Lindork’s Lists #246 – Winterval Festival, Edmonton Top 100 Restaurants, a Borealis Lights Christmas GIVEAWAY & MORE!
Newsletter for November 20-26, 2024
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 bybecoming a free subscriber.
Things to Do This Week
Check out Borealis Lights Drive-Thru Christmas Lights Display from Nov. 22-Jan. 5!
Borealis Lights, the popular annual Drive-Thru Christmas Lights Display, is back for the holiday season this week starting November 22 until January 5, 2025!
This year includes an 85-foot animated light tree, the tallest tree of light in western Canada with over 57,000 lights, plus 2 light tunnels, a candle extravaganza and more.
I partnered with Borealis Lights to giveaway a drive-thru light experience to an email newsletter subscriber! I regularly do email subscriber-only giveaways so in addition to getting my curated recommendations for Things to Do, Eat and Know Each Week, becoming a subscriber means you also get more chances to win free stuff!
Learn more about Borealis Lights
(there’s also a paid option if you’d like to support my work further)
Experience Winterval in downtown Edmonton (104 St. from 104 to Jasper Ave.)
The Downtown Winterval winter festival takes place this Saturday, Nov. 23 from 3-8 p.m. along historic 104 St. in downtown Edmonton. Businesses will have deals and giveaways, there will be holiday lights, live music, winter patios, sleigh rides, and other activities including the free ‘Roots & Rhythm Christmas with Seeka Sings’, an indoor event we’ll be taking Benjimin to.
Check out GLOWSCAPE 124 (various locations around 124 Street)
GLOWSCAPE 124, An Illuminated Art Experience, is on nightly from 4-8 p.m. until December 1. Walk around 124 Street & Area to experience an illuminated art experience that transforms empty commercial spaces into beautiful pieces of moving art. The FREE event features projections at multiple locations that light up from 4-8 p.m. every night until Dec. 1. Very cute reason to walk the neighbourhood. Check the website for locations!
Attend the Under $100 Art Show (EPCOR Tower, 10423 101 St.)
100 artists will be selling thousands of pieces of artwork for under $100 as part of the Under $100 Art Show happening this Thursday, Nov. 21 at EPCOR Tower. This all-ages event originated in Calgary 16 years ago and expanded to Edmonton and Vancouver this year. ages event. Kids 16 and under get in free.
Here are some markets happening this weekend:
The fourth annual River Cree Holiday Market is this week Nov. 21-23!
The Nightmarket before Christmas is on Friday, Nov. 22 at the Alberta Aviation Museum.
Knottwood Community is hosting a Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The Metis Market is on at Kingsway Mall on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The Mom Market is on at the Edmonton EXPO Centre Nov. 23 & 24.
And a few other events you may be interested in:
Tee Pee Treats Giving Back to the Streets is this Saturday, Nov. 23 from 12-6 p.m. at Boyle Street Plaza (Free food, live music and entertainment).
The Art Gallery of Alberta’s Art Party (right after the sold out Century Ball) is from 9 p.m. to Midnight this Saturday, Nov. 23.
There’s a Black Tie Masuerade Ball happening Saturday, Nov. 23.
West Edmonton Mall is hosting Winter Wonder Weekends featuring live artists / performances on Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 16 to Dec. 22.
Plus: This is a heads-up about the annual ETS Holiday Lights Tour – they always sell out! Tickets for the ETS Holiday Lights Tour goes on sale Nov. 21 at 10 a.m. (for tour dates on Dec. 13 and 15). The tour takes you to Candy Cane Lane, the Alberta Legislature, and other holiday areas of the city. It always sells out so if you’re interested, plan to book tickets on Nov. 21 at 10 a.m.
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!
Check out Edmonton OpenTable Top 100 Restaurants in Canada (various)
Congratulations to Bernadette’s, SABOR, and Tzin Wine & Tapas, the three Edmonton restaurants that made OpenTable’s Top 100 Restaurants in Canada 2024 edition! This list is voted on by diners who make resos at the restaurants. Three great spots to consider dining at this holiday season!
Grab some Birch & Bear Pizza at their newest location (8210 106 Ave.)
Congratulations to Birch and Bear Pizza (from the folks behind Toast Culture) who have opened their third location in Forest Heights! I have friends who live in the area who are HUGE fans and could not have willed this new location to be any closer and more convenient for them lol. They also have a Jasper Ave. (inside Toast Culture) location and a Ritchie (inside Ale Architect) location. I am a fan of their Potato, Capicola and Truffle Oil and The Bear pizzas in particular.
Check out South Island Pie Co.’s new pop-up location (12415 107 Ave.)
Congratulations to South Island Pie Co. for the grand opening (today, Wednesday Nov. 20) of their Hot Pie Pop-up Shop inside Zwick’s Pretzels. They’ll be serving their hearty “Down Under”-style meat pies for lunch and dinner Wednesdays through Saturdays.
Try the Hong Kong dessert bento from Sweethoney Dessert (10746 Whyte Ave.)
My friend and I had a nice visit to Sweethoney Dessert in Old Strathcona, sharing their “Sweethoney Dessert Trellis” (like a bento box) featuring nine squares of different desserts! Check my Facebook post for a list of what comes in each box. Our favourite square was the Matcha Ice Cream with taro balls, shaved ice and condensed milk. It’s $23.99 and intended for sharing. Some squares were misses for us lol but you may enjoy them all!
Celebrate Wokbox’s 20-year anniversary (various locations)
Wokbox, which originated in downtown Edmonton 20 years ago (!!) is celebrating their 20-year anniversary with different food specials and a contest to win a trip for two to Asia (no purchase required!) Good luck! In the Edmonton area there are over a dozen locations to choose from with a menu inspired by 10 Asian countries.
Dine at Shogun All You Can Eat Sushi & Pho before it closes (10125 121 St.)
Shogun All You Can Eat Sushi & Pho is closing permanently. Nov 24 is their final day of operation. Go bid them farewell and enjoy their AYCE menu one last time! I never got around to sharing an AYCE guide to Edmonton (still on my list lol) but I would have noted how much I liked Shogun’s look and feel (it’s nice inside!) and spaciousness, paired with the AYCE menu.
And here’s a few food events you may be interested in…
The next NAIT Ernest’s Alumni Series chef dinners are on Nov. 22, Dec. 13, Jan. 24 and Feb 14.
Meuwly’s is hosting a Charcuterie & Wine Tasting night on Nov. 22.
Fuge Sausage is offering Fuge Friday lunch specials (take-out only) every Friday this November.
Sauce Caribbean Restaurant is turning two years old with a Cozy Fireside Feast / buffet, DJ, desserts event on Nov. 23.
Tee Pee Treats Giving Back to the Streets is on Nov. 23.
Meuwly’s Meat Camp is Nov. 24.
The Edmonton Chefs Festive Holiday Gala fundraisier is on Nov. 25.
Art Is… Soul: Where Memories Bring the Past to Life is on Nov. 30.
The 30th anniversary of Stuff-A-Bus campaign to support the Edmonton Food Bank is Nov. 30.
OCHA + BOBA is hosting a Winter Wonderland Night Market with food, boba, desserts, vendors and more on Dec. 6.
Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat. Cereal Cartoon Party is on at Metro Cinema / Garneau Theatre on Dec. 7.
Twice Cream is hosting their 2nd Annual Santa Food Bank Drive / event on Dec. 9.
The Meuwly’s Holiday Kitchen Party is back on Dec. 12.
Spilt Bar, Alberta’s first mocktail bar, is hosting holiday mocktail classes every Tuesday leading up to the Christmas!
Le Petit Chef a 3D immersive dinner theatre with the “world’s smallest chef” is on at the JW Marriott until January 2025.
Spotlight Cabaret’s “The Matrixx” Dinner & Show runs Wednesday through Sunday until January 2025.
Seven Paintings, an interactive dinner show that combines art + technology (like super elevated Paint Night!) is on at the Renaissance Hotel through 2025.
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.
My Group Trip to Bali is CONFIRMED!
Thrilled to share that my group trip to Bali in October 2025 is CONFIRMED! 🎉 Thanks to those who booked!! It’s going to be an unforgettable experience. There are 10 of us going and room for up to 16 more. TrovaTrip, the group travel company I’m working with to host the trip is offering $50 off as a pre-Black Friday, only three uses available with code LINDA50 if you book by November 22. If you have any questions, reply and ask! Happy to answer and see if this trip might make sense for you!! 💛
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 regular price items at Bamboo Ballroom using code LINDORK20.
Get 15% off your first-time order at Princess and the Pea (excluding Jellycat/Canada Goose) using code LINDA15.
Get 10% off Canadian clothing brand Charli B with my code LINDORK.
Get 15% off Pedego Edmonton e-bike rentals with my code Linda15.
Get 10% off services at Park Integrative Health by mentioning my code LINDORK at payment. Valid for first-time massage, acupuncture, energetic healing + medical aesthetics appointments only.
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:
Subscribe for More!
Free subscribers to my weekly newsletter Lindork’s Lists receive the full, hyperlocal newsletter first in their inbox every Wednesday—before anyone else! You can also become a paid subscribers to receive access to more musings and stories written by me—or simply subscribe to support my work, especially if you’ve been following me for awhile and are so inclined :)
The full Lindork’s Lists includes:
- Things to Do This Week
- Food to Try This Week
- Walls of the Week
- Interesting Thing on the Internet
- Social Media Did You Knows
- Exclusive Promo Codes / Discounts
- Exclusive Newsletter Subscriber-only Giveaways
- Newsletter Subscriber-only Access to Events
Paid subscribers also receive access to musings, stories, an exclusive Q&A every other Sunday, giveaways and more content (forthcoming lol). Becoming a paid subscriber also supports the content I share overall.
(You’ll get the option to subscribe for free or select a paid plan)
