Lilac Festival (Calgary)

Lilac festival is an annual street festival held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The festival has grown to entertain over 80,000 people each spring.[1] The lilac (Syringa) flowers are often blooming throughout the area at this time.

Lilac Festival
Crowded street during the 2004 Lilac Festival
GenreStreet fair
DatesLate May
Location(s)Beltline and Mission in  Calgary
Patron(s)4th Street BRZ
WebsiteLilac festival

The festival takes place along the 13 blocks of 4th Street (between 13th Avenue South and Elbow Drive) in the Beltline and Mission neighborhoods.[2] It is an all day free event and is open to all ages.[1] At 10:00 am (MT), a parade signals the start of the festival. The parade begins along 4th Street from 25th Avenue SW to 13th Avenue SW.[1] The festival features over 500 vendors such as entertainment stages, street dancing, musical talent, artisan vendors, food, and other business stalls.[1] The festival also includes bouncy castles for young children to utilize.[1]

History

The Lilac Festival started out as a small neighborhood celebration in 1989 by the Cliff Bungalow-Mission Community Association and the 4th Street Business Revitalization Zone.[3] In 2005 it had an estimated 120,000 attendance.[2] Lilac festival has been voted Calgary's best free festival in 2006.[4]

In 2007, the festival was held on May 27.

  • "The Lilac Festival" in Calgary's Mission district
  • Belly Dancer
  • Knight in shining armour
  • The balloon lady

In 2018, the approximate attendance is over 100,000 people.[1]

Two years later, the festival was scrapped caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sponsors

Multiple organizations sponsor the Lilac Festival such as the following:[1]

Media Sponsors include the following Calgary-based radio stations:[1]

See also

References
  1. Festival, Lilac. "Lilac Festival". Lilac Festival. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
  2. "Lilac Festival". 4th Street BRZ. Archived from the original on 2007-05-20. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
  3. "Mission". Avenue Calgary. 2014-08-22. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
  4. FFWD magazine (August 2006). "Readers Choose the Best of Calgary". Archived from the original on 2007-04-03. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
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