Lindork’s Lists #185 – EDMONTON EXPO, Kaleido Arts Festival, Leduc Dining Week & MORE!
Newsletter for Sept 13-19, 2023
Note: this is the public version of my weekly email newsletter that gets sent to subscriber inboxes first each Wednesday. If you’re looking at this public version, there’s a chance you miss out on events earlier in the week! Get the full newsletter first by becoming a free subscriber.
Nerd out at the EDMONTON EXPO this Sept. 15-17, 2023!
Celebrate all things pop culture at the EDMONTON EXPO this weekend Sept 15-17. Join tens of thousands of guests at this family-friendly attractions and events covering comics, sci-fi, horror, anime and gaming!
There are interactive family zones, anime guests, Artists Alley, hundreds of vendors for shopping, celebrity meet and greet + photo ops and much more!
Thanks to the Edmonton Expo for supporting my small business with this partner message.
Things to Do This Week
Check out a FREE Community League Day event (various locations)
Saturday, Sept. 16 is. Community League Day, a day that highlights / celebrates the community leagues where you live. Many leagues are planning FREE activities (like a lot of outdoor drive-in movies). Use the map on the Edmonton Community Foundation website to browse a list of events.
Head to the Kaleido Family Arts Family Festival (118 Ave. between 90-95 St.)
The annual FREE Kaleido Family Arts Festival returns this weekend Sept. 15-17 along Alberta Avenue, featuring live musical performances, an Aurora Lantern Parade, giant street performers, balloon backpacks, a 1,000 cranes installation, chalk art, and more!!
Go on the Fancy Women Bike Ride (Meet at Churchill Square / City Hall)
You’re invited to the Fancy Women Bike Ride this Sunday, Sept. 17 from 12:30-3 p.m. starting at Churchill Square (City Hall). Join the group for an easy, fun, and fancied-up cruise / slow roll on bikes around the city. You’re encouraged to dress fancy! This is part of a global event that first began in Turkey as a way to ask city authorities to create infrastructure that welcomes women to cycle and interact in urban spaces in fun and safe new ways.
If they still have rentals available you could book + get 15% off a Pedego Edmonton e-bike day rental with my code LINDORK!
RELATED: Read my Q&A with YEG Fancy Women Bike co-founder Dr. Heather Young-Leslie! * made this public sooner than usual so you might attend the ride!
Celebrate 10-years of Evolution Wonderlounge (10220 103 St.)
Happy 10-year birthday to the Evolution Wonderlounge (as they say, that’s a whole lot of Queer Joy!) Their Friday night Sept 15 party is pay-what-you-can entrance for pre-purchased tickets. Check their Eventbrite for multiple birthday party events happening all weekend.
Check out High Street’s End of Summer Celebration (124 St. 102 Ave.)
The Shops of High Street (just off 124 Street on 102 Ave.) are throwing an End of Summer Celebration from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16 featuring live music, activities for kids (including free face painting), food + refreshments to purchase and local shops to explore + support.
Head to an Item Exchange at Van Loc (10648 98 St. Chinatown)
Ever since Van Loc Vietnamese sandwich shop in Chinatown got younger owners they’ve been hosting a ton of events! The next event is Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. where they’re encouraging visitors to come to a swap of “unique, uncommon, and ultra-rare items to trade with fellow enthusiasts eager to find new treasures.” (also grab a Viet sandwich while there!)
Take in the Gotta Minute Film Festival (online)
This week kicked off the 10th anniversary of the Gotta Minute Film Festival—western Canada’s first film fest for commuters where all films are one minute, short silent films, FREE to watch! It’s a really interesting concept.
Check out Opening Night of the Alberta Old Buildings Art Exhibit (Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium (Lower Gallery / basement)
There’s a FREE Alberta Old Buildings AR (Augmented Reality) Art Exhibition hosting its opening event on Tuesday, Sept. 19 in the lower level of the Jube. See artist Aeris Osborne’s colourful, impressionist-style paintings come to life using a AR app while you’re there.
Got an Edmonton area event, virtual event, or something coming up you think my readers would be interested in knowing about? Let me know!
Food to Try This Week
Experience the first-ever Leduc Culture Days Downtown Dining Week!
Leduc’s first-ever Downtown Dining Week runs Friday Sept. 15 to Saturday Sept. 23 presented by the Leduc Downtown District as part of their Culture Days.
8 restaurants are offering featured dishes at special prices, including:
A spicy salmon or tuna bowl / or chicken with mango bowl at What the Poke (the city’s only poke restaurant—very generous on the serving size, and they have bubble tea here too!)
Filipino pork adobo, BBQ, pancit noodles and spring rolls at Renerey Mart / Chatter’s Cafe
Camarones Momias (cheese stuffed prawns wrapped in bacon) and Tacos Cochinita Pibil (Yucatan-style pork tacos—served spicy! you can ask for a mild version too lol) from Habaneros Mexican Grill… and MORE!
All locations are within walking distance in the Downtown District (you could do a food crawl like I did to help preview the event!) or plan to visit over a few days throughout the week.
You can also pick up a free Downtown Dining Week Passport at the Downtown District office (inside The Light House Cowork) or any participating restaurant. Fill in the passport with each location you visit by trying a featured culture based dish from that restaurant. Everyone who fills in their passport and returns it to the downtown office mailbox will have a chance to win a prize!
Thanks to Leduc Chamber for supporting my small business with this partner message!
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Check out Phat Bar Bakery & Cafe’s new full cafe menu (10813 82 Ave.)
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Your favourite 90s throwback cafe Phat Bar Bakery & Cafe has officially launched their full cafe menu including sandwiches, mac n cheese and charcuterie. Check it out (plus cakes & pastries including popular phat tarts!)
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Celebrate Mexican Independence Day (12223 156 St.)
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Saturday, Sept. 16 is Mexican Independence Day and El Mero Mero is throwing a party / specials on Sept. 15 & 16 to mark the occasion. Friday includes musical performances, a photo booth and food + drink features. Saturday includes a mini market with Mexican vendors, performances, face painting, and more!
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Maria Restaurant in downtown Edmonton is hosting two Independence Day parties on Sept. 15 and 16! Maria is also the only spot in town offering Mexican breakfast buffet so that could be a great thing to check out on the Saturday.
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Book a Twilight Picnic at the Botanic Garden (51227 AB-60 Parkland County)
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The last two dates to experience the U of A Botanic Garden Twilight Picnic is the next two Fridays Sept. 15 and 22. “Slow down, relax and enjoy a chef-created meal before meandering through the peaceful grounds with a glass of wine or local craft beer as the frogs begin their chorus, the sun sets over the bridge in the Kurimoto Japanese Garden and lights reflect on the Aga Khan Garden fountains.”
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Have a Turkish meal at Turkish Coffee House (24 Perron St., St. Albert)
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I’ve partnered with the City of St. Albert to experience their food + activity + shopping and put together a Travel Guide (coming soon!) One of the local restaurants I was delighted to try is the Turkish Coffee House. I really enjoyed trying Turkish breakfast/lunch items like Egg & Sujuk (Turkish sausage) and Lahmacun (Turkish flatbread), Menemen (Turkish Omelette) and Knafeh (Turkish sweet and savoury dessert).
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Check out a Taste of Asia (Currents of Windermere)
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The annual Taste of Asia food event returns to Currents of Windermere this weekend Sept 15-17. Find food vendors, live entertainment, cute lanterns, and more! Apparently they’ve doubled food vendors this year compared to last!
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And here’s a few more food events coming up you may be interested in…
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Le Burger Week specials are on in Edmonton until Sept. 14.
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The Culina Family has a new event space in McCauley and they’re throwing a pop-up dinner there on Sept. 14.
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Experience Omen Brewing’s Oktoberfest on Sept. 16.
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You’re invited to a Mid-Autumn Long Table Feast street festival in Chinatown on Sept. 16.
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There’s a Rooftop Patio Party at the JW Marriott Hotel on Sept. 16.
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Ate something amazing recently? Want to show some love to a struggling restaurant? Have a take-out suggestion? Let me know to include in this newsletter.
Small Business Spotlight
Kunitz Shoes is an awesome family-owned, local shoe store serving up “Really Good Shoes” since 1981! Brother and sister Everett and Morgan Kunitz—who grew up in the shoe biz—are the company’s really cool second-generation co-owners.
While they’ve been selling shoes for more than 40 years, the family started making their own shoes in 2018. The Kunitz Collection is based on style, comfort, and value!
I recently partnered with Kunitz to model their new Fall Collection and really fell in love with these shoes! Shop at two Kunitz Shoes locations in the city (west and south Edmonton) or online.
You can get 20% off any product in The Fall Kunitz Collection online or in-store with my code LINDORK20! (lots of great shoes to choose from!) This offer is valid Sept 11-17 (buy before 11 p.m. on Sept 17).
Thanks to Kunitz Shoes for supporting my small business with this partner message!
New on the Blog
My food lovin’, Celiac friend Sharman has UPDATED (entirely revamped) her Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Eats in Edmonton on my blog! Originally published in 2019, let’s say this post needed a major overhaul lol and she delivered.
She shares the safest options for Celiacs dining in Edmonton, followed by some of her current favourite gluten-free bites across the city, different categories of spots she has personally dined at with gluten-free options, as well as other GF options.
And let me know if there’s gluten-free dishes + restaurants you’d want added!!
Save $$$ with my Discount Codes
I regularly partner with awesome companies to offer discounts that save you money! The codes vary throughout the year but here’s a few to take advantage of right now…
I regularly partner with awesome companies to offer discounts that save you money! The codes vary throughout the year but here’s a few to take advantage of right now…
Get 15% off regular priced items from Folk & Whimsy (excluding Padraig Cottage slippers) using code LINDORK15.
Get 20% off regular price items at Bamboo Ballroom using code LINDORK20!
Get 10% off a variety of services at Park Integrative Health by mentioning my code LINDORK.
Valid for massage, acupuncture, energetic healing + medical aesthetics.
Not valid on physiotherapy, occupational therapy or mental health services.
Get 10% off a photo session with Paula Gerein with code LINDORK.
As a TELUS Ambassador, if you sign up for TELUS products or services using my referral link / code, I also get some revenue (unfortunately you don’t get a bonus lol).
Popular on my Blog Right Now
Here are the top four most popular posts on my blog this week:
- Guide to Gluten-Free Eats in Edmonton (Sept 2023)
- Guide to Dog/Pet-Friendly Patios in the Edmonton area (May 2017)
- Guide to Instagrammable Walls of Edmonton (June 2017)
- Vietnamese Steamed Pork Buns – Banh Bao Recipe (May 2020)
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The full Lindork’s Lists includes:
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- Food to Try This Week
- Walls of the Week
- Interesting Thing on the Internet
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