The First Crazy Weekend of Summer
Get ready for a busy weekend, Edmonton. (And the festivals are just getting started too.)
The 10th Royal Bison Craft Fair is at the Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre. This one’s gonna be good, with Culina serving up food, and more craftsters than you can shake a knitted-stick at.
Not too far from the Royal Bison, it’s the first East Whyte Street Party. The block party, including Eva Sweet Waffles!, is on 100 Street, between Whyte Avenue and 81st Ave. Businesses up and down Whyte (between 99 Street and the tracks) will have specials and deals for you too. We’ll see you there!
A few blocks away from that…the City of Edmonton is talking food and agriculture policy, outside of the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market.
Sticking with the City…Saturday sees the 3rd annual ETS Community Fair at West Edmonton Mall. And Big Bin Events continue, so you can get rid of all of your old couches.
The Edmonton Energy are in action tonight, playing the USA All-Stars. (The Edmonton Energy are our IBL basketball team.)
In music…Hale Hale, Raptors, and Randy Graves are playing the Pawn Shop tonight with Andrew W.K. So you know it’ll be a party. Anvil is at the Starlite Room. Rusty Reed’s and the Sherbrooke Community League are putting on the “Blossom into the Blues” festival this weekend. Opera Nuova’s Vocal Arts Festival is on right now too. On Sunday…Timbre Timbre at the Avenue Theatre
On Saturday watch out for people running around Edmonton in the City Chase (kind of an Amazing Race style event) and then on Sunday, you’ll see folks running and biking in the Subway Coronation Triathlon – which brings with it road closures.
On the political side of things…the Alberta Party’s got Big Idea Night to kick-off its leadership convention this weekend…and there will be a rally at the Alberta Legislature Sunday, to pressure the provincial government into funding education and avoiding hundreds of teaching cuts this fall…
SEE Magazine might be disappearing, but Merge is back. They re-launch with a party tonight.
You can still catch new one-act plays from local playwrights at the Walterdale.
There are always movies to be watched.
On Sunday, buy some baked goods to help the Slave Lake fire victims. Never before has gorging yourself on brownies been so helpful.
You can wash down all those brownies and cupcakes with beers. Zombeers.
Yeg Swap and other events
Here's how the swap meet portion of #Yeg Swap will go down. The music and fun will just happen naturally.
If you didn’t know what I was going to open this week’s events listing with, you just haven’t been paying attention.
March 20 means #YegSwap over at The ARTery. 7pm. Until the fun ends.
We’ve got you bringing some cool stuff, that for some reason you just don’t want anymore (don’t tell me who did what on top of it). You’ll be trading that with other people in our super-efficient swap dome* and all the while you will be entertained by amazing Edmonton musicians Lyra Brown, The Mystery Ponies and The Joe.
And all for $2.
We’re basically paying you to come and have a great Saturday night.
One other thing worth mentioning, those musical acts are from three different genres. You don’t see a lot of that, outside of your iPod, so that could be worth the price of admission right there.
Alright, self-promotion aside, I’ll head over to ShareEdmonton and see if there’s anything else going on. But it probably won’t be as good as #Yeg Swap.
A neat event happening Saturday night (See, I’m not so biased I won’t mention other Saturday events.) is also a fundraiser. Out of Sight: A Sensory Experience is a “dining in the dark” meal, where a mask or sunglasses will limit your vision during the meal.
The Bounce is having a birthday party, their 5th.
Tonight (Friday) there’s an “Eeeeeeee…” inducing event at Best Buy Edmonton South, it’s a Twilight New Moon Launch Party.
It’s Randy Couture night at the Edmonton Rush game.
Here’s an interesting one from the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues; Green Projects to Empower your Community. It comes with wine and cheese.
The Edmonton Boat & Sportsmen’s Show is a sign of spring, right?
There’s a rally for public services at the Alberta Legislature Saturday. After that, you should come to #YegSwap.
Naked on Jasper (it’s a cybercafe you pervs) is hosting the Busker’s Ball tonight. It’s got a great lineup of people you’ve probably seen at other venues and actually busking.
There’s some Postdata happening at Brixx Friday night.
The Pawn Shop has a great show Sunday, with Jay Malinowski of Bedouin Soundclash, Kinnie Starr and Michael Rault.
I mentioned the coming latin passion in my review of an Edmonton Symphony Orchestra show back here, but this weekend is “Musica Latina.” Which is sure to set your hips a-swaying.
Oh, and The Fashion Event is back, for your spring shopping needs, over at the Mayfield Inn & Suites.
And tickets are now on sale for St. Albert’s International Children’s Festival.
Whew!
p.s. #Yeg Swap is being put on by The League of Extraordinary Media, which is our new group of Edmonton super-hero bloggers and podcasters. In the battle between good and evil, choose local.
*There’s no swap dome. I only said that to increase your interest.
It’s a post-Conan world
I know that Conan O’Brien is a smart cookie and he’ll land on his feet. I also know he’ll be missed on The Tonight Show, around these parts. It’s back to Letterman/Kimmel/Lopez for the first round of late night TV.
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.
