Edmonton's Kaleido Festival finds creative way to keep performances offline

Kaleido Festival to pop up around Edmonton The popular Kaleido Festival will be popping up around Alberta Avenue this weekend. CTV News Edmonton's Graham Neil has a preview.

EDMONTON — A popular festival in Edmonton is on the move – literally. The Kaleido Festival will be popping up all over the area around Alberta Avenue instead of its usual spot along 118 Avenue.

Over 200 performers will be transported on the back of flatbed trucks to do impromptu shows.

"They’ll drive through the community, they’ll stop on a street for seven to eight minutes, the performers jump off their shuttle, jump onto their stages and perform," says Christy Morin, the festival's producer.

Morin was inspired to take to the streets after watching an ice cream truck stop on her street.

"I thought are people going to come out? And they did and they socially distanced and the kids all got their popsicles and they went back in and were so excited and I thought, could we do a festival like an ice cream truck man?" Morin says with a laugh.

And like an ice cream truck, you will have wait for a drive by. The exact times and places for the shows will not be announced, only that they'll take place in the district from NAIT to Northlands, and Yellowhead Trail to 111 Avenue.

"Do a Google search of all the pocket parks so that's the hint," says Morin.

Balloon artist Rupert Appleyard has performed at the festival many times and is excited about the new format, but not the description of the shows.

"Don't mention the word pop-up!" says Appleyard, whose balloon sculptures have been seen around the world.

Appleyard says he's looking forward to hitting the streets for spontaneous street shows.

"When a parade comes through your area it makes such a difference, it makes people so happy and so vibrant and so thrilled," he says.

And Morin is thrilled to keep the Kaleido Festival going this year and make it an in-person event as opposed to online. She says many people in the community don't have internet in their homes.

"So our heart was like we cannot leave a door untouched so we're really believing that this will bring some magic and hope to the neighbourhoods," she says.

Kaleido 2020 On Tour happens from Sept. 11 to 13.