Rainy July Weekend
This guy is always ready to party.
I know it’s raining. A lot. But, there’s some sun in the weekend forecast, and not everything that’s happening is outdoors, so we can still have fun this weekend. Come on, it’ll be fun!
We’ve got plenty of festivals on. Rain or shine, they’ll be going all weekend (well, most of them, so watch for venue changes and cancellations if the rain never stops).
Our annual summer exhibition, Capital Ex, begins today. So, get your cotton candy on.
A Taste of Edmonton is in Churchill Square. (As it always coincides with Capital Ex, which is a one-stop LRT ride away). Get your eat on from lots of Edmonton restaurants. Or take your food home and deep fry it. Anything goes!
The Freewill Shakespeare Festival winds down for another summer, in Hawrelak Park. Of course, there’s the Edmonton Indy and Race Week Edmonton events (most of the events are downtown, the race is at the City Centre Airport).
On Sunday, Fork Fest begins part 2 of its summer run. Time to get your local eat on.
In arts…Year of the Rabbit wraps up this weekend. It’s a combination of visual arts and a play, at the Catalyst Theatre. Wicked is also playing in Edmonton. There’s burlesque at The ARTery tomorrow night, with the River City Review. This is also the weekend for Edmonton: The Musical.
Pretty solid music weekend, so you can stay dry. The New Music West conference and festival is in Edmonton, and will have plenty of shows around the city. The Frolics, The Burning Sands, and Hook ‘Em Revue are at Wunderbar…Kenny Shields and Streetheart are at the Century Casino…Warning to Avoid, GBM, and rhodes play at New City Legion…Manraygun is at The Empress…
The Taste of Edmonton and Race Week Edmonton festivals also have their share of music.
And there’s the Sasquatch Sweet Sixteen Festival, at Rangeton, Alberta. Bring the rubber boots!
The Campus Community Garden is planning a second shot at an open house. They are certainly hoping for a sunny Saturday.
In sports…the Edmonton Capitals are home to the Chico Outlaws this weekend…and the Edmonton Prospects are home to Medicine Hat, at John Fry Park…there’s also the Kokanee Edmonton Canada Cup in Kinsmen Park, so expect a muddy good time on mountain bikes!
If you’re into local government and transit, you could also check out the Downtown LRT connector workshop happening Sunday afternoon.
Baseball Prospects
If you’re into baseball, you might already know about the Edmonton Prospects. Though, this might also be the first time you’re hearing about them…in which case I’m glad we’re talking.
The Prospects are part of the Western Major Baseball League (WMBL), which is a college-level league. It’s about a single A level and you might just see a future star or two at the plate.
You’ll see Alberta and Saskatchewan teams in the WMBL, like the Melville Millionaires, in from the province to the east for another game tonight.
The Prospects only have a few home games left this summer (playoffs don’t look good), and play down at John Fry Park.
Great night for a ballgame, let’s play two
While there may be a chance of rain through the evening, sometimes you’ve just got to roll the dice.
If tonight is a night to venture out, regardless of rain probability, then maybe you should really throw it in Mother Nature’s face and sit out at the ballpark.
You’ve got two options this evening.
It’s Wiener Wednesday at Telus Field for tonight’s game between the Edmonton Capitals and Calgary Vipers.
The Capitals also have a new mascot, Captain Capital.
(You know what they don’t have? A “home” button on their website.)
It’s also the last game of the season for the Edmonton Prospects. They’ll be playing Okotoks at 7:05, at John Fry Park.
Fans are all going to be getting something for attending the last game. Hotdogs and concessions are also on sale.
Weekend 2.0
Welcome to weekend 2.0 Edmonton.
I really don’t know what that means, but everybody slaps 2.0 into their stuff and it just sounds so cool.
Sally mentioned The Joe’s big show, this Saturday at The Hydeaway, in her new feature “Welcome to the Beat Laboratory.” So, to reiterate, The Joe is playing a big show Saturday at The Hydeaway. With lots of other great rappers. At The Hydeaway. Saturday.
I hope they have bike-powered smoothies again.
Hey, this Saturday is Bikeology, and we’ve never missed a Bikeology festival yet, here at the edmontonian. Alright, we’ve only had one to cover. But I plan on being there tomorrow, so that will make us 2/2.
It’s happening in tandem with the City’s Park(ed) event on 102 Avenue. So, park the car, hop on the bicycle and take in our city at a slower, more enjoyable, pace. There’s also a rock show over at Churchill Square.
And they say our downtown is dead…
One event that Sally will be going on and on about is the release of Toy Story 3. Check with our resident sass-machine for other movies coming out.
Rent begins a run at La Cite, a theatre in Edmonton’s French district.
Improvaganza is still providing laughs. That’s two major festivals already mentioned today.
FC Edmonton is playing. While I initially thought it was something to do with a Coca-Cola sponsorship, it turns out they will be taking on one of Chile’s best soccer teams, Colo-Colo. This could be the cure for your World Cup fever.
Also in sporting news…the Edmonton Prospects are home (home being John Fry Park) to Swift Current and Okotoks this weekend.
The WhitSundays are playing the Pawn Shop tonight.
(I think this is the least amount of music I’ve ever mentioned for a weekend.)
National Aboriginal Day is Monday, but the events begin before that.
Our good friends at ShareEdmonton (and their friends at YegLive.ca) have some ideas of their own about this weekend. That makes it sound nefarious, but they’re actually just good ideas.
You know, it’s almost summer. The real summer. Which makes Summer Solstice sound like just the right kind of event.
At ShareEdmonton they always know when the Edmonton Energy are playing. The Energy are on the hardcourt this weekend, against the Yamhill Flyers. I did not make that up.
Luke and Tess Pretty are releasing a CD. If you don’t know who Luke and Tess Pretty are you haven’t spent a lot of time on Whyte Avenue in the summer.
Maybe you just want to watch Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog again? There’s an event for that.
Tim Allen is at the tent at River Cree.
Sunday is Father’s Day. Fort Edmonton Park has “Dad vs. Wild,” which disappoints me only because it’s nothing like Survivorman.
