Edmonton is one of Canada’s northernmost cities and strangely has a reputation for not having enough to do. Oddly, when looking in local papers, community newsletters, and the City’s different outlets, the opposite is the truth – there is lots to do in this city, and much of it free or very low cost.
Edmonton’s Festivals
Edmonton isn’t dubbed Festival City for nothing. With things like the Fringe Festival, several music festivals, the Street Performers’ Festival, Art Works, and more, the name fits well. Many of these festivals have free events associated with them. Art Works really is free! This is not only a display of many artists’ works throughout the city and special gallery events, but also many artists volunteer their time to demonstrate how they create the work they do in select locations throughout the city. Much of this is done on the popular Whyte Avenue strip.
The Fringe Festival is also in the Old Strathcona area, which centres around Whyte Avenue. Attending a play is quite inexpensive, ranging from $8 to $12 for most of 2009’s plays. As well there are all-day events for kids that are completely cost free! This is a great boon to parents. There are street performers throughout the event who put on many different acts. While strictly speaking it isn’t necessary to pay these people, it is how they make a living, so every little bit that can be thrown into a hat helps. And little kids love to give them the money (so that’s another way to help young children feel entertained and happy).
City-Sponsored Events
The City of Edmonton has many different venues through their parks and recreation department. Some of these include indoor and outdoor pools, recreation centres, and the City Arts Centre. At any of these locations one can pick up their booklet on low cost and free things to do in Edmonton. There are often small workshops and classes offered at these centres for some very low prices – sometimes even free!
In the summer there are water parks, the river valley, Hawrelak Park, Emily Murphy Park, and may other locations throughout the city that people can go to for recreation. Spending time in such a place is free – and often one doesn’t have to bring anything along to have fun, as entertainment is in place, such as every August long weekend with the Heritage Festival in Hawrelak Park where each cultural pavilion puts on shows and demonstrations including dance, martial arts, and music shows for anyone to see. Yes, it’s possible to spend money at such events. The Heritage Festival, for example, offers a variety of food from different cultures around the world. Entertainment is free – the food isn’t. In the winter there are also special events and many community leagues also offer special events such as sleigh rides and barbeques.
One can also check out the Alberta Museum, which has a new exhibition on average of every month. As well, there is the Alberta Art Gallery (and a variety of other galleries throughout the city). Edmonton has many commercial galleries that are worth perusing – and you don’t have to buy to enjoy art.
Commercial Venues
If low cost is your aim, many of the commercial entertainment isn’t what you’ll want, but you can certainly find a lot to do with the commercial arts and entertainment venues in Edmonton!
Commercial venues are fairly easy to find. There are several entertainment clubs on Whyte Avenue as well as in West Edmonton Mall, which is an attraction all in itself, being such a huge mall. Yes, WEM has a waterpark right inside it, a small fair grounds, many, many shops, a min-golf park, and much more. These are great places to go for fun, especially when the weather is cold (as Edmonton is apt to be in the winter). Also consider live music offered throughout the year at the different places, including some in WEM and on Whyte Avenue. Edmonton Opera has its performances every year. Some clubs include The Urban Lounge, On the Rocks, Uptown Folk Club (this one is non-profit), The Starlite Room, Blues on Whyte, Yardbird Suite (Jazz), and many more!
Edmonton also has events at the Jubilee Auditorium and the Winspear Centre on a regular basis. There are also commercial theatres, such as the Walterdale Playhouse, Citadel, Workshop West Theatre, the Laugh Shop, Catalyst Theatre and so forth.
If anyone ever says there is nothing to do in Edmonton, that person is not looking or dead. There’s lots to do in this city, and only a small part of it has been touched on here. All of the above doesn’t even mention sports events.
For more on what’s happening in Edmonton, the City has an events calendar that any group can post events to.
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