The Edmonton Group Chat: What your friends are talking about this week (May 19)

Welcome to Edmonton’s group chat, your weekly roundup of what’s trending, what’s new, and what’s actually worth talking about. Here, we can get the hottest events and news right to your phone and group chat without any issues. If your friends are talking about it, you’re going to find everything you need to know right in this article.

It’s almost summer — doesn’t time fly? For the season, there are so many festivals and markets, not to mention everything reopening with the hot weather.

We’ve got you and your group chat covered, so you won’t have to go searching for plans with your friends: you have them all right here. Without further ado, let’s get into it.

What’s trending, Edmonton?

Outdoor pools and spray parks are beginning to open

With the weather finally warming up in Edmonton, I can safely say it’s time for outdoor pool and spray park season. The City of Edmonton seems to agree with me, as it has finally released the opening dates for all its outdoor pools and spray parks.

We rounded up all the outdoor pools in Edmonton with their opening hours and dates. This will be perfect for making plans with your group chat for swimming this summer.

Fort Edmonton Park is back open for its summer business

Alongside all the pools opening again, Fort Edmonton Park leads the charge, having reopened this past weekend on the 16th.

Fort Edmonton Park is one of Edmonton’s most historic places. The Fort acts as its own time travel portal into the late 1800s. Throughout the winter and fall, it runs a couple of programs, but in the summer, the park truly comes to life. If you’re looking to get the full experience of the park, this is definitely the time to be going.

If you grab your friends, you can make this park a whole day trip. Ride the steam train, explore the farms, and take a ride in the historical midway district.

And this popular grand market is opening back up for business as well

124th Grand Market takes over the streets on Thursdays and Sundays, but for this, we’ll be talking about its Thursday market. The Thursday market reopened this past week, but the Sunday market is still on hold until June.

Each week at this market, there is a selection of over 60 rotating vendors with fresh produce, handmade goods, and trinkets, as well as food trucks that are going to satisfy your taste buds in every which way. If you head out with some of your girlfriends, you’re sure to end up with a basket-load full of trinkets and foods.

One of Canada’s largest Ukrainian festivals is taking over the city this weekend

UFest Edmonton Ukrainian Festival is a celebration of everything Ukrainian. This two-day event brings together not only people of Ukrainian heritage but also everyone looking to educate and immerse themselves in it. You’ll find yourself itching to get busy at this fest, so it’s only convenient that it’s taking place over the next weekend.

Complete with food, friends, and festivities, you won’t want to miss out on this one.

Not to mention this hot air balloon festival in Southern Alberta

You might’ve seen some hot air balloons around, but you won’t see anything like this on the regular.

Over in Medicine Hat, there’s a fantastical festival thrown every year centred around, you guessed it, hot air balloons. This weekend, according to Tourism Medicine Hat, up to 35 hot air balloons will take flight above the city for a magical view and an even more magical experience.

This is the perfect opportunity for a summer day trip. Hop in the car with your friends, and you’ll be glad you witnessed this magical event outside the city.

Recent posts:
There’s a hot air balloon festival with up to 35 aircraft taking flight over Alberta this weekend
Western Canada’s largest Ukrainian festival is being held in Edmonton this spring