Summary
Lilac festival is an annual street festival held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The festival has grown to entertain over 100,000 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 | |
| Genre | Street fair |
| Dates | Early June |
| Location(s) | Beltline and Mission in  Calgary |
| Patron(s) | 4th Street BIA |
| Website | Lilac festival |
The festival takes place in the Beltline and Mission neighborhoods, along the thirteen blocks of 4th Street between 12th Avenue SW and Elbow Drive, and also on 17th Avenue between 2nd Street and 5th Street SW.[2] It is an all day free event and is open to all ages.[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.[1]
History edit
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 was voted Calgary's best free festival in 2006.[4]
In 2023, the festival was held on June 4.
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"The Lilac Festival" in Calgary's Mission district -
Belly Dancer -
Knight in shining armour -
The balloon lady
In 2018, the approximate attendance was over 100,000 people.[1]
The festival was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but resumed in 2022.
Sponsors edit
Multiple organizations sponsored the 2023 Lilac Festival:[1]
- TD Bank
- The City of Calgary
- Alberta Culture and Tourism
- Alberta Foundations for the Arts
- 4th Street BIA
- 17th Avenue BIA
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f Festival, Lilac. "Lilac Festival". Lilac Festival. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- ^ a b "Lilac Festival". 4th Street BRZ. Archived from the original on 2007-05-20. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
- ^ "Mission". Avenue Calgary. 2014-08-22. Retrieved 2019-03-22.
- ^ FFWD magazine (August 2006). "Readers Choose the Best of Calgary". Archived from the original on 2007-04-03. Retrieved 2007-04-30.