Good Morning, Edmonton!

This week’s edition is brought to you in partnership with NUOVA Vocal Arts, who are bringing two unique live productions to Edmonton over the next two weeks!

You’ll find both featured below, including Così fan tutte, which opens tonight at The Capitol Theatre.

If you’re looking for a memorable night out, this is a great week to support local performing arts and emerging artists! We’re also giving away tickets at the bottom of this email. 👀

Enjoy this week’s newsletter.

—Eric

NUOVA Vocal Arts provides world-class training to emerging artists, while also putting on unique productions and unforgettable performances every year—right here in Edmonton!

A NUOVA performance is a truly special night out 😍 Grab your tickets below!

Così fan tutte | June 18–21

Mozart’s playful comedy comes to life at The Capitol Theatre, reimagined as a stylish 1930s resort hotel on the edge of the Canadian wilderness.

Directed by Rob Herriot and conducted by Gordon Gerrard, NUOVA Vocal Arts’ emerging artists bring fresh energy to a story of love, loyalty, disguise, temptation, and self-discovery.

🎟️ Get tickets for Così fan tutte

Brigadoon | June 24–28

This sweeping romantic fantasy comes to The Orange Hub Theatre, following two American travellers who discover a mysterious Scottish village that appears for just one day every hundred years.

Directed by Kim Mattice Wanat with music direction by Ryan Sigurdson, this reimagined production blends soaring melodies, timeless storytelling, and an impossible choice between the life you know and the love you may never find again.

🎟️ Get tickets for Brigadoon

Edmonton’s Alphonso Davies available for today’s game ⚽ Canada’s World Cup hopes got a major lift this week, with Edmonton’s own Alphonso Davies available to return against Qatar after missing the opener with a hamstring injury. The hometown superstar remains Canada’s biggest name on the global stage. Game today at 4pm!

Don’ya Ukraine’s Kitchen wins international award 🥟 Earning global recognition for its Ukrainian food and culture, Don’ya Ukraine’s Kitchen has become the first Canadian business to win the JCI Creative Young Entrepreneur award. A top honour won against entrepreneurs from across North and South America.

New Edmonton-to-Jasper bus route 🚌 FlixBus is launching a new seasonal route from Edmonton to Jasper this week, giving us another way to reach the mountains this summer! Round-trip service will run once per day from Thursday to Monday, with stops at Southgate Transit Centre and Jasper Avenue. One-way tickets are $60.

Edmonton leads Canada’s luxury market 🏡 Edmonton has become Canada’s fastest-growing luxury real estate market, with high-end home sales up 47.7% from January to April compared to last year. Toronto and Vancouver have slowed, with buyers increasingly looking to Edmonton for more space and better value.

🆓 Thousand Faces Festival (June 19–21) 🎭 Alberta Avenue comes alive with free performances, storytelling, workshops, and family activities celebrating myths and stories from around the world. It’s a colourful, community-driven festival with plenty to explore at the Alberta Avenue Community Centre.

🆓 Fire Station Open House: Blatchford (Saturday, June 20th) 🚒 Station 8 is opening its doors from 12–4pm for a free afternoon of fire trucks, firefighter meet-and-greets, and safety demos! It’s a fun one for kids, families, or anyone who has ever wanted a closer look inside a working Edmonton fire station.

🆓 Alberta Circus Arts Festival (June 18–21) 🤹 The main shows are ticketed, but the festival also brings free community programming to the French Quarter and La Cité Francophone area! Stop by for outdoor spectacles, summer patio energy, and drop-in activities like juggling or stilt walking! Free shows listed here.

🆓 Summer of Soccer Watch Parties (Ongoing During the World Cup) ⚽ Fan Park at ICE District is hosting free World Cup watch parties throughout the tournament, including Canada’s games today and on the 24th. Big-screen action and a lively downtown crowd as Edmonton soccer fans gather to cheer on their teams!

🆓 Edmonton International Jazz Festival (June 19–28) 🎷 The city’s biggest jazz festival kicks off June 19th with a mix of ticketed shows and free public performances around Edmonton. Keep an eye out for outdoor stages, noon-hour pop-ups, and community programming featuring jazz, funk, soul, and more.

🎟️ Game Con Canada (June 19-21) 🎮 Game Con Canada takes over the Edmonton EXPO Centre for a full day of gaming, pop culture, and fan-focused fun from Friday to Sunday! Convention-style atmosphere across multiple halls, with plenty for gamers, creators, collectors, and curious first-timers to explore. Purchase tickets!

🎟️ NE-YO & AKON: “Nights Like This” Global Tour (Friday, June 19th) 🎤 Rogers Place is getting a major dose of 2000s nostalgia as NE-YO and AKON team up for a co-headlining night of R&B and pop hits. Expect a big singalong crowd, throwback energy, and a setlist packed with songs you definitely still know by heart. Tickets!

🎟️ Edmonton Elks Home Opener vs. Montreal Alouettes (Saturday, June 20th) 🏈 The Elks kick off their regular season home schedule at Commonwealth Stadium with a 2pm matchup against the Montreal Alouettes! It’s a classic summer stadium outing with live CFL action, hometown vibes, and plenty of reason to wear green and gold. Tickets!

🎟️ Rogers Place Roller Disco (Saturday, June 20th) 🛼 Roller Disco rolls back to Rogers Place with two retro skate sessions under the scoreboard disco ball: an all-ages family skate from 3–5pm and an 18+ Disco Night from 6–8pm. Tickets are $35 for adults, $25 for youth, and skate rentals can be added when you buy. Get yours here!

🎟️ Bonnie Raitt: “Just Like That…” Tour (Tuesday, June 23th) 🎸 Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and 13-time GRAMMY winner Bonnie Raitt brings her blend of blues, rock, and soul to the Jubilee stage. She’s joined by special guest Jon Cleary for a world-class night of musicianship, storytelling, and timeless songwriting. Get tickets!

Before Oliver Was Oliver 🏘️
Long before Oliver became one of Edmonton’s busiest inner-city neighbourhoods, the area was shaped by Hudson’s Bay Company reserve land, Malcolm Groat’s 900-acre river lot, old ravines, and a surprisingly dramatic push to bring the streetcar west.

Early developers even promised money to help secure a streetcar line, knowing the district’s success depended on connecting it to downtown across what was then still an undeveloped stretch of land.

By the early 1900s, the area was quickly becoming Edmonton’s original “West End,” with hospitals, churches, schools, grand homes, working-class apartments, and tree-lined boulevards filling in around the river valley. Officially named Oliver in 1937 after Oliver School, the neighbourhood still carries traces of that early growth in its historic apartments, old fire hall, churches, and character homes.

Vestate 📍 16602 114 Ave NW

Vestate is a full-service custom picture-framing studio on 114 Ave led by business owner and professional photographer Wei, who has more than 30 years in the framing business!

From original artwork and sports jerseys to keepsakes, collectibles, and custom print projects, their small Edmonton team helps turn meaningful pieces into polished, made-to-order displays built to protect and preserve the story behind them.

Edmontonians love the warm, friendly, customer-first attitude and atmosphere you feel when you visit Vestate.

Go say hello for all your personal and professional needs! 👇

📸 @vestatecanada
🌐 vestate.ca
🕒 Mon-Fri: 9am – 5:30pm | Sat: 11am – 3pm | Sun: Closed