Skinny Skier Press: Edmonton Silver Skate Festival Outing

Images Alberta Camera Club, http://www.imagesab.com/imagery/, had our February outing at Edmonton's 19th annual Silver Skate festival.

This was not an organized 'meet and shoot' but an informal come-and-go day. That was a good thing as some members attending Saturday shot from before the 9 starter's pistol kicked off the 25 km speed skating marathon until the fires' dying embers after 9 pm. That was just Saturday. Sunday's racing included the Winter Triathlon, the 50 km speed skate marathon as well.

Throughout the day, events spread across the ice of Hawreluk Park to include other family fun activities. Volunteers staffed jam can curling and Sledge hockey trials. Royal Glenora skate club had figure skaters performing routines and clowns entertained young and old alike with their icy antics.

Off-ice family activities included baking bannock over an open fire, maple syrup candy trough, horse drawn sleigh rides, a toboggan hill and a kinder-castle playground with colourful ice blocks frozen and peeled from old plastic milk jugs. Cross country skis or speed skates were also available to try for free

With the Silver Skate festival, was Edmonton's newly launched 'WinterLight' festival. Lighted snow sculptures, intricate cut and sculpted fire pits, singers and the Vibe Tribe's fire dancers prepared onlookers for the finale of the evening, the '24 Hours to Ignition' competition. Local artists had been given a pile of willow branches, a bale of straw, a roll of twine and 24 hours to create their masterpieces.

All were sacrificed to flame thrilling the evening crowds.

I tried to capture the spirit of the day in my wanderings and you can sample some of the day's events here at my blog. If you wanted a day of varied shooting technique and style, this was THE EVENT to attend.

If you missed this outing then join us March 21 for this winter's final weekend of 'WinterLight'. Many of the same performers will be at Churchill Square as we say a final fairwell to winter and usher in spring. I hope to see you there.