Slamfest entices KDays midway crowd with wrestling sights, sounds

Wrestlers perform at Slamfest on July 21, 2026, at the CKUA Stage on the KDays midway. (Brandon Lynch/CTV News Edmonton)

Justin Lawrick is confident the slaps, the oomphs, the oooohs and aaahs will lure fair-goers in – the sights and sounds coming from the wrestling ring in the middle of the KDays midway.

“As soon as people hear the sound of the ring – the bumps, all the action, the slaps – they’re drawn in,” Lawrick, a wrestler and promoter for Top Talent Wrestling, said Tuesday as he described the appeal of Slamfest to fans new and familiar.

“As soon as you walk the midway and you see a pro wrestling ring, you’re automatically going to stop, and it’s going to draw you in. Once you see those guys out there working hard and throwing each other around, you can’t help but take in all the action.”

Lawrick says the two-day Slamfest showcases several athletes who got their start with the Edmonton-based promotion.

“Here at KDays this year, we have a lot of Mexican luchadors that are coming straight from Mexico City, so we get to showcase them,” he told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday. “A lot of the talent you see here, they got their start here in Edmonton, but they travel worldwide, so it’s really great to be able to prop up this local platform where people get their start.”

Tuesday night’s show (7:15 p.m.) at the CKUA Stage wraps up Slamfest and will feature the Mexican Luchadors as well as the Slamfest Championship.

“You’ll see a new champion crowned, and you’re going to see a lot of action tonight that showcases local athletes – guys that got their start right here – and people from around the world,” Lawrick said.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Brandon Lynch