Keeping warm with outdoor fun: Things to do in Edmonton this weekend

Flying Canoë Volant festival on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (Brandon Lynch/CTV News Edmonton)

Something wicked this way comes and it’s a cold snap, but luckily there are plenty of things to do both inside and out to keep you entertained.

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From sleigh rides to flying canoe races, here’s what’s happening in Edmonton this weekend.

Braving the cold

Temperatures will dip towards -20 C and below this weekend, but Flying Canoë Volant is hoping that doesn’t keep people away from the annual festival celebrating French-Canadian and Indigenous cultures. It began on Wednesday and will run until Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. at Mill Creek Ravine, Rutherford School and Edmonton’s Francophone Quarter.

• Annual Flying Canoë Volant festival begins

Community leagues are getting people outside for sledding, skating, sleigh rides and more.

On Saturday, Horizon Community League is hosting its Winter Fun Day from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Summerside Community League Park.

The Allard Community League Winter Fun Fest is also taking place on Saturday. People can stop by Allard Park from 4 to 7 p.m.

On Sunday, the Castle Downs Recreation Society has you covered with Winterfest. The event is happening at Castle Downs Park Pavilion on Sunday from 12 to 3 p.m.

To get children and families outdoors and active, Play Rangers takes place at Whitemud Park on Saturdays. This weekend has drop-in availability from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The Edmonton Arts Council is putting on skating events throughout February. Ice Grooves takes place on Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Swing’n Skate takes place on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at City Hall Plaza.

The Edmonton Ski Club has its tube park up and running, giving people a thrill and a view in the river valley. Saturday is the club’s Community Celebration Night with dancing, tubing, skiing and snowboarding.

Golf season normally ends when the cold arrives, but Cattail Crossing Golf & Winter Club north of Edmonton used the snow and ice to make its Northern Lights Mini Golf Village. It opened in December and will remain open as long as the weather allows.

Year of the Snake

Lunar New Year was Wednesday, but there are multiple events carrying into the weekend to celebrate.

• Behind the Lunar New Year scenes: the Chinese Lion dance

Your taste buds will be saying Lunarlicious after sampling the plethora of food available at this Asiafest YEG event. Lunarlicious runs from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Friday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

The first in a series of three lunar night markets takes place on Friday from 6 to 11 p.m. at LAST Modern Event Venue downtown, with crafts, jewelry and food for sale from local vendors.

Lion dance, martial arts, singing and more performances will be on display at Kingsway Mall for the Lunar New Year Festival on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Togather Chinatown Arts Festival will showcase art, music, dance, food and more. It takes place on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Edmonton Chinatown Multi-Cultural Centre.

Warm up indoors

Heading inside to warm up by the cauldron, Goblin: MacBeth promises to blend comedy, fantasy and tragedy together into an “unpredictably interactive and exciting theatrical experience.” This is the last weekend for the show at the Citadel Theatre, with tickets available online.

If the food at Flying Canoë Volant tickled your francophone taste buds, Edmonton is also participating in the Canada-wide La Poutine Week from Feb. 1 to 7. People can celebrate the French-Canadian classic dish at special prices from participating restaurants and vote on their favourites.

The cold won’t bother you anyway at Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical at the Citadel Theatre. The show runs from Feb. 1 to March 2.

Skate the cold away

It’s not winter without hockey and the Oilers are hoping to swing back after Thursday’s loss to Detroit. Edmonton and Toronto hit the ice at 5 p.m. Saturday at Rogers Place.

• Raymond scores shootout winner as Red Wings rally for 3-2 victory over Oilers

The Oil Kings are looking to improve their standing in the eastern conference against the Hitmen at Rogers Place on Friday at 7 p.m. The theme for Friday’s game is Princess Night.

Love Pro Wrestling is returning to Edmonton with several championship and exhibition matches for LPW 33: Cool Beans. The matches take place at the Rec Room at South Edmonton Common on Friday starting at 6 p.m.