On Sunday morning, I had the opportunity to sit down with Susan Holdsworth, Edmonton’s WinterCity Coordinator. Despite her busy schedule preparing for the Winter Cities Conference, which starts on Wednesday, Susan took some time to explain what the international conference means to Edmonton and why embracing the winter season is so important.

Susan Holdsworth, WinterCity Coordinator

How it started

The idea for the Winter Cities Shake-Up conference was presented within Edmonton’s WinterCity Strategy, a blueprint for transforming Edmonton into a world-leading winter city. The strategy outlines ten separate goals, within four themes:  “Winter Life”, “Winter Design”, “Winter Economy”, and “Our Winter Story”.  All goals are aimed at transforming the perception of winter in Edmonton and capitalizing on the winter assets the City already has.

From Wednesday, January 28 until Friday, January 30, delegates will have the opportunity to learn about exciting winter initiatives happening in and around Edmonton, hear from world-renowned speakers, and participate in fun activities, including an outdoor market in Churchill Square on Friday afternoon.

Who will be there

Edmonton will be host to delegates from 52 different cities and ten countries. “There are around 360 delegates registered,” explains Susan, “most are from Edmonton, but one delegate is coming all the way from Mongolia!”

Many of the speakers have also travelled a long distance, including:

• Esko Lotvonen, Educational Economist from the University of Turku and Mayor of Rovaniemi, Finland. The City of Rovaniemi has become an incredible example of a winter city economy; marketing themselves as “the Official Hometown of Santa Claus”.
• Einar Bardarson, Director of Visit Reykjavik. Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland and another ‘winter city’, has seen exceptional growth in tourism. According to their official website, the city experienced a 20% increase in the number of visitors between 2012 and 2013.

Why you should attend

WinterCity initiatives, such as this conference, will influence Edmonton’s urban design, the growth of winter business, and overall quality of life. “Being seen as a ‘winter city’ is important because the winter is a core part of our identity as a City,” Susan emphasized. “We need to take advantage of the opportunities a Northern City has to offer.”

To learn more or register, visit the Winter Cities Shake-Up conference website.

The WinterCity Drink Competition has been extended this year to January 20. Enter your Non-Alcoholic or Alcoholic beverage for a chance to win some great prizes!

Alcoholic Drink Category: 

• 1st place: Edmonton Winter Staycation
• 2nd place: Eau Claire Distillery Prize  

 Non-Alcoholic Drink Category:

• 1st place: Edmonton Winter Staycation
• 2nd place: One Family All Facility Annual Pass

More information:

• Vote for or enter your own non-alcoholic beverage
• Vote for or enter your own alcoholic beverage

Hashing it out with Edmonton’s creators, makers, innovators and YOU

#YegIdeaXchange – Investing in Edmonton

When: Thursday, January 29 at 6:30pm-8:30pm

Where: Startup Edmonton, 10359 104 Street 

This is a free event but please RSVP and let us know you’re attending!

This is the first in a three part dialogue series held by the Voice Working Group of Edmonton’s NextGen.

A panel composed of local creators, makers, and innovators will speak to experiences, projects, and ideas around investing in Edmonton’s future from an economic, technological, social, or cultural perspective. The panel will encourage attendees to get involved in and shape the evening’s discussion, leading to a real dialogue allowing participants to hash out issues, opinions, and ideas surrounding Investing in Edmonton.

The panel includes:
Nate Box – Elm Cafe
Stuart Kehrig – City of Edmonton
Blue Knox – U of A School of Business
Frances Kilgour – Alberta Women Entrepreneurs

Drinks, eats, and social space beginning at 6:30pm, panel discussion to begin at 7:00pm.

Don’t let the cold weather keep you inside! There is plenty to do in this city, even at -20. This weekend, NextGen is spotlighting the Deep Freeze Festival produced by Arts on the Ave.

This Saturday from 12:00 – 8:00 and Sunday from 12:00 – 6:00, come down to 118th Ave to celebrate winter like the Vikings did! Admission is free, but donations are accepted. Coats for Kids is also welcoming donations of gently used winter coats at the event.

So how exactly does a Viking celebrate winter? With many competitions of strength and artistry, of course. Stop by to watch the street hockey tournament, or sign up to participate in the Chisel and Chainsaw ice carving contest if  creating frigid sculptures is more your style. The Lamppost Cozy contest involves inventive yarn bombing of local fixtures. There will also be curling, skating, ice sculpture games and the famed Deep Freezer races, which are exactly what they sound like!

Music, dancing, carriage rides, storytelling and a free showing of Frozen will be available for Edmontonians who prefer spectating to melee. And no Viking revelry would be complete without a visit to the Ice Bar (for the adults in attendance.) Be careful where you wander though, as a full Viking encampment has been built and you might come across a warrior or two!

Saturday evening will close in grand style with fireworks at Alberta Ave Park, and a special Return of the Vikings! Party at the Alberta Ave Community Centre from 7:00 – 11:00. There will be dancing, dining and a musical performance from the Canadian Reggae band Tasman Jude. Tickets are available at Carrot Coffeehouse or the festival Info Booths at $10 for anyone 11+ and $5 for children under 10.

Arts on the Ave is still looking for volunteers for the event, so if this sounds like your kind of adventure, you can sign up here to help out with fire stoking, skate rentals, tobogganing and the heritage games. It’s a great opportunity to get involved in a vibrant community and embrace our winter culture!

We stuffed our faces and made our resolutions – 2015 is underway and we’re excitedly looking ahead to our next Pecha Kucha!

In case you’ve forgotten, we’re here to remind you that Edmonton’s NextGen is still accepting presentation submissions for Pecha Kucha Night 21 to be held on March 5, 2015 at Colours Restaurant in Northlands Park.

If you’re interested, submit your presentation using our super convenient online form. The submission deadline is February 4 and selection process will happen in the following week.

Now is your opportunity to bring your idea to a group of engaged and excited young Edmontonians. We’ve enjoyed more than 200 presentations covering a wide array of topics, from donairs to urban wayfinding.

While you’re waiting to hear from us, you can prepare yourself by checking out our 10 steps to a great Pecha Kucha presentation. And to see some of our past presenters, check out these recap blog posts from Pecha Kucha 19 and 20.

What is Pecha Kucha?

Drawing its name from the Japanese term for “the sound of chit chat”, Pecha Kucha Night was devised by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture in February 2003 as a venue for young designers to meet, network, exchange ideas and discuss their work in public. It rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds, for a total presentation length of six minutes and 40 seconds. Why this format you ask? It keeps presentations concise, fast-paced and entertaining.

For more information, visit pechakucha.org

Happy New Year!

There are many Edmonton-based projects to look forward to in 2015. Here is a sneak peek into five of them:

Winter Shake-Up Festival

Interested in helping to re-energize Edmonton’s urban winter life? Join urban planners, designers, entrepremeurs, and community organizers for three days of exciting presentations, local field trips, and brainstorming sessions!

When: January 28-30, 2015

Where: Shaw Conference Centre

More details: http://www.wintercitiesconference.com/

Red Bull Crashed Ice

Red Bull’s annual Crashed Ice competition will be hosted in Edmonton on March 14, 2015. Come to see skaters plunge downhill on an ice ramp at over 60 km/hr; filled with hairpin turns, sharp jumps, and unexpected curves.

When: March 14, 2015

Where: Shaw Conference Centre

More details: http://www.redbullcrashedice.com/en_CA/event/edmonton

Federation of Canadian Municipalities Annual Conference and Tradeshow

This year’s largest municipal conference in Canada takes place in Edmonton. Take part in dynamic workshops, seminars, and a final tradeshow. This will be a great opportunity for anyone who wants to learn about strategies to strengthen our community.

When: June 5-8, 2015

Where: Shaw Conference Centre

More details: http://www.fcm.ca/home/events/annual-conference-and-trade-show.htm

Edmonton’s Metro LRT Line

The City expects to have the LRT expansion to NAIT open early 2015. The new line will have stations at MacEwan Univeristy, Kingsway/Royal Alexandra Hospital, and NAIT–adding approximately 13,200 riders to Edmonton’s LRT network. Visit the City of Edmonton’s website for more details.

Pecha Kucha Night 21

Hear from incredible speakers on issues that impact our city. Each presentation is six minutes and 40 seconds; a format that is fast-paced, energizing, and entertaining

Where: Colours Restaurant in Northlands Park

When: March 5, 2015

More details on Pecha Kucha: http://www.pechakucha.org/