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.

Fork Fest is back!

Local restaurants are offering up special menus and deals to get you out of the usual chains and into something just a little different. It’s a great way to try out a new restaurant you’ve been thinking about eating at, or have heard about recently. It’s also a nice way for me to pretend I’m fancy and eat somewhere like the Blue Pear. It’s also a reason to head back to old favourites like the Blue Plate Diner and Wild Tangerine.

All of the restaurants involved (most are downtown or in Old Strathcona) have their Fork Fest lunch and dinner menus online at the Live Local Alberta site.

Here are the restaurants (all links take you to the Fork Fest menus):

• d’Lish Urban Kitchen & Wine Bar
• Royal Coach Dining Room (at the Chateau Louis Hotel)
• Sabor Divino
• Leva Cappuccino Bar
• Red Ox Inn
• The Blue Plate Diner
• Wild Tangerine
• The Blue Pear Restaurant
• Accent European Lounge
• Moriarty’s Bistro and Wine Bar
• Jack’s Grill
• Von’s Steak House & Oyster Bar

Which ones do you want to hit up?

Summer 2011′s Fork Fest runs until this Thursday (July 21), then takes a few days off, and July 24-28.

While Whyte Avenue’s Art Walk has nothing to do with the TV comedy Bob’s Burgers, they do have streets of art in common.

Yes, today through Sunday you can find artist after artist all around Whyte Avenue and Old Strathcona. More than 200 artists will be selling their paintings, drawings, photos, sketches, and anything else they can fit onto the sidewalk. It’s always a busy weekend, and remember to bring cash.

It’s a Handmade Mafia weekend, so get yourself over to the Strathcona Baptist Church for plenty o’ fun. (It ties into the Art Walk too.)

If you’re into rabbits you’re going to want to check out the Year of the Rabbit and Hare Band Cabaret at the Catalyst Theatre. Even if you’re not a fan of rabbits, the stone and canvas art from Jason Carter and a play by Bridget Ryan may be just the ticket.

In other festival news…

The Freewill Shakespeare Festival continues in Hawrelak Park, with Othello and Twelfth Night. The Edmonton International Street Performers Festival is in Churchill Square, with some late night madness this weekend to close things out. The Edmonton and Northern Alberta Historical Festival wraps up this weekend too. That seems so timely with all the history and heritage in the news this week.

Race Week Edmonton officially begins on Monday, but the annual Soap Box Derby is Sunday on Victoria Park Hill. Also in racing this weekend, the Sourdough River Festival (and raft race), in Terwillegar Park.

In live music…

The Grapes of Wrath play two shows at the Haven Social Club tonight…Samantha Schultz will wow you with her guitar skills at the Blue Chair Cafe tomorrow evening…Ghost Cousin releases a new album Saturday night at Wunderbar…and our old pals Boy and Gurl come up from Calgary for a show at On The Rocks Sunday…

On Sunday, a new Fork Fest begins. Get your eat on!

The Eskimos, FC Edmonton, and Capitals are all home for games this weekend.

Fork Fest! – Summer 2010 – is on.

Many of Original Fare’s restaurants are offering special menus, some with special prices, to get you to try something outside of the chains. Give them a whirl, and let us know which one is the best local spot to grab dinner.

Thanks to our buddy Derjis for this photo, celebrating the pronged utensil.

Upon reflection, this also works well as a Monday event listing. Check out the restaurants you could be eating at tonight.

I think my love of Carson Daly has also been noted.

For these reasons I may bounce over to Original Joe’s-Varisty Row (109 Street, north of Whyte Avenue) for the last Coco-Tonight Show. They’ll be showing it at the restaurant/bar and they’ve got specials on Red Ale and Coco Martinis (clever). Maybe I’ll see you there.

On a more serious note, there will be a march and rally in Old Strathcona tomorrow (when isn’t there?) as Canadians against Proroguing Parliament hit the streets. Let’s see if the Facebook protest transitions to the real world.

I bet this show won't be a "big wreck." (It's Monday at Union Hall.)

Edmonton’s Winter Light festival continues this weekend, with the Baba Yaga Trail Adventure.

Ice on Whyte also continues.

There are zombie-literary discussions happening Saturday afternoon (2-4pm, in the Edmonton Room) at the Stanley Milner Library. It’s about Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

There are also ways to enjoy the party-scene of the weekend and help Haiti. Check this Metro-Edmonton story for details.

Dave Attell is at The Comic Strip this weekend.

You can take your tummy out to the second round of Fork Fest.

Maybe you’d rather try not to get trampled by brides looking for deals and other items for THEIR SPECIAL DAY. There’s an event for that.

Or you can attempt to keep your head from exploding due to an abundance of cuteness at the Edmonton Pet Expo. Aww…

The Edmonton Rush have their home opener Saturday, against the Buffalo Bandits. Hey, they’ve got more of a chance of winning than the Oilers. (Thanks for the reminder, Derjs.)

Whatever it is you do to make it to Monday, have fun.