
Things to do for New Year's Eve in Edmonton
New Year's Eve in Edmonton this year won't look like any of the ones before it, but that doesn't mean you can’t ring in the new year (for many — hopefully a better year) in fun and safe ways. Here are a few ideas for New Year’s Eve take-out, virtual events, and other things to (safely) do, to say goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021!
Note: a version of this blog was also cross-posted on my website linda-hoang.com
NYE Take-Out
You could say 2020 was the year of take-out, so why not end the year with take-out too? Seems fitting! Pick up Bar Bricco or RGE RD's New Year's Eve boxes— both designed for two people, and both with holiday bubble add-ons. Or grab a family style Spanish tapas dinner from Bodega. Feeling even fancier? The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald is offering curbside pick-up for their New Year’s dinner or brunch too. If you’ve got a favourite local restaurant, support them one final time this year by doing take out, even if they don’t have an official New Year’s Eve offering.
NYE Virtual Events
Say adiós to 2020 with a four-course CRAFT Beer Market New Year's Eve Brewmaster's Dinner! Pick up your food, log onto Zoom, and settle in for a virtual tasting session. Laugh your way into 2021 at the New Year's Eve Virtual Extravaganza put on by Edmonton comedian Lars Callieou and Infinite Event Services in partnership with Rig Hand Distillery. There will be music, bingo, and comedy to bid adieu to 2020, hosted virtually on Zoom and enjoyed from the comfort of your home. Round up the family for TELUS World of Science’s Happy NOON Year celebration featuring not one but two exciting science experiments you can participate in from home. Although they aren’t specifically NYE-themed, the Citadel Theatre and Edmonton Symphony Orchestra are streaming shows that would be a treat to watch on NYE (including Mary’s Wedding and a Christmas Carol or Deck the Halls Digital Concert).
NYE Outdoors

Go on a self-guided Downtown Holiday Light Crawl to send off the year! Stop at Churchill Square, head to the Alberta Legislature Grounds, then cap off the crawl just outside the stunning LeMarchand Mansion. Get more information and find more outdoor light ideas on my blog. Explore Edmonton’s river valley one last time in 2020 using the free Edmonton Commonwealth Walkway app. Walk the 10 km paved trail, learn about Edmonton's history (no doubt some new stories will be added to the experience down the road), and even join a virtual treasure hunt using the app. You can also lace up your skates and hit the Victoria Park Oval and IceWay, the south grounds of the Legislature, or the lesser known, but still as lovely, Rundle Park Rink and IceWay for one final skate of 2020.
Those are just a few ways you can say goodbye to 2020 and welcome the new year in Edmonton! You could also host your own virtual parties! However you celebrate, please do it safely with your household.
Linda Hoang is a popular Edmonton blogger who writes about food, travel and lifestyle topics on her blog www.linda-hoang.com.
