Vegreville

Vegreville is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is on Highway 16A approximately east of Edmonton, Alberta's capital city. It was incorporated as a town in 1906, and that year also saw the founding of the Vegreville Observer, a weekly newspaper for the region.
A large percentage of Vegreville's population is of Ukrainian Canadian descent, and it is home to the Vegreville egg, the world's second largest pysanka (Ukrainian Easter egg).
Geography
Climate
Vegreville experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb).
Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Vegreville had a population of 5,689 living in 2,463 of its 2,735 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 5,708. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Town of Vegreville recorded a population of 5,708 living in 2,429 of its 2,734 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 5,717. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2016.
The Town of Vegreville's 2012 municipal census counted a population of 5,758, a 1.3% decrease over its 2010 municipal census population of 5,834.
Age distribution
0 to 19: 26.3%
20 to 64: 50.3%
65+: 23.3%
Mother tongue
English: 4,185
French: 105
Other: 1,015
Economy
Vegreville functions as a key economic center for the northeastern and east-central regions of the province, with its diverse economic sectors encompassing agriculture, energy, and retail industries. As a significant agricultural hub, Vegreville boasts a thriving farming community that cultivates a variety of crops and supports livestock production. The local energy sector, primarily driven by oil and gas extraction, plays a crucial role in the area's economic growth, while the retail sector offers a range of goods and services, catering to both residents and visitors alike. This multifaceted economy enables Vegreville to maintain a robust and dynamic economic landscape, contributing to the overall prosperity of the region.
Arts and culture
Due to Vegreville's close relationship with the 41 Combat Engineer Regiment, a Canadian Forces Reserve unit based in Edmonton, the Regiment is the only Canadian Forces unit with Freedom of the Town and parades held on Remembrance Day in the town.
Pysanka Festival
The Pysanka Festival is an annual cultural event in Vegreville, Alberta, that celebrates the region's rich Ukrainian heritage. Held over a weekend in July, the festival features a wide range of activities and attractions, including folk art workshops, live musical performances, traditional Ukrainian dance performances, and a diverse selection of ethnic cuisine. Additionally, the event provides a platform for local artisans and vendors to showcase and sell their handcrafted products.
First established in 1973 as a small community gathering, the Pysanka Festival aimed to preserve and promote Ukrainian culture in Vegreville and its surrounding areas. Over the years, it has evolved into a significant event, drawing thousands of visitors from across Canada and beyond. The festival has hosted various renowned performers and artists throughout its history and has embraced themed celebrations, such as the "Year of the Family" in 1994, which emphasized the importance of family within Ukrainian culture. As a key contributor to Vegreville's cultural identity and tourism industry, the Pysanka Festival fosters community pride and unity.
The 50th edition of the Pysanka Festival is set to be held July 7, 8 and 9, 2023.
Vegreville Country Fair
The Vegreville Agricultural Society holds an annual five day "Country Fair" in August.
The Fair starts with a parade on Main Street, which includes participation from various associations, businesses, and individuals who display antique vehicles, farm equipment, horses, wagons, and a variety of parade floats. After the parade, the Fair continues with a wide range of activities such as a midway, grandstand shows, chuckwagon and chariot races, a marketplace, and many other events for attendees to partake in.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the fair was extended from previously being a three-day event, to five days. This welcomed 21,006 people who attended the 118th Annual Country Fair in 2021, a significant increase from the previously seen 12,000 people who attended the fair in 2019. The 2022 119th Annual Country Fair welcomed Gord Bamford for a "Special Event Concert" with Dean Brody announced for the upcoming 2023 edition of the fair in August.
Attractions
Vegreville's pysanka, the second largest Ukrainian Easter egg in the world, was created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 1974 and to celebrate Vegreville's ethnic heritage. On July 6, 2009, the pysanka was one of four attractions featured on the first set of the Canadian Roadside Attractions Series of stamps issued by Canada Post.
Media
Vegreville is serviced by the Vegreville News Advertiser weekly newspaper, an independently-owned newspaper established in 1950.
Infrastructure
The town is bisected by Canadian National Railway's Vegreville Subdivision, a rail line connecting Vegreville to Edmonton in the west and to Lloydminster in the east.
Notable people
George Bures Miller, artist
Kyle Brodziak, NHL player
Dennis Kassian, NHL & WHA player
Cam Cole, journalist
Linda Craddock (b. 1952), visual artist
Laurence Decore, Ukrainian Canadian lawyer, former mayor of Edmonton, Alberta, and former leader of the Alberta Liberal Party
Roderick D. Fraser, 11th President of the University of Alberta (1995 - 2005)
Herschel Hardin, writer, playwright, and politician
Simma Holt, journalist, author, former Member of Parliament, and Member of the Order of Canada
Daymond Langkow, former NHL forward
Don Mazankowski, politician and federal Deputy Prime Minister under Brian Mulroney
Virgil P. Moshansky, Ukrainian Canadian jurist and former mayor of Vegreville
David Motiuk, Catholic bishop of Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
Lillian Sarafinchan, Canadian visual artist, teacher, and production designer
Brent Severyn, former NHL defenseman
Valerie Sweeting, curler
In popular culture
Season 4, episode 14 of Fox Television's The X-Files series entitled "Memento Mori" references Vegreville. FBI Agent Fox Mulder realizes the town name is the password needed to hack into a computer after discovering a Vegreville pysanka souvenir snow globe on the desk next to the computer.
See also
List of communities in Alberta
List of towns in Alberta
References
Further reading
External links
1906 establishments in Alberta
Towns in Alberta
Ukrainian-Canadian culture in Alberta