Good Morning, Edmonton! 💌

Surely we’ve made it through the worst of the weather this year…right? 😰 These storms are estimated to have caused up to $230M in damages so far. We can only hope that more sunny skies are ahead!

We love local businesses here, and it is proving to be a particularly hard year for the city’s downtown restaurant scene. You’ve probably heard the news (and there’s more today, unfortunately) about all the closures…so whenever you can, get out and support your favourite local spots. 🙏

Have a fantastic end to the week!

—Eric

Free Sunday Fun with EPL at Centennial Plaza (August 2) 🎶

Spend Sunday downtown with free, family-friendly programming at Centennial Plaza outside the Stanley A. Milner Library. This week features live music from Alberta Strings and interactive Edmonton history games from the Edmonton City as Museum Project.

EPL’s Sunday series runs weekly through August 23, with a rotating mix of performances, games, storytelling and hands-on activities inside and outside the library. Here’s a snapshot of the ones coming up:

August 9: Therapy dog storytime, magic and puppetry.
August 16: Edmonton history games and participatory improv.
August 23: Children’s music, saxophone and live strings.

Programming moves inside to the South Atrium in the case of poor weather.

📍 Centennial Plaza, south of Stanley A. Milner Library
🕚 Sundays through August 23 | 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
🆓 Free and drop-in

Downtown Restaurants Rally Amid Closures 🍽️ After several downtown restaurant closures, including Wilfred’s and Zymo, local spots like Padmanadi, The Butternut Tree, and Patricia Street Deli are speaking up about the challenges facing the core. They point to construction, safety concerns, rising costs, and reduced foot traffic, while encouraging Edmontonians to keep supporting the businesses still working to bring life downtown.

Edmonton Crime Severity Drops to Five-Year Low 📉 New EPS data shows Edmonton’s overall crime severity fell to its lowest level in five years in 2025, even as the total crime rate rose. Police say property crime remains a challenge, but early results from the Safer Edmonton strategy are encouraging, with crime and violent crime rates down so far in 2026.

Rainy Summer Forces More Temporary Closures 🌧️ The Muttart Conservatory, Elk Island National Park, Fort Edmonton Park’s Indigenous Peoples Experience, city sports fields, and several rec facilities have all faced flooding-related closures or cleanup, making this a good week to double-check hours and conditions before heading out.

New Alberta Avenue Arts Hub Moves Ahead 🎨 Edmonton has greenlit Arts on the Ave’s proposal for a new $10.4-million arts centre on 118 Avenue and 92 Street, bringing a long-time neighbourhood dream closer to reality. The planned hub would include a 200-seat theatre, artist-in-residence suites, a marketplace for local creators, and more space for youth theatre, workshops, and community arts!

KDays and Taste of Edmonton See Strong Summer Turnout 🎡 Edmonton showed up for two of the city’s biggest summer festivals this year, with KDays drawing 783,000 people and Taste of Edmonton bringing about 250,000 visitors to Churchill Square. Explore Edmonton says KDays attendance rose by 43,000 from last year and generated more than $25 million for the local economy.

🆓 The Grand Night Market (July 31) 🌙 Happy Beer Street turns into a lively outdoor market with local vendors, food, music, and games along 78 Avenue between 99 and 100 Street. Admission is free, with shopping and snacks available for purchase throughout the evening.

🆓 Acro Canine Crew Live at WEM (July 31) 🐾 The Acro Canine Crew (from Alberta!) is bringing tricks, flips, and tail wags to West Edmonton Mall after earning a Golden Buzzer on America’s Got Talent. Catch three free live shows at the Ice Palace for a fun family-friendly Friday night!

🆓 Afternoon Sound Sessions on 124 (August 1) 🎶 Spend the afternoon wandering 124 Street while free live music and pop-up performances take over local businesses and outdoor spaces. Regina Espina performs from 12–2 p.m. followed by The Bing Bang Boys from 4–6 p.m. at Helen Nolan Park (12327 108 Ave).

🆓 Edmonton Heritage Festival (August 1–3) 🌎 Heritage Festival returns to Hawrelak Park for a long weekend of cultural pavilions, live dance and music, exhibits, crafts, and food from communities around the world. Admission and entertainment are free, with food available for purchase.

🆓 Family Nature Night (August 5) 🌿 John Walter Museum hosts a movement-based outdoor program in Kinsmen Park with City of Edmonton Nature Interpreters, the Invasive Plant Outreach Program, and the City Arts Centre. Expect a fun, active way to connect with nature through exploration, creativity, and hands-on activities.

🎟️ ECAMP Curiosity Walking Tour (July 30) 🚶 Explore downtown through Edmonton’s working-class history on the “Strikes, Struggles and Success” walking tour. The route looks at Indigenous labour, garment workers, immigrant infrastructure crews, and the 1947 Chocolate Bar Strike. $15 tickets here (kids free).

🎟️ Bingo Loco: Name That Song (July 31) 🎶 Midway Music Hall hosts a high-energy night that’s part music trivia, part bingo, and part full-scale party. Compete to recognize hit songs, win prizes, and enjoy a very unserious Friday night out. Tickets!

🎟️ Edmonton Water Lantern Festival (August 1) 🏮 Rundle Park lights up for one of the week’s most visually memorable events, where guests can design their own lantern before watching hundreds float across the water. It’s a peaceful, photo-worthy summer night for families, friends, or date night. Get your tickets!

🎟️ Hlinka Gretzky Cup (August 3–8) 🏒 Some of the best under-18 hockey players in the world come to Rogers Place for a showcase of the next generation. National teams including Canada, USA, Sweden, Switzerland, and more will compete, with plenty of future NHL draft picks likely on the ice. Tickets here.

”Black Friday”: The Storm Edmonton Never Forgot 🌪️

With all the rain, smoke, heat, and strange skies we’ve had lately, it’s a fitting week to look back at one of the most unforgettable weather days in Edmonton history…

On July 31, 1987, a powerful tornado tore through the eastern side of the city and surrounding region in what became known as Black Friday.

Nearly four decades later, the story is still part of Edmonton’s shared memory. It’s a reminder to take severe weather seriously, but also of the hardiness Edmonton has shown through some of its darkest days.

Rosewood Foods 🍳 10150 100 St NW #101

Rosewood Foods was opened by Jesse Gado, Angela Chau-Gado, and Noah Gado, bringing a thoughtful little dinette and bakeshop to downtown Edmonton. It has become known for the good stuff: brunch, sandwiches, coffee, pastries, natural wine, and food that has a homemade taste and feel.

Jesse and Angela had dreamed of opening a restaurant for years, then ended up launching Rosewood during the early days of the pandemic — not exactly ideal timing, but very much the kind of local-business resilience worth cheering for (especially right now).

Stop in for brunch, lunch, or something sweet from the bakeshop, and follow along for menu updates and fresh reasons to wander downtown. 👇

📸 @rosewoodfoods
📍 10150 100 St NW #101
🕒 Tue–Fri 8 AM–3 PM; Sat–Sun 9 AM–3 PM; Mon closed