Folk Fest, Cariwest, and Animethon: What’s happening in Edmonton this weekend

The weather forecast may be cloudy this weekend, but a number of events will still go ahead rain or shine. From parking your tarp on the hill for Folk Fest to the Caribbean vibes parading downtown, here is a list of what’s happening in and around Edmonton.

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Edmonton Folk Music Festival sold out

What would Edmonton be in August without a little folk music? The 46th-annual Edmonton Folk Music Festival returned on Thursday and will continue through the weekend until Sunday.

Tickets are sold out for the not-for-profit live music fest at Gallagher Park, which will feature artists like AHI, John Butler, The Roots, Mt. Joy, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and many more.

A full schedule of the artists performing at the event are listed online.

Important to note whether you snagged tickets or not, is that curb lanes in both directions between 92 Street and 95 Street will be closed for people to safely cross to Folk Fest. A full list of details about parking and closures can be found here.

• What to know about Edmonton’s 46th annual Folk Fest

Cariwest provides island vibes for 3 days

The Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival will be bringing Caribbean culture to the streets of downtown Edmonton from Friday to Sunday.

The Western Carnival Development Association, a non-profit organization, brings the annual carnival to Sir Winston Churchill Square with a parade down Jasper Avenue on Saturday from noon to 2:30 p.m.

Music, food trucks, food tents, and the spirit of the Caribbean will take over the square with a soft launch on Friday night from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and most of Saturday and Sunday starting at 11 a.m.

A full schedule is available on their website.

Get your geek on at Animethon

Anime and cosplay fans can unite for Animethon 2025 at the Edmonton Convention Centre this weekend.

From Friday to Sunday, the centre’s halls will feature vendors, gaming, a dance showcase, cosplay competitions, fan panels, and more. Autograph sessions with some voice actors, musical artists, and producers are also on hand at the event. A full schedule can be viewed or downloaded online.

Full weekend passes are sold out, but daily passes are available for purchase online for $45 to $60. Children 12 years and younger can enter with free general admission when they are accompanied by an adult with a paid pass.

Chef’s kiss to local producers with farm-to-table dining

Enjoy a taste of Alberta – literally – with Alberta on the Plate which runs Friday to August 17. The foodie event showcases locally sourced ingredients from our province’s backyard at participating restaurants, which will be offering multi-course, fixed-price menus during the 10-day event.

It’s a chef’s kiss to Alberta’s farmers, ranchers, producers, brewers, chefs and food artisans and will feature some of Edmonton’s popular eateries including The Marc, Fu’s Repair Shop, The Butternut Tree, Three Vikings Food + Drink, and more.

The farm-to-fork, province-wide dining event aligns with Alberta Local Food Week, and will end the same weekend as Open Farm Days.

Family-friendly fun

There are several community events happening in and around Edmonton this weekend.

The town of Devon is celebrating 75 years with a block party weekend. Various locations around town will host events for the milestone anniversary, starting with a drive-in movie at the Canadian Energy Museum on Friday. Other events include a free pancake breakfast at the Lions Campground from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, historical bus tours, free public swimming at the Devon Pool from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and the opening of a time capsule, originally buried 25 years ago, on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. near the Devon Eye Clinic. A list of full events and locations are listed online.

The St. Albert Rotary Club is hosting an annual fundraiser this weekend. Ribfest 2025 will take place at Century Casino on Boudreau Road, with three teams dishing out ribs – Billy Bones BBQ, Blazing BBQ and Buckeye BBQ. Volunteers are still needed for the event. Visit the Rotary Club website for more information.

The Edmonton Arts Council is hosting Youth Day Edmonton on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Castle Downs Park Pavilion. Enjoy a free, all-ages celebration with bouncy castles, food, face painting, a live DJ, prizes and more. Artist Coda Girvan will also be at the event to celebrate her new mural, Community Windows, on the Castle Downs Park washroom facility near the park’s playground.

The Sturgeon County Bounty will take place at Cardiff Park on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. The annual summer event has been re-imagined as a county fair filled with live music, dancing, markets, and games. It will be a full day of fun and entertainment for the family, including a Firefighter Olympics. The event is free to attend, but organizers are asking people who attend to consider bringing a non-perishable food donation for the local food bank.

Family Fun Day is a free, family-friendly event raising awareness for the Zebra Centre in Edmonton, hosted by the centre and Bikers Against Child Abuse. Learn about child safety resources, play lawn games, and enjoy bubbles, chalk, food trucks and more. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the centre on Sunday.