Embrace our Edmonton winter and get out to enjoy the great outdoor festivals and snow-fueled activities happening in the month of January! You can still catch the tail end of a few great holiday festivals at the beginning of the month, or plan to check out the Deep Freeze Festival or Ice on Whyte in the upcoming weeks. Our top picks for fun this month are below, with plenty more waiting to be discovered on our events calendar.
Family Fun Events in January:
Where to Find Christmas Break Fun
January 1 – 7 | The kids are off school and it is time to relax and have some Christmas break fun! Since kids aren’t always the best at simply relaxing, we have come up with a list of great family activities to get out and enjoy when the kids (or you!) start to get a bit too stir-crazy over the Holiday break.
Have a Safe and Fun Winter with our Get Outside Guide & EPCOR
All Month | Embrace winter fun in the great outdoors! EPCOR has helped us come up with a Winter Get Outside Guide, filled with safe and fun destinations to enjoy outdoor fun with the family including skating, sledding, skiing, and more.
Edmonton Oilers Skills Competition
January 4 | Oilers fans can cheer on their favourite players at Rogers Place during the fan-favourite Oilers Skills Competition on Thursday, January 4, 2024. Tickets start at just $15 (upper bowl) to come watch exciting challenges that will put the player’s speed, accuracy, and strength to the test!
Bluey’s Big Play
January 5 – 7 | Get your tickets now to see your favourite Blue Heeler family LIVE in their first stage show—Bluey’s Big Play! Choose from 5 performances at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium for a fun outing with your young Bluey, Bingo, Bandit and Chilli fan.
FREE Drop-In Winter Recreation with the City of Edmonton
Friday & Saturday’s | Join program leaders on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons for FREE recreational programming at Castle Downs Park, Rundle Park, Victoria Park, and Sir Wilfred Laurier Park. Programming includes snow fort building, snowshoeing, kick sledding, orienteering, and hot chocolate by the fire.
Snowshoe and Stargaze at Elk Island Park
January 6, 13, 20, 27 | Strap on the provided snowshoes and join a friendly park interpreter for a guided hike to experience the wonder of Elk Island’s night sky in the quiet beauty of winter.
Winter Wagon Rides at Fort Edmonton Park
January 6, 12, 13, 18, 20, 26, 27 | Take a horse-drawn Winter Wagon Ride through the historic streets of Fort Edmonton Park on select dates this January and February. The provided blankets will keep you cozy as you enjoy the 30-40 minute journey through the twinkling lights, plus there will be hot chocolate and a warming bonfire to look forward to after the ride!
Enjoy a FREE Recreational Skate every Sunday with Strathcona County
January 7, 14, 21 & 28 | Get out and get active this January with FREE recreational skate times courtesy of Strathcona County. There are several options this month to hit the ice with the family at absolutely no cost to you!
Michaels Sunday Makebreak Events
January 7, 14, 21 & 28 | Visit your local Michaels store during designated times, (usually Sunday afternoons from 2 to 4 pm) and head to the Michaels project room to craft alongside their creative, helpful associates! This month schedule includes New Year’s Vision Boards, Organization Jars, Watercolor Frames, and Pom-Pom Penguins.
Broadway Across Canada presents Mean Girls
January 9 – 14 | Catch Broadway Across Canada’s version of Tina Fey’s hilarious hit musical – you know you want to sit with us!
Edmonton Oil Kings Family Fun Sunday’s
January 14 & 21 | Sunday games are always Family Fun Sundays! Most start at an earlier hour (often 4 pm), and feature a Concourse Carnival with inflatables, face painting, and balloon twisting. For added fun, January 24 is also Elvis Afternoon.
Friday Fun Skate at Leduc Recreation Centre
January 19 | Enjoy music, activities, prizes, games, and fun during this fun “Year 3000” futuristic themed recreational skate.
FREE Recreational Swim with Inflatable Fun
January 20 | This month there are two chances to enjoy a free recreational swim with the family at Emerald Hills Leisure Centre. There will even be a fun inflatable obstacle course set-up in the pool for some added aquatic fun!
Edmonton Mom, Pop & Tots Fair
January 20 & 21 | Moms, dads and caregivers can check out products, services and promotions while the kids will have a ball with fun activities like a petting zoo, pony rides, chalk drawing floor, bouncy castles, and interactive stage performances.
Kidding Around with Rapid Fire Theatre
Saturdays | Kids can experience all the fun of Improv comedy with Rapid Fire Theatre’s show Kidding Around on Saturday afternoons. It is never the same show twice with the performers creating the entire show from their top of their heads, along with a few suggestions from the audience!
Winter at the U of A Botanic Garden
Every Weekend | Bring the whole family, well-behaved dogs included, to embrace the cold weather and fresh air with classic activities in the snow like kick sledding and snowshoeing (gear provided), or cross-country skiing (bring your own gear). Afterwards, warm up with a hot chocolate or hot apple cider by the fire in this picturesque setting.
Waves, all that Glows Sees, a creation of Le Théâtre des Confettis
January 19 & 20 | Bring your little ones on a beach adventure during Waves, all that Glows Sees, a creation of Le Théâtre des Confettis. This unique theatre experience will take place inside a tent on the Arden Theatre stage where the audience will be immersed in music and sound effects, sand shaping, shadow puppetry, and magical seascapes with ocean animals like sea turtles and seagulls.
Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Fête
January 20-21 | Experience all the beauty and enchantment of winter as the Alberta Avenue District is transformed into an enchanted wonderland “Under the Toad Stools” with colourful lanterns and artistic sculptures. The Deep Freeze Festival celebrates the coming together of Ukrainian, Métis, French Canadian, Inuit, and Indigenous cultures through artistic displays, cultural stories, artistic workshops, street hockey, and the famous Deep Freezer races!
Chiseled Ice Carving Competition and Ice On Whyte Festival
Competition January 18-20; viewing & voting until February 28 | Embrace the cold and see stunning works of carved ice art at the Chiseled International Ice Carving Competition by Activate Arts Alberta! Be at ICE District to watch as the 7 teams of internationally acclaimed ice carving artists carve their sculptures, then view and vote for your favourite in the People’s Choice Awards.
Musical Mornings at the Winspear Centre
January 28 | Little ones (1-5) and their caregivers are in for a musical treat during Musical Mornings! Cozy up on a pillow or your favourite blanket in the upstairs lobby of the Winspear Centre and join Ms. Kate and members of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for a fun morning of singing, laughing, and exploring instruments.
Feel the Joie de Vie at the Flying Canoë Volant
January 31 – February 3 | Inspired from the legend of The Flying Canoe, the Flying Canoë Volant is a creative and interactive cultural event that celebrates French Canadian, First Nations and Métis traditions. Enjoy games, entertainment and activities in Edmonton’s French Quarter, walk the colorful illuminated trails in Millcreek Ravine, and check out the canoe races at the Edmonton Ski Club.
Indigenous Peoples Experience Winter Admission
Saturdays & Sundays | If you haven’t experienced the Indigenous Peoples Experience at Fort Edmonton Park, weekends this winter are the perfect time to visit. Explore the rich diversity and cultural beauty of the First Nations and Métis in this award-winning indoor exhibit. BUDGET FRIENDLY BONUS: Receive one free general admission ticket of equal or lesser value for the 2024 summer season when you visit this fall or winter.
Try Snow Tubing at one of 3 Edmonton Ski Hills
Throughout the Month | If your kids like tobogganing, they will love snow tubing down the ski hill! Visit our post to learn which of the three Edmonton ski hill locations will work best for your family.
Enjoy Outdoor Skating in the Edmonton Area
Throughout January | Our Winter City is full of great locations to skate from neighbourhood rinks to unique experiences like ice trails. Find several great options in our Guide to Outdoor Ice Skating!
Love seeing the Family Fun Events in Edmonton in December, but want MORE? Sign up for the monthly Family Fun Edmonton enewsletter! Also, keep tabs on everything happening in #YEG with our calendar, and stay tuned to all the best local family events through our Facebook, and Instagram accounts.
