Fringe Events
Alright, so there’s no getting around the big event happening right now in Edmonton. The 30th Edmonton International Fringe Festival; Fringeopolis is on this weekend and until August 21. Almost all of the 180 plays will be happening in the Old Strathcona neighbourhood, but watch for venues in other parts of the city, like the Edmonton Public Library, downtown, and 118 Avenue.
We’re posting videos for Fringe plays, so keep your eyes on our “From the Web” category.
Now, that is not the only thing happening in Edmonton. A couple of smaller festival/street party items this weekend:
- Art in the Alley – art, music, an outdoor movie, and more, all happening in the Alley of Light. That’s the backlane that runs from Beaver Hills House Park, past the Sobeys, across 104 Street, over to the U of A’s downtown campus.
- Eastwoodfest – Back for another summer, this celebrates all things Eastwood (118 Avenue, betweem 85 and 87 Street)
- There’s a tea party at the U of A’s environmental students group naturalized site, which was top community garden in the Front Yards in Bloom contest.
In sports…the Edmonton Capitals are back home, hosting the Yuma Scorpions this weekend…FC Edmonton is home to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers…the Oil City Derby Girls’ rookies are taking on the Yukon Roller Girls…northwest of Edmonton, the St. Albert Heavenly Rollers take on the Cold Lake Lakeland Lady Killers (such a good name), on the 76th anniversary of roller derby…this weekend is also the kick off to the Prairie Football Conference season, with the Edmonton Wildcats home to the Calgary Colts, at Clarke Park (beside Commonwealth Stadium)…
In Friday music…it actually kicks serious butt…The Edmonton Show is back for a VIth run (that would be 6th), with Ann Vriend and Liam Trimble leading the way…Whiskeyface kicks off their tour at Brixx with The Sorels…Michael Rault and Sans AIDS are at The ARTery…Romi Mayes is releasing a CD tonight at the Haven Social Club…Carrie Day is at The Carrot (don’t forget about The Carrot!)…All Time Low is at the Edmonton Events Centre…
Saturday…The AwesomeHots get the day going with a Hair of the Dog afternoon show at the Black Dog…Paperplanes and Dragonboats release an EP, with The Paronomasiac, at The ARTery…
You'll be screaming with excitement over The Room.
All weekend…the Edmonton Rock Music Festival, a collaboration of The Rock and Roll Society of Edmonton and K-97, takes over Hawrelak Park. There will be plenty of, uh, rock.
You can always catch a movie in the cool confines of a theatre. And The Room is at Metro Cinema tonight at 11:20pm. If you haven’t seen The Room yet, YOU NEED TO SEE The Room. (Metro Cinema is now in the Garneau Theatre.)
You can hug your way to donated peanut butter, at West Edmonton Mall.
Oh, and if you’re using the LRT this weekend, remember that the train will not stop at Coliseum station because of work on the station platform.
Let The Festivals Begin
This is when summer really gets going, Edmonton, when there are festivals – plural – to talk about.
In festivals…Dreamspeakers continues through Saturday night…the International Children’s Festival is on in St. Albert…on Sunday, the Highlands neighbourhood has a street festival…Opera Nuova presents the Vocal Arts Festival…NextFest runs through next week…
Community league members will be out all weekend trying to earn their neighbourhood some much-needed money in the Edmonton Community Challenge.
On the political side…Saturday is the Slut Walk and Sunday is a rally against public money going to a new downtown arena.
In music…this weekend, Heart of the City fills Giovanni Caboto Park with music, music, music. Musicians and bands that live in the “heart of the city” will be playing this annual festival. 2011′s got another great lineup. NextFest also has plenty of young, up and coming, and new musicians playing all around the city.
There are a few Slave Lake fire benefit shows…at the Rendevous Pub…at the City Centre Church…and at The ARTery (with Tanner Gordon among those on the bill)…
Friday…The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra’s got Late Night 1900s (with conductor Bill Eddins). Always a good time. Winnipeg’s The Details play the Haven Social Club with Michou…the Wild Rose Orchestra is at Wunderbar, with Zero Cool…
Saturday…Feast or Famine is at Wunderbar with The Old Sins, and the Weekend Kids (and more!…The Details are still at the Haven Social Club, but with Fish & Bird, and Kaley Bird…100 Mile House is at The Empress…No Witness has a CD release at the Starlite Room, with Shelbi and Soundscape…Ol’ Smashy (formerly the F.D. Jones Soap Co.) is at Filthy McNasty’s…and the ESO’s got Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony…
On Sunday…Supertramp is at Rexall Place. SUPERTRAMP!
In sports…the Edmonton Energy play a couple more games against the Oregon Waves…and the Edmonton Capitals are home to the Calgary Vipers. Saturday night’s baseball game is followed by movies at Telus Field. And Saturday is the “Fresh Meat Frolic,” with the Oil City Derby Girls, at the Grindhouse (14420 – 112 Street).
And on Saturday…it’s Bugs and Brunch – a fundraiser for YESS, hosted by Expressionz Cafe and the Vintage VW Association.
Your Lucky Weekend
Welcome to another weekend, Edmonton. Don’t let today being Friday the 13th throw off your vibe.
This weekend just so happens to be a Make It! Edmonton weekend. The craft and design show is back at the Alberta Aviation Hangar, with all kinds of great handmade goods. You can also help out the Canadian Kidney Foundation while you shop, by bidding on the silent auction – which will include items from the Make It! designers.
Tickets are $5 at the door, but we can get some of you in for free. Would you like that? Let us know if you want to go to Make It! this weekend.
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On Saturday, at the Russ Barns Arena, E-Ville Roller Derby wraps up the season with the Gage Cup between the Slice Girls and Berzerkhers. Sticking with roller derby…the Oil City Derby Girls become the “Knicker Kickers” to take on the Red Deer Belladonnas (who become the Whale Tails) in an Underwear Affair on wheels.
In music…you’ve got Rammstein at Rexall Place tonight. I expect it to be roofless by tomorrow. The Bridle Party and Van Funk & The Lebarons are playing an early show at Brixx tonight. Captain Tractor has a CD release at the Roxy Theatre (they play in Permanent Records tomorrow at 5pm). Over at New City Legion it’ll be Black Mastiff with Field & Stream and Morals. Men Without Hats are at the Century Casino. Buddy Guy is at the Polish Hall. Tomorrow’s Hair of the Dog is a good one; with Caity Fisher (you may remember her from our most recent episode of television). Saturday night The Empress has Howlin’ Dan, with John Woroschuck. And on Sunday Jimmy Rankin is at the Haven Social Club.
Capital City Burlesque “Unleash the Geek” this weekend, at the Starlite Room.
Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes? (It had to be since it’s the Edmonton Reptile and Amphibians 2011 Spring Show & Sale.)
Biodiversity Week (it’s a thing) kicks off in Edmonton at City Hall. Earth Alive will be a family-friendly event, and you could learn how to increase the wildlife population in your backyard.
The third annual #yegHelp event is Saturday night at Lux. Proceeds of the event will go to La Salle women’s shelter.
If you’re into helping, you might have already known that the sixth Homeless Connect Edmonton is this Sunday at the Shaw Conference Centre. Homeless Connect is an interesting event, it provides all kinds of services to Edmonton’s homeless community; everything from mental health assessments and immunizations to haircuts and laundry.
For you fans of reading, this is a good weekend. The Edmonton Public Library’s Books to Eat fundraiser is Saturday night, while Audrey’s hosts An Afternoon with the Authors Sunday.
Sunday afternoon, The Pure Speculation Festival is holding Mini Spec!: a fundraiser for the big deal (which happens later this year).
Still on Sunday, there will be an Open House at ENTS. That’s the Edmonton New Technology Society; a cool little collective workspace in Oliver. E-mail them to get in on it and check out their space.
You can always see a movie, now that blockbuster season has begun (does it feel like it’s starting earlier to anyone else?). Oh, and get rid of your old couch at the City’s Big Bin Events.
Weekend Eventing
The good times continue! To get ready for this weekend you can ready all three previous installments of events today – Angela’s Events, Brazilian Money, Tim Gilbertson – and then jump in here. Needless to say, it’s gonna be a good weekend.
The Edmonton Poetry Festival is finishing with a flurry.
FC Edmonton plays its first official home game of the season (the game against Toronto FC wasn’t part of the NASL schedule).
boygroove finishes “playing” the Catalyst Theatre. It’s a play about a boy band. Speaking of plays…Chris Craddock’s new one-man show “Public Speaking,” is killing at the Roxy…Brad Fraser, a native Edmontonian now living across the pond, has his play “True Love Lies” on at the Citadel – though he won’t be here to see it.
Still on the stage…Riverdance is at the Jubilee Auditorium…and Into the Woods, from ELOPE Musical Theatre, is at the Timms Centre for the Arts…Little Women, the broadway musical, is at the Citadel’s MacLab Theatre.
Slow Food folks will be at Eat Alberta this weekend. I hope they can finish their meals by the time our show is on Sunday night.
I’m kidding, of course. Slow Food’s got lots to teach us about enjoying what we eat, knowing about where the food is coming from, and exploring the social aspects of eating. And the Eat Alberta conference is about our “local food heroes.”
There’s derby at the “Grindhouse” (14420 112 Street) with the Oil City Derby Girls’ Tank’Er Girls taking on BC’s Raggedy Rollers, at 7pm.
Outside of Tim Gilbertson there are plenty of other great shows this weekend. Hale Hale is at Brixx with an early show tonight…Sherry Lee Wisor is playing Hair of the Dog at the Black Dog Saturday afternoon…and The Pixies are in Edmonton, playing the Shaw Conference Centre on Sunday night.
And, as the poster in this post may have already informed you of, Wunderbar is celebrating one glorious year with owners Craig, Chris, and Levi. They have a whole Sunday of good music, starting at 2pm, with Edmonton bands and artists such as The Joe, Mitchmatic, Scenic Route to Alaska, Miek Headache, Caity Fisher, Fire Next Time, and more, more, more! I may have to stop by and toast a great year of fantastic beer and live music.
Wunderbar’s got great shows tonight and Saturday too, with Fist City, Krang, and The Group Sound tonight, The Dyeing Merchants, Doug Hoyer, Service: Fair, and Ghost Cousin Saturday.
Oh, and if you’re not doing anything Sunday night at 9pm (and again at 9:30) I hear a certain website is debuting a show called the edmontonian presents on ShawTV (channel 10 for you Shaw subscribers, but it will be online shortly after).
A Smashing Weekend
This weekend in Edmonton will be punctuated by a federal election and Earth Hour.
While you may start seeing election signs popping up, if the Conservative minority is brought down by the opposition parties, you will get at least a one-hour reprieve from attack ads during Saturday’s Earth Hour. The City of Edmonton will get into the darkness of things with a power-saving party at Churchill Square.
It’s a big roller derby Saturday in Edmonton (fitting, since the federal election could get ugly). You’ve got the E-Ville Roller Derby in Xanaduel and the Oil City Derby Girls All Stars taking on All Stars from Saskatoon. E-Ville plays at the Hangar on Kingsway and Oil City is at the Grindhouse.
The big Edmonton music event this weekend is the 2011 Edmonton Music Awards, at Haven Social Club. It’s a two night affair, Sunday and Monday, with plenty of live performances from plenty of local musicians and bands.
Also in music…Tonight, Sonic Band of the Month, The Red Threat, is playing at the Pawn Shop…You can also saunter over to Metro Cinema for “Edmonton Tonight,” a live talk show of sorts…Tonight and tomorrow, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (fresh off announcing their 60th season performances) and messzo-soprano Anita Krause, and Da Camera Singers, present Durufle’s Requiem…Tomorrow, why not head over to Wunderbar for B.A. Johnson (and The Moby Dicks and The Mitts) at Wunderbar? Why not indeed.
Western Canada Fashion Week continues over on Whyte Fashion Avenue.
Maybe you want to check out a movie. Good idea. (I hear Hobo with a Shotgun comes out this weekend…)
The Edmonton Rush and Edmonton Oilers are both at Rexall Place this weekend.
Family Day Weekend
We’ll kick things off for this holiday weekend with a look at some live music in Edmonton.
Tonight the Uptown Folk Club kicks off Winterfest 2011, which means a busy weekend for folkies…There’s the Rogers Media Battle of the Bands at NAIT. I fear N.N. may destroy The Nest with rock…The Joe (THE JOE!) is holding an all-ages show for his newest release, Float or Flail. He’s gonna have a lot of performing friends along for the evening (Speaking of all-ages, the Jubilee is hosting Art Music Play tonight.)…Cygnets is at the new New City…KeysNKrates at the Pawn Shop…The Haven Social Club is hosting another Friday The Sound of Edmonton…
When’s the last time you put on your skinny jeans and hung out at the Hydeaway? This Saturday Xplosionation is there, releasing their new EP, and they’ve been kind enough to give us a track for your listening pleasure. Says bassist Nathan Woodward: “This EP is the culmination of 4 years of jamming and writing from three guys who love to have fun and rock out. It is our second release, but our first set of professional, sellable music.” Doors at 7, tickets 8$, EP can be purchased on iTunes. Also, there’s even more Xplosionation over at @mikeatqazam‘s excellent blog, New-Music-Michael.com .
We are Xplosionation – Xplosionation
If that’s not enough for your Saturday, The James T Kirks and Manraygun should blow it up real good. Boogie Patrol’s at Blues on Whyte too.
Heart and Melissa Etheridge are also in Edmonton this weekend.
Rexall Place will be bouncing with sportiness, as the Oil Kings, Oilers, and Rush all play at home. In other sports, the Oil City Derby Girls are hosing a rookie smackdown of Alberta proportions.
WinterLight don’t stop until, well, until spring is just about here. This weekend you get a double-dose with the Silver Skate Festival in Hawrelak Park and Family Day fun in Churchill Square. You can also Skate, Rattle & Roll Saturday at City Hall. To coincide with the holiday weekend and the NHL’s Heritage Classic, between Calgary and Montreal, the Glenora Community League’s got Family Fun Day and outdoor hockey at 10426-136 Street, 2-7pm.
Until the 26th Fringe Theatre Adventures and Edmonton Opera present The Barber of Barrhead. It’s the Barber of Seville in Barrhead, Alberta.
I totally forget to mention this (but am now including it by way of some Internet magic), but the Edmonton Symphony is getting all Bugs Bunny with great music from Warner Brothers and Hanna Barbera that subtly made us all listen to the classics.
And, my favourite, the World’s Hottest Commercials are back at the Empire City Centre Monday-Thursday, with a couple of lunchtime 45-minute runs for the downtown work crowd. It’s also a fundraiser for the Edmonton International Film Festival.
Oh, and watch out for LRT disruptions. Why they schedule this stuff for long weekends is beyond me. Except when you consider my conspiracy theory that the Edmonton Transit Service is actually run by the city’s top car dealers.
A weekend for community, and arts
Hi Everybody! Here’s some stuff I think you might be interested this weekend.
Community League Day is Saturday, September 18. My community, Strathonca Centre, will be holding its annual arts BBQ. It times out nicely, since our neighbour, King Edward School, will be celebrating 50 years the same afternoon. And the Edmonton Weavers’ Guild, a tenant of our community hall, is hosting an open house.
If you’re not in my neighbourhood, you’re probably in, or close to, one of the 89 other communities throwing a party Saturday. Get out there and find out who your neighbours are, what people are up to, and snag yourself some free food.
Sunday is the Terry Fox Run. It’s the 30th anniversary.
This weekend is also Alberta Arts Days. There are plenty of events happening, at plenty of places.
Alley Kat is launching their fall brew, Pumpkin Pi, with a party tonight.
You could always see a movie.
D.O.A. at New City tonight.
U22 is hosting an evening of young musicians at the Horizon Stage in Spruce Grove. Among the performers is one of our favourite locals, Lyra Brown. U22 is actually quite busy during Alberta Arts Days.
Rae Spoon is playing The ARTery tonight. Tonight is also a fundraising Friday happy hour. Tomorrow at The ARTery it’s the release of the latest issue of Notebook Magazine.
Visualeyez is back. That’s Latitude 53′s performance arts festival. This year’s theme is food.
Jailbait kicks off the Northern Light Theatre’s season. Oh, it’s theatre season.
There’s some roller derby action at Northlands.
How could we go without mentioning Western Canada Fashion Week? We couldn’t.
And…BIEBER!
Double Derby
We’ve been somewhat lacking in the events department this week, so we’ll make up for it with a double-whammy today, and something extra tomorrow. There. We cool?
Alright. Let’s talk roller derby.
This long weekend, the Oil City Derby Girls are sending their All-Stars to picturesque Boise, Idaho for the Spudtown Knockdown. One of two Canadian teams in mix, they’re sure to do Edmonton proud.
If you’re not headed to Idaho for the Labour Day weekend, you can catch the Spudtown action online, at the Derby News Network.
Oil City is back in Edmonton action on September 18. They’ll be taking on Calgary’s Hellion Rebellions in the WildRose Challenge at Northlands. The Edmonton EXPO Centre is a bigger venue, so be sure to head out and support the locals.
Now, while that’s two events, it’s not the double-whammy I promised.
No, the second half of this roller derby smackdown concerns the E-Ville Roller Derby. Their new season begins this month.
These ladies will get their new season rolling (see what I did there?) with a double-bill on September 25, at the Kingsway Hangar.
E-Ville also has a junior league (where teens can learn the basics of the game), and they’ve got a fundraiser coming up at the start of October.
Edmonton, get out there and support your very active roller derby scene.
