Salute to Vienna, Gerdan & Shockolad, PWHL Takeover, Winter Wonderland & more

What’s Up Edmonton! (And surrounding areas)…

Thanks for tuning in. Here’s your local ad-free action report for: Tuesday, December 23 through Monday, December 29, 2025.

I cover: Events & Entertainment happening in & around YEG.

Note: All links are non-monetized. They simply lead to event info.

If you’re enjoying this informative ad-free publication, please share it with your friends.

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My friends, hello!

Thanks for stopping by. I had a bit of a brain fart last week & had thought we were a week behind where we actually were… alas, this is the Christmas Edition, and a (typically) quiet one at that!

As Edmonton shuts down for the holidays, there isn’t a whole lot happening in town but that’s ok! If you’re brave enough to conquer the cold, I’ll outline a few activities that are always available in the winter months should you choose to check them out. (I’ll do this on the 25th).

One other thing of note. With regards to the holidays, I am taking next week off. So the next newsletter edition will be December 6 - 12, 2026.

To all of you who’ve hung around for the duration of 2025, thank you so very kindly for your patronage. This newsletter project has had quite the positive effect on our city (and the surrounding communities) & very truthfully, it’s all because of you. Thank you for continuing to get up & out, for engaging & helping to keep our hometown a lively, thriving place. I’m looking forward to a strong 2026 with you all = )

But in the mean time… I’ll catch ya out there = )

Jonah

Some Things To Do This Weekend:

Tuesday, December 23:

• 6pm - 8pm | Sketch Night | BY_DONATION | Bring your art supplies & join with other local artists for a night of community doodling |

• 6:30pm - 8:30pm | Anchor Mens Group | FREE_EVENT | Find compassion & understanding while discussing life’s more difficult topics |

• 7pm start | Oilers vs Flames | Elevate Christmas to another level by cheering on the Oil Boys in this true Battle of Alberta | $147.50+/person |

• 8pm - 10:30pm | Home For the Holidays: Jam Night | Bring your favourite noisemaker (or ears) & join a fleet of talented pro musicians | $5-10/person |

• 8pm start | Tibbs Eve | Celebrate a traditional Newfoundlander pre-Christmas, complete with live tunes from the talented Derina Harvey | $22.63/person |

• December 23 & 24 | A Christmas Carol | A Charles Dickens classic comes alive this season & you can take it all in for $112+/person |

• December 23 - 25 | Die Harsh: A Christmas Miracle | BE the laugh track as Grindstone theatrically showcases the best X-mas movie ever | $29.77+/person |

• December 23 - 31 | Glow | Explore 100,000 sq/ft of lights, mini golf, play zones, an artisan market & more | $17.99+/person | Closed Dec. 25 |

• December 23 - January 2 | Candy Cane Lane | FREE_EVENT | Bright lights & smiles await as you make this familial trek through an Edmonton tradition |

• December 23 - January 11 | Banksy Without Limits | Browse an epic art from one of the world’s most prolific artists, right in the heart of YEG | $22+/person |

Wednesday, December 24:

• 6pm start | Felice Open Mic | FREE_EVENT | Join an inclusive audience and share a song, poem, story or other work |

Thursday, December 25: Christmas Day

If you’re brave enough to face these chilly winter days & are looking for some affordable, FREE fun this winter season, I’ve got you covered.

Bring your own skates (,sticks & pucks) & enjoy really great times at.

• Rundle Ice Way

• Victoria Park Ice Way

• Cardiff Park Ice Way (Sturgeon County)

• Devon’s Outdoor Rinks

• Spruce Grove’s Outdoor Rinks

• Fort Sask’s Outdoor Rinks

• Sherwood Park’s Outdoor Rinks

• St. Albert’s Outdoor Rinks

• Leduc’s Outdoor Rinks

• Beaumont’s Outdoor Rinks

• Other Outdoor Rinks in Edmonton

If you’ve skated to your heart’s content & still have time for more, you could always give cross county skiing a try. You may need to rent gear, else BYO. But there are plenty of tracks to be had by all.

• 8 Places to X-Country Ski in Edmonton

• XC Skiing in St. Albert

• XC Skiing Fort Sask

• 14km of XC Skiing in Parkland County

• XC Skiing in Leduc

Finally, don’t be afraid to pull out a toboggan and send it, on the biggest hill you can find (naturally). Seven Hills in St. Albert was long the most feared slope in the land though Gallaghar’s Hill also has serious teeth. With a little seeking, there are a trove of other epic hills within the City proper (and many just outside of it), including an especially epic adventure near Terrace Heights and 75th street… if you know, you know.

Happy Holidays, What’s Up Edmonton Readers! Let’s hope it’s one to remember = )

Friday, December 26:

• 7:30pm - 10:30pm | RCW Boxing Day Brawl | Cheer from the sidelines as YEG’s best wrestlers duke it out in the ring | $22.73/person |

• 9pm start | Hysteria w/ Blackout | A bunch of professional musicians are bring the best of Def Leppard & The Scorpions live for $45.50+/person | 18+ |

• 10pm - 2am | Niche Holiday Special | Six local DJ’s go B2B & you can get in on all that dance floor action for $9.26+/person |

Saturday, December 27:

• 9am - noon | Christmas Bird Count | FREE_EVENT | Get your binoculars & get outside before Stu, Kenny & Brad steal your thunder! |

• 1pm start | Minnesota Frost vs Vancouver Goldeneyes | PWHL is taking over Rogers Place | Enjoy pro hockey at amateur pricing | $37.85+/person |

• 7pm start | Cadence Weapon w/ Arlo Maverick & Moto Music | Support Canadian artists & enjoy an awesome rap performance | $31.08/person |

• 9pm start | LongWalkShortDock w/ guests | Bass & EDM fans will be stoked to see this dub icon live for $17.71+/person |

• 10pm - 2am | Nightmare after X-mas | It may not be 2007, but there’s still no party like a gothic dance party | All vinyl, all night long for $17.56/person |

• December 27 - 31 | Winter Wonderland | Enjoy skating, sledding & seasonal festivities plus live music including Scenic Route to Alaska | FREE-$28/person |

Sunday, December 28:

• Noon - 1pm | Holiday Skate @ Rogers Place | Skate where the pros duke it out for FREE-$30/person | Includes photo ops, some tours & more |

• 1pm - 3pm | Gerdan & Shockolad | Make Christmas especially special this year with a fantastic Ukrainian folk-jazz collaboration | FREE-$44.06/person |

• 2:30pm start | Salute to Vienna | Join the Strauss Symphony of Canada & a handful of talented sings & dancers for one incredible show | $64.50+/person |

• 4pm start | Oil Kings vs Hurricanes | Enjoy professional hockey at affordable pricing as the Oil Kings take on Lethbridge’s finest | $24.25+/person |

• 7pm - 11pm | The Leo Martinez Band | FREE_EVENT | Join one of Edmonton’s best, a genre-bending icon for a live holiday-special show |

Monday, December 29:

• 1pm - 4pm | Neutral Ground | FREE_EVENT | Find new friends around boardgames, jigsaw puzzles, crafts & other fun activities |

• December 29 & 30 | Hollywood for the Holidays | Join your affable Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for a feel-good show of the hits | $37+/person |

• December 29 - 31 | Winter Break Camp | Ever wanted to launch snowballs from a catapult & make other neat science projects? | $230+/(grade 3-4) kid |

Thanks for checking in. Have a great week, everyone!