Visiting Edmonton and Northern Alberta

Northern Alberta comes to life in spring and summer. With plentiful snow piled in the Canadian Rockies, spring skiing and boarding Marmot Basin near Jasper is delightful. Shred the slopes of Jasper National Park, Alberta’s highest ski hill, while enjoying spring season’s sunshine. Edmonton, four-hours to the east of Jasper, is known as Alberta’s Festival City. Bringing spring and early summer events like the 104th Annual Edmonton Kiwanis Music Festival, Tim Horton’s International Children’s Festival and Improvaganza, Canada’s largest improve festival. Grande Prairie to the north celebrates the season with the Fiddlers Jamboree – as the weather warms, it's the season for a getaway to northern Alberta.

The 2012 season at Jasper’s Marmot Basin runs through early May. Celebrate spring at Marmot’s Paradise Chalet on April 14th with the 2012 Kokanee Freeride. With live music, dancing, BBQ and rail jam, Marmot Basin is a full day of fun. The Caribou Chalet hosts live music with guest Marianas Trench on April 21st, along with the resorts 2nd Annual Aloha Cup Race - another fun day with all ages racing for skiers and boarders.

Edmonton hosts the 104th Annual Kiwanis Music Festival April 16th through May 4th. The 2012 festival features over 2,500 events for students, musicians and music fans. This is a competitive music festival showcasing talented young musicians and providing opportunities for them to face adjudicators. With voice, musical theatre and speech arts, as well as classical music, venues across Edmonton fill with talented young musicians and actors performing for appreciative audiences.

Presented by Tim Hortons, the 2012 Northern Alberta International Children’s Festival comes to Edmonton May 29th through June 2nd. Held in St. Albert, join the festivities at Millennium Park and St. Albert Place. Performances on the Outdoor Stage include Malcom the Magician, Mr. Mark, and The Stars of Tomorrow, while Neatoe the Clown, The Green Fools, and the Tollsons rove the festival grounds.

Kids love the main stage entertainment featuring theatre performances of Alice in Wonderland, The Ugly Duckling, and the Tortoise and the Hare. Venues also include the St. Albert Curling Club and the St. Albert Senior Citizens’ Club. Northern Alberta’s International Children’s Festival is a great early summer family outing.

Grande Prairie, further north in Alberta, begins its spring celebrations in April with the 2012 Fiddlers Jamboree. This 25th Annual festival is Sunday April 15th at Grande Prairie Museum. Join fiddlers and jig dancers from across Alberta for some toe tapping fun and entertainment.

Festivities continue the next weekend in Grande Prairie with the Swan Festival and the Music Festival. Saskatoon Island Provincial Park hosts the Swan Festival April 21st and 22nd, celebrating the return of the Trumpeter Swan to the park. The Music Festival is hosted at Grande Prairie Regional College April 22nd through 24th. Enjoy local and regional talent including voice, speech arts and musical theatre to piano, strings and guitar performances.

Edmonton and Northern Alberta Hotel Map