Edmonton's Capital EX

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The logo for Edmonton's Capital EX 2006
The logo for Edmonton's Capital EX 2006

Edmonton's Capital EX, formerly known as Klondike Days or K-Days, is an annual 10-day exhibition that is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is usually held near the end of July and is run in conjunction with A Taste of Edmonton.

The exhibition is held at Northlands, formerly Northlands Park, south of Rexall Place.

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[edit] History

1879 Edmonton Agricultural Society organized the first local exhibition on the original Fort Edmonton site on October 15. This was the first event of its kind ever held in what was then known as the North-West Territories. Edmonton's first fair showcased locally produced livestock, grain, vegetables, and handiwork and attracted 500 people.

1893 Edmonton's first spring exhibition.

1899 Exhibition ground relocated to Rossdale Flats (now Telus Field).

1902 Dominion Day celebration and summer exhibition held jointly.

1903 First parade to promote Edmonton's fair. The fair did not organize a community parade in the 1930s and 1940s.

1904 The exhibition, ever gaining in popularity exceeds 20,000 attendees (5,200 on opening day) and relocates to its current site. In 1912 it was extended to six days. It continued to be held through the First World War, even though the facilities were at the disposal of the Canadian Army. A similar arrangement was made during the Second World War, though this time with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

1962 Brought about the name Klondike Days, with the theme revolving around the Klondike Gold Rush. The public embraced the theme with relish, dressing up in period costumes for the Klondike Days opening parade.[citation needed]

2004 The 125th anniversary of the first exhibition hosted by Northlands Park. Klondike Days Parade themed to celebrate the City of Edmonton's 100th anniversary

2005 The fair attendance continued to climb upward, breaking the 800,000 attendance mark in 2005. In 2006, attendance fell to 688,369, which was the year the name of the exhibition was changed to Capital EX.

2006 The exhibition's new name was unveiled as "Capital Ex". Initially this was met with both protest and excitement from citizens. Some felt a name change was unnecessary, while others felt it was time to drop "traditional themes" citing that there was no longer an interest in dressing up in Klondike-themed clothing during the week long exhibition.

2007 Attendance goes up by almost 100,000 with a total of 772,692 attendees from 2006.

[edit] Name change

Initial controversy over the change in name from Klondike Days to Capital EX.[1]

“When we rebranded our summer exhibition two years ago and introduced Capital EX we knew it was so much more than a name. It was about the programming and the opportunity to showcase the best of the region and the province,” says Ken Knowles, President of Northlands. “This recognition from the tourism industry is particularly gratifying as it reinforces our ongoing efforts through Capital EX to continue to celebrate our province and to build Alberta pride.”[2]

[edit] 2008 events

The 2008 Capital EX will be held July 17-26 and will be featuring:

  • Birdhouse Factory: A performance where circus acrobatics and early 20th century machines come together.
  • Ed Fest: A 10-day music festival where 8,000 fans enjoyed great bands each night.
  • Family Fun Town: An interactive village-like area with displays, activities, and rides for children.
  • Fun Town Farm: An agricultural education exhibit where children became farm hands and experienced the beginning at the farm and the end at the market.
  • Global Connections: International marketplace with exhibits of shopping, food and entertainment from a variety of countries around the world.
  • Northwest Originals: Trade show with hundreds of exhibitors featuring unique hand-crafted items that showcase Western Canadian talents.
  • The Shop Zone: Featuring more than 300 exhibits with unique products and services.
  • SIP! The Wine & Food Experience: An upscale food and beverage show.
  • Spirit of the Butterfly: An exhibit featuring more than 15,000 butterflies from 15 countries around the world.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ CBC.ca What's in a name? Capital Ex less popular than Klondike Days – July 31, 2006
  2. ^ Travel Alberta 2007 Alberta Tourism Awards Announced – October 29, 2007

[edit] External links

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