Summer Festivals in Edmonton
There's no doubt about it, Edmonton's summer season is legendary. With a festival going on almost every day from mid-June through early September, there's no shortage of awe-inspiring things to see and do. Alberta's capital is the perfect place to soak up 17 hours of sunshine while festival hopping — we're talking music festivals, theatre festivals, culinary festivals, art & design extravaganzas, and so much more.
Now is the time to mark your calendars, book your time off, and start planning for the best summer ever. They call us Canada's Festival City for a reason — come see for yourself!
Pride Month
June in Edmonton is Pride Month, meaning there are countless 2SLGBTQIA+ events to experience around the city! Celebrate with local organizations like Fruit Loop, spend the evening at Evolution Wonderlounge, and check out our 2SLGBTQIA+ section for more great events around the city!
The Month of June
Edmonton Indigenous People's Festival
Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day uplift the accomplishments and contributions of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. For time immemorial, June 21 has been a celebration of culture and heritage due to its significance as the summer solstice - the longest day of the year. Check out our upcoming blog for more ways to Celebrate Indigenous History Month!
The Month of June
Improvaganza
The best improvisers in the world live right here in Edmonton! Every summer, Rapid Fire Theatre hosts the best improv and sketch comedy acts on the planet for Improvaganza! Prepare to be entertained as Rapid Fire Theatre hosts top-ranked improv teams from across the globe. Here you'll find improv, comedy, music and more. Get your laugh on at Edmonton's funniest festival!
June 2025, Dates TBA
Alberta Circus Arts Festival
Step right up and be part of the Alberta Circus Arts Festival! Join Firefly Theatre and Circus for four days of awe-inspiring Canadian contemporary circus acts at La Cite Francophone. Immerse yourself in breathtaking performances, enlightening workshops, stimulating panel discussions, and more!
June 19-22, 2025
Freewill Shakespeare Festival
Get thee to a festival that brings the Bard to life and enjoy the works of the most famous playwright of all! Performances will take place at four community leagues across the city this year. Plop thy bum on thy seat and prepare for revelry at the Freewill Shakespeare Festival!
June 27 - July 20, 2025
Edmonton International Jazz Festival
The TD Edmonton International Jazz Festival brings the world’s best jazz performers to Edmonton! You’re sure to hit the right note with the full gamut of jazz sounds on the menu. It’s mellow, it’s lively and it’s a great time to listen to sax, silky voices – all that jazz. Catch performances across a variety of venues including Winspear Centre, La Cité Francophone, Ice District Plaza, and more!
June 21 - 29, 2025
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 Art & Design Festival features countless performances and events, with exhibits in venues all over the city. Ignite your senses in vivid colours, massive sculptural installations, and live music!
June 2025, Dates TBA
Grindstone Comedy Festival
Grindstone Theatre's annual stand-up, sketch, and improv comedy festival will be bringing both national performers and rising local talent together under Edmonton’s spotlight. This inclusive in-and-outdoor festival is spread across West Ritchie, Old Strathcona and the French Quarter.
July 2-6, 2025
Edmonton International Street Performers Festival
What do unicyclists, puppeteers, tightrope walkers and acrobats all have in common? You'll find them all at the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival this July! Performance artists will transform the city into busker central with their zany, witty or just plain silly performances.
July 4-13, 2025
Whyte Avenue Art Walk
Imagine a 4 km walk through the hearts and minds of artists. Over 400 visual artists take to the streets of Old Strathcona, transforming the neighbourhood into an open-air gallery that stretches across several blocks. The legendary Whyte Avenue Art Walk showcases Alberta's hidden talents, offering visitors a chance to discover and curate their own art collections from numerous emerging artists.
July 11-13, 2025
The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival
The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival features three days of incredible comedy superstars. Get ready to see big names like John Mulaney, Nick Kroll, Fortune Feimster, Whitney Cummings and so many more!
July 18-20, 2025
Taste of Edmonton
Get a taste of what Edmonton’s food scene offers at Western Canada’s largest food festival! Sample over 50 locally owned restaurants & food trucks and rock out from afternoon to evening with amazing music by top performers. With over 170 scrumptious dishes made by restaurant and food truck partners, Taste of Edmonton is a summer staple that showcases the vibrancy in Edmonton's Downtown core through art, food, music, heritage, and culture.
July 17 - 27, 2025
KDays
It's time for the midway at KDays! Get the adrenaline pumping with exciting rollercoasters and rides, discover the shopping markets and programming inside the Explorium, taste the warm sugary bliss of freshly fried donuts, dance along to big-name concerts, and wrap up each day by watching fireworks light up the night sky.
July 18-27, 2025
Edmonton Folk Music Festival
The hills are alive with the sound of Folk Fest! Four magical days of eclectic performers, delicious food and drinks, plus a remarkable setting make the Edmonton Folk Music Festival the summer's premiere musical event. Nestled in the natural amphitheatre of Gallagher Hill, you'll find toe-tapping performances and so much more!
August 7-10, 2025
Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival
Cariwest, Edmonton's annual celebration of Caribbean arts, music, and culture, is taking over Churchill Square! The 3-day event includes a Friday Night Costume Extravaganza, the iconic Saturday Cariwest Parade, and a Caribbean Village throughout the weekend including live entertainment, the Kids Korner, savoury Caribbean cuisine, and the Caribbean Marketplace.
August 8 - 10, 2025
Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival
Edmonton's hip Old Strathcona neighbourhood is centre 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. We live for the drama!
August 14-24, 2025
Edmonton Mural Festival
Experience a burst of colour and creativity throughout the city as local and international artists turn Edmonton into an open-air gallery! Feast your eyes on stunning murals, engage in hands-on art experiences, and join the vibrant community events, culminating in an unforgettable closing party. This festival promotes inclusivity and inspires future artists with every brushstroke.
August - September, Dates TBA
Edmonton International Airshow
Get ready for high-flying fun at the Edmonton International Airshow at the Villeneuve Airport! Look up, wayyyyy up. This show boasts many exciting aerial performers including both military and civilian acts. There are also static displays showing off more cool aircraft. Food trucks and a family-friendly kid zone make this one festival you do not want to miss!
August 23 - 24, 2025
PRIDE Festival
Celebrate love and diversity in Churchill Square this August! Don't miss the chance to witness Alberta's first 2-Spirit Powwow, then step back in time at Y2K @ Churchill, featuring a 90s-themed dance party with the legendary PROZZAK. Finally, wrap up the festivities with Pride @ Churchill, the biggest Pride event in Edmonton, featuring performances by Ria Mae, Stereos, Hyphen Hyphen, and more!
August 2025, Dates TBA
Disco in the Park
Disco In the Park is back! This annual off-the-hook music festival takes place over August long weekend and brings together young and old for one purpose - to dance! It’s like the Edmonton Folk Festival for funky disco electronic music. Get your groove on where downtown meets the river valley at Louise McKinney Riverfront Park, with 6 additional events at central Edmonton music venues all weekend long.
Summer 2025, Dates TBA
Edmonton Heritage Festival
This is your one-way ticket to a world of flavours! Take a peek at Pakistan, taste the flavours of Fiji, feel the beat of Burkina-Faso, and explore cultures from Afghanistan to Wales. The Edmonton Heritage Festival is a family-friendly mingling of nations sharing their entertainment, music, culture, and cuisine! You can attend this legendary festival at Borden Park located beside the Edmonton EXPO Centre!
August 2-4, 2025
Purple City Music Festival
From psyche rock to electronic, avant-garde to folk, Purple City Music Festival offers a diverse range of music for discovery and indie staples alike. Experience cutting-edge music, a vibrant atmosphere, and a celebration of Edmonton's thriving music community!
September 5-7, 2025
Strathearn Art Walk
Strathearn Art Walk
This annual celebration of the arts brings out the best in the community by celebrating emerging and professional art and music, all with the scenic backdrop of our beautiful river valley and city skyline. Not only will you see extraordinary visual and musical arts, but you will also get a taste of artisan craft brewing as well. The bar tent will be offering some of the best local craft beer in the city - so definitely be sure to try a few!
September 5-7, 2025
Kaleido Family Arts Festival
Kaleido Family Arts Festival is a joyous, exuberant, radically open arts festival that shares the love of the Alberta Avenue Arts District. Kaleido welcomes arts and cultural experiences with multi-arts collaborative performances such as music, dance, theatre, film, literary and visual arts with performances on rooftops, sides of buildings, back alleys, parks, and found spaces. It’s an extravagance of creative exploration, imagination, and play.
September 5-7, 2025
Edmonton's Best Hotels
Find the perfect place to lay your head after a festival or two! Edmonton’s Best Hotels offers the best accommodations at the best price!
- Stay one night and receive $50
- Stay two nights and receive $150
- Stay three nights and receive $225
Book and receive free rewards
