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There have never been this many festivals around Edmonton — it’s staggering, honestly, and competition is mighty fierce for our shrivelling dollars!
With new festival announcements weekly (plus the fact search engines are increasingly payola compromised), we thought it would be useful to compile this flyover festival guide to help you wade through it all — including handy site links online leading to tickets and passes.
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From the last day of Now Hear This Festival on Saturday through Purple City in September, here are a few dozen cultural gatherings to consider.
Many, like The Works, Street Performers, Taste of Edmonton and even much of the Jazz Fest are completely free. Others, well, you may need to hunker down and budget for them; hopefully this checklist helps you choose.
We’re leaning into the music side of things here, mostly around town — but some exceptions like Sled Island, Beaumont Music fest and North Country Fair are way worth their commutes.
Please don’t forget to check The List online every week as well, which has every gig in and around town announced, well into next year.
All aboard!
When June 15
Where Mile Zero Dance Space (9931 78 Ave.)
Headliners DJ Noodle Soup/Jia Jia Yong, Mustafa Rafiq, Jacob Audrey Taves, Shawn Pinchbeck
Tix $25
Contemporary music and sound, come here to witness new and exciting things. Saturday’s lineup — mwah (chef’s kiss)!
Sled Island Music & Arts Festival
When June 19-23
Where around Calgary
Headliners Mick Jenkins, Cherry Glazerr, Show Me the Body, W.I.T.C.H., Juana Molina
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Tix $64.22-$90.55 single day; $233.19 fest pass
Alberta’s coolest, choose-your-own-adventure music juggernaut; sxsw but with elbow room (river pun intended).
Summer Solstice Music Festival
When June 19-23
Where Yardbird, Trinity Lutheran
Headliners David Fung, Catherine Daniel, Kerson Leong, Peter Eom, Marina Thibeault
Tix $96.50
Edmonton Chamber Music Society brings out its classical heavy hitters, including a free piano masterclass by David Fung.
When June 20-23
Where La Cité Francophonie
Headliners Anouk Vallée-Charest, Ryunosuke Yamazumi, Agathe et Adrien
Tix $37.28-$52.87/show
Hosted by Firefly Theatre, four days of modern circus mayhem including professional development workshops for your inner clown.
When June 21-23
Where Four Seasons Park
Headliners The Beaches, Headstones, Begonia, Dear Rouge, Shaguar
Tix $191.05 fest pass, $127.71/$138.26 single day pass
Sweet, sweet lineup includes just-Polaris-longlisted The Beaches and the mighty Headstones — your parents’ blues fest no more.
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When June 21-23
Where Driftpile, AB
Headliners Scenic Route to Alaska, Major Love, Raygun Cowboys, Shane Ghostkeeper
Tix $220 weekend pass incl. camping!
If you’re into a completely magical, life-altering natural experience with music till dawn, nothing ever gets close to NCF.
When June 22
Where Fan Park, Ice District
Headliners Armin Van Buuren, Jauz, Imanbek, Luttrell, David Stone
Tix $99.95, VIP $159.99
An all-day bumpin’ dance party with international DJ talent up front heading into the night, best do your stretches beforehand.
Edmonton International Jazz Festival
When June 25-30
Where Bellamy’s, La Cité, McDougall, Starlite, Triffo, Yardbird,
Headliners Cory Henry, Pasquale Grasso, Veronica Swift, Lakecia Benjamin
Tix many free/by donation – $51, by event
Wildly diverse in musical approach, venue size and even show price, take the time to scour the lineup; there’s likely something for you.
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The Works Art & Design Festival
When June 27 – July 1
Where Churchill Square, around downtown
Headliners Denim Daddies, The Provincial Archive, Terry Morrison + John Gorham, Mark Davis
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Tix free
Running as its own entity again, dozens of artworks around the core are backed up by all-day, local stage performances — and every night closes with the original composition Bellcurve on City Hall’s 23-bell carillon!
River Valley Songwriters Festival
When June 29-30
Where Little Brick Café yard, Shiddy’s Distilling
Headliners Kyle McKearney, Nuela Charles, John Wort Hannam, Arlo Maverick
Tix $27.96/day
This looks just delightful, the intimate yard full of Edmonton’s top talent, plus some special guests moseying in.
When July 3-7
Where Grindstone Theatre
Headliners Bruce McCulloch, Debra DiGiovanni, Bonnie McFarlane, Dave Merheje
Tix starting at $19.62 up to $115.45 fundraiser meet + greet
A spectacular lineup with the Kathleen McGee fundraiser at its core, no summer festival will have more incumbent heart than this raucous doggie.
Edmonton International Street Performers Festival
When July 5-14
Where Churchill Square
Headliners Heromacro Show, Ron Pearson, The Amazing Martika, Pancho Libre
Tix by donation (so bring cash!)
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Also returning as its own separate thing (see The Works above), there’s almost no better place to bring the kids, the busker talent plucked from the world’s best.
When July 12-14
Where Kinsmen Park
Headliners Shane Gillis, Kevin Hart, Whitney Cummings, Lisa Gilroy
Tix $99.50/day
Gillis is already sold out, but if you don’t know Edmonton ex-pat Lisa Gilroy, please correct this.
When July 18-28
Where Churchill Square
Headliners Glass Tiger, Classified, Rellik, The Give ’Em Hell Boys
Tix no charge
The downtown juggernaut returns with some excellent free concerts while you take yourself to the stuff-your-gullet limit. Bibs recommended.
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When July 19-28
Where Edmonton Exhibition Grounds
Headliners Ludacris, DFA 1979, Metric, Theory of a Deadman
Tix $46.35-$196.95 (Front & Centre Fan Zone only; concert general admission area free with park admission)
Besides KDays Music Fest, so much going on, including artist in residence AJA Louden, Top Talent Wrestling, SuperDogs and La Cité’s jaunty musical programming in Klondike Park.
When July 19-20, 26
Where Jubilee Auditorium
Headliners Celeigh Cardinal, Martin Kerr, BrassTactics
Tix $26.84/show
A crisp, affordable lineup of locals in one of the city’s most comfortable venues. Nice job, Jube!
When July 20-21
Where Victoria Park
Headliners Destra Garcia, Singing Melody, The Melisizwe Brothers, Kianna Faith
Tix $88.69 fest pass, $66.86 July 20 only
With one-love talent from Leduc to Jamaica and Uganda, joy is the main ingredient here — though prepare for amazing food, as well.
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When Aug. 1-4
Where Camrose Exhibition Grounds
Headliners Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Keith Urban, Riley Green
Tix $347.16 3-day general admission, $617.54 3-day reserved seating, $76.79 Thursday kickoff party
Taking its “Big” seriously, what becomes one of Alberta’s largest towns is full of amazing extras like the songwriters showcase, late-night dance parties and featured livestock, putting the culture in agro!
Blues on Whyte’s 40th Anniversary Bash
When Aug. 2-4
Where Commercial Hotel
Headliners TBA
Tix TBA
Happily shakin’ up the neighbours with its boom-boom outdoor stage, Blues on Whyte will definitely go to go heavy for its milestone birthday celebrations.
When Aug. 3-5
Where Borden Park
Headliners musicians of Earth
Tix free
Ah, yes — and then there’s the music and dancing of, you know, the entire world to consider as you sample various planetary meats on sticks. Another brilliant one for the kids.
When Aug. 8-11
Where Gallagher Park
Headliners Robert Plant/Alison Krauss, Fantastic Negrito, Rhiannon Giddens, Blue Rodeo, The Heavy Heavy
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Tix single day Thurs./Fri. $123.75, otherwise sold out
A wicked, deep-cut lineup well worth caressing in advance, make time for the artists and storytellers in the Nikamowin area — and welcome back re-useable plates!
When Aug. 9-11
Where Churchill Square
Headliners TBA
Tix free
Also celebrating 40 juicy years, Cariwest’s stunning Saturday parade is merely the backbone of this swirl of irresistible dancing, music and food to go nuts for.
Punk in Drublic Craft Beer and Music Festival
When Aug. 10-11
Where Ice District
Headiners NOFX (final Edmonton performance), Interrupters, Descendents, Circle Jerks
Tix $128.94/day, $224.99 weekend pass, VIP sold out
Not precisely the final NOFX Canadian performance as advertised, this punk-ass lineup is still jaw-dropping — a perfect gape to pour all that beer into.
Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival
When Aug. 15-25
Where Old Strathcona
Tickets on sale Aug. 7
Find Your Fringe? OK! With 11 days of creative mayhem, no festival exchanges ideas on stage and in the beer gardens like The Fringe — 216 productions across 38 venues planned for the 43rd annual. Look forward to our many saucy reviews!
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25th annual Edmonton Blues Festival
When Aug. 16-18
Where Klondike Park
Headliners Matt Anderson, Paul Pigat and Cousin Harley, Kenny Blues Boss Wayne
Tix $163.12 fest pass, $86.64/day
Bringing back some of its top talent from a quarter century of focused local blues love, the fest’s switched to the very comfy Klondike Park this year. Cheers and congrats, Cam!
When Aug. 17
Where The Aviary
Headliners TBA
Tix $18
A good 20 experimental and noise artists are currently being pared down, but here’s where to hear the beautifully weird.
When Aug. 17-24
Where Churchill Square
Headliners TBA
Tix TBA
It’s early, but word is the protest-paused parade might return, and Pride Fest’s concerts and dance parties are second to none when it comes to pure fun in the city. To joyful advocacy!
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When Sept. 6-8
Where various downtown venues
Headliners Gustaf, Urban Heat, Conan, Actors, Spoon Benders
Tix $138.50 fest pass, $219.50 VIP, individual shows TBA
All the best metal, punk, darkwave and indie bands you never heard of are here in the city’s super forward-looking music fest — plus: outdoor wrestling!
When Sept. 13-14
Where Chateau Lacombe
Headliners Furthermore, John Kadlecik, Allmost Brothers, The McGowan Family Band
Tix $80.12
Inspired by The Grateful Dead and ’60s-’70s jam band vibe, this throwback lovefest will also dazzle with amazing psychedelic visuals by The Light Psychlone.
Please let us know if we missed anything, just fire an email with additional info to the address below!
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