Lindork’s Lists #198 – Christmas Giveaways! 🎁 plus skating, late night eats & more!

Go for a snow tube at the Edmonton Ski Club (9316 96 Ave.)

• Snow tubing is back at the Edmonton Ski Club! I mean there’s not much else to say about that lol. Try it if you haven’t—it’s fun and no experience required (and I guess no snow required lol).

Participate in the annual Edmonton Christmas Bird Count (various locations)

• Join the Edmonton Nature Club’s traditional citizen-science Bird Count project to help count birds on Sunday, Dec. 17! Edmonton actually hodls the world record for number of bird counting participants.

Go skating in downtown Edmonton (Churchill Square)

• Head down to Churchill Square and the City Hall Plaza this Saturday, Dec. 16 from 4-8 p.m. for the Bright Light Skate Night—a FREE, family-friendly event with a DJ, fire pits, cultural performances, skating, light + art installations and more!

Watch Mean Girls (the Leduc Composite High School Musical)

• Leduc Composite High School presents Mean Girls the High School Version this weekend Dec. 14-16. The Christmas classic (lol yeah we’re calling it that!) tells the tale of Cady Heron as she takes on The Plastics.

Head out to Metis Crossing Geminid Meteor Shower Gazing (Smoky Lake)

• The Geminid Meteor Shower is this week and Metis Crossing out in Smoky Lake is holding viewing events on Dec. 13 (tonight!) and Dec. 14. This ia guided meteor shower viewing experience with telescopes, binoculars, Indigenous storytelling, crafts, hot chocolate and marshmallows by a fire and more.

Shop the Tomo Arts Market (8426 Gateway Blvd.)

• The Tomo Arts Market returns on Dec. 16 & 17. Free entry + alternative art styles, cute merchandise, anime prints, comics and more from 40+ makers.

P.S. parents—Nest Integrative Wellness is holding a FREE Book & Toy Swap on Saturday, Dec. 16 from 1-4 p.m.! Offload gently used items and pick up some new (to you/your kid) gifts for the holidays.

Here’s some other festive activities through December! (various locations)

• Go for a Christmas Lights Drive in Devon this Dec. 15, 16, and 17!

• Go for a magical walk along Kiwi Nurseries Christmas Trail this Saturday, Dec. 16.

• Check out Winter in Little Italy this Sunday, Dec. 17 with free horse sleigh rides, hot chocolate and roasted chestnuts.

• Experience the Ice Palace Holiday Spectacular on Sunday, Dec. 17 at West Edmonton Mall featuring Canada’s top figure skaters.

• Candy Cane Lane is on until Jan 1 with Open Street Nights on Dec 16, and 23! Be sure to book a sleigh ride before they’re sold out too.

• Catch “Die Harsh: A Christmas Musical” — 40 Stories of Sheer Laughs running Dec 14-23 at the Varscona Theatre (presented by the Grindstone Theatre Society).

• Canada’s Ukrainian Nutcracker presented by Shumka runs in Edmonton Dec. 15 & 16.

• There will be a Christmas in Chinatown event on Dec. 16 at the historic Hull Block.

• The Common is hosting A Holiday Street Car Christmas Cask Beer night on Dec. 16.

• A Very Indigenous Holiday Market takes place on Dec. 16 and 17.

• The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra presents A Lightly Classical Christmas on Dec. 15 & 16, A Very Merry Pops on Dec. 22 & 23 and Hollywood for the Holidays at the Winspear Centre on Dec. 28 & 29!

• The Edmonton Christmas Market 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.

• West Edmonton Mall is hosting Winter Wonder Weekends every Fri-Sun until Dec. 22, featuring live entertainment, roving performances and holiday character appearances.

• Alberta Prairie Railway presents The Polar Express Train Ride on select dates this holiday season until Dec. 22 (many dates already sold out!) Santa will board the train at the North Pole and walk through each train car giving out gifts to children 12 and under.

• With Bells On! the Musical presented by the Theatre Network runs at The Roxy Theatre until Dec. 23.

• The Christmas Carol runs at The Citadel Theatre until Dec. 23.

• The Polar Express in IMAX is back at the TELUS World of Science weekends until Dec. 24.

• Cirque du Soleil’s festive and theatrical show CORTEO will play in Edmonton for the first time Dec. 27-31 at Rogers Place. “Corteo, which means cortege in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. Combining acrobatic feats, comedy and acting, the show plunges spectators into a theatrical world of fun and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth.”

• PLUS: A few Christmas light locations:

  • Check out my old blog post for Christmas light locations including the legislature, LeMarchand Mansion, Candy Cane Lane, Musical Lights in Parkland County, Elliot Place in St. Albert and Festival Place in Sherwood Park. (should still be applicable this year except the Churchill Square one!)

  • 3rd Annual Carducci Christmas Light Show running Dec 1-25 (Thurs-Sun 6-9 p.m.) next to Crystalina Nera Park (bring food bank donations!)