After a long awaited visit, leading chat show host Oprah Winfrey appeared live before thousands of her adoring fans in Edmonton.
‘An Evening with Oprah’ took place at the Rexall Center on January 21. It was a sell out with 15,000 tickets sold at a cost of between $89 and $299 each; although several tickets were given away by local businesses and the local chamber of commerce.
The popular daytime talk show host and owner of the OWN television network received a standing ovation from her fans as she took the stage to share stories from her life; motivating audience members with her experiences. A large number of those attending were female.
An hour before the event, 150 of the star's fans got the chance to meet their idol in an informal meet and greet event. One of those fans, Beth Coulas, is suffering from terminal cancer and stated it was a dream come true. She received a hug from Ms Winfrey and stated that it was all she ever wanted.
The event ran for two hours; 90 minutes of Ms Winfrey alone followed by an onstage question and answer session hosted by CBC TV's George Stroumboulopoulos.
An Evening with Oprah was widely publicized well in advance and no doubt Edmonton printing companies were called upon to help spread the word. Oprah Winfrey is a hero to many and tickets sold out very quickly.
Ms Winfrey also appeared in Calgary on January 22 and in Vancouver on January 24.
