Guide to 2023 Edmonton Heritage Festival

The annual Edmonton Heritage Festival, which turns 50 this year, is billed as the world's largest multicultural celebration.

First held in 1974, the Heritage Festival will host 65 pavillions representing different countries in a celebration of food and culture.

Where will the Heritage Festival be held?

This year's Heritage Festival is being staged at the Edmonton Exhibition Lands -- using much of the former Northlands Park racetrack and infield and the west lot, site of July's K-Days midway -- and the eastern portion of Borden Park.

The festival's usual home, Hawrelak Park, is unavailable while city crews perform rehabilitation work slated to take three years.

When will the festival be held this year?

Saturday, Aug. 5 12-9 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 6 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and Monday, Aug. 7 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

How much does it cost?

There is no gate admission to access the festival site. There are varying costs for food at each pavilion.

Map of the 2023 Edmonton Heritage Festival site (courtesy Edmonton Heritage festival)

Getting there

Transit

Note: Regular fares will apply on all Edmonton Transit services to and from the festival.

LRT: Coliseum Station is linked to the Edmonton Expo Centre and the adjacent Exhibition Lands by outdoor pedway across 118 Avenue. ETS is increasing Capital Line service over the three-day event. Festival-goers can also use Park & Ride lots at Belvedere and Clareview transit centres to park their vehicles and take LRT to the site. Bus Route 700X will run every 10 minutes between the Heritage Valley and Century Park transit centres to link festival-goers to the latter's LRT station.

Bus: Routes 8 and 53 run from different parts of the city to the Coliseum Transit Centre. Extra Route 8 buses will run between Abbotsfield Transit Centre and NAIT from 12-7 p.m. each day. Route 53 between Clareview Transit Centre and Mill Woods Transit Centre will also have extended service.

Park & Ride: Park and ride bus service will be available every 10 minutes from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sunday and 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Monday.

Park & Ride lots:

• Davies Transit Centre: Wagner Road and 75 Street
• Eaux Claires Transit Centre: 157 Avenue and 97 Street
• Lewis Farms Transit Centre: Webber Greens Drive and Suder Greens Drive
• NAIT Lots A/B and D: 118 Avenue and 106 Street ($6 charge to park here)
• Nakî Transit Centre (St. Albert): 15520 Campbell Road

Driving

Parking will be available in the Edmonton Expo parking lot via the entrance at Wayne Gretzky Drive and 116 Avenue. Vehicle charge: $15 per day. Parking is not permitted in surrounding neighbourhoods as its restricted to residents with permits.

Bicycle

Bike racks will be available at specific locations on the festival site.

E-scooter

Bird will be providing complementary unlocks for after the festivals for patrons. There will be no need for a code; no charges will be incurred for renting a scooter from Borden Park. Bird will extend area riding parameters to access the festival.

Passenger drop-off

There will be two spots where vehicles can pull in to drop off festival-goers. Passengers can be dropped off in the Borden Park west parking lot, while Co-op Taxi will use a drop-off spot in the parking lot south of the Spectrum Building.

What is the weather forecast?

Environment Canada is calling for sunny and clear skies all weekend in Edmonton, with a 30 per cent chance of showers on Monday night. Temperatures are expected to reach 23 C on Saturday, 24 C on Sunday and 23 C on Monday.