June 1, 10, 15
Long is the history of Queer people being silenced, misrepresented or misunderstood. It is the mission of the Edmonton Queer History Project to fix that. During Pride month, the EQHP will host three walking tours which will take guests through significant locations while telling the stories of Edmonton’s queer history.
June 1 to 11
What’s next for NextFest? Lots of talent, clearly. This year’s festival of emerging artists will feature 50 events with over 500 artists over the 11-day period. It’s agnostic of any artistic medium and features dance, DJs, theatre, music and pretty much anything under the sun that gets called art. This is your chance to be the hipster who heard of that exciting new artist before anyone else.
June 2
Evolution Wonderlounge is the place to be for anything to do with Queer culture, so of course, it’s going to be a very fun venue once Pride month starts. The Pride Kickoff starts with a Lipsync Lollapalooza from notable drag queen, Pageantinta, followed by a late-night dance party from DJ Lady Luck.
June 2 to 4
The Pride Block Party at Grindstone Theatre is another great party to kick off pride and the festival season. Festivities include live music, stand-up comedy, a dance contest, drag brunch and a lot more. Anything at Grindstone is going to involve a cacophony of laughs and good times.
June 3
If you have ever been curious about the art of swinging a racquet, then this year’s TennisFest is the place to get started. This is a free large-scale event taking place at the Edmonton Expo Centre that allows participants to practice techniques with experienced coaches and then put those skills to the test in practice games.
June 8 to 11
The world’s first green carnival and is coming to the Ice District fan park. Sustainival features all the classics of midway fun with rides, games and festival foods, and somehow it’s all powered by green energy. This carnival seeks to amaze people about the potential and future of green energy and shows just how powerful it can be.
June 9 to 11
The Western Canadian Ribfest Tour makes its stop in St. Albert for three days of savoury, smoky festivities. The events include a number of different rib slingers to choose from, with various selections from baby backs to spare ribs.
June 10
The Edmonton Vocal Minority Choir is a pillar in Edmonton’s Queer community. For the Pride festival, the singers will lend their voices to the chorus of the month’s festivities with an important performance with Darrin Hagen. Dancing Through Life will take a look at the influence of the art of dance and its influence on Queer culture.
June 10
Most car people know the real magic starts to happen in the aftermarket. Customizing your car and fine tuning it just the way you like it is how you make your vehicle like no other in the world. The best of the best in the aftermarket car community are getting together at West Edmonton Mall to show off their creations, share knowledge and link up with other car lovers.
June 11
Kick off the Elks season with the whole team at Commonwealth Stadium, where they take on our long-standing rivals, the Saskatchewan Roughriders. There will be a pre-game flyover from the Royal Canadian Air Force and, remember, kids get in free!
June 11
The Cars for a Cause car show from Yesterday’s Auto Gallery will feature over 80 different collectible vehicles, as well as a showing of over 100 cars from Yesterday’s garage. There will be entertainment, a live auction and food vendors for a whole day of automotive fun.
June 14
You’ve seen this queen’s knock-out performance on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and maybe you even saw the Thorchestra last time it visited. But now Thorgy Thor is back with all her energetic class and sass, bringing an entire orchestral performance that bridges classical music and the art of drag. Watch Thorgy’s Regal Seuquel slay those crescendos at the Winspear Centre this June.
June 14 to 24
It’s a comedic extravaganza at Improvaganza as Rapid Fire Theatre (RFT) hosts Edmonton’s largest event in improv and sketch comedy festival. Over the past 20 years, RFT has hosted improv acts from all over the world, along with the tip of the Edmonton iceberg in improv troupes like Improvised Dungeons & Dragons and Sphinxes.
June 16 to 17
Who here remembers the time Led Zeppelin rocked the Kinsmen Fieldhouse back in ’69? What about when Queen played in the ’70s? Or when The Clash came in the ’80s (some of you had to be born by then)? The glory-est of glory days may have passed, but the Kinsmen grounds are back to hosting hot bands, with Mother Mother, Nelly, and Third Eye Blind coming to rock the field house at Soundtrack Music Festival.
June 16 to 17
The Rural Alberta Advantage will headline this unequivocally Albertan festival along with many other amazing Edmonton musicians. It says blues and roots, but it’s got everything from the outrageously danceable funk group Carter & the Capitals to the theatric, metal-infused rock of Daniel Martin & The Infamous.
June 16 to 18
Do you like to rock? Are you looking to turn yourself loose? April Wine, Glass Tiger and Loverboy all headline the first-ever Rock the District classic rock festival. Along with eight other acts, they will take over Fan Park in the Ice District for a two-day guitar-driven extravaganza.
June 17
In the voluptuous heart of pride month, you can sashay your own fabulous way over to the queendom of drag at the Matrix Hotel for the first drag festival in Edmonton herstory. With eight global acts and 24 local kings and queens, this event mixes and matches the best in drag talent.
June 17 to 18
In the Philippines, Fiestas are events that bring the whole community together to celebrate important holidays and milestones. They are at the heart of Filipino culture. As Edmonton is the festival city, and fiesta means festival, it’s only proper that we do it up Filipino style and celebrate this beautiful culture that enriches our city. The three-day event will include performances, music, vendors and the very best in Filipino cuisine.
June 22 to 25
Acrobatics and aerial displays of grace, beauty, and athleticism will wow Edmonton audiences as the Alberta Circus Arts Festival takes hold. The four-day event features workshops and industry-related panels for all contemporary circus enthusiasts and treats Edmonton audiences to a display of talent from all over Canada.
June 23
OK, technically, not a pontoon, but definitely a boatload of pride. The Riverboat Pride Party closes down the month’s festivities with a big bash on the water aboard the Edmonton Riverboat. Evolution Wonderlounge will host this event, and with it comes all the festivities you’d expect, including drinking, drag and dancing. All aboard for Pride month!
June 23 to 26
Three races involving elite, junior and para cyclists will rip through the city at top speed at the Canadian Road Cycling Championships. For the second consecutive year, Edmonton will act as the host of this prestigious national cycling event that will determine who will qualify for Canada’s national team. Come check out the best on bikes in Edmonton’s river valley.
June 25
With distances of 32, 64, and 107 kilometres, this urban cycling event is fit for riders of different levels looking to try some competitive action. Not looking to ride this year? You can still be a part of the excitement as there are spectator sections and post-race festivities that include beer gardens, live entertainment and food trucks.
June 23 to 24
Bomfest from F7 Productions is going to be stacked with electric music and energetic vibes. Headlining the festival are Kaskade, Black Tiger Sex Magic and Timmy Trumpet, all EDM titans who know how to put together speaker-shattering beats that put crowds in a party trance.
June 23 and 24
Get immersed in an array of local talent at this year’s Ravenwood Music Festival, returning to Sherwood Park. Alberta acts from Crescendo Music Studios will take the stage along with others to take a dive into some truly authentic Albertan-made music.
June 28 to July 2
If you don’t believe Edmonton has a swinging jazz scene with some serious world-class talent, the best place to be proven wrong is the Edmonton International Jazz Festival, where Edmonton acts will share the stage with incredible global acts.
