Page 34 - 06_July-Aug-2025

LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR
SaLMA
LAKHaNI
FAVE THING
SYMPHONY
UNDER THE SKY
AT SNOW VALLEY
August 20–23,
winspearcentre.com
34
Since long before she became Alberta’s Lieu-
tenant Governor, Salma Lakhani’s family would
make an annual trip to Hawrelak Park to soak
in the serene outdoors and ethereal sounds
from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. And
though there have been some changes over the
years — like, say, her daughters growing up and
moving away and, more recently, the festival
temporarily relocating from the beloved am-
phitheatre during park renovations — she never
forgets to tick Symphony Under the Sky off of
her summer bucket list.
There’s something magical about the warm
late-summer air, the glow of string lights and
the hum of the orchestra floating over a sea
of picnic blankets and lawn chairs. Lakhani re-
members once bringing bells so her daughters
could play along during Tchaikovsky’s dramatic
1812 Overture. That moment — the crowd
chiming in, the cannons roaring — remains
her favourite memory of the festival’s 30-year
history. She’s looking forward to another year
of classical and contemporary, which this
year includes Beethoven and Haydn alongside
Broadway tunes and Hollywood scores.
–Brooklyn Hollinger
KaTHERINE
O’NeILL
Chief Executive Officer,
YWCA Edmonton
“The Cocoa and Rose Body
Lotion from Pura Botanicals is
an unexpected pairing that just
works — rich, floral and utterly
comforting. It smells like heaven
and gets you through a long, dry
Edmonton winter. The compa-
ny’s founder, Lane Edwards, lives
in my neighbourhood, and I can
remember when she was first
mixing her potions at home like
a mad scientist, trying to get
Pura off the ground. It’s
now sold internationally!”
10120 124 St. NW,
purabotanicals.ca
QuINN
PHILLiPS
Director of Marketing,
Edmonton Downtown
Business Association
“I can’t go into Shop Chop
without buying something — the
adorable, quirky items always
get me. I went once for work and
asked my boss to make sure I
didn’t buy anything… and still left
with a mug covered in cats — I
needed it, OK?! They also carry
my favourite hair product, R+Co,
so I can pick up practical things
while I’m at it too.”
10265 107 St. NW,
shopchop.ca