COLD LAKE - The City of Cold Lake is gearing up to send a delegation to Hugelsheim, Germany, for Spargelfest, scheduled for May 24-25, 2025.
During their Jan. 14 regular council meeting, the council passed a motion authorizing the purchase of $12,000 worth of gifts to strengthen ties with their German counterparts and celebrate Cold Lake's culture.
The proposal was first introduced at the Aug. 27, 2024, regular council meeting, where council passed a motion permitting any interested council members to attend the 2025 Spargel Festival and related business events in Hugelsheim, Germany.
The initiative, funded through council’s goodwill budget, will include locally made commemorative items and artwork, continuing a tradition of gift exchanges between the two communities.
“The City of Cold Lake is of course sending a delegation to the Spargelfest 2025. Similar to the previous delegation, there is a review or consideration for some gifts to be able to be taken,” said CAO Kevin Nagoya.
The approved motion allocates $12,000 from council’s goodwill fund, which has a total of $145,000 available for community-building initiatives.
Planned gifts include a commemorative beer created by Cold Lake Brewery, local artwork, and other items that reflect the city’s heritage. These gifts aim to showcase Cold Lake’s identity, while fostering cultural and economic ties.
The success of previous delegations, particularly the reception of Cold Lake’s commemorative beer in Hugelsheim, was a key consideration in planning.
“The beers were a big hit with the logos of Hugelsheim and City of Cold Lake. So the idea is to kick off a different type of lager beer and to do another label and that'll be worked on,” said Mayor Craig Copeland. “It was a big hit over at Hugelsheim once people realized that beer is sold in a can.”
Despite past challenges, including customs delays for locally made beef jerky during the 2023 Spargelfest, City officials remain optimistic about the preparations.
“It arrived within 24 hours of the event last time, so we hope to ship it a bit earlier. It was a big learning curve for the Cold Lake Brewery, and they look forward to the challenge again,” Copeland said.
The approved budget will also cover the cost of shipping, customs, and other logistics.
