Churchill Square fills with giant glowing planets for ten free nights, Boo at the Zoo opens at the Valley Zoo, the Elks play their United in Pink game on Friday night, and LitFest and the Citadel's new true-story musical keep downtown busy all weekend. Add the Oil Kings on Sunday afternoon, the biggest coin show in the country and the last week before Halloween at the pumpkin patches, and there is something for every age.
Saturday is the easy day to stack: the zoo in the morning, the coin show or the home show after lunch, and downtown after dark for the planets. The Oilers are in Utah on Saturday, so the big hockey game is the junior one at Rogers Place on Sunday.
Fifteen things worth doing in Edmonton this weekend, with times, addresses and what each one costs.
Galactic Atmosphere in Churchill Square
Free
The headline of the weekend and it costs nothing. For ten nights Churchill Square becomes a glowing solar system: eleven huge illuminated planets you can walk between, 3D visuals, holographic projections and space-themed installations, part of the City's Turn Up Downtown program. It runs 6 to 11 p.m. every night from Friday, October 16, to Sunday, October 25. The planets look best once it is properly dark, around 7:30 this time of year, and the LRT drops you at Churchill station right beside it.
When: Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 25, 6 to 11 p.m. nightly
Where: Sir Winston Churchill Square, 99 Street and 102 Avenue NW
Cost: Free
Boo at the Zoo at the Edmonton Valley Zoo
Family
The zoo's not-so-scary Halloween weekend is the one to dress the kids up for: costumed characters around the grounds, spooky activities and the animals, all included in regular admission. It runs Saturday and Sunday this weekend and again next weekend, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Go at 10 when it is quiet; by early afternoon the paths around the main loop are a parade of tiny dinosaurs and princesses.
When: Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (also October 24 and 25)
Where: Edmonton Valley Zoo, 13315 Buena Vista Road NW
Cost: Regular zoo admission
Edmonton Elks vs Winnipeg Blue Bombers, United in Pink
Sports
Friday night at Commonwealth is the Elks' United in Pink game against Winnipeg, raising money for the fight against breast cancer, and the team has already clinched a home playoff game, so this is a chance to see them before the postseason. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. and it will be cold, so dress for single digits and falling. Tickets start in the mid-$20s. Take the LRT to Stadium station.
When: Friday, October 16, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Commonwealth Stadium, 11000 Stadium Road NW
Cost: From about $24
Oil Kings vs Victoria Royals
Sports
A Sunday 3 p.m. puck drop at Rogers Place, which makes it the most family-friendly game of the season for the WHL Oil Kings: home before dinner, tickets from about $23.50, and the same building as the Oilers for a fraction of the price. Pair it with the Galactic Atmosphere planets across the street once it gets dark.
When: Sunday, October 18, 3 p.m.
Where: Rogers Place, 10220 104 Avenue NW
Cost: From about $23.50
Our Little Secret at the Citadel
Culture
The Citadel's new show is a true story told as a musical: Noam Tomaschoff, who grew up an only child, discovers he has a lot of half-siblings he never knew about. It is funny, it is moving, and it is a short run, opening October 15 and closing October 25, so this weekend and next are the only chances. Tickets start around $40.
When: Through Sunday, October 25
Where: Citadel Theatre, 9828 101A Avenue NW
Cost: From about $40
LitFest, final weekend
Culture
Canada's original nonfiction festival wraps up on Sunday after five days of conversations with authors writing about food, science, history, sport, politics and memoir, with events at the Citadel and the Stanley A. Milner Library. A good share of the programming is free and the rest is ticketed; the schedule on the festival site says which is which. If you only go to one, pick a Saturday afternoon session at the Milner and browse the library after.
When: Through Sunday, October 18
Where: Citadel Theatre and Stanley A. Milner Library, downtown
Cost: Free and ticketed events
YAGA at the Varscona
Culture
Shadow Theatre opens its season with Kat Sandler's YAGA, a comedic mystery that takes the old Baba Yaga folk tale and turns it into a modern whodunit. It is the right Halloween-season show for people who want atmosphere without gore. The run goes to November 1 at the Varscona on 83 Avenue, with tickets from about $25.
When: Through Sunday, November 1
Where: Varscona Theatre, 10329 83 Avenue NW
Cost: About $25 to $40
Hedda Gabler, closing Saturday
Culture
The U of A Studio Theatre's Hedda Gabler closes on Saturday with a 1:30 p.m. matinee and a 7:30 p.m. evening show, and there is one more performance Friday at 7:30. Studio Theatre is the best theatre bargain in Edmonton, with tickets around $15 to $25 and the matinee usually half that.
When: Friday, October 16, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, October 17, 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Where: Timms Centre for the Arts, 87 Avenue and 112 Street NW
Cost: About $15 to $25
Edmonton Coin Show and Sale
Family
Billed as Canada's largest numismatic event, the Edmonton Numismatic Society's fall show fills the Central Lions Centre with dealers selling Canadian, world and ancient coins, paper money, medals and watches. It is a surprisingly good outing with a curious kid: youth under 16 get in free, and Saturday's free youth coin auction (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., register by 11 at the front desk) is a no-pressure first auction. Bring Grandpa's old coins for a free appraisal.
When: Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Sunday, October 18, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Central Lions Centre, 11113 113 Street NW
Cost: $8 at the door, youth under 16 free, free parking
Edmonton Fall Home Show
Community
Three days of renovation, design and home-improvement exhibitors at the Expo Centre, with display homes and main-stage talks. If a basement, a kitchen or new windows is on the list before winter, this is the one room in the city where every trade is standing there to quote. Friday is the quietest day to walk the floor.
When: Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 18
Where: Edmonton Expo Centre, 7515 118 Avenue NW
Cost: Up to about $14, see site
Pumpkins After Dark
Family
The walk-through trail of thousands of hand-carved, lit pumpkins at Borden Park is in its fourth weekend: no jump scares, live carving demonstrations and food trucks along the route, which makes it the Halloween outing for small kids. Entry is timed, and with two weekends left before Halloween the evening slots sell out, so book ahead. Parking is at the Expo Centre next door for $16.50.
When: Evenings through October 31
Where: Borden Park, 1020 75A Street NW (parking at the Edmonton Expo Centre)
Cost: From about $17, timed entry
DARK at Fort Edmonton Park
Halloween
The grown-up end of Halloween: four haunts, including the new Camp Ski' 83, two scare zones and the midway at night. Gates open at 6:30 and the haunts run 7 to 11 p.m. on event nights. General admission is $50, and the $80 fast pass earns its price on a Saturday in the second-to-last week before Halloween, when the haunt lines are at their longest. Leave the little ones at Pumpkins After Dark.
When: Select nights through October 31; gates 6:30 p.m., haunts 7 to 11 p.m.
Where: Fort Edmonton Park, 7000 143 Street NW
Cost: $50 general admission, $80 with fast pass, plus fees and GST
Haunted Pumpkin Festival at Prairie Gardens
Family
Prairie Gardens in Bon Accord runs its Haunted Pumpkin Festival every weekend in October, so this and next weekend are the last two: pick a pumpkin from the patch, fire the pumpkin cannon, and take on the gentle haunted setup that has been an area tradition for three decades. It is half an hour north of the city and mostly outdoors, so go before lunch and dress warm.
When: Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18 (every weekend in October)
Where: Prairie Gardens and Adventure Farm, 56311 Lily Lake Road, Bon Accord
Cost: From about $15
The Nightmare Before Christmas at Maisie's Magical House
Free
The north-end house that is famous for its Christmas lights has turned into a free walk-through Halloween display for October: illuminated decorations, skeletons and characters on selected evenings, with plenty of photo spots. It is a residential street, so park considerately and keep it to a quick visit after dark. Admission is free, with donations going to the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society.
When: Evenings through November 1
Where: 9619 144 Avenue NW
Cost: Free, donations to SCARS welcome
Fall Harvest at the Muttart Conservatory
Culture
The feature pyramid's Fall Harvest show runs to November 15: a coleus flower tower, pumpkins, chrysanthemums and a farmer's cart, plus the three other pyramids, which are the warmest rooms in Edmonton on a cold October afternoon. Friday to Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
When: Friday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Fall Harvest runs to November 15)
Where: Muttart Conservatory, 9626 96A Street NW
Cost: Adults $14.95, youth and seniors $12.95, children $7.75
Editor's Pick: Saturday. Boo at the Zoo in the morning with the kids in costume, the coin show's free youth auction at 11:30, and then downtown after dark for Galactic Atmosphere, which is free and only on for ten nights. If you have a Sunday free, the Oil Kings at 3 and the planets at dusk make the same trip in reverse.
Know an event we missed? Tag us @culturealberta or email hello@culturemedia.ca
Comments
Conversation