2017 ANNUAL REPORT Years 27Celebrating 27 years, the Silver Skate Festival always falls during the Family Day Weekend. The festival site, picturesque William Hawrelak Park, is transformed into a community hub for Albertan and 85,000 visiting families to explore. ’s river valley attendees in 2017 park system and its amenities offer a unique and memorable winter experience. Our 2017 festival attendance was down due to unseasonably high As Edmonton’s Premier , we include temperatures during our event. The all ages and strongly align with the mission of the festival was forced to cancel some Silver Skate Festival Society: of our festival programming and “To provide a free family oriented winter registered events. Working with our celebration blending arts, culture, recreation and programmers and site staff some sport showcasing various skating disciplines programs on the second weekend and promoting outdoor activities in Alberta.” were modified and/or moved due to Silver Skate Festival represents Edmonton’s diverse festival site conditions. This was not Contact Contents multicultural community and embraces winter as a without its challenges, but we were positive feature of our northern lifestyle. pleased that with the diversity of For more information on this report 1 27 Years our programming we were still able and the festival please contact: William Hawrelak Park is a 68 hectare park in 2 Meet Our Team to provide programming throughout the river valley featuring a 5 hectare skating pond the course of the festival for all of Silver Skate Festival Society 4 Our Partners during the winter. Using the park as a blank our attendees. Weather may have 10212 112 St. 6 Revenues canvas, the festival activates a large area of the park been a factor but the park remained Edmonton, Alberta to feature its arts, culture, sport and recreation busy with engaged individuals. T5K 1M4 7 Expenses programming. With plenty of room for expansion, Silver Skate Festival is realizing 8 Marketing the Silver Skate Festival was once again happy to Phone: 780.488.1960 share the park with one of our partners, Castles. its potential as an economic 10 Signature Events driver for Winter Tourism Email: [email protected] 15 Special Events 2017 marked our fourth year as an expanded ten- in the City of Edmonton. day festival. Thanks to our many partners, our Web: www.silverskatefestival.org 16 Sporting Events diverse programming proved once again to have 19 More Free Stuff something for everyone. Visitors were truly engaged join us at next year’s festival Photographs by in community building experiences and creating 20 Looking Forward Marc J. Chalifoux Photography memories; memories that will last a lifetime. FEBRUARY 9–19, 2018 21 Partnership Opportunities

Silver Skate Festival 1 MEET OUR TEAM

Our Crew Our Board The Executive Producer and Creative Director work The Silver Skate Festival is a not-for- year round to prepare for the Silver Skate Festival while profit organization. Our volunteer the rest of the team begins working at various times board is involved in all aspects of throughout the year. A labour of love, each member planning for the festival and their of our team goes above and beyond to ensure the commitment before, during and after continued success of the festival. are truly appreciated.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER SITE STAFF PRESIDENT Erin Di Loreto Shauna Murphy Harm de Groot Jeremy McConville Our Volunteers CREATIVE DIRECTOR VICE-PRESIDENT Gin May 280 volunteers provided 2384 hours Ritchie Velthuis Jeff Davis Cassidy Armstrong of service to the Silver Skate Festival. SITE MANAGER Bruce Chedzoy TREASURER Volunteers ensured the Silver Many volunteers return year after Matt L’Hirondelle Cliff Grant Tony Loconte Skate Festival was a free festival for year and this created a stable base ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT FIRE CAPTAIN DIRECTOR (EDMONTON WINTER TRIATHLON) everyone to enjoy. Positions before, of knowledgeable workers. Our Maria Koulouris Jason Wispinski Rodney Al during and after the event included number one rule was for everyone

BOOKKEEPER SNOW AND ICE SCULPTURE DIRECTOR (SKATE RACES) site preparation, traffic control, to have fun. We hosted a volunteer Shamira da Silva LEAD ARTISTS Brian Johnston official greeters, production, orientation the week prior to Stuart Ballah warming fire supervision, and the the festival and our volunteer VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Jeremy McConville DIRECTOR facilitation of the many activities at appreciation program included a Karen Mykietka Christian Denis Rikke Dootjes the event. Volunteers were crucial trailer with a lounge area where we SCHOOL PROGRAM COORDINATOR Mark Hill DIRECTOR to the success of Festival and their served hearty soups, snacks and Karena Dang Ritchie Velthuis Tyler Westover commitment ensured that every refreshments. visitor had an optimal experience. STAGE MANAGER SCHOOL PROGRAM DIRECTOR All volunteers received a gift bag Trent Crosby LEAD SNOW ARTIST Chris Ward We recruited volunteers through and were entered into draws for Randall Fraser advertising in newspapers, websites prizes donated by local businesses FOLK TRAIL STORY & DIRECTOR DIRECTOR INDIGENOUS/MÉTIS WINTER CAMP and social media. and community groups. Elizabeth Hobbs COORDINATOR Douwe Spriesma

LIGHT INSTALLATIONS Melissa Jo Belcourt-Moses SECRETARY

Ritchie Velthuis, Brianna OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER Russell Gottschalk SCiP Interns 2017 SCIP INTERNS Odland, Bob Fedina The Serving Communities The post-secondary students gain Marc J. Chalifoux Meg Wenschlag Internship Program (SCiP) is a skills, experience, and networks LIGHTING DIRECTOR Photography Mell Wolfinger partnership of Volunteer Alberta so they can expand their career Scott Peters GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Martha Elena and the Government of Alberta. opportunities and receive a $1000 J. Velasco Joel Higham This program brings Alberta’s award at the end of the program. Maria Vu Greg deJong nonprofit organizations and post- The Silver Skate Festival enlisted Hafila Makhani PUBLICISTS secondary students together the help of SCIP internships Alyssa Bucyk Darka Tarnawsky to make a difference in their in various programs at the Jordyn Eberts Kyle Humeny communities. festival. With their help we were Feifei Tian SCiP internships are meaningful, able to achieve greater success Keltie Squires skill-based opportunities providing and increased capacity of the Cornelis Koeman mutual benefit to both not-for-profit programs at our event. Micah Seneshen organizations and post-secondary students. The not- for-profit organizations gain added talent and human capacity so that they can better achieve their missions. Silver Silver Skate Skate 2 Festival Festival 3 OUR PARTNERS GRANTORS Rooted in the Dutch tradition Each year more businesses and Edmonton Arts Council for the love of skating and the community partners see the value of Canadian Heritage beauty of winter, the Silver Skate the festival to the community, but Alberta Foundation for the Arts Festival began as a one-day event each year fundraising becomes more Alberta Lottery Fund hosted by the Dutch Canadian competitive. Faced with this reality, Edmonton Heritage Council Club (DCC). The DCC would we thought outside the partner/ highlight Dutch culture while sponsorship box and approached serving up traditional cuisine in Ice Castle LLC. We have formed an PLATINUM SKATER an orienteering tent near the ice. arm’s length agreement with this Keeping food hot on a winter for-Profit Company to share in some PARTNERS It is through day proved challenging but Sid marketing and programming cost of the visionary City of Edmonton Braaksma of Northgate Industries our free festival. We are pleased to attitude and Northgate Industries provided a solution. Providing a have them back in 2018. generosity of kitchen and dining trailer along Ice Castles LLC Created from tens of thousands community with some programming dollars, Mammoet of icicles, this acre and a half- builders that Northgate Industries became our frozen spectacle was built by we continue first corporate partner. As the Edmontonians for our Winter City to see great festival has grown so has Northgate Gold Silver Bronze and its visitors to enjoy. Inventor strides in the Industries commitment. They Brent Christenson’s ingenious growth and Skater Skater Skater continue to be one of our largest building technique enlisted the development contributors through cash and PARTNERS PARTNERS PARTNERS help of approximately 40 local icicle of the Silver in-kind donations of goods and farmers and an irrigation system to Skate Festival. CSU 52 Benevolent Society Alberta Milk Snow Valley services. create the project. Truly a work of Varscona Hotel on Whyte River Valley Programs Northern Lights Vacations Many other community partners art and a seemingly natural wonder, Patcher Energy Edmonton Tourism Melcor have come forward to help us this installation transformed Superior Show Service Martin Deerline Potato Growers of Alberta realize our potential. Mammoet an open field into the majestic supports the Edmonton Winter Ice Castle. Once visitors walked ONEC Kiwi Productions NEXGEN Grafix Inc Triathlon. CSU52 Benevolent through the entrance they were WinterCity Edmonton Alberta Traffic Supply Society supported our Live transported into another world. The Capital City Catering Turris Performers Tent and River Ice Castle, which opened in late MEC Canadian Progress Club Valley Programs supported our December and closed shortly after OCTS Production Paramedics free cross-country skiing and the festival, was a huge success and Dutch Canadian Club Derrick Disposal snowshoeing. The previously had a significant economic impact mentioned organizations and on the Edmonton region. Marc J. Chalifoux Arctic Chiller Photography companies such as NexGen Grafix, In our upcoming fund-raising year Patcher Energy, Potato Growers of we will continue to think outside Frisbee Rob Alberta, Melcor, Snow Valley, Turris the box. By maintaining and Diamond B Ranch Communications, Kiwi Productions creating new relationships we will have all been loyal supporters. Large continue to see the festival grow. or small, every partner is important Media Silver Skate to the delivery of the festival. Partners Contributors “Canadian Heritage is proud to promote our rich 92.5 Fresh FM Track ‘N Trail linguistic and cultural diversity, as well as our Global Tech Shop country’s arts and heritage sectors. I would like Pattison Outdoor Signs Parks Canada to thank you for helping share our stories and 630 Ched Sculptors’ Association of Alberta continuing to build a strong and inclusive Canada.” iNews 880 Alberta Avenue Community League Erica Tao CISN Country Fast Trax Run & Ski Shop REGIONAL DIRECTOR GENERAL CANADIAN HERITAGE The Skier’s Sportshop

Silver Silver Skate Skate 4 Festival Festival 5 2017 FINANCIALS

The total Operating Free Programming is one of the strongest mandates of the Silver Skate Festival. Every walk of life has Budget for the 2017 the ability take part in a variety of activities. But free Silver Skate Festival programming still costs money, and this is where the money is spent. Thanks to our existing and new was over $689,000 partners, we enrich the lives of more and more people each year. Our fundraising efforts through Free Family Fun Zone 26.18% grants, partnerships, registrations REVENUES Heritage Village 19.20% and donations determine our EXPENSES Festival Operating Budget. Funding Snow Garden 13.60% from all three levels of government Folk Trail 14.90% provided the Silver Skate Festival Live Performers 19.40% stability but more than 60% of our budget was derived from local Fire Sculpture 6.72% community partners in 2017.

Gift in Kind (GIK) contributions are defined as goods and services GIK Marketing donated by various Gifts in Kind (GIK) community partners. 19.80% Each contributing 37.44% Programming Grants partner determines the 35.84% value of their gift based 31.51% on industry standards.

GIK Programming 19.58%

Capital Expense 0.06% Registered Programs 1.48% Donations 0.17% Corporate Partners Volunteers 1.58% 14.30% Registered Events 2.49% Cost of Sales of Service 2.66% Administration Vendor Sales 2.65% Casino 14.00% 6.32% Marketing 5.00% Sales of Service 5.12%

Silver Silver Skate Skate 6 Festival Festival 7

marketing

FOLD FOLD FOLD FOLD SSF-2017-brochure-outside.indd 1 SILVER SKATE BY DAY

Every corner of Hawrelak Park is a flurry of activity and each day is filled with new winter experiences. Whether you have 1 hour, 3 hours or all day there is plenty to do. Check our schedule and map to plan your winter memories. FOLD FOLD FOLD FOLD

HELP KEEP SILVER SKATE PROGRAMMING FREE! Being a free festival is important but programming for over 125,000 people costs SILVER SKATE BY NIGHT ALOT! Dark nights turn to bright lights as the sun goes down. Experience a theatrical WE NEED YOUR HELP TODAY! extravaganza as you explore the mythical Folk Trail and partake in our magical Be our Silver Lining and Donate NOW Lantern Procession to the dramatic lighting of our Fire Sculpture Installation. Create your own lantern for $2.00 in our Lantern Making Tent. Donate at a on site donations station find the icons on the site map. 2017-01-31 6:58 AM

PRINTED BY NEXGEN DESIGNED BY POCOBRIO

FOLD FOLD FOLD FOLD FOLD FOLD FOLD FOLD

LEGEND

Information Bus Stop (ETS Shuttle) Toilets Vimy Ridge Memorial Sculpure Snow and Ice Slides

Donation Station First Aid Cash Machine Ice Castles Brand Media Parking Food Vendors Canada 150 Sculpture SnowSocial Maze Media Online EVENT SCHEDULE | FEB 10-20 | 9AM - 9PM A picture is worth a thousand Silver Skate Festival continues to diversify its marketing Arts & Culture | Sports & Recreation silverskatefestival.org February 2017 Fri 10 Sat 11 Sun 12 Mon 13 Tue 14 Wed 15 Facebook.com/silver.skate.14Thu 16 Fri 17 Sat 18 Sun 19 Mon 20 words. Graphic designer Joel plan. In 2017 we negotiated a cooperative marketing Fire Sculpture Installation 9am-7pm 9am-7pm 9am-7pm 9am-7pm 9am-7pm 9am-7pm Snow Sculpture Symposium 10am - 10pm 10am - 10pm 10am-12pm The Silver Skate Festival continues Higham of POCOBRIO continues to partnership with Travel Alberta, Edmonton Tourism Snowshoe Races 1km & 5km 10am Twitter @silverskate Public Skating 11am-10pm 11am-10pm 11am-10pm 11am-10pm 11am-10pm 11am-10pm 11am-10pm 11am-10pm 11am-10pm 11am-10pm 11am-10pm to see an increase in website be inspired by official photographer and Ice Castles to increase our tourism potential. Free Family Fun Zone 4pm-8pm 1pm-8pm 1pm-8pm 4pm-8pm 4pm-8pm 4pm-8pm 4pm-8pm 4pm-8pm 1pm-8pm 1pm-8pm 1pm-5pm Winter Sport 4pm-8pm 1pm-8pm 1pm-8pm 4pm-8pm 4pm-8pm 4pm-8pm Instagram4pm-8pm 4pm-8pm 1pm-8pm @silverskatefest1pm-8pm 1pm-5pm traffic. This media rich and Marc J. Chalifoux to develop a We fostered print, television and radio sponsorship Live Performers in the Park 8pm-9pm 1pm-9pm 1pm-9pm 8pm-9pm 1pm-9pm 1pm-9pm 1pm-5pm Lantern Making ($2 per lantern) 4pm - 7pm 4pm - 7pm 4pm - 7pm 4pm - 7pm 4pm - 7pm 4pm - 7pm mobile friendly site hosts all the Folk Trail 4pm-8pm 4pm-8pm 4pm-8pm Social4pm-8pm media4pm-8pm 4pm-8pm has become a strong voice to promote the distinctive Silver Skate brand to agreements with Pattison Outdoor Advertising, Global Meet Me at Lover’s Lane *ticketed 5pm-9pm 5pm-9pm 5pm-9pm 5pm-9pm 5pm-9pm 5pm-9pm Lantern Processsion 7:30pm 7:30pm 7:30pm festival7:30pm and7:30pm our7:30pm partners. In 2017 we again enlisted a latest information on the festival FOLD FOLD share a positive message about Television (Edmonton, Calgary), NEXGEN Grafix Inc, Fire Sculpture Burn 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm 7:45pm Frisbee on Ice 12:00pm Social Media SCIP intern to work with us to grow our events as well as photo and video being active in winter. POCOBRIO and Corus Media (CHED, INEWS, Fresh FM and CISN). #Proud2bCanadian 1pm-5pm 1pm-5pm 1pm-5pm 1pm-5pm 1pm-5pm Alberta Milk Free Hot Chocolate 1pm-5pm 1pm-5pm social media1pm-5pm footprint.1pm-5pm We created a social media plan archives and rotating web banners continues to create a unified media Festival Publicists, Darka Tarnawsky and Kyle Humeny Alberta Milk Sleigh Rides noon-4pm noon-4pm noon-4pm noon-4pm noon-4pm Silver Linings Performance Tent *ticketed 8pm 8pm highlighting8pm 8pm our events and partners and to ensure that for our partners. The website is campaign, on-site signage and new of Bottomline Productions facilitated many free media Ice Spirits *ticketed 4pm-10pm Pond Hockey Tournament we responded10am-4pm to all enquires via these media in a timely the central hub for all marketing Snow Garden 9am-9pm 9am-9pm 9am-9pm 9am-9pm 9am-9pm 9am-9pm 9am-9pm 9am-9pm this year, a festival brochure/event opportunities and interviews to further promote the Dead Cold Run 10am activities and a link to our growing Everything Under the Rainbow 4pm-8pm manner4pm-8pm during the festival. Our following on all our schedule/map to solidify brand festival. Fat Bike Fest 2pm Figure Skating Demonstrations 2:30pm 12:30 & 2:30pm social media platforms continues to increase. international audience. recognition and navigational ease. Heritage Village 12pm-6pm 12pm-6pm 12pm-6pm 12pm-6pm 12pm-6pm Media outlets onsite at various times throughout the Heritage Stage 1pm-6pm 1pm-6pm 1pm-6pm 1pm-6pm 1pm-6pm Kortebaan Races Help us spread2pm the word through Visit our website at festival included: Global TV, Edmonton Examiner, Mammoet Winter Triathlon 9:30am MEC Winter Camping 1pm-5pm 1pm-5pm Facebook,1pm-5pm Twitter1pm-5pm 1pm-5pm and Instagram. www.silverskatefestival.org Edmonton Sun, Edmonton Journal, FreshFM, CISN, Northgate Skate Races 9am 9am Northgate Skate Races Ceremonies 1pm 11am CHED, City TV, Shaw TV, CBC TV, CTV Edmonton, St. Snow Daze School Program 9am-2pm 9am-2pm 9am-2pm 9am-2pm 9am-2pm SILVER SKATEFESTIVAL.ORG

SSF-2017-brochure-inside-vert.indd 1 2017-01-30 6:54 PM Alberta Gazette and CBC Radio. FOLD FOLD

Silver Silver Skate Skate 8 Festival Festival 9 SignatureSignature EventsEvents

International Heritage Village Through the generous support of the Snow Sculpture Edmonton Heritage Council, we now Symposium have the infrastructure to create three In the spirit of cooperation eight teams of Indigenous winter experiences which artists created Edmonton’s largest snow include a winter hunting camp, a Métis sculpture garden on the first weekend of camp and a winter tipi. This place making the festival. Three Alberta teams and one experience allow us to continue to engage team from Saskatchewan worked alongside the public and continue to tell Edmonton’s four international teams from Norway, indigenous and Métis stories that will France, Germany and Sweden to transform benefit and inform the community. 8 foot by 8 foot by 8 foot blocks of snow Perhaps our biggest measure of success into an ephemeral sculpture garden for was the notable increase in Indigenous the public to enjoy over the course of the and Métis people experiencing and visiting festival. the encampments at the festival. Through

2017 AWARDS the hard work of our team, the Heritage People’s Choice: Team Red Deer Village transforms into an interpretive Artist Choice: Team Norway centre of Indigenous and Métis Winter Shelters. Help support our Snow Sculpture Garden, partner with us today. Cultural performers were also programmed on the Heritage Stage while blacksmithing, orienteering and bannock making also animated our Heritage Village. The feedback was resoundingly positive, and our audience was truly engaged. Help share the stories of Edmonton’s cultural mosaic. Become our Heritage Village Partner.

Silver Skate Festival 11 Signature Events Silver Skate Snow Daze Performers Folk Trail School in the Park Each year the Silver Skate Folk Trail Program Edmonton is blessed with amazing is loosely based on a folk tale. We talent and the Silver Skate Festival Even after doubling the capacity of invite the public to explore lantern, is committed to highlighting local our Snow Daze Program, we sold light, snow and ice installations talent at our Live Performance Stage out within a week. Approximately which transform the deep dark on each weekend of the festival. In 960 students cycled through 4 woods into an enchanted world. 2017 we were fortunate the talents streams of activities which ran Along the trail, a cast of colourful of Scott Cook, Royal Foundry, Jay Tuesday to Friday from 10 am to characters reveal a magical story. A Gilday, Karla Anderson, Marco 2 pm. These activities included lantern making workshop is held in Claveria, Jason Kodie, Nadine recreational activities, snow the late afternoon in preparation for Kellman, Alex Vissia, Jesse Northey, sculpting, orienteering, and an evening lantern procession to the White lightening, Lindsey Walker, aboriginal programming in two fire sculpture installations. Ariane Lemire, Jordan Norman and Indigenous Winter Camps. This year we told the story of the Maria Dunn. Children are our Future. “Land of the Golden Apples” in Live Performers in the Park presented by Can you help? which Princess Summer enlisted CSU52 Benevolent Society in 2017. Become our Snow Daze the help of Prince Gerald to break School Program Partner. a terrible curse that was turning her beloved kingdom to ice and withering the golden apples. Wolf Family Fun people, the secret police of the kingdom, thwarted the Prince’s and Zones Princess’s efforts at every turn but Snow mazes and ice slides are in the end the power of love lifted synonymous with outdoor winter the curse and restored the kingdom festivals and thanks to generous to its former glory. support of Northgate Industries, We expanded to six days of evening there were plenty of them. Not programming during the festival only did Northgate Industries assist Fire Sculpture the magical light of lanterns and with general site development they fire sculpture enlivened the park also had their hand in the creation Installations of snow slides, an ice slide and the and we saw our largest audience 6 teams of fire artists created snow maze. The nuts and bolts of a for the Folk Trail and Fire Sculpture sculptures made from combustible winter festival, these attractions are Installations in 2016. This materials which they set ablaze as a a perennial favourite amongst our programming has become a yearly dramatic finale during six evenings visitors. tradition for many people coming of the festival. People were also to the festival and they are telling Family Fun Zones presented by Northgate invited to write down their fears, Industries in 2017 friends regrets or anything that chases love Be part of the magic. Help make from their hearts to be offered to the it happen. Become our Silver fire installations. The caliber of the Skate Folk Trail Partner. fire art becomes stronger each year as the contributing artist hone their craft and learn more about this new art form. Keep the home fires burning. Become our Fire Sculpture Installation Partner.

Silver Silver Skate Skate 12 Festival Festival 13 SIGNATURE EVENTS SPECIAL EVENTS Hot Chocolate Recreation and Horse-Drawn Zones Sleigh Rides As one of the pillars of the Silver Skate mission, recreation plays Everything Under Valentine’s Day The two most popular activities of winter festivals that an important role at the festival. The Rainbow Core programming will always be free at the begin with “H” are horse-drawn sleigh rides and hot festival but our second annual Valentine Day Recreational activities included Inclusive of all families, the festival hosted chocolate. Not only did Alberta Milk offer programming Weekend “Meet Me at Lover’s Lane” sleigh cross country skiing, snow shoeing, a LGBTQ focused evening event entitled support for our horse drawn sleigh rides, they also ride was a success. Couples experienced a old fashioned curling, broom Everything Under the Rainbow in partnership provided hot chocolate and photo opportunities in a romantic cutter sled ride around picturesque ball, a shoot to score station and with the Pride Centre of Edmonton. Activities giant snow globe on the last weekend of the festival. William Hawrelak Park while sipping hot ice skating on a 5-hectare lake. included free skate rentals, s’mores and hot Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides and Hot Chocolate chocolate. The four evenings of this ticketed Recreation zones attracted a large chocolate, family snow sculpture, bannock presented by Alberta Milk event at the festival were sold out. audience and are key to keeping us making and a drum circle led by the Two We invested the proceeds from this healthy and active during the long Spirit Society of Edmonton. winter season. programming back into the free moreaboutmilk.com Everyone present was truly engaged in all Recreation Zone presented by programming at the festival. River Valley Programs in 2017 of the activities and plans for next year’s Everything Under the Rainbow have already begun. Free Shuttle Help us be inclusive of all families in our community. Be our “Everything Service Under the Rainbow” Partner. As the festival gets busier, parking becomes a major issue. Due to our generous sponsorship by Ice Castles we were able to provide a free shuttle service on both weekends of the festival between the University of Alberta and Hawrelak Park. Ridership more than doubled from the previous year. Free Shuttle Service presented by Ice Castles in 2017

Silver Silver Skate Skate 14 Festival Festival 15 SportingSporting EventsEvents Edmonton Winter Triathlon The Edmonton Winter Triathlon (EWT) is the premier sporting event at the Silver Skate Festival. Three common winter pursuits (running, skating, and cross- country skiing) are hosted in a short course format (10 km) and a long course format (25 km) to accommodate all levels of competition. Due to unseasonably warm temperatures during the festival we were unable to host this event. This information was communicated to all race registrants with the option of us providing them with a refund or carrying over their registration fees to our 2018 festival. 90% of our Edmonton Winter Triathlon registrants requested their registration be carried over. A favourite event of weekend warriors since 1989, the EWT has a strong and loyal following. Edmonton Winter Triathlon presented by Mammoet in 2017.

Skate Races A founding sporting event of the Silver Skate Festival, the Skate Races attract local, national and international athletes. In partnership with the Edmonton Speed Skating Association, we planned on hosting a 1 hour, 10 km and 1 km races. Due to unseasonably warm temperatures we were unable to host these events. Working with the City of Edmonton River Valley’s Park staff and our long-time community partners the Edmonton Speed Skating Club we tried very hard to ensure great ice for these races on the last weekend of the festival. Unfortunately, Mother Nature refused to cooperate and for the first time in Silver Skate Festival history we were forced to cancel these events. This information was communicated to all race registrants with the option of us providing them with a refund or carrying over their registration fees to our 2018 festival. Except for 1 participant that was not from Canada all our Skate Race registrants requested us to carry over their fees. Skate Races presented by Northgate Industries in 2017. SportingSporting EventsEvents More Free Stuff Each year many organizations and individuals approach us to be part of our festival programming. After a careful review, we choose activities that suit the values of the festival.

In celebration of the 100-year anniversary of Vimy Ridge, Silver Skate Festival created a Vimy Ridge Memorial in snow sculpture. Signage was created to inform the public about Vimy Ridge and the Edmonton connection to this important event in Canadian history. #proud2BCdn –Canada became a country in 1867, it included only four provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. Snow Shoe Races Kortebaan Over the next 150 years, the The Silver Skate Festival and Snowshoe Canada, hosted Sprint Races British North American landscape 1 km and 5 km snow shoe races on the first weekend would continue to be transformed: Co-hosted by the Silver Skate of the festival. Canada’s fastest growing winter sport, Borders were changed, purchases Festival and the Edmonton Speed participation numbers continue to grow each year. were made, alliances were formed, Skating Association (ESSA) the territories were divided, and Kortebaan Sprint Races are an provinces were created. Today, Dead Cold Run all-day event held on the second Canada comprises 10 provinces and Frisbee on Ice - On February 11, 2017 Rob McLeod, Jill This year, the 5 km Dead Cold Run was held during the Saturday of festival. Unfortunately, 3 territories. Each one is an integral Duffy and Jennie Orsten attempted to break 3 Guinness first weekend of the festival, offering both a beautiful as mentioned due to unseasonably part of the nation we know today, World Records for Self-Caught Flight on Ice Skates. winter run and solid training for the zombie apocalypse. warm temperatures the races had and it is the 150-year process of Rob attempted the Men’s records (which he currently By acting as an umbrella for this community event, we to be cancelled. confederation that has fostered a holds) while Jill & Jennie attempted to set the Women’s brought a new audience experienced the festival. culture of tolerance, freedom and records, which do not currently exist. Self-Caught Flight equality in the Brave New World we (SCF) includes two events with the intention throwing FAT BIKE FEST call Canada. Festival Attendees were the disc in a high boomerang flight allowing the asked to write a message about thrower to then catch it — with one hand! In Maximum Our inaugural Fat Bike Fest aimed “What makes you proud of the Time Aloft (MTA), a player aims to accumulate a to bring together fatbikers and Brave New World we call Canada?” maximum number of seconds between the throw and neophytes from near and far for a catch; in Throw, Run and Catch (TRC), the object is good time on the snow and trails Once again, Alberta Transportation to accumulate a maximum number of meters between along the North Saskatchewan Snow Plow Safety hosted an the throw and catch. To get good results, players must River Valley. Festival attendees education piece on the clearing of be adept at gauging the wind, “reading” the flight of a could register for one of the races Alberta highways and allowed an disc and employing good catching techniques. We were as an individual competitor or as up-close and personal look at snow pleased to welcome this programming back to our 2017 a team. Local Bike Shops were on clearing equipment. Kids loved it. festival. hand providing free demonstrations Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) Parks Canada representatives from Elk Island National and opportunities to try out one of informed people about winter Park and Jasper National Park were on site both their bikes. camping with a display of winter weekends of the festival to share information about our camping equipment. National Parks Systems.

Silver Silver Skate Skate 18 Festival Festival 19 Looking Forward Partnership Opportunities With our meteoric rise of the past decade As with every free festival, a donation strategy Reach out to Albertans in 2018! we have grown from 5-7,000 visitors to over is challenging and to date we have not found The Silver Skate Festival recognizes Let’s sit down and hear your ideas 105,000 and our expanded 10-day format is that secret formula to make people open their and values the importance of our on how we can build an incredible maturing into a place making experience for wallets. This year the festival has partnered Community partners. Throughout customized package that will engage our Winter City. Hawrelak Park was a flurry of with the University of Alberta Faculty of Arts our Annual Report we have your network and the audiences you activity on both weekends of the festival. With Community Service Learning Students (CSL). highlighted a variety of suggested are seeking. the presence of the Ice Castle LLC we saw CSL students are enthusiastic and engaged opportunities that may interest you. significant audience growth during the week learners. They have the ability to inject at the festival. We are happy to announce new energy, enthusiasm, and perspectives PLATINUM GOLD SILVER BRONZE CONTRIBUTOR that Ice Castles LLC will be returning in into our festival. This is an opportunity LEVEL OF PARTNERSHIP  2018 and we look forward to expanding our for the Silver Skate Festival Society to gain partnership. the additional human resources needed to Your logo on billboard advertising achieve our goals. Involvement with CSL also Community partners are the key to our Opportunity to be highlighted on Ice success and to keeping the festival free. allows us to network with colleagues in other Castles website under “Our Local organizations and agencies. Lastly, working Favourites” – 900-million impressions With the help of community partners in 2018, with CSL offers us a chance to identify and we will explore the growth and enhancement Rotating Company Tower ad access other university resources, as well as on silverskatefestival.org of several existing programs including the build relationships with faculty and staff. We Silver Skate Folk Trail, the Fire Sculpture will be working with first and fourth year Prominent display of your company Installations, Live Performer in the Park, the logo on festival grounds leading communications students. up to the festival dates Snow Daze School Program, the Heritage Village, the Everything Under the Rainbow The Silver Skate Festival has become Rotating 2nd-tier ad on Event and the Kortebaan. Edmonton’s Premier Winter Festival and is silverskatefestival.org becoming a major economic driver of Winter Help the Silver Skate Festival Grow. Tourism in Edmonton. Our dream is to make Your logo on newspaper advertising Be a partner of a Signature Event. the Silver Skate Festival one of Canada’s and festival handbills Core programming will always be free at the largest winter festivals. Signature Event Sponsorship – festival but introducing ticketed or revenue company logo on Signature Event website page and signage generating events at Silver Skate are necessary Together for our long term sustainability. Races we can achieve Your logo included on the Silver registrations have always helped with the hard Skate home page footer costs of these event, but we have begun to this dream. introduce other ticketed or user fee programs. Rotating side box ad on silverskatefestival.org Our Snow Daze School Program and our Valentine’s Day Cutter Sled experience have Display of your company proven to be very successful in generating banner on festival site some much needed income. Since Family Day falls at the end of the festival we will be able Your logo on all posters for the festival to add one more day to our school program.

Your logo on Partners boards on festival site

Your company listed and linked on the Silver Skate website Partners page

Networking opportunities with other community minded partners

We want to talk to you and will be connecting with you soon. Let us work together to create a dynamic partnership that benefits everyone! Contact us soon at [email protected] or 780.488.1960

Silver Skate 20 Festival Thank you

moreaboutmilk.com

www.silverskatefestival.org Silver Skate Festival Society • 10215 112 St • Edmonton, Alberta • T5K 1M4 CANADA