An Edmonton Heritage Festival Update from Stacey Leavitt-Wright

by Stacey Leavitt-Wright

(Edmonton) – As Heritage Festival comes to a close, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who helped make this year’s Israel Pavilion possible.

This afternoon, a demonstration took place adjacent to the Israel Pavilion and continued for several hours. While the protest created a challenging environment and was upsetting for community members, Edmonton Police Service, Heritage Festival security, our own security personnel, and festival board of directors were present throughout the day and actively engaged in supporting the safety and well-being of volunteers, performers, visitors, and community members.

What I will remember most from today is not the demonstration itself, but the extraordinary strength and resilience shown by our community.

I am deeply proud of our volunteers and staff, who continued to welcome visitors with warmth and professionalism throughout the afternoon. I am especially proud of both of our Israeli dance groups, whose performers continued to share their talent, energy, and pride despite the disruption taking place nearby. Their commitment reflected the very best of our community.

I also want to express my sincere gratitude to members of Edmonton’s Persian community and other allies who came to stand with us. Their friendship, presence, and solidarity were deeply appreciated and served as a powerful reminder that we are not alone.

I would also like to recognize Israel Pavilion Coordinator Jay Cairns and the many safety volunteers who worked tirelessly throughout the weekend. Over the past two days, they dedicated countless hours behind the scenes, helping to coordinate security, monitor the site, and support volunteers and visitors. Their dedication, vigilance, and steady presence allowed the rest of us to focus on welcoming guests, celebrating our culture, and making the Israel Pavilion a success.

Over the course of the weekend, thousands of people visited the Israel Pavilion to experience Israeli food, music, dance, culture, and hospitality. Heritage Festival exists to celebrate the diverse communities that make Edmonton such a vibrant city, and we were honoured to once again share our culture with fellow Edmontonians.

In the days ahead, I will be debriefing with Edmonton Police Service, Heritage Festival organizers, festival security, and our own team to review the events of the weekend and discuss lessons learned.

Most of all, I want to thank every volunteer, performer, donor, sponsor, ally, and community member who showed up and stood with us this weekend. Your presence, your support, and your commitment to our community made a difference.

What I witnessed today was not defined by disruption. It was defined by resilience, solidarity and pride.

With gratitude.

Stacey Leavitt-Wright is CEO, Jewish Federation of Edmonton.