Celeigh Cardinal grew up in Grande Prairie, where she also started her career as a musician before moving to Edmonton in 2011. She’s been a full-time musician since 2016. “There are so many different musical communities here, to network and collaborate with,” she says. “The first award I ever got was an Edmonton Music Award.” That community keeps her here, and the landscape of Alberta calls to her, especially its rivers and lakes.
“Last year I rented a canoe and paddled on the North Saskatchewan with my brother. It had been ages since we’d done this and we imagined it would be a leisurely way to spend some time together,” she says. “Somehow we had forgotten that we are, at our core, deeply competitive people. It was not even a little bit leisurely.” She mentions paddling past the dog beach where a handful of pooches were swimming and playing. “Between chatting, laughing and sweating, in the middle of this city on a summer afternoon — I think about that day all the time. The river valley is my favourite part of Edmonton. It reminds me why I live here.”
If there’s anything to be gleaned from this series: we Edmontonians love food and we love being outdoors. When we’re not slurping noodles or lingering over brunch, we’re taking scenic strolls, stopping at dog parks and snapping pictures at river valley vistas. Delve into this year’s list of Edmontonians’ favourite things — with best-loved picks from a variety of noteworthy locals who span the arts, business, sports and non-profit realms — to help build your own summer bucket list. And if you can’t make it beyond your backyard, you can at least follow this foolproof formula and enjoy something tasty in the sunshine.
This article appears in the July/August 2026 issue of Edify
