Sunday belongs to the Elks: Edmonton plays the Montreal Alouettes in the 113th Grey Cup at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, with kickoff at 5 p.m. It's the club's first Grey Cup since 2015. Before that, 124 Street lights up for the free All Is Bright festival, Santa arrives at West Edmonton Mall on Saturday morning and the PBR Canada National Finals bring bull riding to Rogers Place on Friday and Saturday.
It's also a big weekend for holiday shopping, with a 100-vendor Indigenous holiday market at the Alberta Aviation Museum, the Edmonton Potters' Guild sale and a warehouse sale at the Expo Centre.
Thirteen things worth doing in Edmonton this weekend, with times, addresses and what each one costs.
The Elks in the 113th Grey Cup
Sports
The Elks beat the BC Lions 28-16 in front of 40,182 fans at Commonwealth last Saturday, and now they play the Montreal Alouettes for the Grey Cup, against the team that traded quarterback Cody Fajardo to Edmonton. Kickoff is 5 p.m. Alberta time on TSN and CTV (RDS in French). If you're driving down, give yourself extra time: McMahon has no public parking, so park at the University of Calgary lots and walk, or take the Red Line CTrain to Banff Trail station. Gates open at 3 p.m. and the stadium is card only. Leave early enough on Saturday and you can catch the free Grey Cup Festival at Stampede Park first.
When: Sunday, November 15, 5 p.m. (gates 3 p.m.)
Where: McMahon Stadium, 1817 Crowchild Trail NW, Calgary
Cost: Face value ran about $280 to $520 before fees in October; check the official site for what's left
PBR Canada National Finals
Sports
Canada's best bull riders finish their season at Rogers Place, where the national champion is crowned over two nights. The Oilers are on the road all weekend, so the arena is all bull riding. Each night starts at 7 p.m., with doors at 6, and a two-day pass is the cheaper way to see both rounds. The LRT drops you at the arena.
When: Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14, 7 p.m. (doors 6 p.m.)
Where: Rogers Place, 10220 104 Avenue NW
Cost: From about $40
All Is Bright on 124 Street
Free
124 Street's winter festival runs over two days this year. On Friday, carvers make about 20 ice sculptures around the neighbourhood from 4 p.m., and glowing planet displays go up in Helen Nolan Park. Saturday is the big night: 124 Street closes between 107 and 110 Avenue for light displays, free horse-drawn carriage rides, free ice-carving lessons, a fire performer every hour, Chinese lion dancers at 4, 5, 6 and 7 p.m., Indigenous dancers and roaming characters including Paw Patrol, Anna, Elsa and Olaf. The light-up countdown is at 6:30 p.m. in Helen Nolan Park, pushed later this year because Alberta didn't turn its clocks back, so it gets dark later. Food trucks line the street, so come hungry.
When: Friday, November 13 from 4 p.m. (ice carving); Saturday, November 14, 4 to 8 p.m. (light-up at 6:30 p.m.)
Where: 124 Street between 107 and 110 Avenue NW, and around the 124 Street area
Cost: Free
Santa's Arrival at West Edmonton Mall
Free
Santa makes his grand entrance at West Edmonton Mall at 10 a.m. on Saturday, followed by live entertainment, ornament decorating and hot chocolate. Get there before 10 for a spot near Centre Stage. Photos with Santa at North Pole Place start the same day, from $49 to $69, and booking a time slot saves you a line.
When: Saturday, November 14, 10 to 11:30 a.m. (Santa arrives at 10)
Where: Centre Stage, Phase I, Level One (near WEM Toyota), West Edmonton Mall, 8882 170 Street NW
Cost: Free; Santa photos $49 to $69
A Very Indigenous Holiday Market
Market
IAM Collective fills the Alberta Aviation Museum's event hangar with more than 100 Indigenous vendors selling art, clothing and gifts, plus traditional drumming and dancing, an Indigenous fashion showcase and an Indigenous café. Admission is free. The organizers ask visitors to bring clean, gently used winter clothing and footwear, or new socks, underwear and toiletries, which go to groups helping people in need.
When: Friday, November 13, 3 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, November 14, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, November 15, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Alberta Aviation Museum event hangar, 11410 Kingsway NW
Cost: Free
Edmonton Potters' Guild Fall Show and Sale
Market
More than 80 local potters sell mugs, bowls, serving dishes and decorative pieces at the guild's annual one-day sale. It's one of the best places in the city for handmade Christmas gifts, and the best pieces go early, so arrive near 10. Parking is free on site, Visa and Mastercard are accepted and there's an ATM. Bring a donation for Edmonton's Food Bank.
When: Saturday, November 14, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Alberta Avenue Community Centre, 9210 118 Avenue NW
Cost: Free admission
Under Armour and YETI Warehouse Sale
Shopping
The warehouse sale in Hall F at the Expo Centre runs through Sunday, with 50 to 80 per cent off Under Armour bags, footwear and apparel for adults and youth, and up to 60 per cent off YETI coolers, drinkware and bags. Stock is restocked daily, some items have purchase limits, and doors can close early if it hits capacity, so dress for a lineup.
When: Friday, November 13, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, November 14, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, November 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Hall F, Edmonton Expo Centre, 7515 118 Avenue NW
Cost: Free entry
Broad View International Film Festival
Culture
Edmonton's festival of films by women directors wraps up its 2026 edition at Metro Cinema in the Garneau Theatre, with features and documentaries from around the world, including Lampedusa, The Last Meal and This Is Not a Ghost Story. Check the festival schedule for screening times, and pair it with a walk down 109 Street.
When: Through Saturday, November 14
Where: Metro Cinema at the Garneau, 8712 109 Street NW
Cost: About $16.50 per screening
The Cottage at the Varscona
Culture
Teatro La Quindicina opens Sandy Rustin's comedy of manners, set in an English cottage in 1923, where a tangle of secrets about love, identity and marriage comes apart one door slam at a time. Farren Timoteo directs. The Sunday matinee is the easiest one to catch.
When: Friday and Saturday, November 13 and 14, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, November 15, 2 p.m. Runs to November 29.
Where: Varscona Theatre, 10329 83 Avenue NW
Cost: $27 to $48
Fall Harvest at the Muttart, final weekend
Family
Last chance for the Muttart's Fall Harvest show in the feature pyramid, with its giant coleus tower, glowing patio lights and a rustic farm scene. It closes on Sunday. The other three pyramids stay open, and it's a warm way to spend a grey November afternoon.
When: Through Sunday, November 15
Where: Muttart Conservatory, 9626 96A Street NW
Cost: Adults $14.95, youth and seniors $12.95, children $7.75
Lights in the Park at Greenland Garden Centre
Family
Greenland's botanical garden east of the city is lit up for the season with shimmering trees, light-up polar bears and narwhals along the paths. Leashed dogs are welcome and proceeds support the Strathcona Christmas Bureau and the Salvation Army. It's closed on Sundays, so go Friday or Saturday.
When: Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14, 5 to 9 p.m. (last entry 8:30)
Where: Greenland Garden Centre, 23108 Highway 16, Sherwood Park
Cost: $5 per person or $15 per family
Cineplex Community Day
Free
Participating Cineplex theatres show four family movies for free on Saturday morning: Tom and Jerry, The LEGO Movie, Paddington 2 and A Minecraft Movie. Tickets are handed out only at the theatre that morning, first come, first served, so show up early. Popcorn, drinks and candy are $3 each until 11 a.m., and Cineplex donates to BGC Canada's programs for kids.
When: Saturday, November 14, 9 to 11 a.m.
Where: Participating Cineplex theatres in Edmonton
Cost: Free movies; $3 snacks
Old Strathcona Farmers' Market
Food
Edmonton's original indoor farmers' market is open both days and warm inside, with produce, baking, coffee and local makers under one roof. It's two blocks from the Varscona, so it pairs well with a Sunday matinee of The Cottage.
When: Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: 10310 83 Avenue NW
Cost: Free to browse
Editor's Pick: Saturday on 124 Street. Do the Potters' Guild sale in the morning, then head to All Is Bright for the carriage rides, ice carving and the 6:30 light-up. Save Sunday for the Grey Cup: kickoff is 5 p.m., and if the Elks win, it's their first championship since 2015.
Know an event we missed? Tag us @culturealberta or email hello@culturemedia.ca
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