Music – EDMONTON FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL (4-7 AUG); SONIC BOOM (3-4 SEP)
Now a summer institution, Edmonton Folk Music Festival brings artists from all over the world to perform in a relaxed and atmospheric setting, overlooking the city and river valley. Artists confirmed this year include Calexico, the Tallest Man on Earth and Willy Mason. For alternative music – accompanied by pop-up stores and the city’s best food trucks – check out Sonic Boom, where this year you can catch the Lumineers, Jake Bugg, AWOLNATION, Twenty One Pilots and Edmonton’s own the Royal Foundry.
Arts & Culture – Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival (11-21 Aug)
The Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival isn’t just the city’s biggest cultural event of the year – it’s the biggest (and oldest) fringe festival in North America. This year’s fringe will be the 35th running, and it’s set to be bigger and better than ever, with more than 1,600 live performances over 11 days at nearly 40 different venues. Alongside world-class theatre, look out for acrobats, jugglers and fire-breathers on the outside stages, and late-night cabaret, music and comedy at midnight every evening.
Action Sports – FIVE WORLD SERIES (16-18 SEP)
If you’re into live action sports, it doesn’t come bigger or better than the Festival International des Sports Extreme (FISE) World Series, which comes to Canada for the first time this September. Look out for some of the world’s best extreme sports athletes performing with Edmonton’s Hawrelak Park as a backdrop. Expect mountain bike slopestyle, freestyle and flat BMX and skateboard, all served up with the usual FISE good vibes. And best of all? It’s free for anyone to attend.
