2024 Deep Freeze Festival Greetings
The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister of Canada
Dear Friends:
I am pleased to extend my warmest greetings to everyone attending the 17th annual Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival.
This event brings the community together to celebrate
Edmonton’s diversity. I am sure that everyone in attendance will enjoy the many activities planned for this weekend.
I would like to thank the organizers, volunteers and artists for their hard work and dedication to ensuring that this year’s edition of the festival is a success.
Please accept my best wishes for a memorable experience.
The Honourable / L’honorable
Pascale St-Onge
Minister of Canadian Heritage
In Canada, we embrace winter! This is especially true on Alberta Avenue, site of the 17th annual Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival. All through this neighbourhood, winter will be celebrated through a diverse array of events, exhibits, delicacies and performances.
Explore the many unique cultures that make Edmonton a special place. Take part in a game of street hockey, enjoy some music, let yourself be enchanted by the lights or eat a culinary treat, prepared by the many cultural communities hosting this free gathering.
Our government supports Deep Freeze and events like it throughout Canada because we know they bring us together and promote the very best of our communities.
As Minister of Canadian Heritage, I’d like to thank Arts on the Ave and everyone involved in this year’s wonderful festival. Have fun!
Au Canada, on adore l’hiver! C’est d’autant plus vrai sur l’avenue Alberta, théâtre du 17e Deep Freeze : un festival d’hiver byzantin. Cette saison sera à l’honneur dans tout le quartier, grâce à une foule d’activités, de mets à déguster, d’expositions et de prestations.
Découvrez les cultures uniques qui donnent à Edmonton tout son cachet. Jouez au hockey dans la rue, écoutez de la musique, laissez-vous enchanter par les lumières ou dégustez une friandise préparée par les communautés culturelles qui organisent cette fête gratuite.
Notre gouvernement soutient Deep Freeze et les rendez-vous du même genre partout au pays, car nous savons qu’ils contribuent à nous unir et à faire ressortir le meilleur de nos communautés.
À titre de ministre du Patrimoine canadien, je remercie Arts on the Ave et toutes les personnes qui assurent la présentation de ce merveilleux festival. Amusez-vous bien!
The Honourable / L’honorable Randy Boissonnault
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages of Canada
Hello friends! Bonjour mes amis!
There’s no better way to kick off 2024 than to celebrate one of Edmonton’s most beloved festivals. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated individuals who have crafted this year’s Deep Freeze Byzantine Winter Festival which has become a cherished tradition for Edmontonians for over 17 years. Beyond being
a seasonal gathering, the Deep Freeze Festival provides a unique opportunity to appreciate winter’s beauty through the diverse lens of our cultural mosaic. En plus d’être un rassemblement saisonnier, le festival Deep Freeze offre une occasion unique d’apprécier la beauté de l’hiver à travers le prisme de notre mosaïque culturelle. Its an opportunity to spotlight and share the unique aspects of Francophone, Indigenous, Ukrainian, and all the other cultural threads that weave our community tapestry.
May this year’s Deep Freeze Festival be filled with warmth, joy, and magic. Thank you to the volunteers, the artists, the business owners, and all the attendees for making our winter brighter and our community stronger. J’espère que le festival Deep Freeze de cette année soit rempli de chaleur, de joie et de magie. Merci aux bénévoles, aux artistes, aux commerçants et à tous les participants d’avoir rendu notre hiver plus lumineux et notre communauté plus forte.
MP Blake Desjarlais
Member of Parliament - Edmonton Griesbach
Tansi neighbours,
Thank you for putting your trust in me to serve as your Member of Parliament. I am committed to fighting for people in Edmonton Griesbach. I will never take this opportunity for granted.
Congratulations to Arts on the Ave and their dedicated team of volunteers for bringing Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival to our community!
This is an opportunity to immerse ourselves in the beauty of winter and many of the cultures that make our community strong.
I encourage each and everyone of you to come together, participate in the Deep Freeze magic and share stories for now and years to come.
Thank you, Merci, Hiy Hiy, Kinanaskomtinawaw
Tansi voisins,
Merci pour me faire confiance d’être votre député. Je suis engagé à me battre pour les résidents d’Edmonton Griesbach. Je ne prendrai jamais cette opportunité pour acquise.
Félicitations aux Arts on the Ave et leur équipe de bénévoles dévoués pour avoir organisé édition annuelle de Deep Freeze : Une Fête d’Hiver Byzantine ici dans notre communauté!
C’est une occasion pour se plonger dans la beauté de l’hiver et des nombreuses cultures qui se compose notre ommunauté diverse et vivante
Cet hiver, je vous encourage de participer à la magique du Festival Deep Freeze et de partager des histoires pour maintenant et pour les années à venir.
Thank you, Merci, Hiy Hiy, Kinanaskomtinawaw
Honourable Danielle Smith
Premier of Alberta
On behalf of the Government of Alberta, it is my pleasure to send greetings to everyone attending Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival, presented by Arts on the Ave.
The arts can inspire us, define who we are, and transmit our traditions from one generation to the next. This free, inclusive festival is a wonderful opportunity for Edmontonians and visitors alike to immerse themselves in the vibrant cultures that contribute to the rich diversity of Alberta Avenue.
Whether you take part in cultural teachings and bannock by the fire, participate in the excitement of the deep freezer races, enjoy traditional winter sports or revel in the beauty of the light installations and ice sculptures, Deep Freeze offers a warm and welcoming celebration for the whole family.
Thank you to Arts on the Ave, the sponsors and all of the hardworking volunteers for your continued efforts to highlight arts in the community.
MLA Janis Irwin
Member of the Legislative Assembly – Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood
Welcome to the 17th annual Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival here on Treaty 6 territory!
Thank you to our neighbours in Alberta Avenue for welcoming us all into their
community again this winter, and throughout the year. As always, Deep Freeze Fest is
a fabulous opportunity for us to show our support for the neighbourhood, for Arts on the Ave, and for the artists who so generously share their work with us. This year’s theme, “Under the Toad Stools,” is all about foraging and nature in Alberta. As someone who finds a lot of joy spending time in nature, I am so excited to celebrate this wonderful theme with you. And I can’t wait to once again share and learn together about the incredible and diverse cultural traditions that make Alberta Avenue one of my favourite neighbourhoods, one that I’m so proud to represent. Thank you to the organizers, volunteers, artists, and all those who’ve played a role in bringing us together for another Deep Freeze. Your hard work continues to keep our communities vibrant and strong.
Happy Deep Freeze Fest, friends! See you on the Ave!
His Worship Amarjeet Sohi
Mayor of Edmonton
On behalf of City Council and the people of Edmonton, welcome to the 2024 Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival!
This year’s theme is “Under the Toad Stool,” and I encourage participants to immerse themselves by considering their roots in relation to Alberta’s history.
What does Alberta’s history mean to you and how does it make you feel? Were you born in Alberta or did you immigrate as I did? What was your experience integrating into our community?
When I was a newcomer to this city, I found a sense of belonging when I participated in the arts. That’s one of the reasons I’m grateful events like Deep Freeze bring people together celebrate arts and culture, and to experience the best of what our city has to offer.
I want to thank the dedicated team of staff and volunteers at Arts on the Ave who work tirelessly to put on Deep Freeze. I’d also like to acknowledge the many local businesses, sponsors and partners who make this event possible with their continued support.
Enjoy the festival!
Chief Dale McFee
Edmonton Police Service
This year’s festival has once again risen to the occasion to create a space where artists can showcase their talents and build community connections. Winters in Edmonton are more than just cold temperatures and windchill – it is a celebration of cultural diversity and artistic expression, which is incredibly vital to the well-being of our communities.
I extend a heartfelt congratulations to Arts on the Ave for rising above the
challenges of the pandemic over the last two years and for bringing us together again in the heart of Alberta Avenue. As you walk through the Alberta Avenue District, you will experience the magic of the Deep Freeze enchanted forest with variances of music and art.
Embrace this year’s Deep Freeze festival and enjoy all it has to offer!
Councillor Ashley Salvador
City Councillor, Ward Métis
As City Councillor for Ward Métis, it is a pleasure to welcome you to the 17th annual Deep Freeze Festival.
Ward Métis includes many of Edmonton’s community-serving businesses and organizations, who engage directly with Edmontonians and enrich the quality of life in our city.
Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Fête is a truly unique celebration of Edmonton’s rich arts community. This year’s festival promises to enchant with its mesmerizing light installations, awe-inspiring ice sculptures, captivating cultural stories, and a dazzling showcase of winter artistry. Supporting winter city events like this helps us foster a more inclusive and tightly-knit community, not just during the festival, but throughout the entire year.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to Arts on the Avenue for their tireless dedication to creating an inclusive and accessible space where we can celebrate the arts, culture, and traditions that make our city so special.
May this year’s festival be filled with joy, wonder, and success for all who attend. Enjoy every moment!