It's smaller than I expected, but that makes it easy to navigate for kids. There are a few food…read moretrucks and arts and crafts stands. The performers enjoy being there. They blatantly ask for money, around $20, from you for watching. Give what you can. It's in Winston Churchill Square, which is fine during the day but not somewhere you should walk at night.

I've been here pretty much every year since I was a kid, and I've never not had a great time…read more The performers vary a fair bit in terms of talent, but if you watch a few, you're pretty much guaranteed to be impressed overall. I love that they added a fresh fruit vendor. It's great to see healthy options pop up at events like this..... though I'll admit that I didn't get any, and instead opted for green onion cakes and ice cream. Hey, it's tradition. Hopefully the next generation can form new traditions involving the fruit vendor, because I'd like to see him stick around. :)

This winter festival lasts about 4 days in January and was started in 2003. This year (2018) was…read moremy first visit and the temperature was a very chilly -20C, great for ice sculptures but not so great for standing around outside too long - kudos to the brave volunteers at the gates standing around handing out guides and giving directions! On Saturday afternoon there was no wait at all, but in the evenings it might be easier to buy your ticket online and skip any ticket line by going through the VIP booth. The ice carving happens at the start of the festival, followed by judging, and then the finished pieces are on display till the end of the festival. There is also an ice bar, which this year seemed heavily sponsored by Strathcona Spirits including a nice hot buttered rum drink which was just the thing to warm up with! A food truck also offered nonalcoholic hot drinks and hot food also. Apparently in previous years there's been an ice slide for kids, but that wasn't present this year. There was an ice carving tent also, offering regular opportunities for both adults and kids to try your hand at carving an ice tile - not as easy as the talented sculptors make it look! The sculptures from the contest were super impressive and illuminated by coloured lights which no doubt look even better at night. The festival was fairly small overall though and doesn't take long to look around. They've made arrangements with a number of other local retailers on Whyte for whom you can get discount coupons if interested. Website: http://www.iceonwhyte.ca/about/

Ice on Whyte this year was absolutely amazing! I think they really did a good job accounting for…read moreweather this year. They had the ice sculptures inside a canvassed area, which kept it from being windy, so allowed for maximum time outside. At -21, frigid, with 80% humidity, we were still able to stay outside long enough to enjoy each of the sculptures. One of the things I liked the most this year was learning how to do an ice sculpture. We made it just in time for the last session of ice sculpture classes, where each person got a square block of ice, a chisel, nails for tracing and some shapes to trace to make our very own ice sculpture! My family is full of love so we all chose hearts :) On a safety note: they even provided PPE! Safety Glasses and Gloves for anyone doing the ice sculptures! There was a separate closed, heated tent where they had beer gardens, which was packed. I felt like this year was very well organized and would definitely go again next year.

Very expensive for very little food. Japanese Village sesame…read morebeef with rice was so small and not worth 4 tickets for a price of approx. $7.00 Also, the dish was very salty. Good venue but this will be last year I attend because the price does not match with portion size. Jennie

Hello Summer! Edmonton truly is Festival City whether it's Ice on Whyte or the ever so awesome A…read moreTaste of Edmonton! It doesn't get any better than wandering Churchill as the amazing smells waft from site to site. What to pick? What to choose? So many delicious eats and treats to try. Pro tip #1 NEVER GO ALONE. Always come in a group so that you can share and sample among friends. Pro tip #2 Buy your tickets in advance and save $10 on a sheet of 40. Follow them on Facebook, twitter, or on their website for the current details: http://tasteofedm.ca/ A Taste of Edmonton can also be an idea networking or teambuilding outing for colleagues. I've been lucky to participate in a Charity Cook Off here (and yes Judge's choice went to team Pookersons baby!) You can sign up for special VIP tent events in the evenings (perfect for a date night) or just wander around and people watch any time of day. You simply can't go wrong with YEG festivals. A Taste of Edmonton is where it's at in Summer YEG. Do not miss Canada's largest outdoor food festival!

Edmonton Fringe Festival is a great collection of unique theatre experiences and fun outdoor shows…read morecomplete with various food trucks and beverage options. I love the excitement of listening to the plugs for various plays and the conversation in the air about what people have seen or plan to see. This is a unique and exciting festival that works for everyone.

Edmonton has one of the greatest Fringe Theatre Festivals in the world. It's well organized, and…read morewell run by volunteers. Edmonton hasn't had a championship sport francize for a while, but we have a championship Fringe. Support the Festival, support the artists.The pandemic is over. Leave your cocoon, and go mingle in a big sweaty crowd. It's good for your health. Recommended are (1) Millennial Sex Witch (2) Clown Macbeth (3) Tiger Lady (4) Krampus. See something weird! This ain't no mainstream festival.

As someone who lived in Taiwan,home of night markets, I had really high expectations when I heard…read morethat Edmonton had a night market. However, these expectations were sorely disappointed. There's only a few vendors selling a modge podge of things. There was a sad place to buy coffee and hotdogs and also a Bannock food truck. They also had some musicians playing but they stopped shortly after I got there and didn't start up again. All in all, if you're in the area on a Friday night, you might as well stop by. But don't go out of your way because there isn't really anything super special about it.

While I often pine for the Vancouver night markets, the fact that Edmonton has begun to have SOME…read morenight market events is a step in the right direction. That said this one isn't that amazing just by virtue of its small size. There are only a few vendors. These vendors are of course excellent and it's nice to have the opportunity to frequent a farmer's market type event at such a late hour, but it isn't perfect. On my first visit I bought prune plums and they are quite delicious. The clothing was quite pretty but I didn't feel in the mood to browse for long. Perhaps evening events like this will grow as downtown grows and becomes more vibrant outside of the bar scene in the evenings. One can hope! :)

For the most part, I love the fringe. There's loads of shows. Local artists feel well supported…read moreand empowered and its generally well organized and very well attended.... but this was the first year I brought my kids to the Kids Fringe and it was disappointing. To begin with, it wasn't organized well for ages.... there was a booklet that the kids could take around the activities to get stamped.... my 4 year old and 1 year old were too young to understand the concept and my 7 year old wasn't allowed into many of the activities because he was too old and he was bored stiff at many of the others. The fossil digging was pretty cool - everyone enjoyed this. The Box fort zone was highly anticipated.... and highly disappointing.... my front yard on trash day would be more exciting to play in. As pictured, it was a few boxes that were collapsed and largely falling apart.... there was so so much potential for this event.... but it was completely unsupported. We'll continue to support the main fringe festival, but we'll be looking for other activities for our kids.

I love everything about the fringe except the food. You can keep the disappointing 9$ Philly…read morecheesesteaks, but give me so many plays, give me terrible recommendations from artists and promoters, give me unexpected theatre gems that look like bombs from descriptions and names, give me mostly terrible merchandise to purchase with enough neat stuff to keep you looking, give me cheesy and entertaining street performers, give me costumes, racy or not, to grab your attention, give me that sea of humanity in the heart of old Strathcona. It's a whirlwind, you'll laugh, you may cry, you may wonder why it is so humid, hot or cold, you may wonder why there are so many zombie plays (much more last year!). But it's fun and is never a dull moment ... And it means summer is almost over. Enjoy it for what it is. Edmonton at its best! Just a few words of advice. I've NEVER seen an exceptional one man show and zombie show + comedy usually = entertaining. Happy fringe-ing!

Never been - always mean to, but it's always sold out before I remember. Got a Saturday ticket…read morethis year. Really wanted to see Taj in person. Very impressed with the scale of the event. Seems pretty well organized, especially comparing it with last year's unfortunate Blues Festival fiasco. Just one very obnoxious security volunteer at the main stage. Glad I caught Taj at Stage 6 earlier. When I arrived at the main stage, 10 minutes before Taj was scheduled, I selected a questionable spot right next to the walkway, near the stage - mind you, it's just me with a coat to sit on, don't need a lot of room - but I wasn't surprised when one of the two security guys right in front of me told me that wasn't acceptable. So, I spotted a place that was even better positioned (lined up with the center of the stage). It was a tarp free spot about 2 1/2 by 4 feet - plenty of room for a little old lady - and I ask the only guys on the only occupied tarp adjacent to it if I would be bothering them. They said there was no problem. Taj Mahal started his show and everything was good. UNTIL the same security volunteer stands right in front of me and declares that I can't watch from there because I didn't put a tarp there and it wasn't fair to the people that did. (I don't need a tarp - I need a 2'x2' space.) I tried to tell him I wasn't bothering anyone, but I could see that he was bothering everyone and, rather than ruin the show for everyone else, I retreated to spot on the side of the tarps (a tiny sliver mostly on the exit path - but I guess the point was that I shouldn't have a center view, or something). Would you believe that this S.O.B. moved to where he could glare at me for the entire hour and he also sent a junior security volunteer to stand right beside me, after giving them some lengthy instructions of some sort. Well, I ignored them as well as I could and enjoyed the show anyway. I was a little sorry for Taj because he is actually a legend and there were so many empty tarps right in front of him. Anyway, what I wanted to say, was that PAUL HUKULAK (HUKULUK?) security volunteer should: a) take that stick out of his YouKnowWhere; and b) not be anywhere near a folk festival - where people are actually, usually, invested in being decent to each other. BTW, I went back to take a picture of the spot I wasn't allowed to watch from, and a random tarpless person was sitting there in their chair. Good for him - he cheated the a-hole out of that illegal spot while I distracted him.

This event is something I tell everyone about. I not only attend but I volunteer and thoroughly…read moreenjoy the weekend. Simple put, it's a great atmosphere to be part of. It's a family friendly event too and being where it's located, there's a playground behind the main stage by the community hall. Main stage is where the up and coming and big acts preform. However with amazing music for 4 days be sure to check out the smaller stages. They give you the opportunity to listen to the various artists, in what I can best describe as grouped themes or as solo artists throughout the days. The festival has an app so you can plan a bit ahead of time what stages you want to be at. If you're lucky enough to be there early in the day, you can participate in the tarp run. It's really hard to explain until one actually experiences it first hand but image a very calm line waking in from the gate with bagpipes leading the crowd. Cool right? Then music stops and all of a sudden a stampede of people ensues upwards on the hill. The whole hill goes from grass to a patchwork of tarps in a couple of hours. Everything from totems, stuffed animals, blankets, chairs and duct tape is used to mark/help identify the individual tarps. Amazing is all I can say about that. Being a volunteer on the hill to help supervise proper tarp placement gives a very unique view point on that creativity. If you stick around for the big acts, you'll see the lantern parade in the evening. They march up to the middle of the hill and make their way through the crowd. It is definitely worth the wait and believe me, buy a candle (or two) for the evening. It makes the hill magical seeing it lit by candles as music drifts through the evening air. As a volunteer, I haven't had much need to try the various food vendors but have heard good things. There's a separate tent for volunteers and we are kept very well fed (yes, there's volunteers that even work in the kitchen to feed all the volunteers on site - pretty amazing!). For those looking for some shade and a cool brew, I can say the beer garden is very popular. There's always a line up of eager people waiting to enter. If you are one of them, I do caution you to double check that you don't accidentally end up in the bathroom line up (which conveniently is closely located to the beer gardens) and avoid giving your friends a good laugh when they hear that happened. So long story short, pack for the day or come for the whole weekend. You won't regret it.

The Walterdale is a community theatre that gives many an aspiring actor, set designer, or…read moreproduction assistant some valuable experience. Although the productions are run primarily by volunteers (including the actors), the productions are very professional. Ticket prices are affordable, and there are Sunday matinees. Art from local artists adorn the corridors of the lobby, which can get quite cramped before and after a show. The small snack bar offers some candy and drinks. If you like live theatre, don't overlook what's happening at the Walterdale!

Walterdale Playhouse is my home away from home. I have been involved with the theatre for the past…read more8 years - as a patron, a board member, an actor, painter, set builder, assistant stage manager, props - you name it, I've done it. I had no previous theatre experience, but the volunteers (they have one paid administrator, the rest is entirely volunteer run) scooped me up, fostered any talent I had in me and let me run with it. I am continually amazed at the professionalism in this amateur community theatre. Their most recent production, Nine, was phenomenal. The stage was incredible. The musicians were outstanding, the cast and crew were amazing. From upside down singing on a stripper pole, to dance numbers with a huge cast - this little theatre transported the audience out of their seats and into the Italian spa. The art in the lobby is indeed from local artists and is coordinated before each show to reflect the themes in the show. All are available for purchase and is a great way to integrate local artists into our community. The theatre is cozy and very intimate, but not too small that you feel claustrophobic. Ticket prices range from $12-$20, the first Thursday of every run is 2 for 1. Also the Monday before the show opens is Student night - students get in free with a valid Student ID. Amazing deal! Located next to the Strathcona Farmer's Market, the building is a converted fire hall - the first in Strathcona - and the building is a designated heritage spot at over 100 years old.

For all you film buffs, now is the time to take advantage of the Edmonton International Film…read moreFestival (EIFF) before it ends. The EIFF has been on since Sept. 26, and will continue until this Saturday, Oct. 4th. If you're thinking its just a bunch of artsy fartsy movies that are simply cinematic metaphors, you're sadly missing out on a lot. These films are where the real talent lies, where you can watch meaningful scenes unfold before you. I just went to catch "Rachel Getting Married" starring Anne Hathaway tonight, and it was amazing. It's great to sit in a large theatre knowing you're sitting among people who appreciate films just as much as you do. It's only on for three more days, so try to catch at least one film. The movies are being played at the Empire City Centre 9 and Metro Cinema downtown this year (Garneau and Princess theatres couldn't be used this year), and you can just purchase the tickets at the entrance like any other film. The EIFF will also be hosting a closing night gala on their last day on Saturday, at Empire City Centre 9 Theatre. The last film starts at 7:30pm and the after-party begins at 9:30pm. Tickets for the closing gala are sold at Tix on the Square (at Sir Winston Churchill Square) until this Friday, Oct. 3rd at 6pm.

I have been attending EIFF for many years now & it never ceases to amaze me at the vast variety of…read morebrilliant films that Kerrie Long & her team can pull from the massive amounts of selections submitted to them. The opening night film is something I anxiously await each year, this year it was Cut Bank filmed mostly in nearby Innisfree. The gala afterwards is always great so that you can have a glass of bubbles & a few nibbles while catching up with the other festival goers & discussing the film. As a parent it makes me happy that there are selections here that I can bring my kids to & expose them to this level of films & documentaries that get them thinking & make them aware of subjects they wouldn't be get while attending the average *blockbuster*, such as Just Eat It, Midnight Sun and Springhammer . One of my favourite aspects of the festival although I can't attend as many of the days as I'd like is the Lunchbox Shorts. You go in & have your @SubwayCanada sub, water & cookie while watching a themed grouping of short films, today were a few somewhat twisted but highly entertaining & funny shorts! I have a few more selections circled in my program before it ends with the closing film Gone Doggy Gone & then the gala to say good-bye for another year, I'm so proud of @edmfilmfest & this event that they pull off year after year!! #EIFF14 #yeg #yegfilm

Nice all-vegetarian brunch spot with many vegan options. Reasonably tasty food but very…read moreslow/inefficient service. After arriving at open (11am on a Saturday), it too servers about 15 minutes to take our order and another 20 minutes to get our coffees. Other than that, the food was pretty decent. I got the breakfast bowl with tofu--a well-rounded dish with tofu scramble, vegan sausage, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and potatoes. My wife got the Mosaics scramble--tofu scramble, with vegan sausage, potatoes, and sourdough bread. Both pretty tasty. All in all, this would be a 4/5 with improved service.

Food was great, service was fast. It was a good spot. Our server was super kind as well, which was…read moreawesome!