Michelle Obama coming to Edmonton

Michelle Obama has added Edmonton to her Alberta speaking tour next month.

The wife of former American president Barack Obama, whose March 23 speech in Calgary quickly sold out, will now make a presentation in Edmonton earlier the same day, said Andy McCreath, a partner in tinePublic, which is organizing the event.

“She’s one of the most famous and well-respected women in the world. It’s obviously unique to have a former first lady in Edmonton … Her popularity is widespread.”

Obama will speak in the lower bowl of Rogers Place from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. March 23, following a question-and-answer format with a moderator who hasn’t been named yet, McCreath said.

Tickets go on sale Thursday. Prices in Calgary ranged from $199 to $399.

While McCreath won’t say how much tickets will cost in Edmonton, he did say they will be cheaper than they were in Calgary.

The lower bowl has about 5,000 seats, approximately the same size as the space she filled for what’s billed as “an inspirational evening ” at the Calgary Stampede Corral.

During Barack Obama’s two terms as president from 2009 to 2017, his lawyer wife worked on such issues as fighting childhood obesity, supporting veterans and their families, inspiring young people to seek higher education and helping adolescent girls around the world go to school.

McCreath doesn’t know what she’ll talk about in Edmonton, whether she has any other engagements in the city or whether she’ll stay overnight.

He also won’t say how much she will be paid, although media reports have stated she charges about US$200,000 for appearances.

While he thinks it will be the first visit Michelle Obama, 54, will make to Edmonton, it isn’t her only upcoming speaking trip to Canada — she has an event Monday in Montreal and two speeches Feb. 15 in Vancouver.

McCreath’s Calgary-based company brought Hillary Clinton to Edmonton in 2014 and Oprah Winfrey the year before.

“We have been doing events in Edmonton for 12 or 13 years now, and Edmonton is always a good market to do stuff. It’s very well received … People are friendly, kind and generous.”