By Gene Kosowan
October is the month when temperatures begin to drop, which means many Edmontonians may begin to naturally migrate indoors. However, here in Alberta's capital, the festival circuit is year-round – and each of these eight attractions will keep you out of the house long after the weather gets colder. [Photo credit: Edmonton International Film Festival]
For serious cinema fans, the biggest draw of the month is the Edmonton International Film Festival, which ends Oct. 7. The festival is showcasing some of the most compelling and highly-acclaimed titles of the year, even though many have escaped mainstream attention. The big exception here is Lucky, starring the recently-deceased Harry Dean Stanton as a quirky atheist. The film is directed by John Carroll Lynch – best known as Frances McDormand’s half-witted deputy in the Oscar-winning Fargo – and closes out the festival at Landmark Cinemas.
Other titles that may capture the curiosity of local patrons include Stuck, starring Ed Harris, Rumble, a documentary on aboriginal rockers, and Breathe, directed by Andy Serkis. Besides Landmark Cinemas, other films will also be screened at the Princess Theatre.
Shorter than short is the week-long Got A Minute Short Film Festival, concluding Oct. 1 with a windup that will make you wonder where the time went. Considering each entry in this event runs roughly 60 seconds long, even a short bathroom break means you might miss a few precious video nuggets.
Submissions are international and you can catch most of them on the outdoor jumbo screen in Churchill Square or on a number of monitors at every LRT stop and at the Edmonton Public Library. It all winds up with an awards ceremony at the Citadel’s Zeidler Hall.
Mr. T need not pity the fools here – most of them show up to this arcane festival by choice. Play the Fool celebrates all things clownish for four days until Oct. 1 at La Cité Francophone, but not before folks get the usual red-nose treatment from slapstick to silly puns.
Features include comedic shows starring characters that go by such names as Sizzle and Spark, Kidd Crimson, Iman Lizarazu and Doctor Professor Lavernius Cumquat. The fine arts of buffoonery, mask creation, dance comedy and acrobatics are all highlighted here and the event is suitable for all ages (except for maybe the burlesque component).
OK, hands up – who thinks the Bloom Festival is about flowers? Sorry, folks, but the event at Shaw Conference Centre, running Oct. 5 to 8, is more holistic than horticultural. The yoga festival is the perfect place to get your downward dog and warrior poses going amongst fellow practitioners of the workout.
Organizers have managed to draw a wide range of international experts to make your workout more fun and perhaps even more flexible. Fittingly, there’s live entertainment scheduled from the likes of DJ Drez and even the aptly-named MC Yogi.
While out-of-towners Wintersleep and the Reverend Horton Heat are the top-billed attractions at the Up and Down Festival (running Oct. 6 to 8), there’s plenty of room for E-town draws, including Dub Vulture, Kiytek, Whitey Houston, I Am Machi and Borys.
With roughly 80 acts in three days, expect such venues as The Starlite Room, The Needle Vinyl Tavern, CKUA Radio Performance Hall, Freemasons Hall and McDougall United Church to be rocked to the foundations.
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More fun things to do in Edmonton this October:
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Even though the top award at the Edmonton Festival of FEAR is dubbed the Corey Feldman Award of Excellence doesn't mean the former child star had a hand in picking this year's entries.
Be prepared to be haunted at Landmark Cinemas Oct. 13 and 14 by new outings like The Child Remains, Creatures of White Chapel and Death Room. But don’t expect psychological horror at this festival – this one is the slash-and-burn real deal with skulls and blood aplenty.
Most Alberta independent filmmakers don’t have the budget for feature-length outings, so the Edmonton Short Film Festival – running Oct. 14 and 15 at the Royal Alberta Museum – is a great opportunity to tell a small-scale story for a big crowd. Here, film buffs can catch the perspectives captured by independent lenses with works by such locals as Norm Fassbender, Eva Colmers and Charlotte Cooper.
Taking over the Edmonton EXPO Centre Oct. 14 and 15, the Edmonton Woman's Show will feature a number of prominent female voices, including Alexis Hillyard – who hosts the hit Youtube cooking show Stump Kitchen – as well as Nancy Thygesen, author of 5 Keys to Discovering the Love of your Life. Unwind with wine and massages and check out a variety of exhibits ranging from Konto Furniture to Northern Reflections fashions.
If someone has the ingenuity to come up with a festival-worthy concept in Edmonton, chances are there’s an audience that will show up. From clown celebrations to yoga gatherings, our city has it all – and just think of what the other 11 months might have in store!
