A love letter to the city.

Dear Edmonton, amiskwacîwâskahikan, ti oda, omahkoyis,

Somewhere between the river valley and the tent aisles, we find you every year. Over the Whitemud, down the street, wherever we roam — we arrive. We stroll, gaze, catch up, and dance until the downtown lights across the river shine through Tawatinâ’s shadows. If we could paint your city skyline from our view every year, we would – and we do. We walk home with our shoes in our hands and with your view illustrated on the backs of our eyes. 

Every September, from your third-floor walkups, campus apartments, and LRT track residentials, you bring forward your best. The small families, the big families, the first dates, the volunteers, and the ones just looking for a peaceful day in the park. The art connoisseurs, the abstract lovers, the woodworkers, the handcrafting and good-hearted all. The kind artist with the bead-stringed glasses, who has come every year. The one who sells us our favourite trinket, watercolour, or living room piece. The one whose business card goes wrinkled in our wallet, because even though we’ve been carrying it for months and showing it to all our friends, we can’t part with it quite yet. 

Edmonton, it’s become our tradition to sit on your grass and share a local beer with the people and place we love most. We can’t imagine a September without the stories that you tell through your people and their art — they bring out the best in you. You’re a big city, vast and wide, but you come to life in these small moments and spaces. We’ll see you at the festival when the leaves start to turn. We’ll put up the tents and save you a spot. Follow the street signs and we’ll meet you there. 

Your friend,

Strathearn Art Walk & Music Festival
with words by Shannon Brown