Good Morning, Edmonton! ☀️

The sun is shining, Folk Fest is here, and it’s starting to feel like summer again.

This week has a bit of everything: Cariwest downtown, AC/DC, Fringe tickets going on sale, and one of the most adorable hidden ice cream spots in the city. 🍦

A big thank you to Emersan from Field Fest for partnering with us this week. She’s doing something very cool for the Special Olympics community this Saturday, and I hope some of you can make it out, donate, or help spread the word (more info below).

Have a wonderful Thursday, and enjoy River City Lights!

—Eric

Field Fest Fundraiser for Special Olympics Alberta – Edmonton (August 8) 🏅

Spend Saturday in the river valley for the first-ever Field Fest Fundraiser, a day of sports, games, food, music, prizes, picnic areas, a silent auction, kids crafts, a flower bar, and more at Constable Ezio Faraone Park.

The event is being organized by friend of the newsletter Emersan, a local Special Olympics coach and the founder of Flight Club YEG. After three years coaching Special Olympics athletes, she created Field Fest to bring Edmonton’s fitness and community circles together in support of a program that helps athletes build confidence, friendships, inclusion, and joy through sport.

Admission is free, with game tickets, vendors, auction items, and donations helping raise funds for Special Olympics Alberta – Edmonton. Donations over $25 are eligible for a tax receipt. Donate or register by clicking here!

Hope to see you there! 🤗

📍 Constable Ezio Faraone Park
🕚 Saturday, August 8 | 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
🆓 Free registration | Donations encouraged
💛 Donate & register by CLICKING HERE
📸 @fieldfestfundraiser

Edmonton Corn Maze Opens After Weather Delay 🌽 After a rainy summer and a hailstorm pushed things back, the Edmonton Corn Maze is officially open for the season. This year’s design celebrates AMA’s 100th anniversary, with the AMA logo cut into the maze!

Fringe Festival Tickets Are On Sale 🎭 Tickets are now available for the 45th Edmonton International Fringe Festival, which runs August 13–23 with 209 productions across 37 venues. This year’s “Fringe Unforgettable” festival will feature more than 1,600 artists, plus free concerts at ATB Park and outdoor performers throughout the 11-day celebration. Get yours here.

Historic Paramount Theatre Could Shine Again 🎬 Edmonton-based Gather Co. has purchased the Paramount Block on Jasper Avenue, including the long-vacant Paramount Theatre. The company hopes to restore the former 1,750-seat movie palace, once the largest theatre on the Prairies, while bringing new retail and hospitality tenants to the downtown block.

Carmen Miller Named Indigenous Artist-in-Residence 🪶 Métis artist Carmen Miller has been named Edmonton’s next Indigenous Artist-in-Residence. Known for Métis floral design, beadwork, and moose and caribou hair tufting, Miller will use the year-long residency to explore traditional Métis clothing, adornment, and community-sharing opportunities.

🆓 Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival (August 7–9) 🎉 Edmonton’s biggest Caribbean celebration returns to Churchill Square with live music, dancing, colourful costumes, food vendors, and the Caribbean Village. Admission to the festival grounds is free throughout the weekend.

🆓 Young Entrepreneurs Kids Market (August 8) 🛍️ Head to Town Square at Currents of Windermere to browse handmade crafts, baked goods, and creative projects from young local entrepreneurs! Admission is free, and it’s a sweet way to support youth creativity and business skills.

🆓 Bugology 101 at Miquelon Lake (August 8) 🐞 Take a short drive southeast of the city for a free Alberta Parks interpreter-led session all about local insects. It’s a family-friendly outdoor learning opportunity and a fun excuse to explore Miquelon Lake Provincial Park!

🆓 Rock’N August Classic Car Show (August 6–8) 🚗 St. Albert’s annual classic car festival brings hundreds of restored vintage vehicles and hot rods to locations around the city. It’s free to stroll and view the cars, with daily Show & Shines celebrating classic rides and rock-and-roll culture!

🆓 Skateboard Try-It Session (August 10) 🛹 Project Rad hosts a free community skateboarding session at Alex Decoteau Park for youth, beginners, and anyone curious to try the sport. Equipment and beginner coaching are available, making it a low-pressure way to get rolling!

🎟️ Edmonton Folk Music Festival (August 6–9) 🎶 Edmonton’s premier summer music festival returns to Gallagher Park for four days of folk, roots, world, and acoustic music on the hill. Evening mainstage performances, food vendors, artisan market stalls, beer gardens, and one of the best skyline views in the city. Tickets left for today only!

🎟️ Animethon (August 7–9) 🎌 Canada’s longest-running annual Japanese animation festival returns to the Edmonton Convention Centre for three days of cosplay, gaming, voice actor panels, and Japanese pop culture. Get your passes!

🎟️ Bubble Chase 5K (August 8) 🫧 Run, walk, or dance through a five-kilometre course filled with massive foam stations and brightly coloured bubbles at Capilano Park. The untimed event is geared more toward fun than competition; it’s a playful pick for groups, families, and anyone who wants a very unserious 5K! Register here.

🎟️ AC/DC: POWER UP Tour 2026 (August 9) ⚡ Rock icons AC/DC bring their massive POWER UP Tour to Rogers Place for a night of legendary anthems, huge guitar riffs, and full-scale arena energy. Big crowds, plenty of merch, and a loud Sunday night downtown. Tickets!

🎟️ Candles and Charcuterie Workshop (August 12) 🕯️ The Art of Cake hosts a relaxed midweek workshop where guests can make a customized candle while enjoying charcuterie and bubbly. The two-hour class includes instruction and materials, making it a fun option for friends, couples, or anyone who wants a creative night out! Tickets while they last.

Gallagher Hill: Edmonton’s Most Musical Slope 🎶

With Folk Fest taking over Gallagher Park this week, it’s worth appreciating one of the best outdoor venues Edmonton has ever accidentally built.

Gallagher Park sits in Cloverdale beside the Edmonton Ski Club, which has been part of the river valley since 1911. In the winter, the hill has long been a place for skiing; in the summer, it becomes a natural amphitheatre with one of the best skyline views in the city.

The Edmonton Folk Music Festival has called Gallagher Park home since 1981, turning that grassy slope into a massive shared living room every August. It’s one of those rare Edmonton places that feels completely different depending on the season. Snowy and quiet one month, covered in tarps, music, and thousands of happy people the next.

Little Bon Bon Ice Cream 🍦 9660 106 Ave NW

Little Bon Bon Ice Cream brings soft colours, playful scoops, and a sweet little dose of summer to Chinatown. Created by the team behind Yelo’d, the shop has a nostalgic candy-store feel with rotating ice cream flavours, cheerful toppings, and the kind of cones that look almost too cute to eat.

It’s a nice fit for a week full of outdoor festivals, market wandering, and sunny-day plans. Stop in after Cariwest, before an evening downtown, or anytime you need a cold treat that feels a little more special than your standard scoop!

Visit Little Bon Bon in Chinatown for a lovely summer treat, and follow along to see what flavours are popping up next. 👇

📸 @littlebonbon_icecream
📍 9660 106 Ave NW
🕒 Hours vary; check Instagram before visiting