review and photos by Arsh Kaur
To all the people who call Edmonton Deadmonton, Kaleido is an accolade that saves the city’s reputation. The 18th year of Kaleido Family Arts Festival was, as usual, produced by Arts on the Ave from Sept 16 – 17. The theme of this year, “Hearts a Bustin”( a fancy word for strawberry bushes), symbolized uniting communities, diversity and artistic talents.
With more than 50 vendors, 500 artists and 300 volunteers, Kaleido offered something for everyone over the course of the weekend. It’s almost unbelievable, but all this for no admission fee for three days. Kaleido was spread over 118th avenue along the streets 91 to 94. The vendors set up their booth along 118 Avenue, while the performances took place on the main stage set up in the grassy field.
With little to no clue about what to expect but with loads of excitement, I went to the festival on the Saturday afternoon. I started the adventure by meeting my colleague Ani, who was rocking puzzle pants (they looked as cool as they sound) that got so many compliments. I regretted playing safe with a basic white tee.
With little to no clue about what to expect but with loads of excitement, I went to the festival on the Saturday afternoon. I started the adventure by meeting my colleague Ani, who was rocking puzzle pants (they looked as cool as they sound) that got so many compliments. I regretted playing safe with a basic white tee.
With little to no clue about what to expect but with loads of excitement, I went to the festival on the Saturday afternoon. I started the adventure by meeting my colleague Ani, who was rocking puzzle pants (they looked as cool as they sound) that got so many compliments. I regretted playing safe with a basic white tee.
The trollsons (comedic trolls from the Canadian forest), paper giants, balloon creatures shaped like a strawberry, grape, and bird roamed around the Avenue like they had escaped from a kid’s fever dream. I couldn’t help laughing every time Ani was startled by the big balloon bird. We walked around admiring the murals and the artists on the street painting live. We said yes to every art and craft activity.
Face outlining on the glass – why not? Ani stood on one side of the glass and I outlined her facial features. Found out I am actually good at it.
Paper making from scratch – who could say no? It was honestly like discovering a secret. The girls volunteering were so patient, even while giving instructions for the nth time.
Decorate Hand weaved looms – we gave it a try. With vibrant threads and dried flowers we weaved our own stories into the wooden ice sticks. Unexpectedly, It brought us to share stories of our brave grandmas and admire that they taught us to weave.
Fold Origami – I always wanted to do this! While delicately folding the paper, we learnt about the legend of a thousand cranes. The legend says a wish comes true after folding a thousand cranes. Lucky for us, the installation of 1000 cranes was right beside us to make a wish. I made several, just in case.
Then of course there was food. Six food trucks offered various delights: Mini donuts, Sandwiches, Takoyaki, Noodles, the kind of foods you find at festivals. As a vegetarian, it can be a task for me to find food at the festivals. However, Kind Thai Table saved me from only eating fries by making me a sweet, spicy and mouth watering meatless pad thai. We gobbled our food while watching people tripping on a road bump in front of our bench and controlling our laughs.
After filling our tummies to the brim and stopping the urge to buy handmade jewelry, we took a stroll to the community garden. We met the sweetest lady who gave us a sample of homemade, garden vegetable pickles and sold me a bunch of peacock feathers for only $4! I had them sticking out of my tote back the rest of time and everybody complimented me on my beautiful feathers. I felt like a celebrity.
We concluded our artistic adventures just in time to see the Bhangra performance on the main stage. I was excited to see Bhangra, because it is a lively folk dance of Punjab, where I grew up. The team of ten young boys brought vibrant outfits, outstanding coordination and infectious smiles on the Kaleido stage. They danced with passion and sang boliyan (short traditional songs) to the beat of the dhol drum. The energetic performance gave me nostalgia and made me feel right at home.
The Dance and Drum performance by Kita no Taiko made my chest rumble with their powerful beats. When the lead singer asked for audience participation, I was so happy to yell at the top of my lungs. She lifted a white board in the air that had a Japanese word written on it (I forgot the words) and everyone read it out loud in sync. In between the breathtaking performances, the MC reminded everyone how important it is to donate to keep Kaleido alive and free.
My most memorable and favorite performance had to be Kalabante Cirque. The acrobats seemed like boneless magicians when they folded their bodies in unordinary ways and balanced on top of each other. The ringmaster’s soothing kora (21 stringed instrument) music, acrobats’ drums and singing took us to Africa.
These three performances were a highlight for me because they reflected the connectedness of different communities. It’s intriguing how all of them used similar resources (drums), but presented totally different performances.
By 8 PM, the chilly night started to creep in, and I had left my jacket behind in my usual forgetful manner. All the bonfires near the main stage were occupied already. So, we reluctantly left, even though I wanted to see more performances. I will be bringing a sweater and a blanket to set up a little picnic near the bonfires.
In the end, my first ever Kaleido was filled with unforgettable moments. From a grandma dancing her heart out on Latin music to a ten year old teaching origami, everyone radiated happiness that was too contagious not to catch. I can’t wait to go again next year.
Kaleido is not just another festival. It is a kaleidoscope of creativity with its beautiful and unique pattern. Follow Kaleido on Instagram to get updates on the next year’s festival.
2023 Kaleido Festival
94 St & 118 Ave, Edmonton
September 16 – 17, 2023
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