West Edmonton Mall to open early for Black Friday event

The interior of West Edmonton Mall in an undated file photo.

With Black Friday only hours away, Canada's largest mall is getting ready for one of the biggest shopping days of the year.

West Edmonton Mall announced it will open its doors at 9 a.m. on Friday with select stores opening even earlier.

"We are excited to officially kick off the holiday shopping season at West Edmonton Mall, showcasing festive events, best-in-class shopping and exciting contests for our guests to engage with," said Danielle Woo, the general manager and executive vice president of tourism for WEM, in a Thursday news release.

"Black Friday at WEM has become a tradition for many of our guests travelling from near and far and we look forward to welcoming them back through our doors for another great day of shopping," she said.

Along with the many deals stores are offering, shoppers can try their luck when they encounter one of the 12 scan and win stations located around the mall and potentially win a gift card worth up to $1,000.

Local musicians will be performing throughout the afternoon and charities including Santa's Anonymous and the Salvation Army will be in attendance to collect donations for families in need.

For more information about WEM's Black Friday event or other holiday events, visit the mall's website.