EDMONTON & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Edmonton and District Historical Society is a chapter of the Historical Society of Alberta (HSA), a provincial historical organization that has affiliations with museums, libraries and other history-related facilities and organizations across the province. A registered charitable, non-profit society, EDHS is mandated to promote and preserve the history of Edmonton and the surrounding district. This district covers the entire area of Alberta from Ponoka to our northern border.

Anyone with an interest in preserving history and heritage is encouraged to become an EDHS member. The general public, professional historians, educators and writers are representative of its current membership.

The EDHS currently provides a number of historical and educational events and programs. The Speaker Series is a monthly presentation on historical topics. Special events such as dinners and bus tours offer additional activities for the public. Workshops and seminars, including "Celebrate our Heritage," give detailed instruction and assistance to communities interested in presenting historic festivals. A quarterly newsletter keeps members and the public informed of EDHS events and offers articles of historic interest.

The major program focus of EDHS is its annual historic summer festival. In 1997 a group of dedicated volunteers with a collective vision planned and organized the 1st annual Historic Edmonton Week. The Edmonton and District Historical Society is presenting its 13th annual historic festival this year, now called the Edmonton and Northern Alberta Historic Festival. The festival region includes the Edmonton area and extends from Wetaskiwin in the south, Fort Chipewyan in the north, Vermilion in the east and Jasper in the west. The theme of this year's festival is "Celebrate our Heritage…explore our ties" which recognizes the history of the railway in Alberta.