20 THINGS TO DO IN EDMONTON THIS WEEKEND - SEPTEMBER 12-14, 2025

Welcome to the Weekend! From music and food to sports festivals, this lineup of Edmonton events is packed with fun. Add in a dash of cooking, beer, bourbon, and a few creative pop-ups, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an exciting weekend. It’s one of the last chances to soak up the summer festivities in Edmonton - don’t sleep on what’s up in Edmonton this weekend.

Here are the best things to do in Edmonton this Weekend

Friday

• Explore AsiaFest Night Market
  Asiafest returns for 2025 with three nights of night-markets in Edmonton. Expect a sensory journey filled with mouthwatering dishes, captivating performances, and cultural experiences like no other. With over 90 vendors lined up, you'll discover even more flavors, crafts, and unique finds. And for the thrill-seekers, don’t miss the brand new Extreme Eating Contest—it's going to be wild!

• Down by the River Music Festival
  Down By The River presents Calvin Love and Chris Cohen on Thursday, September 12 at Double Dragon in Edmonton. This rare double-headliner brings together Love’s lo-fi romanticism and synth-soaked nostalgia with Cohen’s introspective, off-kilter indie pop. With limited capacity, this intimate show is not to be missed. Don’t skip the Down By The River Pre-party

• Wild Alberta: Foraged Feast
  Join this extraordinary dining experience celebrating Alberta’s wild bounty! RGE RD and renowned forager Kevin Kossowan are coming together to craft a multi-course dinner featuring thoughtfully foraged ingredients from our province’s diverse landscapes. Each course will highlight the beauty of nature’s pantry—showcasing the flavours of wild plants, mushrooms, and other foraged treasures, expertly prepared by the RGE RD kitchen. Paired with an intimate atmosphere and Kevin’s insights into foraging, this is a one-of-a-kind evening you won’t want to miss. This dinner includes drink pairings which will be infused with Kevin’s foraged ingredients.

• Thai Seafood Cooking Class
  Dive into the evocative flavours of Thai seafood with a menu featuring Oysters on the Half Shell served with tangy Nahm Jim and crispy shallots; Steamed Fish with Chilli & Lime Sauce (Plaa Neung Prik Manao), a fresh and zesty classic; Crispy Mussel Pancakes (Hoi Tod), a pan-seared broken pancake with mussels, egg, and herbs; and Mixed Seafood Stir-Fried with Red Curry Paste (Pad Prik Gaeng Talay), a fragrant and spicy stir-fry. As we cook, you’ll learn how to balance sweet, sour, salt, and spice—just as it’s done in Thai kitchens. Bring a date, a friend, your mom—or come solo and make new friends—as you join us for a relaxed and delicious evening of cooking and shared dining.

Saturday

• Down By The River Music Festival
  This fall, join us in Edmonton’s river valley at Louise McKinney Park, where music drifts through the trees, stories are shared by the water, and community gathers at the edge of something beautiful. Don’t skip the pre-party at Double Dragon.

• Beer BBQ Bourbon and Blues at The Mill
  Mark your calendars for September 13th because an extraordinary event is coming your way at The Mill Craft Bar in Edmonton! Get ready to indulge in an enticing blend of flavors, live blues music, and great vibes.

• Phillipines Pro Select vs University of Alberta Pandas
  Mark Your Calendars, Edmonton! Get ready for an electrifying night of volleyball as the Emerge Soaring Strikers — a powerhouse selection of PVL players from the Philippines — face off against the University of Alberta Pandas in September. Undercard matches showcasing local rising talent starting at Noon!

• Edmonton Mural Festival Wet Paint Mural Wrap Party
  The Edmonton Mural Festival is closing out the season with a final wrap party—and you’re invited. The paint on the murals is still wet, but it's time to celebrate the 2025 artists and murals. Join us a high-energy celebration bringing together Edmonton’s thriving art and music communities under one roof. The Freemasons Hall will be a playground packed with live performances, DJ sets, art installations, a whisky tasting, and a MINBID underground art auction.

• Barrel Fest at Ritchie Park
  Join for a barrel o' fun at Ritchie Park, next to the Ritchie Community League. Enjoy unique beers from across Canada, poured by the brewers that made them. Tickets include a commemorative Barrel Fest glass. 100ml pours will be available for $4, with service running from 1:00–6:00pm.

• Paella Party at Get Cooking
  Join us for a trip to Spain with Chef Owner Kathryn Joel and you'll learn to create two fabulous paellas: a vibrant Mixed Seafood Paella, teeming with shrimp, mussels, and squid, and a Chicken and Chorizo Paella with Spinach and Artichokes.

• Catch ‘The Life of Pi’ at Citadel Theatre
  Life of Pi brings Yann Martel’s acclaimed novel to life in a visually stunning and emotionally captivating theatrical experience. The story follows Pi Patel, a young Indian boy who survives a shipwreck and is left stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with only a Royal Bengal tiger named Richard Parker for company. As Pi struggles to survive in the vast, unforgiving ocean, he confronts the limits of his faith, his resilience, and his understanding of the world.

Sunday

• Try QUADBALL at this Free Edmonton Open House
  Want to try a chaotic and fun sport? Come join us in a weird mix of handball, dodgeball, flag football, and more all played while running around on a stick. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or have never thrown a ball in your life there is a spot in quadball for you.

• Owl Banding at Beaverhill Bird Observatory
  This annual fall migration of owls occurs from September until early November, with October being the peak in their abundance. Species targeted include Northern Saw-whet Owls, Long-eared Owls and Boreal Owls. Join our biologists for an evening in the woods to learn about the research being conducted on our feathery friends and hopefully see a live owl up close and personal! Hot drinks and light snacks will be provided and between net checks our biologists will lead discussions about our research initiatives and projects.