Adoption of Theme
The Klondike Days theme was adopted in celebration of the cultural
and economic boom in late 19th century Edmonton. Though far away from
Dawson City and the Klondike River, Edmonton became known as a "Gateway
to the North" for gold prospectors. It was in the city that many would
collect the necessary goods for trekking up north in search of wealth.
Individuals and teams of explorers arrived in Edmonton and prepared for
travel by foot, York boat, dog team, or horses.
Consequently, local business catering to gold-seekers’ needs
proliferated. Horse stables, hotels, and stores selling gear and food
multiplied with the influx of transient people. Those that proceeded
north were brave and ambitious, prepared to weather months on land and
water routes that were barely travelled and notoriously difficult.
The
Klondike Gold Rush brought a commercial revival to Edmonton. It left an
impact of development that became part of the local and regional
history, extending to the Edmonton Agricultural Society. When the
organization’s events committee introduced Klondike Days as a potential
fair theme, it was chosen for two main reasons. One was the Klondike
spirit, which was characterized by a tenacious hope for success in the
face of hardship, and an energetic zest for life.
As a fair theme it was
meant to carry the spirit on as a local legacy, and commemorate events
that had helped Edmonton prosper. A second reason for the theme’s
proposal was that it had numerous and colourful facets that could
hallmark potential fair activities. Essentially, a variety of fun could
be created with the theme’s inspiration.
Klondike Mike, a ruddy looking caricature prospector holding a pick,
became the summer exhibition’s trademark logo. With the adoption of
Edmonton Klondike Days Exposition as a permanent fair theme, the fair’s
shift to an urban-based history reaching back to the Gold Rush was
finalized.
[back] [top]
|
|