Continue reading »]]> By Chris Roberts

In the stands along the racetrack, you see ladies flaunting elegant attire with flamboyant hats perched on their heads like crowns. Men accompany their classy ladies, decked out in sharp suits and ties, embodying a look that’s classic, cool and edgy or bold and flashy. This, is the derby look.

I always suit up for Canadian Derby, but I never really knew why—and I’m not the only one who wonders about the tradition of derby dress. The history of derby fashion stems from the era of famous long-established races such as the Royal Ascot (1711) and the Epsom Derby (1779) in England. The popular term “derby” was even coined from the Epsom Derby—originally named The Derby after one of its founders, Lord Derby.

When these races were established in the 18^th Century, the racetrack was a place of not only sport, but also class. Originating as a social engagement among the upper class, the racetrack was characterized as a venue where you dressed formally and stylishly, displaying your station in society. Wearing hats was not only the trend in the early years of these races, but a form of etiquette that distinguished classes. As the racetrack quickly attracted people from beyond the upper class, many people wore hats and formal wear to uphold the level of class and showcase their own style. People seized the opportunity to go out and experience a fast-paced sporting event that was unique for having a highly social atmosphere. You dressed the part of high-society, put on your fashionable hat and went down with your friends to place bets and watch the race while sipping a refreshing Derby Daze – this year’s signature Canadian Derby cocktail.

As times and fashions have changed, aspects of the traditional derby look have stayed in vogue—most notably, formal wear, hats and fascinators. Who doesn’t love the chance to wear a bold tie or an outlandish hat? If you’ve dreamed of the chance to dress in the formal style of another era and still look fashionable, this is your opportunity. Some derbies impose stringent dress codes, but at the Canadian Derby we simply encourage derby-goers to dress with class and to have some fun expressing themselves through colour and design. And don’t forget to don your derby hats and fascinators!

Derby isn’t just any race—it’s an experience that never goes out of style.

Continue reading »]]> By Allan Mott

You know you have a good job when during your lunch hour you and your co-workers head out to the Big Slide and get to race down it twice before K-Days opens up to the public. And then it gets even better when—unable to contain our giddiness—you go on another hilarious ride before deciding it’s now time to EAT!

Of all the good reasons to pick up a 10-Day K-Pass, the one I find most compelling is the fact that it is simply impossible to eat everything I want to in just one visit. I mean I’m here for the whole fair and I’m already panicking that I might miss something amazing. That’s why when we got to the booth that specializes in a variety of deep-fried delicacies, I blurted out, “Oh, and I’ll also have the chocolate-covered bacon (CCB)!” right after I ordered the Deep Fried Green Beans.

The CCB was delivered to me in stick form—two chocolate dipped slices of bacon-y goodness. They were served at room temperature, which made sense (you don’t want drippy chocolate) but surprised me just because—like most folks—I’m used to my bacon being served hot. Despite this I didn’t hesitate for a second and took a big bite. This is what I tasted—chocolate and bacon. Since I love both of those flavours, the combo made me happy.

But as someone who’s a big fan of tempura and deep fried veggies, the Deep Fried Green Beans was the real treat. Topped with a generous dollop of Frank’s Red Hot, they were warm, crunchy and just slightly greasy in that way so many perfect foods are. It’s a great choice for someone looking for a guilty pleasure that doesn’t seem THAT guilty.

With those side dishes out of the way, I decided to go with a Japanese Dog for my main lunchtime entrée. A traditional foot long topped with Teriyaki sauce, wasabi mayo, fried onions and dried seaweed—it’s not your usual frankfurter. I habitually only eat my hot dogs with (lots and lots of) mustard, but this proved to be a refreshing variation to what I’m used to. Those who might be put off by the seaweed and wasabi mayo can rest easy, as they taste a lot less weird than they may sound. If you’re the kind of person who can’t understand why anyone would eat sushi (my all time favourite food) you can still order the Japanese Dog without any fear.

Continue reading »]]> By Allan Mott

That seems to be the reaction when people hear about this particular delicacy. “What could that possibly be?” they wonder. “How do they even make that?”

Well, I don’t know the sorcery that goes into making these little balls of magic and wonder, but I have tried them and all I can say is I WANT MORE!

Imagine a homemade biscuit, fresh out of the oven and still so warm a pat of butter instantly disappears as soon as you spread your knife across it. Are you drooling now? Because that is the correct response.

They warn you when they serve them to you. “The butter is 400 degrees in there right now, so you’ll want to wait a few minutes before digging in. And if you just take a bite, you’ll probably get a bunch of butter on your shirt, so make sure to just pop it in like a Timbit.”

I did as I was told, but I can report this isn’t like any Timbit I’ve ever had before. The butter is actually a lot more subtle than you would expect, but it adds all of the warm richness we automatically associate with the world’s greatest dairy product. It really IS just like eating a warm buttered biscuit and since that’s one of the best things in the world, you just might want to give Deep Fried Butter a try.

Continue reading »]]> By Allan Mott

There are so many great things to see and do at K-Days, but if you’re like me then there’s one part of the fair that will take up most of your energy—eating.

There are SO MANY amazing ways to treat your taste buds when you’re on the Midway or in the Edmonton EXPO Centre and I’m going to try and experience as many of them as I can.

I’m a guy who lives for food. Ever since I was hired to work at Northlands I’ve been dreaming of the 10 days where I would have immediate access to so much culinary awesomeness and HERE THEY ARE!

On Thursday, they were still setting up the food stalls and it felt like torture seeing all that was going to be available to eat the next 10 days. I couldn’t help but pick out all of the dishes I wanted to eat as soon as K-Days started. There was the Japanese Hot Dog with seaweed and wasabi mayo and those Cube Fries, wherein a pile of curled potatoes are turned into a symphony of saturated deliciousness. Oh, and Pad Thai and Pizza on a Stick and Mini-Donuts!

But once the day actually came, I went directly to the ribs.

Ribfest was one of the most popular parts of last year’s fair and it’s going to be even more popular this year as word spreads amongst the city’s carnivores about just how “You have to try this!” it is. Four “ribbers” are competing for your votes for K-Day’s Best and I personally feel duty bound to try each and every one before casting my ballot.

For the sake of fairness, I would name the booth I tried today, but all I can say is if it starts at this level, I can’t wait to try the others. Armed with a length of paper towels I walked along the Midway and nibbled my half-rack of pork ribs right down to the bone. The sauce was tangy, but not over-powering. The smokiness of the meat did a happy dance on my tongue. As the people began to arrive they must have been able to see my goofily blissful expression from the other side of the grounds.

The man at the “Guess Your Weight” booth saw me and started singing, “Yummy, yummy, yummy, I got ribs in my tummy!”

It’s going to be a very special 10 days.

Continue reading »]]> Written by Laura Gadowsky, Chair, Northlands Board of Directors

As a kid growing up, my Dad worked at the PNE in Vancouver. Some of my first great memories come from the time spent with him “at work”. But it was all about the fun for my brother Greg, sister Shelley and I. I especially remember the kickoff parade followed by Blueberry pancakes at the Bayshore Hotel.

I enjoy watching a parade, but truly love riding in one and seeing all the smiling faces–from the little kids with their extra-large eyes trying to take in everything to the proud grins coming from the seniors. Add in Moms and Dads pointing out upcoming floats, bands and clowns, and there’s nothing better than a great parade.

Time on the grounds for us was all about the rides. Oh how I loved the rides! Spin me, tip me, scramble me (I love the Scrambler and the Matterhorn) just don’t take me high in the air. To this day I get talked into the Ferris wheel and to this day I hate every moment. I hate being stuck at the top and while my husband promises not to swing our bucket seat–he always does.

Watching little ones go on their first ride is always great fun, but being part of Northland’s Monday Morning Magic is the very best. Seeing children with disabilities enjoy their morning at the fair with no worries or concerns–letting them be “just kids” is very special. With help from the Edmonton Eskimos and Edmonton Rush; kids get on the ride with ease and just have fun.

My memories also include the fabulous fair food options. A favourite–as for any kid–was cotton candy. In my teenage years I begged my Dad to get me a job on the grounds making cotton candy but no luck. I finally got the opportunity about 10 years ago at K-Days and spent the afternoon making pink and blue cotton candy, mixing freezies and pouring soft drinks. While I had a great time, it turned out to be something I did not want to do daily–let alone for a whole summer. Like most folks I also love the mini donuts–they never taste better than while you’re walking the K-Days grounds and watching the fireworks.

The K-Days fair is full of great memories of days gone by, but more importantly it offers the opportunity for new memories–like great concerts (some with hubby, some with the kids) and new food items to try (especially the newest Canadian twists on great food). But I may have to go back to my roots and get a pink cotton candy and some mini donuts and find a bench for some fabulous people watching.

Hope to see you at K-days!

Continue reading »]]> Northlands is proud to live in a neighbourhood that includes eight community leagues, three business associations and various not for profit organizations and agencies. Together, we are all committed to making our home a vibrant, active and safe play to be.

This Thursday our community will launch a new initiative aimed at furthering this goal—led by the We Believe in 118 Coalition. The goal of the Shop Alberta Ave, Shop Smart Program will be to connect you—the consumer—to businesses that are actively working to make Alberta Avenue the best possible community to visit, shop at and feel comfortable in.

Join us for the launch of this new initiative to help make Alberta Ave a safer place to shop and do business. With fun family activities, an exclusive sneak peak at some of the great shops and restaurants on the Avenue and even a few food trucks, this is your chance to see the revitalization of one of Edmonton’s most vibrant communities.

See some of the best of what Alberta Ave has to offer! You will have the opportunity to travel your way through the Avenue collecting stamps on your We Believe in 118 passports and get some great gifts while discovering the neighbourhood. Be a part of the fun and festivities!

Members of the community are encouraged to spread the word about businesses that are meeting this goal. Shopping smart helps keep your community safe.

Join us on Thursday, July 11, 2013 on the corner of 87 St and 118 Avenue at 4:30 p.m. to celebrate the launch of this exciting initiative. For more information, follow “We Believe in 118” on Facebook or join the conversation on Twitter via #WBi118.

We Believe in 118 is a community coalition consisting of the Alberta Avenue Business Association (AABA), eight 118 Avenue business owners, Arts on the Ave, Northlands,  the Avenue Revitalization Initiative, the Neighbourhood Empowerment Team and the Edmonton Police Service – all committed to working together towards a safer community.

Continue reading »]]> Written by Jessie Radies, Northlands Local Food Associate

If you’ve had a conversation recently about local food, BBQ, Innovation Kitchens, Product Introduction Programs, or other “local Food” programs here at Northlands, you’re seeing the beginning of my work as the Local Food Associate in the Agriculture department.

This “local” work started about 10 years ago and if you’ve ever felt the need to Dine Local, Eat Local, Shop Local, Play Local or Live Local, you’ve seen the result of my work in the community.

The focus on “local” has ironically resulted in my having a number of interesting and unexpected experiences around North America. In May I received an invitation to visit Boston’s world famous Harvard University for a leadership gathering entitled “Growing the Impact Economy”.

The goal of the summit was to explore the role “For-Benefit” enterprises could have in accelerating job creation, promoting economic and community development and enhancing regional competitiveness.

“For-Benefit” enterprises are distinguishable by how they strive to balance two outcomes in a community—income and impact. They are a hybrid of traditional “For-Profit” businesses and traditional “Non-Profit” organizations.

Northlands could be considered a “For-Benefit” enterprise, as it balances financial sustainability with community impact. Programs that position Northlands as delivering economic development impacts or community development outcomes are aligned with “For-Benefit” enterprises.  “For-Benefit” enterprises have community impact built into their business model.  They are the kinds of Non-profit businesses that make communities better by improving the quality of life for residents or by creating broad community economic development opportunity.

The summit opened with welcoming words from Virgin Group founder and Chairman Sir Richard Branson and former President Bill Clinton, and over the two days I had the opportunity to meet and connect with 200 sector leaders—including White House staff, academics, policy advisors and leaders from other non-profit organizations.

It was a little overwhelming. I’ll admit to being a bit star struck meeting former presidential advisor and CNN analyst David Gergen, as well as being very surprised that the nice gentleman I had a discussion with over a break just happened to be the president of one of the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States.

But that was nothing compared to how inspiring it was to see so many people with such diverse backgrounds come together to try and solve some of the far reaching systemic issues that affect so many families and communities today.

The conversation was far reaching. We discussed high level subjects like tax code, legal structures and U.S. Federal Policy, along with tactical items like examining regional economic development practices and the need for the creation of new investment tools.

We heard many stories—of both successes and failures.

Attending this summit reinforced to me how lucky we are to live in Alberta, insulated from the deep economic crises that many regions are still trying to recover from.

The Harvard discussion made me further appreciate how foundational community organizations like Northlands are vitally important catalysts for change. It also reinforces how important programs like the Product Introduction Program or efforts to increase Local Food Procurement are to the development of our local agriculture industry and local food system development.

Overall, it was an experience that made me proud of the years I’ve devoted to the concept of living local and enthusiastic about all the exciting program opportunities emerging at Northlands.

For additional coverage of the summit follow this link http://csrwire.sharedby.co/share/w7l86s

Continue reading »]]> Recently I was privileged to participate in a Northlands led outbound mission to Texas along with Stacy Felkar, our International Marketing Manager and four Farmfair International exhibitors. We spent time at the Texas Southwest Cattle Raisers Association Conference in Forth Worth, Texas and toured five purebred and commercial cattle operations. The intent of the mission was to promote western Canadian cattle and genetics and draw qualified international buyers to Farmfair International. In November, Texas and South West Cattle producers will attend our show and meet with producers, genetics companies as well as industry and government stakeholders.

In 2011, Texas had the driest year in its history. The dry spell continued in 2012 and the lack of pasture has driven up feed costs. Combined with a lack of surface water, many ranchers have sold off large portions of their herds. In time there will be a recovery of moisture conditions and cattle numbers will once again rise. Canadian producers are well positioned to supply breeding stock to meet this demand.

We are particularly excited by the feedback from the exhibitors who traveled with us, as strong leads were generated. We also recognize that the benefits will accrue over the long term. We are “planting the seed” with the US livestock industry to look to western Canada and Farmfair International as the destination for world class genetics. By increasing the number of US buyers to our show, we will be generating enhanced economic benefit to the industry that we serve.

I have been part of the Northlands team for a year now, but it feels much longer. Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that engaging with the agriculture sector (particularly on the road) brings me back to the days when my wife and I were active producers. While we haven’t actively farmed since 2009, we have missed the camaraderie and common purpose that is created as we strove to build value, enhance our markets and grow our businesses. It is through outbound missions such as these that make me realize the tremendous value that can be generated through an Agriculture Society such as Northlands.

Northlands has a long history in facilitating markets for all kinds of agriculture products. It is centrally located to Canada’s primary production (e.g. highest density of Canadian cattle are located within 300 km of Edmonton), as well as to its manufacturing, value added production and research and development capacity. It will continue to look for ways to provide a marketplace with an aim to expand its reach across other agriculture sectors, reflecting all levels of the value chain.

I am excited about Farmfair International 2013. With international delegations planned from more than eight countries, including – new this year- Kazakhstan and Russia; eight national breed shows and enhanced collaborative efforts with organizations such as Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, University of Alberta, Livestock Gentec, and Lakeland College, it is going to be a banner year.

See you there!

Stuart Cullum
Vice-President Agriculture, Northlands

Continue reading »]]> If you have ever been to K-Days, the Canadian Finals Rodeo or any of our signature events, you’ve come across that very special individual known as the Northlands Volunteer. You can spot them not just by the shirts they wear, but also the smile on their faces—the one that comes from helping to make a difference in the community and brightening other people’s days.

They’re the secret ingredients that help make a Northlands experience so memorable—the sauce that adds that extra zing of flavour to the whole meal. That’s why we take National Volunteer Week very seriously when it comes around each year.

To honour their contribution to the community and Northlands, close to 400 volunteers joined us on April 23rd at the Edmonton EXPO Centre for a Chinese themed celebration that proved to be a wonderful experience for everyone involved.

Throughout the evening everyone took part in a series of special activities inspired by Chinese culture, including knot tying, calligraphy, dough art and fortune sticks. Dinner was served in old-fashioned cardboard carry-out boxes (just like the ones you mostly only see in movies), while the entrance to the ballroom was decorated with an 11 foot tall dragon.

The joyful crowd was treated to a variety of exciting dances presented by the Alberta Chinese Dance Association, including a traditional Lion dance. And to add an educational note to the proceedings, the Edmonton Police Service delivered enlightening presentations about the importance of fraud protection.

All of the volunteers who attended this fun-filled event left knowing how important a part they are of Northlands’ culture and the major role they play in our continuing mission to create tomorrow’s memories every day.

To see pictures from the celebration visit https://www.facebook.com/entertainmentnorthlands

Continue reading »]]> On Thursday, March 28, 2013 Northlands staff relived memories of gym classes long past as they ducked, dived, and dodged at the fourth annual United Way UDODGE Tournament. This unique community initiative connected youth and mentors together in a day-long Dodge Ball tournament, made up of teams consisting of four youths, four corporate adults, a member of the Edmonton Police Service, and a Northlands Representative.

Held for the first time at the Edmonton EXPO Centre, Northlands was not only proud to host the event, but to also have six members of its staff compete and engage with youth outside of the corporate environment. The departments represented included Northlands Agriculture, Risk and Safety, Security, Marketing, Government Relations, Facilities, and Racing and Gaming.

The morning began with an opening ceremony that featured a special message from Edmonton Police Service Superintendent Tony Harder. And after that the mentors and youths quickly bonded once the honourary opening ball was thrown. The games flew by as fast and furiously as the dodge balls themselves. Participating organizations included FIRMA Foreign Exchange, Imperial Oil, CoSyn Technology, Inland Cement, ATB Financial, City, and REACH Edmonton. These corporate leaders were eager to embrace the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of youth in our community. The youth organizations that benefited from their efforts included Crystal Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton and area.

The day also included a Human Foosball game, as well as the traditional UDodge dance-off. Participants showed off their best versions of the “Harlem Shake”, with Northlands Director of Community Relations Darryl Szafranski even taking part.

More than just a fundraiser, UDodge is also about creating important memories for the young people who take part in it. However, they weren’t the only ones affected by the experience. The members of our staff who joined them that day will also tell you that this was an amazing event they won’t ever forget.