Nuit Blanche festival could soon come to Edmonton

Grab yourself a cup of coffee, Edmonton could soon be home to Nuit Blanche,a night-time festival that has become popular all over the world.

Local organizers asked Edmonton city councillors on Monday for $350,000 to help launch the outdoor art party next year.

If approved, organizers would throw an overnight party on Oct. 3, 2015 and decorate the citys downtown with art installations from Edmonton and around the world.

Roads will be closed, squares will be animated in new ways that youve never seen before, said Ruth Burns, chair of Nuit Blanche Edmonton.

The total cost would be $1.13 million. Most of that would be paid by donors and corporate sponsors.

The group is asking the city for money for art installations, as well as the road closures, permits and community policing needed to run the event.

Coun. Ben Henderson believes Nuit Blanche would be a great way to promote Edmontons downtown.

Darkness is one of our major assets, he said. This would play completely to that.

The citys executive committee referred the decision to the 2015 budget deliberations, which take place this fall.

Several major Canadian cities have hosted a Nuit Blanche. Calgarys first Nuit Blanche attracted 10,000people in 2012.