Edmonton 
The holidays are the perfect time to plan a special night out or date in Edmonton. Christmas in the city brings about festivals, light displays, festive markets, new or seasonal menus, and beautiful scenery for outdoor activities.
Credit: Glow Edmonton
So, no matter what kind of date atmosphere you’re after, and no matter if this is a 1st or 100th date together, Edmonton has a huge variety of fun from which to pick.
Edmonton’s holiday festivals include light displays inside or outside, musical performances, and live theatre, and can bring your date to some of Edmonton’s biggest attractions. If you’d rather take the date outside (recreational dates often cost less money), you can keep things casual with skating or a wintery walk or make things a bit more exciting with the local ski hills.
And what is a date without a meal? Edmonton’s festive and regular dining scene will give you a great selection of fine and casual dining, or places for drinks.
Festivals & Events
Glow Holiday Festival of Lights
You can take your date indoors, too, for the Expo Centre’s Glow Holiday Festival of Lights. The Fairytale theme will enhance the holiday spirit at the festival where you can shop the Merry Makers Market, dine, drink festive cocktails, and get great couples’ photos. The Glow dancefloor opens every Friday evening, too! Details
When: December 1-January 1
Where: Edmonton Expo Centre 7515 118 Ave. NW
How much: $22.99-$25.99
U of A Botanic Gardens’ Luminaria
uminaria is A Winter Garden Story, giving you and your date a chance to escape the city for a stroll through the visual holiday experiences. Stop at The Chalet first for festive food and drink before you head out into the snowy garden light displays. From here, you can choose a number of different paths: to the Woodland Express, the onsite train; to Luminaria in the Kurimoto Japanese Garden; to the Winter Queen’s Royal Garden; or, to Sprites Hollow and the Alpine Garden. You can also opt for a special dining experience inside a cozy dome.
When: November 23-December 31
Where: U of A Botanic Gardens – 5 km north of Devon on Hwy 60, Parkland County
How much: $17-$24
Christmas Carol at the Citadel
Citadel Theatre is back with its adaptation of Charles Dickens’ beloved tale of a miserly old man who is invited to change his ways by the Ghosts of Christmas. This year, you can enjoy a new adaptation by David van Belle. Details
When: November 26 to December 23
Where: 9828 101A Ave. NW
How much: $33.15 to $131.15
The Alberta Ballet Presents: The Nutcracker
Experience a holiday tradition with someone special this year and experience the Alberta Ballet’s rendition of The Nutcracker. The traditional Christmas tale is old through a beautiful display of dance and music and will make one of the most memorable holiday dates this season. The theatre also sells snacks and drinks before the show, and during intermission, so give yourselves plenty of time before the show to hangout! Details
When: December 7-11
Where: Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium 11455 87 Ave. NW
How much: $65-$204
Zoominescence
Take a unique journey through the Valley Zoo’s Zoominescence for your next night out and enjoy the Zoo’s charming display of holiday lights. This is the 10th year of the Valley Zoo Development Society’s annual light show with, and proceeds go straight back into sustaining the zoo. Details
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWtgII5P_42/
When: December 2-January 1
Where: 13315 Buena Vista Road &, 87 Ave NW, Edmonton
How much: $15.95
The Edmonton Christmas Market at Fort Edmonton
Fort Edmonton’s Christmas Market can help you out with a date night, and your Christmas shopping, all in one festive evening. The annual market will feature over 40 local vendors, romantic activities like wagon and carousel rides, chances to catch live theatre and entertainment, dining experiences, and festive cocktails for sale. Details
When: November 30-December 18
Where: 7000 143 St NW
How much: $15 per person
Outdoor Date Ideas for Winter
Candy Cane Lane
Outdoor Light Displays
November and December in Edmonton both offer opportunities for an evening stroll under magical and romantic holiday light displays. You can follow the bright lights to the centre of Edmonton with three different displays, or out towards the edge of the city for a drive-through experience.
- Candy Cane Lane (December) is a classic Edmonton tradition and is a wicked display of holiday spirit; just don’t forget your Food Bank donation!
- Rad Torque Raceway’s Magic of Lights (November 24-January 1) is a drive-through event near the Airport, but you can now purchase tickets for bonfire experiences on the raceway grounds.
- You can easily combine a night out for the Winter Whyte Light Up (November 26) with a dinner or coffee date; it also acts as a great preview to the winter festivals coming to Old Strathcona after the holidays.
Skating & Warm Drinks
Edmonton has a wonderful variety of places for a romantic holiday skate! Many of the rinks and iceways are near the river valley, holiday light displays, and plenty of options for a warm-up meal, coffee, or cocktail.
- Rundle Park in Edmonton’s east river valley offers a lengthy iceway. You’ll find dinner and drink spots nearby on 118th or 112th Avenue NW.
- Jackie Parker and the Meadows offer skating options for those in south Edmonton, with great dining along 17th Street.
- Victoria Park and City Hall offer downtown skating with both areas decorated in festive holiday lights. Jasper Avenue and 104th Street have several choices for dinner, a warm drink, or light snacks.
- Castle Downs is open on Edmonton north end with warmth and washrooms just steps from the rink, and the dining options of 137th Avenue a short drive away.
Skiing & Snowboarding
Take your pick between four places in Edmonton for a date out on the hills. The city ski hills certainly aren’t as intense as mountain skiing or snowboarding, but a more casual experience might be just what you need for a date. These hills each offer great scenery, too, with views of the ravines and river valleys from the chairlifts or tops of the runs.
- Rabbit Hill is on the southwest stretch of Edmonton’s River valley, with awesome views from the chairlift.
- Snow Valley in the centre of Edmonton is perfect for beginners, or those who want to spend time cozying up in the chalet together.
- Edmonton Ski Club offers a unique city skiing experience with the downtown skyline right across the river from you while you’re on the hill.
- Sunridge in east offers exception views for your day, too, and is another perfect hill for a slower day on the small slopes.
Visit a Nature Sanctuary
A peaceful, free, and nearby date opportunity can be found at a number of nature sanctuaries and preserves around the Capital Region. You may need a solid pair of boots, or some snowshoes, to traverse the trails, but the quiet and calm of the areas in winter, and the chances for spotting wildlife, will make you glad you planned a romantic day in these locations. You may also find some great photo opportunities for couples around these parks.
- The Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary offers a 4km looping trail through the area, with some of the trail elevated over the ponds.
- Make a small daytrip out of the Cooking Lake-Blackfoot PRA, where you can follow several trails at varying lengths through pretty winter scenery, far from the noise of the city.
- The year-round John E. Poole Wetlands in St. Albert/north Edmonton are a year-round area within the Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park.
A Date in the Snow at Strathcona Wilderness Park
There are many trails which you and your date can wander in a warm pair of boots. Or you can opt for snowshoe or cross-country ski rentals to make traversing the snow a bit more challenging yet more fun. Rentals for both types of equipment are available through the Visitors’ Centre. Details
Where: 2001 Sherwood Drive
Sherwood Park
How much: $13-$20 for rentals
Make it a Day Trip
There is plenty of holiday and Christmas fun outside of the city, and you can make a day trip out of all sorts of activities. You could hit up the small-town holiday markets and light displays or venture out to a natural area for a winter hike or snowshoe. You don’t need to travel far, and a safe distance for making it in a day from Edmonton is usually about 2 hours and under.
- Travel to Elk Island National Park, only a 40-minute drive from the east side of Edmonton. You can bring snowshoes and travel around the trails or set up a bonfire for stargazing under the dark sky preserve.
- Sylvan is often thought of as a place for summer daytrips. But their Christmas Under the Lights, lake skating, and dining options, also make the central Alberta town perfect for a day away from the city.
- A shorter day trip could be made to Fort Saskatchewan (depending on where you are in Edmonton); the Fort is hosting an outdoor holiday light up on November 25th which is also the official opening of their Enchanted Forest.
Sledding or Snow Tubing
Need some last-minute date plans? Grab a cheap sled from a hardware store, or dust off an old one, and add last-minute thrills to your date plans. If you have a sled, this can be a totally free date, too! Add even more thrills with a round of snow tubing at the Edmonton Ski Hill.
- The City of Edmonton lists many official toboggan hills, with one in every corner of the city, as well as central near the river valley.
- Sunridge Ski Area offer a thrilling snow tube run which brings you down a hill toward the river.
- Edmonton Ski Club has the hill for snowtubing with great views of downtown, as well as one of Edmonton’s most unique winter attractions: a giant ice climbing wall!
- Tubing is now available at Rabbit Hill, too, with 3 lanes which you can race your date down until you reach the bottom by the river.
Cross Country Skiing
Get your exercise in as a couple this holiday season and strap on a pair of skis! And you won’t even need to leave the city to find well-maintained or groomed cross-country ski trails, as many of Edmonton’s park areas have places to explore on skis.
- Capilano and Gold Bar Park are both popular locations on the east side of Edmonton for cross-country skiing.
- Kinsmen Park has two different loops to tackle and can make an excellent place for a nighttime adventure, with all the bright downtown lights around you.
- The Riverside Golf Course has over 4km of trails and will bring you close to other activities like skating or sledding.
Indoor Attractions
Muttart Conservatory
A date under the pyramids of the Muttart can be romantic any day of the year. The elegance and romance amp up for the winter months, too, with the feature pyramid displaying plants centred on the theme of Jingle Bells – Dashing Through the Snow. You can also gift your date or partner one of seven types of poinsettias, now on sale from the Marigold Gift Shop for Christmas.
You can also enjoy Christmas concerts at the Muttart Conservatory.
Where: 9626 96a St NW, Edmonton
How much: $14.95
Hit the Arcades
You can make it all fun and games for date night at one of the arcade bars/restaurants in the city. Each of the four arcade rooms offer a large variety of games, classic and new, along with extra experiences like dining, drink menus, VR games, or bowling. Additionally, they’re each near popular Edmonton locations like West Edmonton Mall, Whyte Avenue, and Jasper Avenue.
- The Rec Room has two locations in Edmonton: in South Common, and in West Edmonton Mall. They offer table games, arcade games, bowling, axe throwing, and a full bar/restaurant.
- When it comes to games, Greta Bar focuses on the arcade style; and for food, the bar focuses on keeping ingredients fresh and local.
- Beercade is another arcade game hangout on Whyte Avenue; keep in mind, they get busy on weekend nights and may have lineups!
Shop the Indoor Holiday Markets
An outing at Edmonton’s holiday markets creates a more casual afternoon date on which you can still find great food, or hot chocolate and coffee. You can treat one another while at the holiday markets, or stock up on some great local holiday gifts for other loved ones.
- The 2nd Annual Holiday Market at River Cree (November 25-27) offers a huge assortment of gifts and inspirations for the holidays from Indigenous, Metis, and Inuit artists and creators. Live entertainment will also be there to liven up the afternoons.
- Edmonton’s Butterdome Christmas Craft Sale (December 1-4) is an annual tradition for many and is a fun shopping experience to share with someone new.
- DisEnchanted Market YEG (December 11) will showcase several artists and local crafters inside the Aviation Museum.
Romantic Racing
The thrills offered from Edmonton’s indoor racetracks are best shared with someone special. These incredible indoor go-kart tracks offer multiple levels of track, food and beverage services, and additional onsite activities.
- SPEEDERS in northwest Edmonton recently opened a new location which boasts several new additions outside of the racing like arcade games, duckpin bowling, and axe throwing.
- DRIVE is one of the newest attractions at West Edmonton Mall and is one of many things to do at the mall.
The Perfect Date Downtown
Skating is now open to the public at the Ice District’s new rink. You can start a downtown date with skating and make your way to two different major Edmonton attractions afterwards, both of which are indoors.
- The downtown skating rink in front of Rogers Place is the newest addition to the Ice District and is open all day to public skating, unless otherwise posted for private events.
- The Royal Alberta Museum is a short walk away from the rink and has amazing exhibits which display different eras in Alberta’s natural history.
- Lastly, stop by the Alberta Art Gallery and enjoy several different exhibits together, or a meal in the May restaurant.
Dinner Date Ideas for the Holidays
Edmonton’s Board Game Cafes
Set up something a little more laid back for you next night out, or even for a first date. These Edmonton cafes each have their selection of boardgames and cards for you to rent which you can then play at your table with food and drink service- everything you need for a fun date! Each café works generally in the same way: check in when you arrive and book a table/timeslot (reservations are paid by the hour), pick out your game, order food and drink, and pay for all the fun at the end of the date.
- The Hexagon Board Game Cafe: 10750 Whyte Ave
- Table Top Cafe: 5716 – 75th St. NW
- Board n’ Brew: 9929 103 St. NW
Winter Patios
Patio dining doesn’t have to end with the summer or fall, and patio dining certainly doesn’t end with winter in Edmonton. You can take your chances on the weather with an outdoor patio like Café Bicyclette’s (where you still have fire pits to sit beside) or cover yourselves from the snow with a dome dining night.
- The versatile dome dining on the pretty patio of the Tiramisu Bistro is great for one-on-one dates, or group/double dates! The domes are even dog friendly.
- Café Bicyclette offers tasty cups of coffee, as well as a long list of other warm drinks, and several firepits around their winter patio.
- The Riverside Bistro in the Courtyard by Marriott (on the downtown riverbanks) is an incredibly romantic setting for your holiday dinner together, and includes a heater and shelter from the snow inside a clear dome.
Cozy Cafes
Take a bit of time and get to know one another, or for catching up, over some warm and festive drinks. Some of Edmonton’s cafes offer seasonal drink menus with hot drinks almost too pretty to drink, while others can offer a romantic setting, or just a delicious cup of simple black coffee.
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- Brew & Bloom Café is a beautiful setting for a special date, where you can dine while enjoying the gorgeous drinks both warm and cold, and alcoholic or not.
- Remedy Café has several locations in Edmonton and offer a warm place to enjoy their menu of comfort foods, local brews, and sweets.
- Block 1912 Café in Old Strathcona offer all your classic café drinks, as well as food, desserts, wine, and signature craft cocktails.
- The Old Beverly Café in north Edmonton is a cozy place to stop for drinks with their old school vibe and holiday décor.
Dinner Theatre
- Treat another person to the sights, sounds, and excitement of Las Vegas for the holidays with the Mayfield Dinner Theatre, and their original production: VEGAS LIVE.The show runs each evening for dinner, as well as for weekend brunch. Your live theatre will come accompanied by a full buffet for either meal, or access to drink sales. @ 16615 109 Ave. NW
- You can catch The Heartbreak Hotel on throughout the holidays at Jubilations Dinner Theatre. The show and dinner theatre experience give you everything you need for a memorable night out with someone special, including drink sales, buffet access, and the music of The King of Rock: Elvis. @ 2061, 8882 170 Street
Try Something New or Festive for Dinner
Edmonton’s restaurant scene is never quiet. The city is consistently welcoming new establishments and their cocktails, brews, gourmet dining, or casual fare. Consider treating your date to something totally new and different for Edmonton or take them to the tried and true: the award-winning restaurants in Edmonton who impress year-after-year or continue to add awards to their shelves. View some of Edmonton’s newest and best eateries here.
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