Old Strathcona hosts annual Sweet Treats & Latte fest

The Old Strathcona Business Association is asking Edmontonians once again to come out for its annual Sweet Treats & Latte festival, pairing well with recent pushed to shop local amid the threat of United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

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“It was a way for us just to really try to encourage people to come back to Old Strathcona and enjoy something really sweet, a little bit of an indulgence in this really, really cold time of year, which is also the quietest time of year for our businesses,” said executive director Cherie Klassen.

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With 30 participating restaurants, shops, and cafes, there’s no shortage of options for patrons looking to take part in the sweet festival. The association created a map and list on its website to help people find their treat of choice during the event, which is running Feb. 7-17. Klassen said the event’s roots were in the COVID pandemic, but that the recent threat of tariffs make the shop local event all the more timely.

“It’s kind of perfect timing, because, yes, we already had this planned because we know this is a slow time of year, but it’s allowing us just to lean into it even more,” said Klassen.

She emphasized the importance of shopping local, with or without the threat of tariffs.

“When you are shopping these local, independent businesses, all of that money is staying right here, and you’re supporting jobs here, you’re supporting the economy here, and it’s not reliant on American or foreign products coming in. And it’s a good reminder to let people know that we have 500 businesses in Old Strathcona, and a large percentage of them … are all Canadian focused.”

The event began in 2021 to help local businesses in the area during the pandemic. The cold winter months tend to lower spending in Old Strathcona (and other districts) at the best of times, but coupled with the pandemic, the association sought to generate some business for its members during the difficult time.

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Klassen said buy-in from the businesses during the first year was a bit slow, but has since grown to having nearly half the businesses agreeing to take part within the first week of reaching out.

“We wanted to make this really low barrier easy access. So we’ve heard tons of positive feedback. Every year we tweak it based on what our businesses and what our patrons say, just to make it’s that much better,” said Klassen.

Since its inception, the event has more than doubled its participating vendors, offering no shortage of options for patrons looking to take part. The association also highlighted on its website that the offerings from vendors include a variety of options for differing dietary restrictions to make the festival inclusive for all — including some furry companions who can look forward to a dog and cat bark-cuterie and cat-cuterie offering from a participating pet store.

Participants can get a notch on their punch card for visiting each of the locations, and Klassen said people with five notches are entered for chance to win a $100 gift card. Those with 10 or more are entered for a chance to win a local hotel staycation package, valued at over $400. All information about the festival can be found on the Sweet Treats & Latte festival website.

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