going to be bored, because there is always something different.”
The festival runs from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free, although guests are encouraged to donate to support the festival. Morin advised guests to dress in layers and prepare for icy conditions.
Visit deepfreezefest.ca for details.
