Lindork’s Lists #196 – Downtown art ✨, newly named Best Restaurants 🤤 & more holiday events 🎄!
Newsletter for Nov. 29-Dec. 5, 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.
Things to Do This Week
Enjoy these festive activities happening this weekend! (various locations)
The Edmonton Christmas Market kicks off this week Nov. 30 and runs until Dec. 17 at Fort Edmonton Park. This is a ticketed event which gives you access to 100+ market vendors, live performances, Chirstmas lighting, holiday photos, street. car rides, carousel rides, and more.
Downtown Edmonton is hosting their ‘Winterval’ holiday festival this weekend Dec 1 and 2. “Dress warm, bring our dog and party with live music, beer gardens and more.” FREE to attend plus various businesses are offering festive deals.
The ‘Merry at Manchester’ free-to-attend holiday event takes place this Friday, Dec. 1 from 5-10 p.m., including “crafts, market love, Santa and more!”
Stony Plain’s FREE Winter Fest with Winter Light Up is this Friday, Dec. 1.
Fort Saskatchewan’s Santa Clause Parade is this Saturday, Dec. 2 starting at 11 a.m.
Bring your pup to the Polar Patio Puppy Party with Santa this Satuday, Dec. 2 as part of a fundraiser for Second Chance Animal Rescue.
Rural Strathcona County will be doing Christmas in the Country activities on Saturday, Dec. 2. Find various FREE country markets, sleigh rides, Santa visits and more at various rural locations south of Strathcona County.
Krampuslauf takes place in Old Strathcona / Whyte Ave. this Saturday, Dec. 2 starting at 7 p.m. Find small groups around Whyte and then a big gathering at Dr. Wilbert McIntryre Park, celebrating a European Christmas tradition.
The Sari Sari Pasko Filipino Christmas Market runs Dec. 2 & 3 featuring Filipino art, fashion, jewelry, food vendors, a photobooth, Grinch, and more. FREE admission + parking.
The Makers Keep is offering ‘Kids Only Shopping’ on Dec 2, 3 and 9 at various locations. It’s super cute. Bring your kid and staff will help them pick out gifts so you get a fun surprise!
Cantilon’s annual Christmas concert is this Sunday, Dec. 3 at the Winspear.
I’ll share EVEN MORE holiday activities in an ongoing list in next week’s email!
Check out world famous moonGARDEN exhibit! (Churchill Square)
MoonGARDEN, the popular art installation that’s been travelling the world since 2012 is on display in Churchill Square and City Hall Plaza starting this weekend from Dec 1-Jan 7. These are self-inflating spheres with cut-out images illuminated in light within the spheres. Very Instagrammable!
Get your giggles on at Grindstone Theatre’s Comedy Open Mic (10019 81 Ave.)
The Grindstone Theatre presents their Comedy Open Mic nights on Wednesdays—this Wed, next Wed, the Wed after that, from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. Free entry. Give it a try or cheer on others starting out their comedy careers!
Experience ‘They Said So’ kî-itwêw ᑮᐃᑌᐧᐤ exhibit (Latitude 53, 10130 100 St.)
They Said So kî-itwêw ᑮᐃᑌᐧᐤ exhibit featuring Metis artists, curated by Kyla Pascal, is a collection of stories from women, queer and trans Metis artists about their intimate accounts of connection with place, the ways they nurture and are nurtured. It is at Latitude 53 until Dec. 16.
Shop thousands of Canadian handmade items at the Butterdome Craft Sale
The Butterdome Craft Sale runs this week Nov. 30-Dec. 3 featuring 220+ artists, artistans, makers and designers. This annual event has been highlighting makers since 1990. This is a ticketed event.
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
Dine at some of OpenTables Best Restaurants in Edmonton:
The 2023 OpenTable Best 100 Restaurants list has been released based on 1.1 million OpenTable diner rivews, resservations, ratings, and these three Edmonton spots cracked the Alberta list: Ernest’s, Tzin, and Uccellino. All three are absolutely excellent spots well worth a first time visit or revisit!
Try a Nomiya To Go menu item (3803 Calgary Trail)
Nomiya has been dishing out some tasty menu items specifically meant as take out, like their limited Friday specials of Spam and Egg or Pork Katsu Onigirazu with Wafu Chocolate Mousse or Tofu Shiratama Mitarashi Dango desserts (available for a limited time on Fridays). Watch their Instagram as they’re sharing other bento box specials depending on the Fridays!
Dine where The Jonas Brothers dined in Edmonton (lol, various locations)
Try plant-based brunch at Die Pie (11817 105 Ave.)
Plant-based restaurant Die Pie is offering a Vegan brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3. (I am not fully sure whether this is a repeating event or not so don’t miss this weekend if you really want it!) Try some Vegan breakfast pizza, waffle burgers, pulled “porq” scrambler and more.
Grab some treats and check out the Duchess Gingerbread Castle (10718 124 St.)
Duchess Bake Shop’s annual Gingerbread Castle is now on display—it’s Frozen themed featuring Elsa and Anna in Arendelle Castle. The team started building this back in August and customers are invited to donate new socks and warm weather accessories to the Bissell Centre when you come by to see the castle. People who donate are entered into a contest to destroy the structure in the new year lol. Obviously get Duchess treats while there!
Don’t miss grabbing VERY limited tickets to enjoy dinner & a show at Spotlight Cabaret (or check out their other events + dining menu!)
I was invited to check out the new Spotlight Cabaret dinner theatre show “Allison Wunderland” and it was SO good. Really funny. Catchy tunes. And an excellent four course meal! All for $60. You can’t get a better deal! Almost all of their shows are sold out (seriously, just a couple shows left in January have availability) so book a ticket before it’s too late! (if there’s a date you really want to go to, they do encourage you reach out and they can see if they can make it work). And otherwise, check out their other shows + food!
Here’s a few more food events coming up you may be interested in…
Campio Brewing and House of Hush present: Beerlesque on Nov. 30!
Audrey’s is hosting a Virtual Book Launch for The Antiracist Kitchen on Nov. 30.
Dont miss Secret Ingredient YEG’s upcoming cooking classes on Dec. 3 and 10 (A Taste of Mexico and A Ghana Jollof Rice Experience). Get 10% off with my code LINDORK10.
Attend Ernest’s Portugal Wine Dinner (a three-course meal + wine pairings prepared by NAIT Culinary students who travelled to Portugal in the summer) happening Dec. 9.
Don’t miss Otto’s Very First Winter Market on Dec. 9 & 10 “inspired by European Christmas Markets.”
Mock-Ups Mocktails and Spilt Bar are hosting a Mocktail Class coming up on Dec. 14!
Meuwly’s is hosting a Rob & Pete’s first Christmas Kitchen Party on Dec. 14.
St. Louis Bar & Grill have brought back their All-You-Can-Eat Ribs (Ribsanity promotion) available until Dec. 17.
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
I’m back partnering with family-owned, local shoe store Kunitz Shoes to showcase their Spike Boot Collection!! Get $30 off your pair of Spike Boots this winter season.
For more than 10 years, Kunitz Shoes has been fitting Edmontontonians in this amazing boot that features stowable, stainless steel cleats built right into the boot! These convenient and cute boots are designed to dig into ice and snow to ensure you’re safe and slip-free during our cold and icy months. Imagine a studded winter tire—but for your feet! The traction cleats stow into the base of the boots, easy to pop in and out when needed over our long winter months.
I’ve used ice cleats on winter boots before and sometimes it’s clunky, hard to get on, I’ve had a few slip off and lost them, and the attachable ones aren’t really that cute. Spike Boots with their built-in cleats are CUTE. Fashionable + functional.
Save $30 off any Spike Boot from Kunitz Shoes using my code LINDORKCOUPON (online) or print off this coupon image with QR code to redeem the discount in-store. Coupon valid until Dec. 6. 💛
See my Spike Boot Post on Instagram
Holiday Fundraiser Shout Out
Edmonton’s Holiday Hamper program, where people sign up to become ‘Elves’ and sponsor a holiday meal for families in need, is super low on elf volunteers this year (several hundred volunteers short!) I wonder if it’s because many families these days are struggling to provide their own meals with high grocery costs / costs of living. 😔 Delivery day is Dec. 16. if you are able to volunteer / donate time or money, we’ve been “elves” for the last few years and it’s always been a smooth and fulfilling experience.
From the Blog Vault
I wrote this week’s newsletter while in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona this week, working with Visit Phoenix on some travel content (watch for a travel guide to help plan you trip!) so I thought I would throw it back to 2019 when I worked with Visit Mesa and Flair Airlines on this Things to do in Mesa, Arizona (and area) Travel Guide!
Save $$$ with my Discount Codes
I regularly partner with awesome companies to offer discounts that save you money!
Here’s a few promos you may be interested in…
Get 20% off jetSet Parking at the YEG Edmonton International Airport using code LINDORK20. Book by November 30, 2023 for travel by January 12, 2024.
Get 20% off regular price items at Bamboo Ballroom using code LINDORK20!
Get 15% off Folk & Whimsy, a local woman-owned, family boutique with products that cover pregnancy to early childhood. Use code LINDORK15. (excluding Padraig Cottage slippers).
See all current discount codes on my blog!
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:
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