10 ways to have free summer fun in Edmonton

By Gene Kosowan

Even when Alberta is hit hard by financial downturns, Edmontonians still know how to have a good time. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to have fun for free in Edmonton this summer. [Photo credit: istockphoto.com/RStelmach]

Throughout July and August, plenty of Edmontonians will be looking for a chance to wash away the hot and sweaty effects of the summer heatwaves. The City of Edmonton has taken it upon itself to open all the outdoor pools for free to anyone who wants to jump right in and soak in the answer to the seasonal highs. Grab a towel, swimsuit and sunblock and head to your choice of the Fred Broadstock, Mill Creek, Oliver and Queen Elizabeth pools.

There’s no reason to let one of the most weirdly-designed buildings in the city go to waste – which is why checking out the Art Gallery of Alberta on the last Thursday of each month is a must. The other reason? On that day, it’s free! Throughout the summer, here’s a chance to check such exhibitions as Gretzky is Everywhere (including a Warhol portrait of the hockey great), photographic archives from The Globe and Mail and a Canadian history project created to go hand-in-hand with Canada's 150th.

Canada’s most famous festival without an identity (otherwise known as K-Days) kicks off 10 days of revelry with its annual procession July 21 at 10 a.m. along Jasper Avenue. Dozens of floats, marching bands and local celebrities (we have a few) converge at the Shaw Conference Centre and head westward to 109 Street.

If you don’t plan on spending any cash downtown during A Taste of Edmonton, make sure you eat at home first. Otherwise, it’ll be much harder to resist the servings of everything from prime rib to green onion cakes with dozens of vendors lining the perimeter of Sir Winston Churchill Square July 20 to 29. However, what’s free is the live entertainment that includes national draws such as Bif Naked, I Mother Earth, Hawksley Workman and Shad, plus prominent locals to keep homegrown fans happy.

The second largest festival of its kind in the world, the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival runs August 17 to 27 and has thousands of theatrical shows in dozens of venues, most of them in the Old Strathcona area. The best part? You don’t have to purchase a ticket to catch the myriad of live entertainment outdoors. Ground zero is the Fringe Theatre Adventures headquarters at the ATB Arts Barn. From that point, just look around!
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Discover more fun things to do in Edmonton this summer:

• 5 Edmonton-area day trip adventures
• Food on the go: Your guide to Edmonton food trucks
• Discover Edmonton's Whyte Avenue in a day

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For three days each August, spectators line the bank on Louise McKinney Park to witness the spectacle of ornately-designed floating wonders that slightly resemble canoes on steroids during the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival, running August 18 to 20. The event is a personal highlight for participants who train year-long for this competition.

Once the sun sets, the nightclub scene – especially on Whyte Avenue’s trendy beaten path – can be a bit hard to handle. If your wallet’s a bit light to handle the cost of admission and drinks, it’s tempting to sit this option out. Fortunately, a few clubs in the neighbourhood provide free entertainment on Saturday afternoon, offering primarily folk, country, roots and singer-songwriter performers. Most consistently delivering on this bargain are The Black Dog Freehouse and The Empress Ale House. Elsewhere on Whyte, just follow the music.

The federal government’s decision to do away with national park entry fees as part of Canada 150 is good news for Edmontonians. After all, Elk Island is less than an hour east by car. It’s here you just might get caught in the splendor of a natural traffic jam as herds of buffalo – once nearly wiped out less than a century ago – prosper on the premises. It’s also home to 250 wildlife species brought back from the abyss of extinction. For those not into animal stats, there’s plenty of facilities for hiking, picnicking and camping.

The activities scheduled this summer at Edmonton's Sir Winston Churchill Square are designed with fitness in mind. Depending on the day of the week, you'll have the chance to take in some free yoga, zumba and heck, even square dancing.

We’d be totally remiss if we didn’t add the river valley that borders the North Saskatchewan River as a free must-do attraction. Dwarfing New York’s Central Park by 20 times in size, the valley is recognized as the country’s largest urban park system. The river valley boasts some 160-kilometres of hiking and bike trails, plus picnic sites galore and countless opportunities to catch wildlife unhampered by the presence of civic landmarks.

An empty wallet shouldn’t deprive you of having fun this summer in the Alberta capital. When the economy really kicks in, here’s hoping you garner more capital to really get into what this city has to offer.