Feel that chill in the air? It’s the perfect excuse to get out of the house and check out one of the many events happening across Edmonton and the surrounding area this weekend. Besides, there’s even more to do than usual because September is Alberta Culture Days, the province’s annual celebration of arts, culture, heritage and diversity in communities big and small. Alberta Culture Days Several attractions and events in and around Edmonton are offering free admission or special programming as part of the month-long celebration. Edmonton Rutherford House, 11153 Saskatchewan Dr. NW (Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.): Tour the 1911 post-Edwardian home and gardens of Alberta’s first premier on the University of Alberta campus. Citadel Theatre, 9828 101A Ave. NW (all day Saturday and Sunday): Enjoy family-friendly arts and culture activities, including theatre school games and exercises, backstage tours, artist talks and film screenings. Culture Days at McIntyre Park, 8331 104 St. NW (Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.): Old Strathcona’s gathering space (a.k.a. Gazebo Park) will feature live music from the Parkbench Concert Band, Jazz Big Band, Handbell Choir, Littlebirds Jazz Band and other performers, along with swing dance lessons. Presented by the Cosmopolitan Music Society. Pinas Kultura Days, Stanley A. Milner Library (Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.): Day 2 of the festival, presented by the Edmonton Philippine International Centre, invites visitors to explore Filipino culture through exhibits, workshops, storytelling, art, music and contemporary conversations. Royal Alberta Museum, 9810 103A Ave. NW (Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.): Explore exhibits covering millions of years of natural and cultural history, along with creative play spaces in the Children’s Gallery. HeART of the Habitat, ArtsHub Ortona, 9722 102 St. NW (Saturday, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.): Presented by Arts Habitat Edmonton, the event features performances, workshops, activities and exhibitions. Admission is free, but tickets are required. One People Festival: Celebrating Unity Through Culture, Whitemud Crossing Theatre, 4211 106 St. NW (Saturday, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.): This family-friendly multicultural event features music, dance, storytelling, food and community showcases. Presented by Vision de Loin. Terre Des Rencontres/Meeting Grounds, The Orange Hub, #296, 10045 156 St. NW (Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.): Presented by Kayanou, the event centres on dominoes as a symbol of togetherness, bringing people together to play, share stories and pass on traditions. YouthWrite’s 30th Anniversary Block Party, 64 Street NW between 113 and 114 avenues (Saturday, 6 p.m.): Expect live performances, refreshments, canapés and dancing. Special guests include the Spoken Word Youth Choir, Miranda Martini, Masani St. Rose, and Brad Bucknell and The oHNo Band. The Edmonton Malayali Association of Alberta presents Dey Maveli 2.0 on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. at the Pleasantview Community League hall. The event celebrates cultural diversity through music, dance, arts, traditions and community spirit. The Connect Society presents Hands Across Alberta: A Deaf Cultural Celebration on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Edmonton Association of the Deaf, 11404 142 St. NW. Held during the International Week of Deaf People, the event includes presentations, a short film, popcorn and cake. St. Albert The St. Albert Cultivates the Arts Society is presenting two Alberta Culture Days events: Hair Braiding Workshop, St. Albert United Church, 20 Green Grove Dr. (Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.): Learn hair-braiding techniques with the African and African Descendant Friendship Club. Registration is required. Visual Arts Council Drop-in Workshops, St. Albert Place, 5 St. Anne St. (Saturday starting at 10 a.m.): Meet and create alongside members of the Floral Art Society of St. Albert, St. Albert Painters’ Guild, St. Albert Paper Arts Guild, St. Albert Potters Guild and St. Albert Quilters’ Guild. Each guild will offer a hands-on activity. Plus there’s the Arts and Heritage Exploration, St. Albert Place (Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.): Browse a variety of arts and heritage activities and sign up for free art programs or family-friendly drop-in sessions. Strathcona County How to Photograph Your Artwork, Gallery@501, 501 Festival Ave., Sherwood Park (Saturday, 1 p.m.): This hands-on workshop covers lighting, camera setup, composition, photographing two- and three-dimensional artwork, file organization and troubleshooting. Registration is required. Leduc CDL Birthday Celebration, Connectivity Dance, #102, 4709 51 Ave. (Saturday, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.): Connectivity Dance is celebrating 16 years in Leduc County with free dance classes, jump rope, breaking demonstrations and interactive arts activities for all ages. And that’s just Alberta Culture Days. Here are a few more events happening this weekend: Edmonton Transit Service Open House Staff at the D.L. MacDonald Garage, 13310 50A St. NW, will welcome visitors from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a behind-the-scenes look at Edmonton’s transit system. Guests can tour the garage, explore vehicles, sit in operators’ seats and ask questions about transit operations. A free shuttle will run every 15 minutes between Belvedere Transit Centre and the garage. On-site parking will not be available. Open Cockpit Day The Alberta Aviation Museum is hosting its popular annual Open Cockpit Day on Saturday. Visitors can learn about 20 aircraft and climb aboard more than a dozen of them inside the historic Kingsway hangar. The museum will also open its simulator lab, offer family activities and host on-site food vendors. Tickets are required. AsiaFest YEG AsiaFest YEG returns to the Currents of Windermere from Friday through Sunday and is twice the size of last year’s event. More than 120 vendors will participate in the night market, including more than 40 food destinations serving authentic dishes. The festival also features more than 50 performance groups, cultural showcases and family-friendly activities. Hours are 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Also happening this weekend: Pumpkins After Dark at Borden Park, the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market’s Harvest Festival, and Fall-o-ween at Prairie Gardens near Bon Accord. Sports fans can also catch the CFL’s Edmonton Elks hosting the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday (5 p.m.) at Commonwealth Stadium, while the Edmonton Oilers take on the Calgary Flames (7 p.m.) in NHL preseason action at Rogers Place.
