Edmonton 
May in Edmonton will have a lot to offer for your date plans. The weather is warming up, the parks are getting busier, and there is simply more to do around the city!
Take advantage as you plan your next date night or afternoon. The warm weather adds several ways to enjoy nature or recreation together and outdoor dining like patios or picnics! These date ideas for May in Edmonton include plans for any budget, including several date plan ideas.
Check out Edmonton’s Newest Restaurants
Find a few different vibes for your next date from Edmonton’s newest restaurants. These new spots opened in the last month or two. Among them are a variety of options for pricing, atmosphere, and menu styles.
- Liberta Coffee opened this past month and offer excellent coffee drink options and sweets to enjoy in the café, or to take on a spring picnic.
- DICED is Edmonton’s newest board game café and eatery. The café offers something to eat, drink, and do during the date.
- Mokha Coffee House opened late last March on the corner of 137 Avenue and Castle Downs Road. The café offers Yemeni-style dining, décor, and drinks.
Catch an NHL Playoff Game
Whether you’re an Oilers fan or a fan of one of the many Canadian teams currently in the playoffs, these games create an exciting night out together.
- Get to the heart of the excitement at an Ice District Watch Party (outdoor for home games and indoor for away games) and be ready for some big celebrations.
- Find a neighbourhood Boston Pizza for a fun but quieter playoff watch party experience and find TVs casting games from other Canadian teams. You’ll likely be surrounded by fellow fans in the lounge or dining room.
- Take some local beer and pizza home for a cozy date night on the couch with, hopefully, an Oilers win.
- 20 of the Best Sports Bars and Restaurants in Edmonton
Head to the Attractions now Open for Summer
These Edmonton attractions are only open from spring to fall. Join them for opening week or weekend and enjoy opportunities for exploring history, nature, dining, and drinks.
- Fort Edmonton Park opens for the summer on May 18th with a special twist this year. 2024 is the Park’s 50th Anniversary!
- A date at the University of Alberta Botanic Gardens could happen as early as May 10th. The gardens offer romantic walking areas like no other in Edmonton and a handful of dining or snack options as well.
Plan a River Valley Picnic
Each of Edmonton’s River Valley Parks have something unique to offer for a date idea to go along with the picnic. Each of these parks have picnic tables, a handful of shelters, and cook stoves (be mindful of fire restrictions).
- The Northeast River Valley Park provides some of the most picnic space out of any of Edmonton’s parks. These areas are near washrooms, walking and cycling trails, and access to riverside trails.
- Louise McKinney is one of Edmonton’s great urban parks with nearby access to the 100th Street Funicular, restaurants and cafes, the River Valley Adventure Co. activities, or the expansive trail network.
- A picnic date in Whitemud Park brings the outing to a scenic part of Edmonton’s River Valley near trails that lead south, east, and west. Plus, Fort Edmonton is also right beside the park to add a little more fun to your picnic date.
Save These Ideas for a Rainy Day
May means spring in Edmonton. And this could easily mean your date plans are accompanied by wet, chilly, or maybe even snowy weather. Save these date plans for the cooler or rainier days in May.
- No matter the weather outside, the weather inside Edmonton’s Muttart Conservatory is controlled for each separate pyramid. The conservatory’s main pyramids each represent a different climate and hold an array of different plants: trees, flowers, shrubs, cacti, vines, and more.
- Downtown’s Royal Alberta Museum are in the midst of their feature exhibit, on until July 28th. Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia, is an impressive display of artefact that, combined with the rest of the museum, will easily fill an afternoon.
- The AGA currently has a wide variety of artistic collections to browse together, plus a few feature exhibits that you’ll need to see in May before they’re gone.
Hit the Patios
Conversely, these are some date plans you’ll want to save for a warm and sunny afternoon. Patio season has definitely kicked off in Edmonton. Below are a few ideas for restaurants with patios, but also a good variety cuisine types.
- Fox Burger in east Edmonton recently announced the opening of their rooftop patio. The 3rd floor patio looks out over the tops of the neighbourhood’s massive trees and is a peaceful little escape.
- Take a stroll up and down Happy Beer Street in Edmonton with your date to find great brews, relaxed patios, and in some breweries, filling snacks.
- For a stroll or shopping date along Whyte Avenue, you’ll find many awesome patios to relax at including Sushi Café Madang, Darling, MKT, or O’Byrne’s (to name but a few).
Explore the Arts Festivals in Edmonton this May
Plan date night (or afternoon) this May around the wonderful number of arts and culture festivals about to pop up in Edmonton. These range from film and visual arts to food, music, and dance.
- Northwestfest (May 9-15) kicks of this spring week of film festivals, followed by the Rainbow Visions Film Fest (May 16-19).
- Downtown Spark (May 22-June 2) is a newer arts festival in Edmonton but has seen continued growth over the short time. Walk together through large, building-sized display and art exhibits in Churchill Square.
- UFest Ukrainian Arts Festival (May 24-25) is the largest of its kind in Western Canda. The festival takes over Borden Park this May with music, entertainment, Ukrainian treats, and dancing.
A Date on the High-Level Streetcar
Edmonton’s official “streetcar season” begins with the starting up of the High Level Streetcar. The Streetcar opens for regular admission and rides on May long weekend. Plus, you can elevate the experience with The Common’s Streetcar Cask Parties. The first of the season is
May 16, and features tasting samples from Blindman & Dandy Brewing.
When: opens for the season May 17, 2024; Cask Parties May 16
Where: 8408 Gateway Blvd NW
How much: admission $8; Cask Parties $56 per person
Get out of the City and into Spring Activities
As the weather warms up, date ideas and inspirations open up to giving you more to do together!
- For some of the best hiking trails close to the city, head southeast toward Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area, or Miquelon Lake Provincial Park. These day use areas also have picnic amenities and washrooms.
- The canoe and kayak rentals from Ridge Wilderness Adventures at Elk Island will be open as of May long weekend! Explore Astotin Lake, watch wildlife, and pack a picnic.
- For more wildlife viewing, especially spring birdwatching and photography, head west or northwest of the city. Both the Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary and John E Pool Wetlands offer 3-5km of trails to wander.
Shopping, Dining, & Farmers’ Markets
A few of Edmonton’s big farmers’ markets are open year-round, while others will open for the season this May. There are many ways to make a date out of a visit to the markets whether it be dining on site or grabbing all the fresh ingredients for a romantic dinner at home.
- Year-round markets include: Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market, Bountiful Farmers’ Market,
- Markets opening this May include: Callingwood Farmers’ Market, 124 Grand Market, Southwest Edmonton Farmers’ Market, Beverly Towne Farmers’ Market
Live Theatre & Music
Find out your date’s musical taste or find a show that both of you will love with one of Edmonton’s many live venues. These are among some of the larger venues in Edmonton, but many bars and pubs around the city also offer live music experiences.
What’s On Stage: Edmonton Live Theatre
Top Concerts and Music Festivals to Attend in Edmonton
- Paranormal Cirque will expose you to a unique creation of combined theatre, circus, and cabaret with a new European style flare from May 2 to 12 under the stunning White & Black Big Top Tent.
- The Winspear, one of Edmonton’s premier music venues, have a wide array of classical and symphony performances with tickets available for May dates.
- Tickets are still available for the Foreigner Farewell Tour show at Rogers Place!
- The Starlite Room have an eclectic lineup of May performances with chances to make a date out of metal shows, dance parties, rock shows, folk music performances, or disco parties!
- The Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium is somewhere you’ll find musical performances, musical theatre productions, dance shows, and comedy with Alberta Ballet performing Der Wolf & The Rite of Spring and Jann Arden and Rick Mercer hitting the stage on The Will They or Won’t They Tour.
