Cheap Things to Do in Edmonton — 25 Picks Under $25
Cheap things to do in Edmonton, updated every month: 25 picks under $25, plus the free stuff that's here all year. No filler, no "check local listings." Just plans.
Updated July 12, 2026
25 Things to Do This Month — August 2026
Things to do Under $25
Take a Sweet (Or Savoury) Food Tour in Chinatown
Weekly through August | $15 | Chinatown Food Tours
Eat your way through history. These walking tours hit 5–6 family-run spots, with a tasting at every stop and the stories behind each dish tossed in for free. Dumplings, bubble tea, generational recipes, and the district's best-kept secrets — one bite at a time. Award-nominated and rooted in real community. Tours start at the Hull Block Storytelling Centre and rotate weekly, so you can come back and never repeat a meal. Comfy shoes, big appetite, book ahead.
Eat & Drink at the Edmonton Heritage Festival
August 1 - 3 | Free | Edmonton Heritage Festival
The Edmonton Heritage Festival showcases a diversity of cuisine, entertainment, interpretive materials, and crafts worldwide. Comes with no admission fees, so just roll up (in the shuttle) and grab some food and drink to share from around the globe.
Get Wild at Summer Drag Brunch
August 2 | $21 | Wake it Up! Summer Drag Brunch at MKT
Brunch, but make it a monster movie. Emmonia is Alberta's kooky-conceptual heavyweight — part rock show, part horror camp, all punk attitude — and she's hosting over your eggs. Expect looks that shouldn't work and absolutely do, mixes built like setlists, and comedy sharp enough to cut through a mimosa haze. Since 2020 she's been Edmonton's weirdest, best-dressed problem. Brunch seats go fast. Grab yours.
Choose a Random Show at Edmonton Fringe
August 13-23 | $9-25 | The Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival
Every ticket is under $25. Not a promo — that's the whole festival. Over 200 indoor shows, every one $20 or less, with some starting at $9. Outdoor performers, KidsFringe and pêhonân at the Community of Tipis cost nothing at all. Eleven days, 1,600+ artists, zero excuses. Tickets go on sale Aug 5 — the good shows sell out fast, and word of mouth moves faster.
Get Ready for Adult Summer Camp at Props & Hops
August 14 | $25 | Props and Hops: Ultimate Summer Camp
The latest edition of Props & Hops transforms the museum into an adults-only Summer Camp experience set among historic aircraft. Guests are invited to enjoy an after-hours evening where aviation history meets nostalgic camp culture, complete with classic games, live music, and a relaxed, campfire-inspired atmosphere.
Get Dressed up for the Canadian Derby
August 22 | $25 | 97th Canadian Derby at Century Mile Racetrack
Break out your boldest hat and your best strut — the biggest day in Western Canadian horse racing is back! The Canadian Derby is where thundering hooves, high-stakes stakes races, and even higher fashion collide for one unforgettable Saturday at Century Mile.
Under $10
Catch a $5 Movie at Metro Cinema
Tuesdays | $5 | $5 Movie Tuesdays at Metro Cinema
It’s back! Metro Cinema is once again offering a new budget-friendly ticket option during June, July, and August: starting on June 2, our Tuesday admission price will be reduced to just $5.
Sunset Yoga to Start the Week
Sundays | full season pass $89 | individual event pass $15
Build community, build consistency and get the best Edmonton sunset views while you stretch into a new week. This all-levels class blends gentle strength, deep stretches, and calming mindfulness to help you release stress and leave feeling grounded, refreshed, and recharged.
Learn Local History on a Walking Tour
August 5 | Free | Walking History Tour
Explore the history of queer nightlife and iconic LGBTQ+ bars, highlighting their role as spaces for community, activism, connection, celebration, and self-expression.
Browse the Aisles at Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market
Saturdays and Sundays | Free+ | OSFM Hours and Vendors
As part of the vibrant community of Old Strathcona and Whyte Avenue, we’re proud to be a top destination and favourite thing to do on the weekends for locals and visitors alike, all year round.
Experience the Vibrance at Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival
August 7-9 | Free | Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival
Celebrate the vibrant culture, music, and traditions of the Caribbean at the Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival in Edmonton. This lively, family-friendly event features colorful costumes, energetic live performances, Caribbean cuisine, cultural showcases, and the iconic parade through downtown.
Get Your Glow on for Fired Up Friday at The Horse Track
August 14 | Free | Fired Up Friday at The Horse Track - 80s Glow Party
The 80s are calling and Fired Up Fridays is answering. Guests are invited to the 1st Turn Tent for a neon-soaked glow party during live racing, sponsored by Taylor Godin. Mystic Entertainment brings the party with a live DJ, while Sips and Sodas serves up dirty sodas and Lemon Lagoon keeps the crowds refreshed with fresh lemonade.
Sing-Along at Edmonton Pride Festival
August 21 | Free | Edmonton Pride Festival: Divas Sing-Along
Join fellow music lovers for an unforgettable evening of iconic pop anthems, high-energy entertainment, and community spirit. Featuring special guest performers and a soundtrack packed with diva classics, this interactive event invites everyone to sing loud, dance proudly, and celebrate love, inclusion, and self-expression as part of the Edmonton Pride Festival.
Watch Mrs. Doubtfire at a Free Drive-in Movie at Sarasota Homes
August 21 | Free | Sarasota Homes + Realty Drive-in Movie and Night Market
Robin Williams, a fake nanny, and zero dollars. Sarasota Homes + Realty turns an ordinary evening into a night market and open-air screening — and it costs nothing. Browse local makers and artisans from 6 to 9 p.m., then settle in for Mrs. Doubtfire at 7:30. Free, all ages, and one of the easiest nights out you'll have all summer. Shop early, stay for the movie.
Get Loud for PrideFest
August 22 | Free | PrideFest 2026
Join Pridefest at Fan Park in the heart of ICE District for the Edmonton Pride Festival— A dynamic, all-ages event that’s free to attend and bursting with energy, artistry, and community spirit. Celebrate the richness of Edmonton’s queer community with performances by local drag queens, musicians, artists, and bands.
Bring Yourself to an Adult Book Fair
August 22 | Free | Sherbrooke Community League Book Fair
The Sherbrooke Book Fair celebrates the joy of reading by bringing together independent bookstores, local and Canadian publishers, and a curated selection of bookish vendors under one roof. Guests can browse a wide range of titles, unwind in the reading nook, and enjoy snacks and refreshments from the concession while taking in everything the fair has to offer.
Eat, Explore and Drink at Chinatown After Dark
August 29 | Free | Chinatown After Dark
An Edmonton back alley, transformed. Chinatown After Dark turns underused laneways into a night market — live music across multiple stages, seating, cultural programming, and food ticketed Taste-of-Edmonton style so you can build a dinner spread from 20-plus Chinatown restaurants. Getting in costs nothing. Ten bucks of food tickets goes a long way. It runs monthly through summer, and it gets busier every time. Come hungry.
Always Cheap: Edmonton's Free & Under $25 Things to Do
Catch a Summer Block Party on Rice Howard Way
Saturdays | Free | Summer Block Party Programming
Saturdays from June 20 to September 19, 2026, Rice Howard Way is turning up the volume, with live music, patio energy, local businesses, and Entertainment District activity in the heart of downtown Edmonton.
Laugh on the Cheap at Free Open Mic Comedy at Grindstone
Wednesdays, 10 p.m.–midnight | Free | Grindstone Comedy Theatre & Bistro
Late-night comedy, zero dollars. Twenty comics, five minutes each, light at four — pros testing new bits, first-timers finding out whether they've got it. Hosted by Steven Darnell in the Bistro. Some sets bomb spectacularly. That's the fun.
Sing Your Heart Out at Free Karaoke Thursdays at Grindstone
Thursdays, 10 p.m.–2 a.m. | Free | Grindstone Comedy Theatre & Bistro
Four hours, no cover, no shame. The Grindstone Bistro hands you the mic from 10 until close and lets you find out what you sound like at 1 a.m. It's a non-profit bar, so the drinks you buy fund local theatre. Belt something.
Free Admission to Art Gallery of Alberta on the Last Thursday of the Month
Last Thursday | Monthly | Art Gallery of Alberta
Seventeen dollars, waived. On the last Thursday of every month the AGA opens its doors for free from 4 to 7 p.m. — three floors, 6,000-plus works, and one of the best buildings in the city to stand inside. Kids 17 and under always get in free. Show up at 4, not 6:45. This month it’s August 27, 2026.