Get Your Festival On: A Guide to Edmonton’s Summer Festivals

Edmonton is Canada’s Festival City and every season is festival season.

With countless festivals annually, there’s no shortage of excitement to fill your stay in Alberta—whether it’s 30 degrees above or below.

If nothing makes you feel more festive than a festival, read on to discover which Edmonton festival experience is right for you.

• Pride Month – June in Edmonton is Pride Month, and there are countless 2SLGBTQ+ events to experience around the city. Travelers can celebrate with local organizations, visit various 2SLGBTQ+ lounges and bars, and attend concerts and performances throughout all of June!
  • Additionally, Pride is celebrated throughout the entire summer in Edmonton. Celebrate love and diversity in Churchill Square all summer long with legendary dance parties, performances, and more.

• The Works Art & Design Festival—Every summer, Edmonton transforms into a massive celebration of creativity. As North America’s largest free outdoor art & design festival, The Works features countless performances and events, with exhibits in venues all over the city. This year, The Works Art & Design Festival and The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival are teaming up to present a variety of performers, visual art, shenanigans, music, food, and fun in Churchill Square.
• Taste of Edmonton—Get a taste of what Edmonton’s food scene offers at Western Canada’s largest food festival. Sample dishes from over 50 locally-owned restaurants and food trucks and rock out to nights filled with amazing music by top performers. With over 200 scrumptious dishes made by restaurant and food truck partners, Taste of Edmonton is a staple that showcases the vibrancy in Edmonton’s Downtown core through art, food, music, heritage, and culture.

• Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival—Edmonton’s hip Old Strathcona neighborhood is center stage for North America’s biggest and oldest Fringe Theatre Festival. Local, national, and international performers will put on every type of theatre performance imaginable over the ten-day festival. Wander the grounds between performances and enjoy the many buskers, and outdoor stages, or stop in at one of the summer’s most lively beer gardens.
• KDays—Experience the wonder of the midway at KDays, Edmonton’s extravaganza of rides, games, music, food, and adventure. The rides and games alone will leave you breathless and wanting more. Watch as fireworks light up the night sky and cheer for the band onstage. Savour the tangy smokiness of a perfectly barbecued rib, taste the warm sugary bliss of freshly fried donuts, and bite into the gooey crispness of a candy apple.