Freezing cold and a biting wind didn't stop more than 300 people from showing up at a "Red Friday" rally in Edmonton to support Canada's troops in Afghanistan.

As at similar rallies in previous weeks in other Canadian cities, supporters who gathered in Edmonton's downtown Churchill Square wore red to symbolize support for troops.

Organizers had hoped for attendance to reach 3,000, but the extreme cold discouraged all but the most determined. Organizers vowed there would be encore performances in coming weeks, however.

A choir of young people wearing red T-shirts started Edmonton's gathering by singing Oh Canada.

Rebecca Jones told CTV News that hearing the youngsters sing in tribute to Canada's brave troops brought tears to her eyes.

"My boyfriend is in the military and he was deployed from January until the end of August so it's hard," said Jones.

"It's nice to hear everybody singing the national anthem," she said. "It makes you know everybody is supporting them when they're away."

"Your soldiers don't crave pity, they don't want you to fear for them," Col. John Vance told the crowd. "They need your love and your unwavering support."

Regardless of their opinions of the mission in Afghanistan, Edmontonians came to thank the soldiers for the job they do, and sign a banner that will lift troops' spirits in the war-torn country.

"I'm not supporting the war -- I'm sorry," rally participant Maria Grundel said. "But I'm supporting our soldiers."

Master Cpl. Paul Franklin, one of hundreds of soldiers based in Edmonton Garrison who have served in Afghanistan, was a key speaker.

"We celebrate the soldiers and the veterans, the spouses and the families," said Franklin, who lost his legs in a suicide attack that killed a Canadian diplomat 10 months ago.

"Today as we stand in this chilly air, soldiers are on the mountains of the Hindu Kush, standing there being proud, doing their jobs.

"You wear red to help us help you," Franklin told the crowd. "And I just want to say 'thank you very much.'"

About 150 soldiers based in Edmonton are serving in Afghanistan. Soldiers from the Edmonton garrison have carried the heaviest burden of fighting in Afghanistan over the past year.

Thirty-four Canadians have died in Afghanistan since March. Thirteen Edmonton soldiers have died there since 2002.

The "Red Friday" campaign was begun last spring by the families of CFB Petawawa troops serving in the war-torn country.

With a report from CTV's David Ewasuk and files from The Canadian Press