Every year, K-Days is the signal for a party enjoying 10 days of childlike fun sitting on midway rides, listening to free concerts, joining in a daily smoked barbecue ribfest, shopping and delighting in the nightly fireworks.
This year, K-Days starts with a pre-event from the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Edmonton Open. As part of the Olympic qualification process for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020, nearly 100 teams from around the world will take part from July 17 to 21 at Northlands.
With Canada’s women’s team currently ranked No. #1 in the world, a large cheering section is expected to drop by.
Qualifying rounds begin Wednesday with the main action starting Thursday. Elimination rounds take place Friday and Saturday with medal matches playing out on Sunday.
Setting all K-Days festivities in motion is the parade, a series of charming floats, giant balloons, roving performers, cute mascots, bands and real live animals that sail down Jasper Ave. on Friday, July 19.
Once the parade is finished, North American Midway rides start spinning, twirling, rolling and diving at Northlands. Returning are thrill rides such Banzai, Blitzer Roller Coaster, Fire Ball, Giant Wheel, Mega Drop, Orbitor and Swing Tower.
All that screaming, laughing and target shooting at game sites are bound to make visitors hungry. In addition to the tried and true hotdogs, burgers and poutine, K-Days introduces a series of new foods with some bizarre food combinations.
There’s Octo-lolly, an octopus lollipop on a stick; coconut avocado ice cream; cheesy ramen corndog; beer battered buffalo style cheese curds; a snickle dog – a Snickers bar wrapped in a tortilla and deep-fried; or a cotton candy taco.
Crowds searching for the hottest entertainment can choose between two stages – the premium South Stage Lineup and the Tim Horton’s North Stage performers.
The South Stage showcases an international lineup that varies from rock sextet The Strumbellas and electronic duo A Tribe Called Red to Denmark’s pop band Aqua and Grammy award-winning rapper T-Pain.
The Tim Horton’s North Stage is more family oriented with an eclectic mix of magic, concerts, comedy, hypnosis and tributes to Freddie Mercury and Roy Orbison.
And on July 27, the North Stage hosts an Alberta Music Showcase that highlights St. Albert singer-songwriters Hailey Benedict and Cristian De La Luna as well as Juno nominated children’s artist Beppie, pop country singers The Orchard, hip hop artist Transit 22 and country band The Prairie States.
Inside Edmonton Expo Centre check out the Pandora’s Box, a K-Days feature show that magically reveals acrobats defying gravity, entertainers cheating death and SuperDogs performing extraordinary feats.
One of the moments everyone waits for is the nightly fireworks display where the darkened sky is transformed into visual displays of light starting at 11 p.m.
K-Days takes place from July 19 to 28. Advance general admission tickets are available at COSTCO locations while Ride-All-Day passes are $48 and are available at select Save-On-Foods locations and Circle K/Mac’s locations.
For complete event and ticket information go online to: K-Days.com.
