The so-called 10 best days of summer weren't so great for K-Days, as the yearly fair saw a big drop in attendance year over year, to 557,000 from last year's 760,000.
“We were able to provide Edmontonians with a wide variety of entertainment, rides, food, and local activations,” said Arlindo Gomes, vice president of business development and venue management. “We feel we put on a true celebration of Edmonton and its diversity.”
A summer staple in Edmonton for over 100 years, K-Days has made some changes this year, including offering more local artist content (improv, circus, burlesque) at spots the like the Cristal Palace Spiegeltent, a dedicated Indigenous experience, and a showcase for local singers/performers in the speakeasy inside the Edmonton Expo Centre. Though there were a couple of rainy days midweek, the weather was mostly fine for the event.
Social media highlighted a couple of 'physical altercations' on the grounds, but security had been beefed up at this year's ediiton of K-Days. There was also commentary on high prices of food, gate admission etc.
This year also marked the first time K-Days partnered with the YWCA for its annual 50/50 draw, bringing in a total pot of $117,900.
“YWCA Edmonton is profoundly grateful for this historic partnership with Explore Edmonton,” said Katherine O’Neill, CEO of YWCA Edmonton. "We couldn't be more pleased with the outcomes achieved through this collaboration, as it will create a tremendous impact on countless lives in the capital region.”
Explore Edmonton, which has been the steward of K-Days since 2021, says it will continue to grow and improve K-Days every year as part of its 10-year reimagine strategy.
