Summer Events YEG, 2023

Summer is here and Edmonton is ready to celebrate with a variety of events and activities for everyone to enjoy. Whether you are looking for festivals, concerts, sports, nature, or culture, you will find something to suit your interests and budget in Alberta’s capital city. Here are some of the fun summer events coming up in Edmonton that you don’t want to miss.

Summer Carnivals & Multicultural Festivals

Edmonton is known for its vibrant and diverse cultural scene, and summer is the perfect time to experience it. You can explore the world without leaving the city at these carnivals and multicultural festivals:

• K-Days: The biggest summer festival in Edmonton is back with 10 days of rides, games, food, music, and entertainment at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. Don’t miss the fireworks, the parade, the rodeo, and the live performances by artists like Serena Ryder, The Trews, and Marianas Trench. K-Days runs from July 21 to 30, 2023¹.
• Edmonton Heritage Festival: Celebrate Canada’s multiculturalism at this three-day event that showcases the cuisine, art, music, and dance of over 100 countries and cultures. You can sample delicious dishes, watch colorful performances, and learn about different traditions and histories at Hawrelak Park. The festival takes place from July 29 to August 1, 2023.
• Edmonton Folk Music Festival: Enjoy four days of folk music from around the world at this popular festival that attracts thousands of fans every year. You can listen to local and international artists on eight stages, join workshops and sessions, shop at the artisan market, and relax on the grassy hill of Gallagher Park. The festival runs from August 10 to 13, 2023.
• Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival: Experience the largest and oldest fringe theatre festival in North America at this 11-day event that features over 1,600 performances of comedy, drama, musicals, dance, and more. You can watch shows at various venues in Old Strathcona, enjoy street performers and buskers, and join the fun at the Fringe Beer Tent. The festival runs from August 17 to 27, 2023.

Live Performances – Music & Theatre

If you love live music and theatre, you will find plenty of options to enjoy in Edmonton this summer. You can catch some of the hottest acts and shows at these venues and events:

• Rogers Place: This state-of-the-art arena is home to the Edmonton Oilers hockey team and hosts some of the biggest concerts and events in the city. This summer, you can see stars like Bruno Mars (July 30), Ed Sheeran (July 31), Lady Gaga (August 3), Coldplay (September 26), and Imagine Dragons (October 10).
• Jubilee Auditorium: This elegant theatre is one of the premier venues for performing arts in Edmonton. You can watch Broadway shows like The Phantom of the Opera (July 26 – August 6), The Book of Mormon (September 19 – October 1), and Les Miserables (October 10 – October 22).
• Citadel Theatre: This is Canada’s largest not-for-profit theatre complex that offers a variety of plays and musicals throughout the year. This summer, you can catch productions like Shakespeare in Love (June 17 – July 16), Million Dollar Quartet (July 22 – August 20), and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (September 16 – October 8).
• Choral Morphosis Summer Camp: If you love singing or want to learn how to sing better, this is the camp for you. You can join a choir led by professional singers and musicians who will teach you vocal techniques, music theory, sight reading, and performance skills. The camp is open to anyone aged 15 and up and runs from August 8 to August 18 at Robertson-Wesley United Church².

Food Festivals & More

Edmonton is a food lover’s paradise with a variety of cuisines and restaurants to choose from. You can taste some of the best dishes and drinks in the city at these food festivals and events:

• Taste of Edmonton: This is Canada’s largest food festival that features over 80 restaurants and food trucks offering samples of their signature dishes. You can also enjoy live music, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, and beer gardens at Churchill Square. The festival runs from July 20 to July 29, 2023.
• Edmonton Ribfest: If you love barbecue ribs, this is the event for you. You can feast on mouthwatering ribs cooked by award-winning pitmasters from across North America. You can also enjoy live music, kids’ activities, and a beer garden at Borden Park. The event runs from July 14 to July 16, 2023.
• What the Truck?!: This is Edmonton’s food truck extravaganza that showcases the diversity and creativity of the city’s mobile food scene. You can try dishes from over 40 food trucks, ranging from burgers and tacos to ice cream and cupcakes. You can also enjoy live music and entertainment at various locations throughout the city. The events run from June to September, 2023.
• Edmonton Craft Beer Festival: This is the ultimate event for beer lovers, featuring over 500 beers from over 100 breweries, both local and international. You can sample different styles and flavors of beer, learn from experts and brewers, and enjoy food pairings and entertainment at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. The festival runs from June 2 to June 3, 2023.

Nature & Outdoor Fun

Edmonton is blessed with a beautiful natural environment that offers many opportunities for outdoor fun and adventure. You can explore the city’s parks, trails, rivers, and wildlife at these attractions and activities:

• Elk Island National Park: This is Canada’s only fully fenced national park that protects a herd of free-roaming plains bison. You can also see other animals like elk, moose, deer, beavers, and birds in their natural habitat. You can hike, bike, canoe, kayak, camp, picnic, and stargaze at this park that is only 35 minutes away from downtown Edmonton.
• River Valley Adventure Co.: This is your one-stop shop for outdoor adventure in Edmonton’s river valley. You can rent bikes, segways, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and more to explore the city’s scenic trails and waterways. You can also join guided tours, lessons, and events to learn new skills and have fun with friends and family.
• Edmonton Valley Zoo: This is a family-friendly zoo that features over 350 animals from around the world. You can see exotic creatures like red pandas, lemurs, snow leopards, and zebras, as well as local wildlife like lynx, wolves, and otters. You can also enjoy interactive exhibits, educational programs, and special events at this zoo that is open year-round.
• Muttart Conservatory: This is a botanical garden that features four glass pyramids that house different plant collections from tropical, temperate, arid, and seasonal climates. You can admire the beauty and diversity of plants from around the world, as well as enjoy art displays, concerts, workshops, and more. This summer, you can also check out the Muttart Brick by Brick exhibit that showcases amazing LEGO® models of Edmonton landmarks and pop culture icons³.

Rediscover Edmonton

If you want to see Edmonton in a new light or learn more about its history and culture, you can join these tours and activities that will show you a different side of the city:

• Where Dark Things Dwell: This is an outdoor escape room that takes place at Fort Edmonton Park. You have to uncover secrets, find a relic, and save the town before dawn in this immersive adventure that combines puzzles, clues, actors, and special effects. Will you be brave enough to face the dark things that dwell in the park?³
• Big E Tours: This is a company that offers guided bus tours of Edmonton’s attractions and neighborhoods. You can choose from different tours like the Best of Edmonton City Tour that covers downtown, Old Strathcona, West Edmonton Mall, and more; or the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village Tour that takes you to a living history museum that depicts the life of Ukrainian immigrants in Alberta.
• Edmonton Ghost Tours: This is a company that offers walking tours of haunted places in Edmonton. You can hear spooky stories and legends about ghosts, murders, mysteries, and paranormal phenomena in locations like Old Strathcona, University of Alberta Campus, and Downtown Core.
• Alberta Craft Tours: This is a company that offers brewery tours of Edmonton’s craft beer scene. You can visit some of the best breweries in the city, learn about their history and brewing process, and sample their beers along the way.

Explore Alberta Capital Region/Day Trips

If you want to venture outside of Edmonton and discover more of what Alberta has to offer, you can take these day trips that will take you to some of the most beautiful and interesting places in the province:

• Drumheller: This is a town that is famous for its dinosaur fossils and badlands scenery. You can visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology that displays over 130,000 specimens of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures; explore the Hoodoos Trail that features rock formations shaped by erosion; and climb the World’s Largest Dinosaur statue that stands 86 feet tall.
• Jasper National Park: This is Canada’s
• largest and most visited national park that is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Canadian Rockies. You can enjoy stunning views of mountains, glaciers, lakes, and waterfalls; hike, bike, canoe, kayak, raft, and camp in the wilderness; and spot wildlife like bears, elk, moose, and wolves.
• Banff National Park: This is Canada’s first and most famous national park that is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Canadian Rockies. You can visit the iconic Lake Louise and Moraine Lake that are known for their turquoise waters and mountain backdrops; ride the Banff Gondola to the top of Sulphur Mountain for panoramic views of the valley; and relax in the natural hot springs at Banff Upper Hot Springs.
• Calgary: This is Alberta’s largest and most cosmopolitan city that is only a three-hour drive from Edmonton. You can experience the Calgary Stampede, the world’s largest rodeo and festival that takes place every July; visit the Calgary Tower, the Olympic Park, the Calgary Zoo, and the Glenbow Museum; and enjoy the nightlife, shopping, dining, and entertainment options in downtown Calgary.
• These are just some of the fun summer events coming up in Edmonton that you can look forward to. Whether you are a local or a visitor, you will find something to suit your taste and budget in this vibrant and diverse city. So don’t wait any longer and start planning your summer in Edmonton today!