Edmonton's All is Bright Festival returns to 124th Street today

Seble Isaac stands behind the counter at the Lift Me Up Market. It's a new space the business owner pivoted to open during the pandemic.

"We took our private room and made a bakery and a market selling local goods, so that brought a lot of liveliness to the street, and hope to people," said Isaac, who also runs Tiramisu Bistro in the same spot at 10750 124th St.

The move has also brought in new customers and "now we are busier than we were pre-COVID and I'm very excited about that and happy," Isaac said.

You can see more from 124th Street on this week's Our Edmonton on Saturday at 10 a.m., Sunday at noon and 11 a.m. Monday on CBC TV and CBC Gem.

Isaac and other 124th Street merchants are inviting the public to come to the All Is Bright Festival on Saturday evening. 

"Just introducing businesses to new people and just bringing that liveliness, that's what I'm looking forward to," Isaac said.

A stretch of 124th Street between 107th and 109th avenues will be closed from 4 until 8 p.m. for the free, family-friendly event.

There will be live music, hot chocolate and a new Indigenous pavilion. The provincial restrictions exemption program will be in place for each site, and masks or face coverings will be required for people ages 12 and over.

Luwam Kiflemariam, executive director of the 124 Street Business Association, said it's "basically the welcome of winter."

There's even a massive gingerbread house in the window of Duchess Bake Shop that pays homage to Whoville. It's raising money and other donations for the Bissell Centre.

Kiflemariam said 90 per cent of the shops, restaurants, galleries and other businesses in the area are locally owned. The last 20 months, filled with closures and restrictions, have taken their toll. 

"This yo-yoing, going back and forth, has just been a real struggle for businesses so I know they're really hopeful that this holiday season they'll see an uptick in sales," Kiflemariam said.

This will be Angela Larson's first year for the festival. The owner of Swish Vintage relocated her business from downtown to 10826 124th St. in September. 

"I feel really hopeful," Larson said. "I feel excited about the upcoming season, I think this community has embraced me with open arms and I feel honoured."