From the Sand Blast competition that’s making a comeback this year, to festivals in Edmonton that don’t even require you to leave the city, we’ve rounded up some of our favourites for 2017, encouraging you to get out there and explore the fantastic festivals in Alberta.
Kid-Friendly Festivals in Alberta
Sustainaval | June 8-11, 2017
Can you imagine an amazingly fun carnival powered entirely by green energy? Well, get ready because it’s real and it’s coming to Edmonton for the first time this summer! On top of the awesome rides and mini-donuts galore, you can also win incredible prizes by participating in the Green Beast Eco-Challenge, a site-wide interactive scavenger hunt adventure! Enjoy free entertainment, lots of free educational games and shop in our Green Marketplace! Sustainival is a great family-friendly event, but kids from ages 2 to 92 will all take something unique away from this one-of-a-kind outdoor Green Carnival experience!
1913 Days at Sylvan Lake | June 9-11
Venture over to Sylvan Lake for 1913 Days! Come and explore from June 9th to 11th. There will be lots of exciting things to enjoy such as a parade, drive in movie, a street festival and much more!
Holden Farmer’s Day | June 10th
A fun-filled day of activities will showcase the spirit of village life. Come and share the charm of country living. A general outline of events includes: pancake breakfast, parade, bbq lunch, concession options, Farmer’s Day market, kid’s activities such as art, bouncy castles and games, the Gallery, Holden Museum, beer garden, Community supper, evening entertainment, free hot dogs & pop, and fireworks.
Edmonton Pride Fest | June 9-18
Colourful, educational and entertaining, Edmonton’s Pride Festival celebrates unity and diversity and is one of Western Canada’s largest LGBTQ festivals.
Waterton Wildflower Festival | June 15-20th
2016 finalist of the Alto Award in: Outstanding Sustainable TourismWe invite you to step into a wildflower wonderland, a bouquet of wildflowers in the wildflower capital of Canada. The spectacular setting of Waterton Lakes National Park is home to more than 1,000 vascular plant species. Of those, 175 species are listed as rare in Alberta and 20 are only found in Waterton.
Whitecourt Party in the Park | June 16-17th
Kick start the summer season in Whitecourt at Party In The Park. On June 16th and 17th head to Rotary Park to enjoy free, family fun and entertainment. Attracting thousands each year, Party In The Park is a two-day event offering a mix of cultural activities, performances, and food; and a variety of local bands and well-known headline acts. Concert and entertainment announcements will be made closer to the event date!
Perogy Festival + County Fair | June 24th
Come out for a full day of fun and food. Start the morning with the parade, followed by a pancake brunch. Perogies, entertainment, market square and much more fill the day and fireworks caps it all off at night. Make sure to mark this date on your calendar!
Sand on Whyte | June 30 – July 8th
Be amazed and inspired by the incredible sculptures created from the simple ingredients of sand and water! Professional sand carving artists and local artists will create these amazing sculptures in celebration of Canada 150. Be sure to join us on Canada Day for the celebration as we unveil a Canada 150 mural created at the Ice on Whyte Festival
Bluebird Festival | July 1st
An afternoon of live music, crafts and activities for the family, garden tours and exhibitors around the Ellis Bird Farm.
Edmonton Street Performer’s Festival | July 7-16th
Every July more than 60 international artists fuel a daily juggernaut of 150 zany outdoor performances, when the International Street Performers Festival turns downtown’s Sir Winston Churchill Square into busker central.
Sand Blast (River Boat Daze) | July 7-9
Sand Blast (formerly the Alberta Open Sand Sculpture Championships) take place on Devonshire Beach each year showcasing sand castle sculpting skills and creations around a common theme with family friendly activities on the beach. You can find the fun, one-day event during Riverboat Days.
Strawberry Festival | July 22nd
Come celebrate summer and strawberries at our strawberry festival. There will be lots of strawberry food items such as strawberry salsa, strawberry salad, strawberry tarts and of course strawberry shortcake. Your family will be able to enjoy different activities like face painting, jam making demonstrations, live music, wagon rides and more. Strawberry picking is not guaranteed this day.
Family Fun Day at Blue Ridge | July 22nd
Blue Ridge Family Fun Day – July 22, 2017. This special, free, family focused event is held at the Blue Ridge Recreation Area just 5 kilometres outside of the hamlet of Blue Ridge (north on Highway 658). This day is designed for fun and for learning. Come enjoy all the nature games, crafts, face painting, paddle boats and more! Hot dogs, freezies and drinks are provided. Join us anytime from 11:0 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to make memories with your family and friends.
Pirate Festival at Pigeon Lake | August 5th
Kids…you’re all invited to Join us for the 9th annual Pirates Of Pigeon Lake Party .. designed for kids of all ages. We’re gathering on Treasure Island (Town Square) to start a rip roaring swash buckling adventure party. You get a treasure bag that can be used to collect the hidden treasures you find on the hunt. Enjoy live entertainment. We’re grilling up hot dogs & the bounce house will be open. So much fun for kids of all ages! No Registration Required. The Hunt is FREE!
Discovery Park Zoofest | August 5th
Plan for a full day of fun for the whole family at Discovery Wildlife Park’s Zoofest. Join us for free facepainting bounce rides toonie deals on hot dogs and cotton candy. There will also be great animal experiences for you to enjoy throughout the day. Zoofest is open to everyone and all special events are included with your regular admission.
Fairy Berry Festival | August 5th
Sprinkle a bit of magic and whimsy into this corn maze adventure to the farm. Fairies, pirates, fairy-strawberries, shortcake, folk music and the kids corn mazes open this weekend. Come for some good ol’ fashioned farm fun, with over 50 activities, including trackless train rides, a petting farm, garden tours, bale mazes, farm games, and a Fire Roasters Lunch, featuring fresh farm produce.
Perseids Pajama Party | August 11th
Bring your blanket or lawn chair, wear your cozy pyjamas and look up, way up, during one of the busiest times in the night sky. Stargazing with the Royal Astronomical Society, fun-in-the-dark family games, bedtime stories and more.In the event of cloudy weather, many event activities will go on, although sky observing may be limited. In the event of rainy weather, the event may be cancelled. Please call or check the website if weather conditions are uncertain.
Bug Jamboree | August 12th
This festival features bug experts, a butterfly count right on site at Ellis Bird Farm, and plenty of crafts for the kids! Bring the family out to our annual Bug Jamboree this summer!
Ukranian Day | August 13th
Witness history come alive as Alberta’s Ukrainian community celebrates its pioneer roots as well as all things Ukrainian in the province today. An afternoon concert featuring the best in Ukrainian dance and music at this annual event co-hosted with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Alberta Provincial Council. Other family fun includes a visit to the historical village, children’s activities, village market and the Ukrainian Village Food Festival. Visitors are encouraged to bring a lawn chair for seating
Viking Days | August 19th
Viking groups from Edmonton and Calgary, provide a reenactment of Viking Life a thousand years ago. They will display a live story of how the Vikings lived in an encampment; demonstrating living accommodation, cooking methods and crafts. During the event they will give demonstrations on how Vikings battled with swords, shields, axes and archery. There will be face painting, storytelling, and vendors on site selling merchandise. Visitors can also tour the museum exhibits in the dormitory museum and on the grounds. Visitors can also enjoy lunch by reservation in the Saga restaurant
Taber Cornfest | August 25th
Cornfest is hailed as Southern Alberta’s largest outdoor free family fun festival. Cornfest is a celebration of harvest (corn) and of the different cultures and history that are abundant in our community. It is geared toward families with activities for all ages which include a car show, petting zoo, face painting, stage entertainment, arts & crafts show, lots of food and goods vendors and a beer garden both nights.
Milky Way Days | September 2nd
Saturday, September 2, 2017 2-11 pm (Miquelon Lake Provincial Park) and Sunday, September 3, 2017 2-11 pm (Elk Island National Park). The Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve’s 12th annual Milky Way Days will be bigger and better than ever before. Taking place over two days at two different locations, the Beaver Hills Milky Way Days will feature volunteer astronomers to help show you the stars with both solar and night sky viewing. Guest speakers, presenters, displays, and activities will keep the whole family entertained at this 2-day celebration.
Beakerhead | September 15-18th
Five-days of engineered entertainment creates a hands-on spectacle at the crossroads of art, science and technology. Beakerhead activities and events are hosted at various venues around the city.