Thriving Festivals

Edmonton Festival City thrives on outdoor live entertainment in the summer time and all year round. The fun spills into the parks and streets of the city and surrounding communities. Check out www.edmonton.com/festivalcity for a comprehensive listing of festivals in Greater Edmonton.

Theatre and Film

The festivals listed build synergy with local theatre companies that produce and import stellar work all year long.

• International Children’s Festival. June 1-5. Fabulous acts from around the world are presented in a festival of theatre, music, dance, storytelling and puppetry. St. Albert. 780.459.1542, www.childfest.com
• Improvaganza. June 16 - 26. Rapid Fire Theatre hosts upwards of thirty improvisers, sketch comedians, stand-ups and musicians from across Canada, North America and beyond.. 780.448.0695, www.rapidfiretheatre.com
• Freewill Shakespeare Festival June 29 - July 25. Enjoy Shakespeare under the sky at Hawrelak Park, west of downtown. 780.425.8086, www.freewillshakespeare.com
• Edmonton International Street Performers Festival. July 9 - 18. Laugh ’till you cry at pass-the-hat magicians, clowns, jugglers, mime artists, musicians and comics. Sir Winston Churchill Square. 780.425.5162, www.edmontonstreetfest.com
• Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival. Aug. 12 - 22. Equal parts indoor theatre, street performance and party, the continent’s largest fringe takes over Old Strathcona. 780.448.9000, www.fringetheatreadventures.ca
• Edmonton International Film Festival. Sept. 24 - Oct. 2. Come enjoy this festival of fantastic, independent films from around the world. 780.423.0844, www.edmontonfilmfest.com
• Global Visions Film Festival. Nov. 4 - 7. Global Visions continues to champion alternative media through the art of documentary film. 780.414.1052, www.globalvisionsfestival.com

Visual and Mixed Arts

Art comes to life in festivals that take galleries to the people.

• Nextfest: Epcor Next Generation Arts Festival. June 3 - 13. Inventive works by 250 emerging artists. Roxy Theatre, 10708 124 St. 780.453.2440, www.nextfest.ca
• The Works Art & Design Festival. June 19 – July 1. Art takes over downtown, with 50 exhibits and 200 events in foyers, parks and galleries. 780.426.2122, www.theworks.ab.ca
• feats Festival of Dance. June 26 - July 4. Produced by the Alberta Dance Alliance it is a multi-disciplinary dance festival which includes performances, special events and educational programming. 780.422.8107, www.abdancealliance.ab.ca
• Whyte Avenue Art Walk. July 16 - 18. The Art Walk Festival and Marketplace is one of the largest street celebrations of the visual arts in Canada. More than 130 artists paint, sculpt, exhibit and sell their work on the sidewalks of Old Strathcona. www.art-walk.ca
• Visualeyez . . . A Festival of Performance Art. Sept 15 - 21.  www.latitude53.org/visualeyez

Music

Choose your style and soak up the sounds.

• Vocal Arts Festival. May 21 - June 27. Canada’s only summer opera festival. www.operanuova.ca
• Edmonton International Jazz Festival. June 25 - July 4. Features top jazz concerts, workshops, club dates & free outdoor events for the entire family. 780.990.0222, www.edmontonjazz.com
• Big Valley Jamboree. July 29 - Aug. 1. Performers include Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert and many more, plus street performers, family stage and fireworks. Camrose, South via Hwy 2. 1.888.404.1234, www.bigvalleyjamboree.com
• Blueberry Bluegrass & Country Music Society Festival. July 30 - Aug 1. Western Canada’s biggest bluegrass fest. Stony Plain celebrating its 25th anniversary, west on Hwy 16A. 780.922.4973, www.blueberrybluegrass.com
• Edmonton Folk Music Festival. Aug. 5 - 8. North America’s premiere celebration of blues, Celtic, singer-songwriters, bluegrass, gospel and world music. Gallagher Park, with a downtown backdrop. 780.429.1899, www.edmontonfolkfest.org
• Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival. Aug. 20 - 22. Top blues acts, from funk to zydeco. Hawrelak Park. www.bluesinternationalltd.com
• Friends’ Ukrainian Music Fest. Aug. 29. Showcase of Alberta’s finest Ukrainian folk musicians, plus traditional food and fun for children. Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, east on Hwy 16. 780.662.3640, www.ukrainianvillage.ca
• Sobey’s Symphony Under the Sky. Sept. 3 - 6. Extravaganza of classical music and children’s entertainment. Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at Hawrelak Park. 780.428.1414, 1.800.563.5081, www.edmontonsymphony.com

Heritage

Join us in celebrating Greater Edmonton’s multicultural roots.

• Canada Day. July 1. Activities in Edmonton and several communities in the region. www.edmonton.com
• Edmonton & Northern Alberta Historic Festival. July 9 - 18. www.historicedmonton.ca
• Fête Au Village. July 23 - 24. Saluting the French culture of Legal’s pioneers. North via Hwy 2. 780.961.3773, www.town.legal.ab.ca
• Servus Heritage Festival. July 31 – Aug 2. Over sixty distinctive cultures showcase song and dance, arts and crafts, costumes and cuisine. Hawrelak Park. 780.488.3378,
  www.heritage-festival.com
• Cariwest – Edmonton Caribbean Arts Festival. Aug. 6 - 8. Gala parade, calypso competition and dance. 780.421.7800, www.cariwestfestival.com
• Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival. Aug. 20 - 22. Races in Louise McKinney Park, below the Shaw Conference Centre. 780.493.8158, www.edbfa.com

Fair & Fare

Edmonton’s oldest festival, Edmonton’s Capital EX, is as vibrant as ever, from the Thursday morning parade to the ever-growing exposition. Rounding out the scene are other events that tip their hat to our western roots.

• St. Albert Kinsmen Rainmaker Rodeo & Exhibition. May 28 - 30. Three days of fun that includes exciting rodeo action, mud races, live entertainment and a midway in St. Albert. 1.888.459.1725, www.rainmaker.ab.ca
• A Taste of Edmonton Festival. July 23 – Aug 1. Ten days of delectable food sampling presented by some of Edmonton’s best restaurants. Sir Winston Churchill Square. 780-.23.2822, www.eventsedmonton.ca
• Edmonton’s Capital EX. July 23 – Aug 1. Thrilling midway rides, international entertainment, exciting feature attractions, food from every part of the globe, colourful parades, Northwest Originals, Global Connections, and Ed Fest to rock your summer. 1.888.800.PARK, www.capitalex.ca
• Honda Indy Edmonton. July 23 - 25. Auto racing fans can expect to see the best in open wheel racing. www.edmontonindy.com
• Farmfair International. Nov. 5 - 13. Canada’s premier livestock showcase includes a wagonload of western fun. 1.888.800.PARK, www.farmfairinternational.com
• Canadian Finals Rodeo. Nov. 10 - 14. The country’s top professionals wrestle steers, barrel race, rope cattle and battle bucking broncos and bulls to become Canadian Champions. 1.888.800.PARK, www.canadianfinalsrodeo.ca