Looks like a pretty solid weekend ahead. Downtown Dining Week kicks off today. So does Latitude 53′s new show, Cubic Units and New Prints by Mathiew Valade. Still Tonight…our friends at the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters celebrate 30 years with a bike art auction and pedal-powered concert. More good times could not be jammed into one evening.

In arts…Gargamel finishes its run at the Varscona Theatre. Garamel is a good play. there’s the Expanse Movement Arts Festival at the Roxy Theatre…The Art Gallery of Alberta is bringing in new spring shows; Nature and Spirit: Emily Carr’s Coastal Landscapes, Haida Art: Mapping and Ancient Language, Sherri Chaba’s The Silence of Chaos… (Speaking of the AGA, it’s hosting a Refinery party Saturday night.)

The Catalyst Theatre’s Hunchback is at the Citadel, from the people who brought you recently raved-about Frankenstein and Nevermore productions…the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra presents Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush, which will have the orchestra playing live along with the movie…Fringe Theatre Adventures presents “An evening with Uncle Val” by comedian Andy Jones…Alberta Baroque Ensemble is at Robertson Wesley United Church…Edmonton Columbian Choirs present Spring Bouquets, at McDougall United Church…

Winter Light concludes with the Star Party at Elk Island National Park Edmonton City Hall. That would be stars as in the sky kind, not the TMZ kind.

Gregg’s got the lowdown on the good movies. And the bad ones too.

In music…Jenie Thai is at the Blue Chair Cafe…Heart of the City Festival has a fundraising show...Buckcherry is in Edmonton tonight. Buckcherry. So is Sarah McLachlan…

I take this to mean the Nathan Carroll Band is going to perform Supertramp’s Breakfast in America at the Haven. Totally rad.

Saturday night at Brixx you’ve got the F.D. Jones Soap Company Ol’ Smashy…and Geoff Berner is at The ARTery tonight…

Also, the Edmonton Oil Kings are home to the Medicine Hat Tigers…and Pecha Kucha 9 goes tonight. PK9 is sold out, but you can watch it live from the comfort of your home via the Edmonton Journal.

I’m going to kick things off with something I’m planning on attending; Gargamel at the Varscona. It’s a new play from Mostly Water Theatre’s Trent Wilkie (a friend of the website since at least October) about a man who’s lost his girlfriend in a horrific car crash, sustained a head injury, and is being pushed around by a ghostly Louis Riel. Then he fights God.

There’s just something about the ghost of Louis Riel that sealed this for me.

Sticking with theatre, Concrete Theatre presents Jeremy Fisher, a play for younger audiences, at the Stanley A. Milner Library, Friday and Saturday. Fringe Theatre Adventures and Edmonton Opera are wrapping up The Barber of Barrhead this weekend. Legally Blonde: The Musical also wraps up over at the Jubilee.

Sunday, you can help out the Brian Webb Dance Company at their art auction at the Sutton Place Hotel. Or party a little Saturday night, and help out Latitude 53, at 53 Ways to Leave Your Lover: Factory Party Edition.

You might have recently watched Adaptation and be into orchids. Good thing The Orchid Society of Alberta presents Orchid Fair this weekend.

In music…

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra presents Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony, the great composer’s Third Symphony. Also, ESO Music Director Bill Eddins will play piano for Bernstein’s Second Symphony “The Age of Anxiety.”

Tonight…The Bridle Party are at The Carrot…Mass Choir, We Were Lovers, and The Consonance are at The Haven Social Club…There’s a phenomenal show at the Pawn Shop, with Sonic Band of the Month Sister Gray, Raptors, Stone Iris, and our new friend(s) Tim Gilbertson. Ask Tim and co. about their new sunglasses.

The Goo Goo Dolls play at River Cree Saturday night. The Goo. Goo. Dolls! Saturday also sees a Winter Roots and Blues Roundup (part 2) at The Blue Chair Cafe.

Seven Strings Sunday looks to be a gooder with Rocky Mountain Rebel Music, and also The Party Martyrs, The Mitts, and Jay Myatt.

To embrace winter…you can Skate, Rattle & Roll again this Saturday at City Hall. Winter Light continues this weekend with a Mill Creek Adventure Walk. I’m also going to plug my community league’s Winterfest.

Oh, and the Oilers have a couple of home games, while the Oil Kings play at Rexall once this weekend.

What that has to do with things happening this weekend is beyond me. I just forgot to mention all the ice and the slipping this morning in Headlines and felt this was a good opportunity to bring it up. The weather is also shutting down (at least temporarily) some outdoor rinks and toboggan spots.

So…anyway…let’s start with music for a change.

The ARTery has Spring Breakup w. special guests The AwesomeHots tonight and an art reception tomorrow night.

Martin Sexton is at the Winspear this evening, kicking off their new Winspear Presents Series. It’s going bring some great folk and world acts into that beautiful building.

The Sorels are at Wunderbar for Saturday night. We think you’re going to like them. We really do.

Sally says…Catch our Winnipeg friends Les Jupes at the Haven Social Club tomorrow night! Do you remember our story on Tanner Gordon? (He’s also on the bill, along with The Translators ). And FYI, Les Jupes are offering a free download of their excellent new single “The Mountain,” if you sign up for their newsletter.

Tonight at The Haven, it’s another Sound of Edmonton, with Ayla Brook, Mike Edel, and Tyson Motsenbocker. (Best name ever, Motsenbocker.) Heck, let’s round out the Haven’s weekend by mentioning their Sunday show, which is Rob Moir, with Twilight Hotel and F&M.

Back to Saturday now, with Jeffrey’s Wine Bar hosting Krystle Dos Santos.

Oh, and The Bounce Showdown Showcase goes tonight. It’s brought to you, in part, by Londonderry Mall, but I wish it was AT the mall.

Whew! That’s a lot of live music for one little weekend.

Winter Light keeps on rocking with Common Ground, at Giovanni Caboto Park. I have probably said it a bunch of times, but, I’m glad Edmonton started embracing winter with this big collection of festivals.

If you’re thinking about spring cleaning and re-building your kitchen you may want to check out The Reno Show (at Northlands) in the Edmonton Expo Centre). Also at the Edmonton Expo Centre; a gun show. (Please feel free to make “gun show” jokes…now.)

If you’re at Northlands…why not stop by Monster Jam?! The giant trucks take over Rexall Place this weekend. I bet the monster trucks win as many NHL games as the Oilers do during a typical weekend at Rexall.

I’m out!

The weather’s pretty much returning to normal, but it should still be great for Freezing Man and Winter Light’s Illuminations. Freezing Man is a day of electronic and alternative music, while Illuminations is all about turning Churchill Square into what winter is all about, with entertainment, skating, and free hot chocolate. And a snowball fight.

The Edmonton Rush host Calgary for their home opener at Rexall Place. Go Rush!

The Edmonton Oil Kings are also home this weekend.

In music…Gorgon Horde is at Wunderbar… There’s a wine tasting auction featuring the ESO…CKUA presents Leeroy Stagger…the Sonic Band of the Month is Feast or Famine, and they’re at the Pawn Shop…Jordan Norman has a CD release at the Haven, with Christian Hansen (and no Autistics)…Ann Vriend is at the museum…yes, the actual museum.

Global Game Jam Edmonton is going to be all about putting together a video game (or working on a game) this weekend.

Tonight is Hip Hop on the Wall, a fundraiser for Hip Hop in the Park.

This weekend is the 1st birthday of the new Art Gallery of Alberta. Happy Birthday, you crazy, beautiful building.

And, on Sunday, watch for LRT delays north of Churchill (again).

With the kind of temperatures we’re expecting this weekend there are no excuses not to get out and enjoy some Edmonton.

The Winter Light Festival continues with Ice on Whyte’s final weekend and Flashpoint event at the Edmonton Ski Club. There’s even music for Ice on Whyte, at the nearby Dr. Wilbert McIntyre Park. Also, Ice on Whyte might melt, so check it out now!

I’ll be trying to keep Sally away from the Pet Expo, so we don’t end up with an office full of animals. On Sunday, Northlands turns things around for a bridal show.

The Edmonton Oil Kings are at home this weekend, to Moose Jaw and Medicine Hat. The Oilers are home too, hosting the Predators.

It’s a great weekend for music in Edmonton. The Sound and YEG Live have another local showcase at The Haven Social Club, with The Wheat Pool and Trent Buhler & The Lucky Pennies. Gregg Beever wouldn’t let me forget if I fail to mention our late-night pizza friend, Carrie Day, is at the Blue Chair Cafe, with David Shepherd. The ARTery has The Jon Cohen Experimental, with Smokey. Pawn Shop’s got Owls by Nature, Fire Next Time, and The Weekend Kids.

The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra is staying up late this Friday, with percussionist Colin Currie for one of their Late Nights with Bill Eddins. This is a great way to check out the ESO in a more relaxed environment.

On Saturday…you can catch one of the final shows at Axis Cafe (yes, they’re closing) with Lisa Nicole Grace. There’s nothing like a hall show, and Big Hank & Friends will be at Queen Alexandra Hall. (Side note: Big Hank designed the ad you now see in the sidebar for S.I.R.E.N.S.) Wunderbar’s got Jessica Jalbert. And Great Big Sea is at the Jube.

If you’re up for some dance, Brian Webb’s got relay, at the Timms Centre for the Arts.

The Fringe isn’t waiting for summer. Mozart: Ze Komplete Hystery is at the TransAlta’s Westbury Theatre all weekend.