Edmonton's Heritage Festival gets underway this weekend in Hawrelak Park, with a few key changes for the event's 35th year.

Four countries will make their debut at the festival, including Iraq and Senegal.

And all the food will be served up on biodegradable plates, forks and cups. The eco-friendly crockery is made from plant products and takes no more than four months to compost.

The festival, an annual celebration of Edmonton's diverse population, will have 60-plus pavilions representing more than 85 cultures. Visitors can take in creative performances, as well as the food, artwork and clothing.

And in an added twist this year, 86 people from around the world will have their citizenship swearing-in ceremony on Monday at the festival's amphitheatre.

The cultural showcase is also the cornerstone of the Edmonton Food Bank's annual brown-bag campaign.

"Last year, we collected 50,000 kilograms of food, plus over $50,000 worth of monetary donations and over $40,000 worth of unused food tickets," said the Food Bank's executive director, Marjorie Bencz.

With tents going up at the event site, a group of Ukrainian dancers kicked off the food drive Thursday, plying the stage in Hawrelak Park.

The Food Bank aims to collect another 50,000 kg of provisions this year, plus all those unused food tickets.

The Heritage Festival runs from Saturday until Monday.