It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s the Flying Canoe festival

Press Release

Jan 30, 2024

Alberta’s government is providing the Centre Communautaire d’Edmonton with a $75,000 Community Initiatives Program (CIP) grant for the Flying Canoë Volant festival.

Entering its 12th year, the Flying Canoë Volant is a free bilingual family-friendly event held in Edmonton’s Mill Creek Ravine and French Quarter. The festival is inspired by the legend of “La Chasse-Galerie” (The Flying Canoe), a popular French-Canadian folktale.

“Thank you to the Centre Communautaire d’Edmonton for producing the Flying Canoë Volant festival. The festival is an excellent chance for families to connect and have fun while learning about local history. I’m happy that we can help support you in this project and provide an impressive, creative experience in the spirit of a great winter city.”

Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women

Scheduled from Jan. 31 to Feb. 3, the festival features a variety of activities, including a portage or relay, live music, art installations and cultural showcases that share the francophone, Métis and First Nations cultures.

“The support provided by the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women is invaluable in the continued success of the Flying Canoë Volant winter celebration. We have worked with hundreds of members of the cultural industries over the past 12 years, allowing us to produce a premier winter event. Over 100,000 people attended Flying Canoë Volant in 2023 and we are looking forward to another successful year. Merci, hihi, thank you.”

Daniel Cournoyer, managing director, Flying Canoë Volant Festival

Alberta’s government provided an extra $25,000 on top of previously approved funding to ensure Albertans can enjoy this festival after other funding fell through. The CIP grant highlights the government’s commitment to supporting the francophone, Métis and First Nations communities in Edmonton.

In this fiscal year, the Community Initiatives Program has provided almost $9.9 million to 260 non-profit organizations to deliver projects, programs and services to help Albertans engage with their community.

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