| Festivals of Edmonton | |
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This is an incomplete list of festivals in Edmonton, a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. Edmonton plays host to several large festivals each year, hence its local nickname as 'the Festival City.'
This list includes festivals of diverse types, including regional festivals, commerce festivals, fairs, food festivals, arts festivals, religious festivals, folk festivals, and recurring festivals on holidays.
| Festival | Month | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Animethon [1] | August | Western Canada's longest-running Japanese animation festival is held in Downtown Edmonton in Edmonton Convention Centre. Animethon has been running since 1993 with attendance at over 15,000 people. |
| Bikeology Festival [2] | June | Cycling culture |
| Blueberry Bluegrass and Country Music Festival | late July / early August | Bluegrass and country music festival |
| Blue Quill Party in the Park Music Festival [3] | September | free, family-focused, and community-minded 12-hour-long non-stop live performance music festival |
| Canada Day | July | Celebrated with a pancake breakfast and other morning events at the Alberta Legislature grounds, and fireworks. |
| Cariwest [4] | mid-August | Caribbean carnival |
| Chinese New Year | January/February | Celebrated in many locations including Bonnie Doon Mall, West Edmonton Mall, Kingsway Mall, and Chinatown, Edmonton. |
| Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival [5] | January | Arts and winter games celebrating Ukrainian, Franco-Albertan, Franco-African, Indigenous, and Acadian/East Coast communities. |
| Dreamspeakers International Film Festival [6] | June | Aboriginal filmmakers, performers and artists |
| Edmonton Accordion Festival [7] | September | Accordion |
| Edmonton Chante [8] | September | Francophone music festival |
| Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival [9] | August | Dragon boat |
| Edmonton Folk Music Festival [10] | August | Folk music |
| Edmonton Heritage Festival [11] | August | This ethnocultural food and heritage festival takes place in Hawrelak Park on the Heritage Day long weekend. |
| Edmonton International Beerfest [12] | late March – early April | Craft beer and food festival |
| Edmonton International Film Festival [13] | late September – early October | Independent film |
| Edmonton International Fringe Festival [14] | August | Held in Old Strathcona, this is an exhibition of alternative theatre and is the largest fringe theatre festival in North America, and second only to the Edinburgh Fringe festival in the world. |
| TD Edmonton International Jazz Festival [15] | June | Jazz music |
| Edmonton International Street Performer's Festival [16] | July | Busking |
| Edmonton Latin Festival [17] | mid-August | Latin culture and music |
| Edmonton Music & Speech Arts Festival [18] | mid-April – early May | Started in 1908 - First Festival, of its kind, in North America - Classical Music (Piano, Strings, Voice, Guitar, Band, Choir, Brass, Woodwinds, Harp, Orchestra), Musical Theatre, Speech Arts - for Ages 5–85+ |
| Edmonton Poetry Festival [19] | April | Poetry |
| Edmonton Pride [20] | June | LGBTQ+ and Gay pride |
| Edmonton Rock Music Festival [21] | August | Rock music |
| Edmonton Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival [22] | October | Wine, beer, spirits, food |
| Edmonton Short Film Festival [23] | 3rd week of October | Independent film |
| Edmonton Ukrainian Festival [24] | late May | Ukrainian culture, food, music, visual arts, crafts and dance |
| Found Festival [25] | June | Edmonton's only multidisciplinary found space arts festival. Find art in unexpected places! |
| Freewill Shakespeare Festival (formerly called River City Shakespeare Festival) [26] | late June – early July | Shakespeare plays |
| Great Outdoors Comedy Festival | July | Outdoor comedy festival produced by Trixstar LIVE |
| Hip Hop in the Park festival [27] | May | Musicians', performers' festival to celebrate a hiphop declaration of peace |
| Ice on Whyte Festival [28] | January | Winter festival, skating, ice sculpture |
| Improvaganza [29] | June | Improv festival hosted by Rapid Fire Theatre |
| International Festival of Winter Cinema | February | Films about winter, polar, or alpine topics; projected outdoors on a snow-screen. |
| Kaleido Family Arts Festival [30] | September | Arts festival of free performances on Alberta Avenue |
| K-Days [31] | July | Provides rides, music and other entertainment. Originally Klondike Days was an annual fair and exhibition which eventually adopted a gold rush theme. Activities include chuckwagon races, carnival rides and fairways, music, trade shows and daily fireworks. |
| Labatt Blues Festival [32] | August | Blues music |
| Latino Heritage Month September 15 to October 15 [33] | September – October | Cultural roots and education |
| LitFest: Edmonton's Nonfiction Festival [34] | late October | Non-fiction writing |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | September | Chinese cultural performances, activities, and a lantern parade including floating water lanterns on the pool in front of Edmonton City Hall. |
| Nextfest [35] | June | Celebrate the work of emerging artists: musicians, actors, poets, visual artists, dancers |
| Northwestfest | May | Documentary film festival at the Garneau Theatre |
| Pets in the Park [36] | June | Fun for animals and humans in Hawrelak Park |
| Play the Fool Festival | late September | Theatre festival focusing on clown and physical comedy |
| Pure Speculation [37] | November | Geek and fan culture |
| Purple City Music Festival | August | Multi-day, multi-venue live music festival in downtown |
| Rainbow Visions Film Festival | November | LGBT film festival at the Garneau Theatre |
| Silver Skate Festival [38] | February | Winter |
| SkirtsAfire, herArts Festival [39] | March | Edmonton's only multidisciplinary arts festival celebrating and elevating the work of women. Includes musicians, dance, spoken word, theatre, film, cabaret and more. |
| Sourdough River Festival [40] | August | Raft race |
| Strathearn Art Walk [41] | September | Free, family friendly art and music festival |
| Symphony Under the Sky Festival [42] | Labour Day weekend | Edmonton Symphony Orchestra's annual outdoor concert |
| Taste of Edmonton [43] | July | Food and restaurants |
| Vocal Arts Festival [44] | late May – June | Opera NUOVA's Opera / art song festival, performances, workshops, and elite study opportunities. |
| Water For Life Festival [45] | early June | The all volunteers-directed Sunshine Treeshade Humanitarian Charity presents "water for life"-themed multi arts, science, and recreation events in support of clean healthy water commons and saving the estimated daily global average of over 4000 children and others currently projected to be killed by contaminated water related conditions (World Health Organization, UNICEF data). Held week of World Environment Day, June 5; and World Oceans Day, June 8. |
| The Works Art & Design Festival [46] | late June – early August | Showcases Canadian and international art and design from well-known, award-winning artists, as well as emerging and student artists |
