Family Day fun in Edmonton

Say what you want about Don Getty’s tenure as Alberta’s premier, the man did create Family Day.

Celebrated since 1990, the provincial holiday not only became part of his legacy, but the idea has since been copied by Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island.

Its purpose is threefold; filling the untenable stretch of no holidays between New Year’s and Easter, spending time with family, and, perhaps most important, allowing Albertans the rare opportunity to say nah-nah-nah-nah-nah to friends and family who happen to live in other provinces, like, say, B.C.

In and around Edmonton, there is no shortage of things to do, places to go, or people to meet.

It’s all about connecting with family, or, in the case of at least 10 municipalities in the Capital region, disconnecting. This is the first year for Family Day Unplugged, an initiative promoted by Beaumont, Bruderheim, Fort Saskatchewan, Gibbons, Leduc, Spruce Grove, St. Albert, Stony Plain and Strathcona and Sturgeon counties. The event is all about unplugging from technology and plugging into family, whether it’s through going for a walk, playing a board game or sitting down for dinner. There is a certain irony to the challenge in that participants are asked to log their hours of being disconnected, and the stories of how they spent them, by -what else? – going online at www.fcssaa.ab.ca. It’s a worthwhile exercise, even so.

There’s plenty of other stuff to do, and most of it is free. Here are some suggestions:

Two of the city’s favourite gathering places – Churchill Square and the legislature – will host all-day familyfriendly events. The fun starts at the legislature at 11 a.m. and wraps up around 4 p.m. You can tour the legislature building, explore the grounds in a horse-drawn wagon, peruse the ice sculpture displays or lace up your skates for a quick glide across the south grounds rink. Inside the pedway there will be a kids’ carnival with games and face-painting, as well as live entertainment.

At Churchill Square, things get underway at noon with indoor and outdoor activities. There will be roving street performers, free hot chocolate, music and a chance to join an allages drumming circle, and to make your own fire-cooked bannock. Donations of cold-weather clothes such as socks, mitts, scarves, jackets and tuques will be gratefully accepted on behalf of inner city agencies.

The Downtown Business Association is hosting a festival from noon to 4 p.m.

The association has joined forces with eight downtown businesses to create a unique day to remember for families, which includes swimming, movies, games, puppet making, skating, and horse and wagon rides. Events take place all over downtown. For more details go to www.edmontondowntown.com.

Admission is free all day at Alberta’s museums and historic sites. At the Royal Alberta Museum, for instance, you can see roving magicians and balloon artists, supplied courtesy of The Edmonton Magic Club, or accompany an interpreter through the Wild Alberta Gallery.

Lacombe Lake Park in St. Albert will be the site of the Rendezvous 2011 Snow Festival, which goes between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. with sleigh rides, skating, milk jug curling, live entertainment and even a lumberjack match. If you’re heading that way, organizers ask that you bring a donation for the local food bank. For more information log onto www.rendezvous2011.ca.

Ever wanted to try your hand at ice fishing?

Now’s your chance. Would-be anglers can fish for free without a licence in any public water body outside of a national park that has an open fishing season.

West Edmonton Mall will be hosting the Atom Invitational Family Day Hockey Tournament from 8 a.m. to 9: 30 p.m. For details go to www.wem.ca.

What’s new at the zoo, you ask? You can see for yourself between noon and 4 p.m. at the Edmonton Valley Zoo where you can get up close and personal with some of the critters at an indoor petting zoo and have your face painted in your favourite animal design.