Mastodawn

Jan 15-17: Chiseled ice carving exhibition in the Ice District Plaza, with the sculptures continuing to be displayed for the rest of the month. Free to watch the carvers & vote for the People's Choice award.

Jan 16-18: RiverCity Bluegrass Festival at the Edmonton Inn includes performances, workshops, and a kids fiddle academy. Performance tickets $45-75/day.

Jan 16-18: Cold Snap Cheer & Dance Championships at the Expo Centre. $21/day.

Jan 17-18: Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival on Alberta Ave (118 Ave from 90-95 St) will have multiple music stages (indoors or in tents), art & craft markets, food trucks, and assorted outdoor activities including the famous deep freezer races (use a chest freezer as a sledge, pushing your friends down an ice track), all while celebrating a mix of indigenous & immigrant winter cultural traditions. Free/by donation.

Chiseled|Activate Arts Alberta

Jan 17-31: Light+Vibrotactile is a multi-sensory art exhibit developed with a focus on accessibility & inclusiveness, for & by Deaf and DeafBlind people, welcoming others into their experience. At Latitude 53 gallery, noon to 5pm, Wed-Sat, free admission.

Jan 21-25: Winterruption YEG is an alt/indie music festival at 15 downtown venues (OK, 14 downtown plus the Rec Room . Includes some all ages show and some no cover shows at pubs, plus new this year: the Wiennerruption Warm-Up Lounge (cafe with hot dogs), a comedy stage, and a free Saturday afternoon show in the Ice District. Other shows $15-50, or wristbands for $116.

Jan 28-31: Flying Canoë Volant in the French Quarter and Mill Creek Ravine celebrates Franco-Albertain and Métis/indigenous culture. Includes an indoor music stage, a hiking trail with illuminated exhibits, and a relay race with canoe portage & lumberjack skills (teams must pre-register).

Light+Vibrotactile - Edmonton Downtown

Light+Vibrotactile is a free interactive exhibition at Latitude53 exploring art through sight and touch, January 17–31, 2026.

Edmonton Downtown

#YEGTheatre Calendar

Ongoing performances (all year) at RapidFire Theatre and (after 1 week off) Grindstone Theatre have comedy & improv shows every week.

The two dinner theatre venues also nearly always have comic music-revue shows: Jubilations is currently showing Canadian Top Gunn: The 80's Take Flight, while the Mayfield goes for a slightly younger crowd with The 90s: It's All Coming Back To Me Now. Both on until Jan 25.

And the rest of the theatre calendar:

Jan 13-18: A touring production of Moulin Rouge (the Broadway musical based on the film) arrives at the Northern Jubilee. $61-166.

Jan 16 (Fri): Cruella Corbeau's ABCs, a "Neo-Burlesque and Variety Revue". At the Fringe's Backstage Theatre, 7:30pm, $29, 18+.

Buy Tickets: Rapid Fire Theatre Improv Comedy | Things to Do Edmonton

Looking for something to do this weekend in Edmonton? Check out the hilarious comedy at Rapid Fire Theatre, YEG's longest running improv theatre.

Rapid Fire Theatre

Jan 21-Feb 8: Shadow Theatre presents An Illiad, a modern retelling of the Homer tragedy, in the classical form of a solo storyteller. $40 with discounts and pay-what-you-can / 2-for-1 nights.

Jan 24 (Sat): A Fresh Lens: National Film Board Festival of Shorts, as selected by new Canadians. At the Arden Theatre, pick your price $10, $15, or $20.

Jan 24-Feb 15: The mid-20th-century classic Death of a Salesman, as presented by the Citadel (in their Shoctor Theatre), with John Ullyatt in the lead role of Willy Loman. $40-152.

Jan 29-Feb 14: The St Albert Dinner Theatre has a show called Sex Please, We're Sixty about senior shenanigans at a B&B. $70 includes I assume a buffet dinner.

ILIAD — Varscona Theatre

Varscona Theatre

Jan 30 (Fri): Troo Knot: Phase is a one-person stand up comedy + music cabaret show about a life in eclectic performance. At Grindstone Theatre, 7pm, $25.

Jan 30: Shoes That Fit is a confessional cabaret from drag queen Claudia Hartout. In the Fringe's Westbury Theatre, 8pm, $26, 18+.

Troo Knot: PHASE - Grindstone Theatre - Edmonton - Jan 30, 2026

PHASE is a fun, blunt, and absurd stand-up comedy show about a small-town 90s kid being shaped by music and eventually stumbling into adulthood. A path of music obsession and existential crisis gets ripped apart in this hilarious, cathartic satire of oneself. Troo Knot is a touring comedian and genre breaking musician. Over a decade of collabs with bands, dancers, and circus freaks has shaped him into a wild performer and experimental creator. Piano ballads to prog metal. Funk fusion to trip-hop. Comedy tours to circus tents. His journey is fuelled by curiosity and a commitment to craft and expression. Notable Works Latest Album - Farewell Machine Debut comedy special - SPICY (2022) Winner of 12 Foot Ninja’s vocal contest Vocals - Fermented Beet Orchestra - Genre Fluid Vocals - Metavore - Becoming & Mosaic 5 years as Ringmaster for Le Cirque de la Nuit

Amelia's #YEGmusic Picks

Check my pinned posts for suggestions of where to find more music nights & listings!
(Prices are advance purchase, with fees if I can find that out easily. Times are show start, if specified. All ages unless noted 18+.)

Wed, Jan 14:

Funky tunes about rental living from Landlady at the MacLab Centre (Leduc). 7:30pm, $10.

Fri Jan 16:

Country-rock from The Road Hammers with Doc Walker at River Cree. 9pm, $59-154, 18+.

Fri&Sat Jan 16-17:

Country/acoustic rock from Mandy McMillan at Daisy's Saloon. 8pm (1 set only), no cover, 18+.

Roots-rock from Slim Duncan at Five & Dive (WEM). 9:30pm, no cover, 18+.

Jam-band country-rock from Rockford Stomp at On The Rocks. 10pm, probably $10, 18+.

Landlady - Maclab Centre, Leduc

Hailing from the heart of Edmonton, Alberta, this four-piece band of longtime friends and seasoned musicians brings gritty, offbeat tales from the underbelly of property management to life. Landlady dives deep into the strange, tender, and sometimes absurd world of tenants living in a three-story walk-up. These are songs about damage deposits ; busted radiators, midnight laundry room confessions, lease ... Read More

Maclab Centre, Leduc

Sat, Jan 17:

Laurelle's Big Birthday Band Bash, featuring Laurelle K/Second Mirror with Joe Ireland Band, and Sean Currins & Tina Hertz, at the Rendezvous Pub. These are all musicians I can recommend, playing a variety of fun, easy-going styles (psychedelic-folk-rock, folk-country, folk-pop) at a venue I'm told is relaxed & welcoming. 7pm, $17, 18+.

The Dyrty Byrds play the blues of The Bird at the Yardbird Suite. The funky organ trio led by Rooster Davis will be joined by Dave Babcock on saxophone to pay tribute to Charlie Parker. 8pm, $29.

Sat&Sun, Jan17-18:

Lots of music, mostly folk both traditional & fresh, at Deep Freeze Fest on 118 Ave. Noon-8pm Sat (some activities until 10pm), Noon-6pm Sunday, all by donation.

Sun, Jan 18:

High-energy rock from The Brute Squad at On The Rocks. 9pm, $10, 18+.

Laurelle's Big Birthday Band Bash

Come out and help celebrate Laurelle’s most recent journey around the sun in her favourite way, with some stellar live music among friends.

Eventbrite

Tues, Jan 20:

Traditional music from all sides of the Mediterranean, blended & reinterpreted by Compagnie Rassenga, at the Fringe's Studio theatre. 7pm, $17.

Swing at Fringe (in the lobby) social dance (to DJs, not live music). 6:30pm, no cover.

Wed, Jan 21:

Trad country/rockabilly, acoustic duo style from Petunia & Steve Loree, moved to the Fringe's Backstage Theatre instead of The Aviary. 7:30pm, $23.

Thurs, Jan 22:

Postponed! A "genre mash birthday bash" fundraiser featuring The Ladybirds, Tzadeka, and Red Earth Theory at The Aviary. 7pm, $13.

🎶Concert - LUNA LLENA by Compagnie Rassegna

Experience Luna Llena, a vibrant Mediterranean journey by Compagnie Rassegna. Live music blending Andalusian, Sicilian, Algerian, and Occitan traditions. Edmonton concert at Fringe Theatre, January 20. Book your tickets now.

Alliance Francaise d'Edmonton

Fri, Jan 23:

An assorted collection of local emerging folk artists, Edmonton Folks play at The Blue Chair to launch their collective album of the same name. Pay what you can fundraiser for CKUA ($30 suggested). 7pm.

Eurasian fusion folk-jazz from Road to Django at The Yardbird Suite, playing tribute both to the 1920s "hot club" Parisian string jazz styles of Django Reinhardt, and to all the folk traditions of the silk road cultures that influenced that "gypsy" jazz. 8pm, $33.

Uptempo storytelling folk-roots from John Hewitt & the New Americans at St Basil's Hall for the New Moon Folk Club. The band name may be unfortunate (they're from Edmonton), but the music is a nice extension of the pan-North American roots tradition. 7:30pm, $30 ($20 students/teens, kids free).

Sweet & mellow acoustic music of many genres from Kim Gates, at Sherlock Holmes Campus. 8pm, no cover, 18+.

Marten Borch on Instagram: "CKUA Fundraiser and Album Release party! January 23 at 7pm at The Blue Chair! There will be so many incredible artists playing and we're raising money for such an incredible organization! @loudinthepines @werehalfwayhome @riwoegor @mikayla_bortscher @kahousemi @samsteffenmusic @susanisaacsings @royacamillemusic @jarredalbright #folkmusician #yeglocal #localmusicscene #martinborch #folkmusic #albumrelease #yegmusic #yegmusicians #yegmusician #yegmusicscene #livemusic #localmusic"

13 likes, 2 comments - martenborch on January 6, 2026: "CKUA Fundraiser and Album Release party! January 23 at 7pm at The Blue Chair! There will be so many incredible artists playing and we're raising money for such an incredible organization! @loudinthepines @werehalfwayhome @riwoegor @mikayla_bortscher @kahousemi @samsteffenmusic @susanisaacsings @royacamillemusic @jarredalbright #folkmusician #yeglocal #localmusicscene #martinborch #folkmusic #albumrelease #yegmusic #yegmusicians #yegmusician #yegmusicscene #livemusic #localmusic".

Instagram

Sat, Jan 24:

Afternoon outdoor Winterruption show featuring St Arnaud and Derina Harvey Band in the Ice District plaza. 5:30pm, free.
(Plus many more free or ticketed shows at various venues all weekend.)

Bluesy-jazz highlighting the baritone sax from Dave Babcock Quintet at The Yardbird Suite. 8pm, $29.

Up-tempo rootsy blues from Marshall Lawrence Band at Newcastle Kitchen+Bar. 9pm, $10, 18+.

Classic Can-rap from Shad and Open Mike Eagle at the Starlite Room as part of Winterruption. 10pm, $34.

Schedule 2026 - Winterruption

SCHEDULE 2026 VIEW FULL SCHEDULE AS PDF VENUES Venue locations: 9910 – 9910B 109stDouble Dragon – 10524 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, AB T5J 1Z7Rocky Mountain Icehouse – 10516 Jasper Ave, Edmonton, AB T5J 1Z7Downtown Edmonton Community League – 10042 103 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0X2Cask & Barrel – 10041 104 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5J […]

Winterruption

Sun, Jan 25:

Roots rock brunch (as part of Winterruption) with The Denim Daddies, Pony Gold, Amy Nelson, and more at Rocky Mountain Icehouse. Noon, $24, 18+.

Afternoon trad country & other retro acoustic sounds from Von Bieker at Frank's Pub. 2pm, no cover.

Spotlight on jazz trumpet at The Yardbird celebrates the 90th birthday of Al Muirhead, who will join the Jazz Hutch Quintet for two shows: 2pm or 8pm, $33 (each).

Wed-Sat, Jan 28-31:

Live music at Flying Canoë Volant. Mainstage has music 8pm-11:30 Fri & Sat, but various other performance spaces around the site starting at 6pm. By donation.

Thu, Jan 29:

Electro-jazz with Japanese anime twist from Pure Octane and Social Eyes at 99ten. 8pm, $23.

Fri, Jan 30:

Expressive pop & folk-rock from two local players releasing new albums of original material: David Henneberg and Francesco Rizzuto, plus Taylor Grace, at The Dive Bar. 7pm, $23.

Afro-jazz fusion from Mbira Renaissance Band, releasing a new album at Festival Place. 7:30pm, $37, under 12 free (but still need a ticket).

Classic R&B and old-school rock&roll from Tiger Coffee at The Commercial. They put on a great show there over the holidays; I was certainly not the only one jumping around the dance floor. 9:30pm, $9, 18+.

Flying Canoë Volant | La Cité francophone

In the spirit of a great winter city, the Flying Canoë Volant is a creative and interactive cultural celebration designed to engage local history and everything that is great about Edmonton's long winter’s nights.

La Cité francophone

Also Fri Jan 30:

Acoustic rock from the '50s on up by Jessie Rose at Sherlock Holmes Campus. 8pm, no cover, 18+.

Fri & Sat, Jan 30-31:

Alt-country & acoustic rock from El Niven at Five & Dive (WEM). 9:30pm, no cover, 18+.

Acoustic retro-rock from Benjamin Williams at Duggan's Boundary. 9pm, no cover, 18+.

Sat, Jan 31:

Afternoon indie-folk-pop from Arts Major, Melina Sterling, and Mya Hill at The Buckingham. 5pm, $20, 18+.

Trad jazz, blues, & country from The Misery Mountain Boys at The Blue Chair. 7pm, probably $20.

Wailing blues-rock/country-rock from JIMI at the Starlite. 7pm, $26.

Jessie Rose — The Sherlock Holmes Pubs

Join us every Friday for live performances from a rotating roster of Edmonton’s finest musicians.

The Sherlock Holmes Pubs