Lilac Festival and Burgers on the Roof

This past Sunday we attended our first Lilac Festival in Calgary. The street festival is an annual event that organized in 1989 has been running for twenty-four years. The festival takes place along thirteen blocks of 4th Street and features hundreds of vendors and food trucks. Several stages are set up along the route with performances by local and international artists. There is real urban vibe, and people watching is the top attraction. An estimated 120,000 people attended the festival enjoying the sunshine, entertainment and beer gardens. The best part? It's one block from our house! No traffic or parking worries. What more do you need for a great festival?

After the festival, twenty of our friends showed up to help us christen our roof top deck. We enjoyed some great burgers and "delish" side dishes made by some excellent cooks! There was special entertainment by Allegra, the daughter of friends Angela and Jeff, who entertained us with amazing tunes on her fiddle. She is a member of the Bow Valley Fiddlers. Thank you, Allegra! We may just have to make this an annual event!

120,000 people attended!

The festival started out with a parade of local characters.

A rider in the Mission Bikers Club

This guy was selling his special blend of spices in  one of the booths.

Hula-hoopers in the parade.

Giant peacock woman. She was about  twelve feet tall.

Our cool mayor! Somebody ran up and gave him this hat and he wore it in the parade.

This guy was in the "Be Happy" club.

Falun Gong drummers...

Belly dancers

Interesting couple just watching the parade. Now Jim wants a hat with a clock.

Jazz trio in the parade

Hungarian Club

Beautiful Stampede Rodeo Queens

Jim and "Mr. Anytime Fitness" Neither of them were wearing padding...

Yours Truly at Joyce on 4th beer garden visiting our favorite server, Brittany.

Lots of kids with their faces painted. 

Bow Valley Fiddlers on the Youth Stage. Allegra is front row and center.

Another cute kid with his face painted.

Angela and I watching her daughter Allegra.

Just a cool guy on the street

Excellent "break dancers" entertained between sets on the Main Stage.

A friend from yoga, Jocelyn, performed on the Main Stage.

Taken from our balcony. Lots of interesting people walking by.

Deb and Jim in the "Lilac" spirit.

Les, Roy and Deb on our roof.

Doug and Jim 

Don eating his hamburger...

Judy, Jeff and Guy

Melissa and Sienna

Ida and Carol

Allegra, Rory, Angela and Avan

Allegra playing her fiddle for us