November in Edmonton is the month everyone quietly hibernates. The patio season is long gone, the holiday chaos hasn’t started, and your weekend plans have shrunk to “maybe Costco.”
We say get out anyway. This list has 25 ways to fill your calendar for less than the cost of a takeout order, from free afternoons to cheap nights out. For even more, browse the full edmonton.events calendar.
And we’re starting with one that costs you nothing at all, if you play it right.
Cheap Things to Do in Edmonton Under $25, November 2026
1. Play for Free at Marathon of Sport
On November 21, motionball’s Marathon of Sport turns a Saturday into a full day of games: basketball, soccer, bocce, ultimate, giant pong, giant volleyball and more. Teams of up to 10 rotate through every sport, with one or two Special Olympics athletes playing alongside them all day.
Here’s how it ends up free. Registration is $50, but raise $100 and you get it all back. Your entry still comes with a motionball hat and shirt, lunch and refreshments, so it’s a full day out that costs nothing but a few texts to your aunt asking for a donation.
No full team? Sign up as a free agent and you’ll be grouped with other players. Most of what you raise, 70%, stays here to fund Special Olympics Alberta programs.
Register for Marathon of Sport
2. Irrational Science: Myth-Busting Affordable Housing
Irrational Science takes over Irrational Brewing on 124 Street for a panel on one of the city’s most argued-about topics. Presented with Partners for Affordable Housing, frontline housing leaders and advocates will dig into what the evidence actually says about safety, property values and how new residents fit into a neighbourhood.
They’ll also look at housing built for specific groups, like veterans and families leaving domestic violence, plus the policy and economic forces behind the crisis. Grab a pint and bring your questions; it’s made for curious neighbours and urban planning nerds alike.
3. Horizon Drive-In Carload Nights
Pile everyone into one vehicle and the price of a movie drops to a single ticket. Horizon Drive-In’s Carload Nights at the Edmonton Valley Zoo cover the whole car, which makes this the cheapest group movie night in town once you split it.
On Nov. 5, choose from Moana, Back to the Future or Smile. Nov. 6 brings Grease, Indiana Jones and Annabelle. Stick around for Nov. 7, when the lineup turns festive with Elf, Home Alone and Die Hard. Dress warm, bring blankets and plan on snacks in the front seat.
4. Pay-What-You-Will Improv at Rapid Fire Theatre
You already shout out suggestions at an improv show, so why not name your own ticket price too? Throughout the season, Rapid Fire Theatre designates select shows as pay-what-you-will, and this month that means CHiMPROV on Thursday nights, Nov. 5 and 12.
Shows run at the Rapid Fire Exchange on 83 Avenue in Old Strathcona, and every one is made up on the spot, so no two nights are alike. Bring a friend who’s never seen improv; this is the easiest way in.
5. Edmonton Under $100 Art Show
Twenty thousand square feet of original art, and nothing over $100. Paintings, prints, ceramics, textiles, photography and handmade accessories from local artists fill the space downtown on 102 Avenue, including big statement canvases you’d normally pay several times that for.
Getting in fits the budget, and browsing costs nothing once you’re there. Go on opening night for first pick and live music, or upgrade to VIP for a guided tour of the Backroom, where fresh pieces sell before they reach the floor.
6. Explore Vignettes’ New CAMPUS
The team behind Vignettes is opening CAMPUS, a new art and design society, and its launch party on Nov. 6 kicks off the ReForm Market + Makerspace pop-up in the city’s south side.
The whole idea is creative reuse: taking discarded materials and making them into something useful and good-looking. Try sample workshop stations, poke around small interactive art displays and see how the makerspace will work once it’s up and running.
There’s food, drinks and a room full of local creatives to meet. Reformed home goods and mending kits will be available to take home, so you leave with a head start on reviving your own castoffs.
7. Skier’s Film Fest at Metro Cinema
Consider this your pre-season hype session. The Skier’s Sportshop takes over the historic Garneau Theatre on Nov. 6 and 7 for two nights of deep powder, big lines and urban park segments on the big screen, for $20 a night.
Friday leans freeride, with three Faction short films and Matchstick Productions’ The Way Out. Saturday switches to freestyle, featuring Dylan Siggers’ A Luxurious Experience, Bucket Clips 5 and a handful of shorts. Can’t pick? Both nights cost $35.
8. Make a Pottery Tile for a Permanent Mural
Here’s a chance to leave your mark on Bonnie Doon, for free. CAVA is building an outdoor clay mural for its gallery as part of the province-wide “Nature and Heritage of Our Home” art project, and it wants the public’s help.
Artist Sébastien Caron-Roy will guide you through working with clay, playing with colour, and creating and glazing your own tile over two workshop sessions, starting Nov. 7. The finished tiles go up on CAVA’s exterior walls, so you can visit yours long after the clay dries.
No experience needed and all materials are provided. Everyone is welcome, though the sessions run mostly in French.
9. Pizza Bagels at Campio Brewing
The pizza bagel is getting a grown-up glow-up. From Nov. 7 to 14, Campio Brewing and Beb’s Bagels are serving Campio’s pizzas on Beb’s bagels, and they’ve brewed a collab beer to wash them down.
It’s a one-week run and only at Campio’s downtown location, so don’t wait until the last night. Reservations are recommended, especially on the weekend.
10. Edmonton Taboo Show
The Taboo Show brings its adult lifestyle and wellness expo to the Edmonton EXPO Centre Nov. 13 to 15, and it’s strictly 18+. Think romance, personal wellness and lifestyle seminars, plus vendors, fashion shows, body art, roaming performers and tattoo artists on site.
General admission covers one full day with re-entry, so you can step out for dinner and come back for the evening. Go Friday night with friends for the liveliest crowd, or Sunday afternoon if you’d rather browse at your own pace.
11. The Mikado, Reimagined
Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic operetta gets a fresh setting at La Cité Francophone, Nov. 13 to 22. Playwright R.A. Shiomi’s new adaptation for Foote in the Door Productions moves the story to Edwardian England while keeping the sharp wordplay and the score you probably know without realizing it.
Expect mistaken identities, unlikely romances, ridiculous laws and a cast of schemers trying to wriggle out of their own bad decisions. It’s all ages and easy to follow, whether you’re a G&S die-hard or have never seen one.
With matinees on Nov. 15, 21 and 22, it’s an easy pick for a weekend afternoon.
12. The Winter Art Market at Orange Hall
Think of it as a pocket-sized indoor art walk. On Nov. 14, nine Edmonton artists fill historic Orange Hall with original artwork, prints and fibre art, steps from the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market.
Pair it with your Saturday market run and you’ve got a free morning out with a head start on holiday gifts. Note that the building is only accessible by stairs.
13. Edmonton Potters’ Guild Fall Show & Sale
If you’ve been searching for the perfect mug, this is your day. More than 80 local potters bring their work to the Alberta Avenue Community Centre on Nov. 14, from sturdy everyday stoneware to decorative pieces and one-of-a-kind gifts.
Admission and parking are both free. The guild is also collecting for Edmonton’s Food Bank, so toss a couple of non-perishables in the car on your way out the door.
14. The Edmonton Underground Film Festival
Seventy-five short films in one afternoon, and none of them are what you’d find on Netflix. The Edmonton Underground Film Festival returns for its third year on Nov. 14 at Freemasons’ Hall, screening local and international shorts picked for their creative freedom and willingness to experiment.
It’s fully grassroots, funded by filmmaker submissions and ticket sales alone, which keeps the lineup wild and wonderfully unpredictable. Doors open at noon, so it slots in neatly after a morning at the markets.
15. Hello Pretty Holiday Market
Five dollars gets you in, kids 12 and under are free, and the Santa photos cost nothing. Hello Pretty brings its curated boutique market to the Northeast River Valley Park Event Centre on Nov. 14 with local vendors selling handmade gifts, seasonal décor and holiday treats.
Santa drops by from 1 to 4 p.m., and you can snap your own photo with him for free. Want to stay longer? Book the festive cake-painting workshop separately, where buttercream becomes your paint and coffee, tea and hot cocoa are included.
16. The House Bunny, With a Live Drag Show
Pink, sparkly and very 2008. Metro Cinema’s Life’s a Drag(Show) series pairs The House Bunny with a live opening performance from GoGo Fetch and Moranna Hurry on Nov. 14 at the Garneau Theatre.
The drag starts at 9:30 p.m., then the film rolls at 10, following Anna Faris as an evicted Playboy bunny who teaches a sorority of lovable misfits how to win back their house. Dig out your brightest pink and make a night of it.
17. The Secret Secrets Club at Rapid Fire Theatre
Got something you’ve never told anyone? Write it down, drop it in anonymously, and watch Rapid Fire Theatre’s improvisers turn it into a scene on the spot. The Secret Secrets Club runs late on Nov. 14, and every confession is fair game.
Expect shocking reveals, plenty of surprises and an unofficial “initiation” into the club for everyone brave enough to submit. It’s 18+, and organizers warn it might get spicy.
18. Irrational Comedy Featuring Moe Aden
Irrational Brewing’s comedy night is back with a new host and a new format. On Nov. 18, Edmonton comic Katie Yoner leads a lineup of local stand-ups before Moe Aden closes things out with a 20-minute headlining set.
The twist: every show includes one weird thing to open the second half. It changes monthly, and Katie won’t reveal it until you’re in your seat. Show up early and grab a pint on 124 Street before the lights go down.
19. The Electric Revue
Pay what you can for a night of live-band burlesque at the CKUA Beresh Arts Den on Nov. 19. House of Hush takes the stage backed by Bud Frazier and the Silver Wedding Band, with The Fab Tiff Hall joining the lineup for a celebration of Edmonton’s after-dark history.
Between sets, a conversation digs into how the city’s burlesque and music scenes have crossed paths to shape its nightlife. Arrive early for the lounge hour, with vintage and burlesque sellers and drinks before the show starts at 7 p.m.
Admission is by donation, with proceeds supporting the Edmonton Queer History Project, a community-led non-profit documenting more than 50 years of queer life in the city. It’s 18+.
20. Hello Pretty Christmas Market at The Enjoy Centre
Missed Hello Pretty in the northeast? Round two heads to St. Albert, filling the Moonflower Room at The Enjoy Centre with local vendors for a weekend of holiday shopping starting Nov. 20.
The doors open Friday evening, so you can tackle your gift list straight from work. Santa stops by Friday night and Sunday afternoon, with free photos on your own phone.
Admission is still $5, and kids 12 and under get in free.
21. Wake It Up! Fall Drag Brunch at MKT
Sunday brunch gets a lot more glamorous at MKT on Nov. 22. Tickets are $17 plus GST for the show, and you order brunch from the menu on site, with the full bar and more than 100 beers on tap if you’re feeling festive.
Your host is Emmonia, drag’s campy creature feature, who mixes rock, glam and comedy and was named Edmonton’s 2023 Entertainer of the Year. More performers are still to be announced. It’s an all-ages show, doors open at 10 a.m., and parking is free.
22. Food for Thought: Culinary Book Club
Half book club, half cooking class, all low-pressure. Edmonton Public Library’s Food for Thought pairs good reading with good food around a monthly theme, and on Nov. 23 the downtown Stanley A. Milner Library is all about Canadian literature.
Bring any Canadian book you love to talk about (a suggested reading list is coming, all available to borrow), then help make and share bannock as the month’s themed treat.
23. Free Open Mic Comedy at the Grindstone
Every Wednesday at 10 p.m., the Grindstone Theatre in Old Strathcona hands the mic to whoever’s brave enough to take it. First-timers test the waters, seasoned comics try out new bits, and you can watch it all for free with no ticket needed.
Each comic gets five minutes, with a light at the four-minute mark, and up to 20 take the stage before midnight. Steven Darnell hosts. Feeling bold? This is the cheapest way to say you’ve done stand-up in Edmonton.
24. Free Thursday Night at the Art Gallery of Alberta
Mark Nov. 26 on the calendar. On the last Thursday of every month, the Art Gallery of Alberta opens its doors for free from 4 to 7 p.m., so you can wander every exhibition in that striking downtown building without paying a cent.
Swing by straight from work, then grab dinner nearby on Churchill Square. It gets busy, so arriving closer to 4 p.m. gives you more room to linger. Bringing kids? Those 17 and under get in free any day.
25. Catch a Free Christmas Light-Up
The last weekend of November is when Edmonton and the surrounding towns flip the switch on the holidays, and most of these celebrations cost nothing at all. Neighbourhoods, main streets and town squares across the region kick off the season with tree lightings, Santa visits, hot chocolate and, in some spots, fireworks.
Pick the one closest to home or make a night of hopping between a couple. Dress warm, bring a thermos and maybe a non-perishable for the food bank drives some of them run.
Still looking for plans? New events land on the edmonton.events calendar every week, and our 25 Under $25 guide keeps the cheap stuff all in one place.
