Music lovers rejoice, you’ve got options for August music festivals.

Introduction To Music Festivals And The World Of Music In #YEG

Bring out your music loving friends to enjoy these festivals. Edmonton’s music scene is happening this summer. There’s something every weekend throughout the summer. Below is a list of all the festivals happening in August!

Edmonton Heritage Festival July 30 – August 1

Bringing you a taste of Canada’s national heritage, the Edmonton Heritage Festival is back to celebrate multiculturalism. The world music week includes a range of amazing performances right here at the heritage amphitheatre. Performers include Neha Batra, DJ Game Girl, Punjabi Heritage & Folk, Bill Birdsong Miller, Chubby Cree, Alaine, Soji Joseph, Melafrique, Digging Roots, Billie Joe Green, Bill Birdsong Miller, Brandon Baker, and Kaely Jade.

Learn more at https://www.heritagefest.ca/!

Edmonton Folk Festival – August 4-7

The Edmonton Folk Festival has been around since 1980 and for good reason. It’s one of the highlights of the Alberta summer and one of the world’s leading folk music festivals.

The festival’s headliners include Kaleo, Lord Huron, Nathaniel Rateliff, Old Crow Medicine Show, The National, And the War on Drugs. These headliners are known throughout Canada for their fantastic folk songs. Running over the weekend, this festival is held at Gallagher Park! There’s much more talent such as Buffy Sainte-Marie, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Orville Peck, La Doña, Larkin Poe, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Allison Russell, Matt Andersen, Mick Flannery & Susan O’Neill. With all this talent, this festival is sure to get your feet dancing.

Check out more at edmontonfolkfest.org!

Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) Outdoors August 4 – 21

The ESO outside brings forth an impressive number of performances over the weekends in August. The program includes a range of classical music performed by Cosette Justo Valdés (conductor) And Eric Buchmann (violin).

The program titled Mozart’s “A Little Night Music”, includes a long list of music. It includes the following music; Mozart Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (A Little Night Music), Zemlinksy Humoreske (Rondo), Ibert Three Short Piece For Woodwind Quintet, Anonymous Clarinet Polka, Ewald Brass Quintet No. 2: 1st Movement, Lysenko Prayer For Ukraine, Lady Gaga (Arr. Ridenour) Brass Romance, and finally Monti Csárdás.

Learn more at https://www.winspearcentre.com/

Edmonton International Fringe Festival August 11 – 21

This fringe festival is one of the oldest and largest fringe festivals available in all of North America. Held every August, the theme for 2022 is destination fringe! It’s a clever change from not being able to go to any destinations during the covid-19 pandemic. There is a range of musicians with more names being added all the time.

Get artists updates and learn more at https://www.fringetheatre.ca/

Together Again Outdoor Concert August 19 – 21

This is a series of music held during the covid pandemic and returning to Edmonton Exhibition Lands Racetrack. The headliners include Dean Brody, Blue Rodeo, Our Lady Peace, Serena Ryder, The Trews and so many more. Friday includes the music of Paul Brandt, Johnny Reid, Meghan Patrick, Tyler Joe Miller, and Olivia Rose. Saturday is headlined by Burton Cummings and Band, Kim Mitchell, Chilliwack, Lee Aaron, Stephanie Harpe Experience, and Cam Student Bands. Last but not least, Sunday’s musicians include Barenaked Ladies, Sam Roberts Band, 54-40mollys Reach, And King of Foxes. Don’t miss out on this impressive lineup. The 3-day music festival includes all kinds of genres to fit everyone’s taste while enjoying talented live entertainment.

Learn more at https://togetheragainYEG.ca/

Edmonton Blues Festival August 19 – 21

Bringing the blues to Edmonton is the Edmonton Blues Festival just off downtown in Hawrelak Park. A blues haven is created each year by blues legends, Grammy winners, Juno winners, maple blues award winners, blues music award winners, and IBC winners. This all-ages show includes performances by Arsen Shomakhov, Sue Foley, Guy Forsyth and Jeska, Steve Kozak, C.J. Chenier and The Red Hot Louisiana Band, The Texas Horns Featuring Diunna Greenleaf, Fiona Boyes, Phill Wiggins, Kat Danser And The Tall Tales, Mitch Woods And His Rocket 88’s, The Legendary Downchild Blues Band, and Crystal Shawanda.

Learn more at https://www.bluesinternationalltd.com/

Purple City Music Festival August 26 – 28

Hosted at the popular music venue at Hawrelak Park, there will be evening performances throughout Edmonton at historic venues such as the Starlite Room, Garneau Theatre (Metro Cinema) and the Freemason’s Hall. This fantastic 3-day festival is a music experience for all ages. Performers include Actors, Mas Aya, Basement Revolver, Pearl Charles, Stillwaves, The Velvetiens, The Garrys, Mother Tongues, Petunia, Blue Moon Marquee, Vagina Witchcraft, Mitch Davis, Michael Rault, Archaics, Sister Ray, Faith Healer, Body Lens, Ghostwoman, Motorbike James Uncanny Valley, Radiation Flowers, Total Chroma, Black Mastiff, Real Sickies, Jom Comyn and so much more.

Learn more at https://purplecityfest.com/

Concluding Thoughts On August’s Music Festivals

Come on down to Edmonton, Alberta for our wide range of fantastic music festivals. There’s no shortage of genres from folk to opera to so much more! Eventbrite sent out a survey to find out what kinds of people go to music festivals. They found that there are three types: hardcore, moderate, and casual festival goers or ‘festies.’.

🎸Hardcore festies (20% of all festivalgoers) attend an average of five to six festivals each year

🎻Moderate festies (50% of all festivalgoers) attend two to three festivals each year

🥁Casual festies (30% of all festivalgoers) attend one festival each year

The survey can be found on the Event Brite blog. Which one of these are you? If you’re casual and wanting to go for hardcore, take a visit to some of these fantastic festivals.

There’s no shortage of Edmonton music festivals in August. Get your groove on with these amazing concerts. Comment below which events are on your bucket list!