Whats Happening

Fun in the Sun
By the Core Crew on August 11, 2010 l 10:00 AM

It was another exciting week for the Core Crew as we began planning for the any upcoming events on the horizon! Last minute preparations for our bottle drive kept the team busy early in the week, and our hard work paid off! We raised nearly $300 for the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters, and we couldn't have done it without the help of Budget Rent-A-Car of Edmonton and all of the Downtown businesses that donated bottles.

We are all looking forward to next week's "Ecoholic on the Block" party that we are hosting in Abbey Glen Park. We hope you'll join us for FREE Gelato, games, activities and planty of eco-friendly fun!

This weekend is the Cariwest Caribbean festival, so come down to Sir Winston Churchill Square to check out the Caribbean Village featuring live entertainment and Caribbean cuisine! We will be at the festival parade which starts at noon and passes down Jasper Avenue, so if you see us be sure to say hello!


Enjoying Festival Season
By the Core Crew on July 21, 2010 l 9:15 AM 

What a great summer it is turning out the be! We had so much fun checking out all of the acts at the Edmonton International Street Performers festival, and we're very excited for all of the events coming up!

Yesterday, we went on ETS' Historical Transit tour of the Highlands where we got to see some more of Edmonton's historical sites. We had a great time and would recommend this tour to anyone interested in taking in some of our City's rich history.  

This week we'll be heading down to Churchill square to watch the Capital Ex parade pass by on Thursday July 22nd. The parade will be led by Olympic Gold Medalist Kevin Martin and will pass through the streets of downtown from 10:00am until 12:30, and is something not to miss!

Also coming up this week is the A Taste of Edmonton Festival, an event showcasing cuisines from restaurants throughout the city. Come down to Churchill square from July 23rd to August 1st and sample a huge variety of tasty dishes!

The Core Crew is having a bottle drive! On August 5th we will be collecting bottles from downtown businesses with all proceeds going to the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters. If you would like to help us out, collect and save as many bottles in your office and keep them set aside until Thursday, August 5th.

There are two options for making a contribution:
1. You can drop off your donation between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm at the Downtown Business Association office (10121 Jasper Ave – Street level)

OR
2. Have the Core Crew pick up your donation. Call 780-426-8576 or email corecrew@edmontondowntown.com by Wednesday, August 4, and the group will stop by your office to collect your donation.

*The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters is a province-wide, voluntary organization supporting women's shelters and their partners through education, research and services for the benefit of abused women and their children.


Fun in the Sun
By the Core Crew on July 2, 2010 l 3:10 PM 

Festival season has arrived! Downtown Edmonton is the place to be this summer, with tons of festivals and events taking place throughout July and August. We had a great time at Jazz in the Park on June 26, enjoying the warm weather and listening to incredible music in Louise McKinney Park as part of the Edmonton International Jazz Festival. The Jazz Festival is on until July 4th, with performances in different venues throughout the city, and you should definitely check them out!

The Works Art &Design Festival is also well underway! You won't be able to miss the exhibits in buildings throughout the Downtown core and all of the activity going on in Churchill Square. We're giving special tours of The Works exhibits throughout Downtown every day at 2:30 pm. Come meet us at the info tent in Sir Winston Churchill Square and get ready for some amazing art!

Coming up next week is the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival, running from July 9-18 in Sir Winston Churchill Square. There will be a variety of performances featuring an international cast of jugglers, acrobats, hip hop dancers, sword-swallowers, musicians and more!

We look forward to seeing you Downtown at all the exciting events coming up!



Living it up in the Downtown
By the Core Crew on June 15, 2010 l 11:30 AM 

Our Discover Downtown Tours have begun! We had a very cold and rainy start, but we've finally folded up our umbrellas and we're hoping this sunny weather will stick around. It has been so much fun showing tourists and locals around the Downtown core on our one hour drop-in tours offered every Monday Wednesday and Friday at 1:00 pm. We have had an amazing response for these frop in tours, having patrons arrive at our office on every day they are offered.

Coming up this Saturday, June 19th, is the Park(ed) event happening on 104St. This event is a car free day put together by Active Edmonton, Walkable Edmonton, and Mountain Equipment Co-op. Groups will be decorating parking stalls to "take back the streets" and there will be Eco-Mobility Library Cycling Safety Sessions, Face painting, outdoor spin classes, yoga, and Discover Downtown Tours! We will be offering half-hour long walking tours at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00, and you should definitely come down and join us for an active and refreshing way to learn more about Downtown and the 104th street area.

We can't wait for all of the fun festivals and events coming up Dwntown in the next few weeks!
 

We're Back!
By the Core Crew on June 11, 2010 l 11:00 AM 

The Core Crew is finally back! It has been a great few weeks meeting the members of our Downtown business family while exploring and learning abou

t the Downtown core. We're starting our Discover Downtown tours this week every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1:00pm and we hope you can come out and join us! They start at the Downtown Business Association's office (10121 Jasper Avenue) and we have had a great time getting to know the tourists and locals who have already come out for a tour.

Coming up on Saturday June 12th is the Al Fresco festival on 104th Street! Browse the hand-made crafts, jewelry and fresh produce at the 104th Street City Market between 9:00am and 3:00pm, and then stick around for the portugese barbeque by Sabor Divino, wine tasting, special outdooor patios, and a free outdoor movie starting at 10:00pm. The movie is Chocolat, starring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche, and in addition to free popcorn and pop, there will be Kirsten's chocolate to snack on while you watch.

Also on June 12th is the Edmonton Pride Week parade so be sure to check it out as it passes down Jasper Avenue around 1:00pm!

We hope to see you out at some of the fun events happening Downtown and we're looking forward to a great summer ahead!

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The red shirts have been folded away for another year…
By the Core Crew on August 24, 2009 l 11:00 AM
The leaves are beginning to change colour, signalling the end of a wonderful summer and the culmination of another successful season as the Core Crew.  We had great fun all summer long! From participating in festivals including the recent Dragonboat Festival, to putting on events to brighten everyone’s day downtown including our Lemonade Stand and our Carbon Footprint Block Party. We also enjoyed sharing interesting information along with some history and tips to tourists and visitors alike on one of our many Discover Downtown tours. The Core Crew also helped to beautify downtown with regular participation in Capital City Clean Up as block captains and by giving away portable ashtrays to smokers in and around the core. The summer has gone by so fast, too fast and now it’s time to say goodbye.  Hopefully you had the chance to join us for one of our tours, work with us during a festival or event, or simply say hello and chat awhile while we were out and about.

Our last event, The Carbon Footprint block party was well received as a variety of vendors came out to share information on how to reduce your carbon footprint and the benefits to the environment, your health, and your pocketbook for doing so.  We created an eco-trivia game with some environmentally friendly prizes that taught us all a thing or two about being more eco-savvy.  We also combined the Lemonade Stand with the Block Party to make up for the original August date being cancelled due to inclement weather.  While the weather still was as hot as we would have preferred, we were able to raise over $700 between the two Lemonade Stands for the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters.  It was a fantastic way to cap off a great summer.

While it’s time for us to say goodbye, there is still much to see and do downtown.  We look forward to the new theatre and music seasons, the changing exhibits at the downtown galleries, the new buildings and amenities that will enhance the downtown landscape and the festivals and events that we will be enjoying along with you throughout the fall, winter, and spring.  Enjoy the ever-changing downtown and then drop by and meet the new Core Crew next summer.

 

The Last Leg
By the Core Crew on August 17, 2009 l 9:00 AM
The summer has come and gone faster than you can say, "Discover Downtown!"

We are on our final week as Core Crew ambassadors and are hosting an epic environmental celebration this Friday in Abbey Glen Park. The Carbon Footprint is the theme of our Block Party and we welcome any and all Edmontonians to come out and learn about things they can do to reduce their carbon footprint at work and at home. The event will be from 11:30 - 1:30 rain or shine! 

Last week's Lemonade Stand Sequel had to be rescheduled due to poor weather so we will also be raising money for the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters at our Block Party. We are trying to beat our sales of $550 from the first lemonade stand and hoping to make a huge contribution to the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters before the end of our summer.

We'll be sure to update you on the success of these paired events before we sign off until next year. See you at the Block Party!


A Tasty Week
By the Core Crew on July 23, 2009 l 3:00 PM
A Taste of Edmonton's 25th year kicked off last Friday and we have been all over the Square talking to tourists and locals about what they enjoy about the festival! 

On Tuesday we attended the Premier's Breakfast at the Ledge and had a chance to check out the amazing scenery and greenery while enjoying a pancake breakfast. We also took a ride back in history on the High Level Streetcar where we got to take in amazing views of the River Valley and downtown's unique skyline.

We are also happy to report that we raised over $550 for the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters at our Lemonade Stand Charity Event last Friday. We would like to thank everyone for coming out and showing their support; we are setting up another Lemonade Stand Chairty Event on Friday, August 14th from 11:30 - 1:30 with all proceeds going to the same cause.

We look forward to seeing you there!

On the Home Stretch
By the Core Crew on July 8, 2009 l 4:00 PM
We are looking forward to the next week and half! With the Capital Ex Parade on July 16 and our Lemonade Stand Charity Event on July 17, downtown will continue to be busy with activity. Come catch a glimpse of our special parade float with a prime seating spot along 102 Ave. or 102A Ave.

Don't miss out on this year's 25th Anniversary Street Fest which continues to run until July 12. The show doesn't stop because of the rain; you can still catch great acts inside the big tent on Churchill Square!

A Core Crew Canada Day
By the Core Crew on July 2, 2009 I 10:00 AM
Canada's 142nd birthday was filled with energy and tons of activities throughout the entire downtown. We spent some time on the Square enjoying the last day of The Works Art & Design Festival. From there we headed down to the ledge where hundreds of people, most of whom were dressed in patriotic attire, celebrated the occasion. Louise McKinney Riverfront Park was also bustling with crowds enjoying the River Valley along with music and entertainment.

The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival begins tomorrow and we couldn't be more excited about playing in the streets. The Festival runs from July 3 - 12 and features some new entertainment along with our old favorites.

We can't wait to see you on the Square! 

The Big Summer Kick-Off
By the Core Crew on June 19, 2009 I 11:00 AM
We were on Breakfast Televison this morning! Citytv's Breakfast Televison program hosted a block party featuring facepainters, ice cream & gelato, a BBQ, cookies, and some amazing entertainment. What a great way for us to start our day and kick off the first weekend of summer. We have a lot of exciting things to do today and are happy that the sun is shining and that the streets are packed. 

This afternoon we are going to give our Discover Downtown tour at 1:00 pm, soon followed by a Works Places tour to kick off The Works Art & Design Festival. We will be offering these special Works tours at 2:00 pm every day of the festival until July 1. Meet us at info booth on the Square and learn about the many unique pieces of public art found throughout the Downtown core. 

Look out downtown, here we come!

 

Big News
By the Core Crew on June 18, 2009 I 10:00 AM
Summer starts next week and we couldn't be more excited! We just received word that our application into the Capital Ex Parade was accepted. We have started collecting supplies for our float and are eager to get started. The parade is on Thursday, July 16th at 10:00 am. We're keeping our float theme a surprise but we can tell you that it will be made from recycled and reused materials.

We look forward to seeing all the smiling faces come out to watch the parade! 

 

The warm weather has arrived!
By the Core Crew on June 11, 2009 I 04:00 PM

Today was one of the first days that it felt like summer. Next week brings the start of Downtown's busy festival season, starting with The Works Art & Design Festival on Churchill Square. Come down and enjoy art and entertainment and cheer us on in our quest for first place in the Festival's chalk drawing competition. We will also be offering a one-hour tour of Art in Public Places, featuring some unique pieces of public art in the Downtown area. The Festival will run from June 19 to July 1.

This Saturday is jam-packed! Starting at 9am join the Downtown Community League for a FREE(!) Pancake Breakfast on 104th Street and then stay for the opening of the 104th Street City Market. This is the BEST place to purchase fresh produce and hand-made arts, crafts, and jewelry.

From 3pm to 10pm, 104th Street will be hosting their Al Fresco event. Stop by for special patio features, wine tasting, Portuguese BBQ, and a giant outdoor movie presentation of Big Night, starring Stanley Tucci, Minnie Driver, and Isabella Rossellini! Bring your own chair, but don't forget to grab a free bag of popcorn courtesy of Sobeys Urban Fresh.

Hope to see you there!