Edmonton
Around Edmonton
Photo: Chris Woodrich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Metro area · Alberta · 1.4M people
Edmonton
“Canada's Festival City”, “Gateway to the North”, “The City of Champions”, “E-Town”
Where the river meets the prairie, and the festivals never stop.
Oilers OrangeOilers NavyElks Green
Welcome to Edmonton, the heart of Oil Country! Whether you're here for the river valley, the festivals, or the hockey, you'll find a friendly prairie city with a lot of heart. Jump into a conversation and share what you love about YEG.
Clubs for Edmonton
No clubs for Edmonton yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Edmonton. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Edmonton. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Fort Edmonton Park Living history museum with recreated eras of Edmonton's past.
- Alberta Legislature Building Historic seat of Alberta's government with public tours and grounds.
- Muttart Conservatory Four glass pyramids housing different climate zones.
- TELUS World of Science Interactive science centre with planetarium and IMAX.
- Rogers Place Home of the Oilers, also hosts concerts and events.
- Commonwealth Stadium Home of the Elks and major sporting events.
- Outdoors Walk or bike the North Saskatchewan River Valley trails
- Outdoors Cross-country skiing in the river valley in winter
- With kids West Edmonton Mall
- With kids Fort Edmonton Park
- Evenings Whyte Avenue bars
- Evenings Live music venues
- Locals love River valley trails
- Locals love Craft breweries
Through the year
- K-Days July Summer fair with rides, concerts, and agricultural exhibits.
- Edmonton Folk Music Festival August Outdoor folk music festival in Gallagher Park.
- Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival August Largest fringe festival in North America.
- Silver Skate Festival February Winter festival with ice sculptures, skating, and snow activities.
- The Works Art & Design Festival June Showcases local and international art and design.
Edmonton has a continental climate with long, cold winters and short, warm summers. The best time to be out is from June to August when temperatures are mild and the river valley is green. Winter is snowy and cold, but the city embraces it with festivals. Spring and fall are brief and can be unpredictable. Best: June to August
Talk like a local
- “YEG”
- Abbreviation for Edmonton (from airport code)
- “Oil Country”
- Refers to the region's hockey identity and oil industry
- “Whyte Ave”
- The main entertainment district in Old Strathcona
- “The Valley”
- The North Saskatchewan River Valley
Getaways
- Elk Island National Park Spot bison and hike in a nearby national park.
- Wetaskiwin Visit the Reynolds Museum for vintage vehicles.
- Camrose Small city with a charming downtown and lake.
- Sylvan Lake Beach town on a popular lake for summer fun.
Local flavour
Teams
- Edmonton Oilers NHL
- Edmonton Elks CFL
- Edmonton Oil Kings WHL
- University of Alberta Golden Bears U Sports
Eat and drink
- Green Onion Cakes A local Chinese-Canadian specialty, pan-fried and often served with soy sauce.
- Perogies
- Alberta Beef The province's famed beef, often prepared as steaks or burgers in local steakhouses.
Where people go
- North Saskatchewan River Valley The largest stretch of urban parkland in North America, with trails, ski hills, and festival sites.
- West Edmonton Mall An iconic shopping and entertainment complex, but locals often avoid the crowds.
- Ice Castles Winter attraction in the river valley, though it's a seasonal installation.
Heritage and traditions
Edmontonians are proud of their vast river valley, the largest urban parkland in North America, and their reputation as Canada's Festival City, celebrating everything from folk music to fringe theatre. They also take pride in their resilience through long winters and their multicultural mosaic, especially the strong Ukrainian heritage.
This time of year in Edmonton
- River valley leaf peeping Autumn Enjoying the fall colours along the trails.
Say it like a local: “pop” — Soft drink, soda.
Festivals
- Edmonton Heritage Festival August long weekend Celebrates the city's multicultural communities with food, dance, and performances.
- Cariwest July Caribbean carnival with a colourful parade and steelpan music.
- Edmonton International Street Performers Festival July Buskers and street performers from around the world.
- Deep Freeze Festival January Winter arts festival in the Alberta Avenue district, featuring ice sculptures and live music.
- Edmonton Pride Festival June LGBTQ+ celebration with a parade and events.
- Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival August Dragon boat races on the North Saskatchewan River.
Landmarks with a story
- Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village Open-air museum east of the city, preserving Ukrainian pioneer life.
- Al Rashid Mosque The first mosque in Canada, originally built in 1938, now a cultural centre.
- St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral Beautiful onion-domed cathedral in the city's core.
- Alberta Aviation Museum Housed in a historic hangar, showcasing aviation history.
- Rutherford House Historic home of Alberta's first premier, Alexander Cameron Rutherford.
- Fort Saskatchewan Historic fort and river crossing, now a museum.
Food traditions
- Ukrainian Christmas Eve dinner A 12-dish meatless meal served on January 6th, a tradition of the large Ukrainian community.
- Paska and pysanky Easter bread and decorated eggs, central to Ukrainian Easter celebrations.
- Bison burgers Alberta's ranching heritage includes bison, and many restaurants serve bison burgers.
- Saskatoon berry pie Made from local berries, a prairie favourite.
- Shawarma Popular late-night food from the city's Lebanese community.
Music and arts
- Edmonton Symphony Orchestra Professional orchestra performing at the Winspear Centre.
- Citadel Theatre Major regional theatre company.
- Ukrainian folk music and dance Strong tradition with groups like Cheremosh.
- Indigenous art Galleries and public art showcasing First Nations and Métis artists.
A little history
- 1795 Fort Edmonton established by the Hudson's Bay Company.
- 1905 Alberta becomes a province, with Edmonton named capital.
- 1947 The Leduc oil strike transforms Alberta's economy (Leduc is in the region).
- 1987 An F4 tornado strikes Edmonton, one of Canada's deadliest.
- 1983 Edmonton hosts the World University Games.
Rivalries
- Oilers vs Flames Battle of Alberta in the NHL.
- Elks vs Stampeders CFL rivalry with Calgary.
- Edmonton vs Calgary Friendly city-wide sports and cultural rivalry.
- Golden Bears vs Dinos University hockey rivalry with Calgary.
- Game day Cheering for the Oilers
- Game day Tailgating at Elks games
- Outdoors Ice skating on the river
- Outdoors Snowshoeing in the river valley
- With kids Ice skating at City Hall
- With kids High Level Bridge streetcar
Edmontonians speak with a mainstream Canadian accent, often using the 'eh' particle and typical Canadian terms like 'pop' for soda and 'toque' for a winter hat. The accent is less distinct than in the Maritimes but still has a Western Canadian flavour.
Only here
- The North Saskatchewan River Valley is the largest urban parkland in North America.
- West Edmonton Mall is the largest shopping mall in North America.
- Al Rashid Mosque is the first mosque built in Canada.
- The city is often called 'City of Champions' after the 1980s Oilers dynasty.
New here? A few tips
- Dress in layers; winter temperatures can drop to -30°C.
- Try a green onion cake from a local vendor—it's a beloved local snack.
- Explore the river valley trail system; it's the largest urban parkland in North America.
- Use the Anthony Henday ring road to get around the city efficiently.
- Learn about the Ukrainian heritage at the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village.
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Nearby
Every areaWetaskiwinAlbertaA prairie town with a big heart.CamroseAlbertaA warm welcome on the Alberta prairieVegrevilleAlbertaPrairie skies, Ukrainian heart.Drayton ValleyAlbertaWhere the prairie meets the oilfield, and everyone knows your name.LacombeAlbertaSmall-town heart, big-sky views.Central AlbertaAlbertaWhere the prairies meet the parkland, and the heart of Alberta beats.Sylvan LakeAlbertaClear water, big skies, and small-town warmth.Red DeerAlbertaWhere the prairies meet the parkland.
Edmonton. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.