What to do in Edmonton this Weekend with Kids - October 6-8, 2023

Friday

Visit the Smoky Lake Pumpkin Fair
Plan your festival harvest experience at the Great White North Pumpkin Fair. The Great White North Pumpkin Fair is the first Saturday in October every year. The growers of Alberta and surrounding provinces bring their pumpkins, squash and gourds to the world famous Smoky Lake Great White North Pumpkin Fair and weigh off. Contestants have been known to travel over 1000 kilometres to participate in the event.
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Gateway to the Stars at Elk Island National Park
Gateway to the Stars is an introductory stargazing program where park interpreters guide participants using star charts to find some of the major constellations visible in the night sky in the fall. We then use the Big Dipper as our Gateway to the Stars to explore other constellations visible to the human eye and along the way tell some of the cultural stories about the constellations. Campfire and a friendly park interpreter are included. Telescopes are not used in this program.
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Dark at Fort Edmonton Park
Select nights from October 6 to 29, your worst fears will be roaming through Fort Edmonton Park's exhilarating new haunting experiences. Survive a horde of undead in a defenceless frontier town. Escape the deranged killer clown whose grand gesture is murder. Dare to discover what nightmares are made during the witching hour. Come for the scares, stay for the food and the fun. From local food truck favourites and spooky cocktails to a live DJ spinning eerie beats, DARK is Edmonton’s Haunted Festival and you won’t want to miss it. 
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Saturday

Century 21 Free Pumpkin Drive
Join the fun on October 7, 2023, from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM at 5954 Gateway Blvd NW in Edmonton for an exciting day of fun activities, a complimentary BBQ, and FREE pumpkins. The team is also extending a warm invitation to contribute to local charities by bringing food bank and toy donations. Don't miss out on this great event!
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Catch a Laser Taylor Swift Show at TELUS World of Science
Taylor Swift is one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. With over 200 million records sold, a shelf full of Grammys, and an army of fans, Taylor Swift is an inspiration for generations. Laser Taylor Swift takes her biggest hits and brings them to life in dazzling laser light. If you can’t score tickets to her concert, Laser Taylor Swift is the next best thing.
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Prairie Gardens Haunted Pumpkin Festival
Meet some farm animals, take a hayride, explore a kid-friendly haunted house, solve the corn maze, snap a picture in a 25 acre pumpkin patch: this is just the beginning of all the fun your family can have at Prairie Gardens this season! Packed with events and opportunities for fun, make sure to check out this Bon Accord farm, conveniently located less than an hour from Edmonton.
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Drop in for STEAM Lab at the Libruary
Full STEAM ahead! From robot battles to hovercrafts to building your own games, discover all things Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. You're invited to try new things and create stuff at this class for junior makers.
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See a $2.99 Movie at Cineplex Family Favourites
Every Saturday morning, you can watch a $2.99 movie at Cineplex. It’s your chance to catch a family movie on the big screen, on the cheap. This weekend, you can watch a relatively new release, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken.
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Drop in Art Lab: Make Your Own Emoji
Kids will learn fun ways to create their own emoji. We’ll show them how to draw colourful faces and objects. They’ll get hands-on using the Procreate app on iPad with Apple Pencil to draw an emoji to take home. Devices will be provided. Register in advance, there is no cost for this program.
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Owl Banding at Beaver Hill Observatory
This annual fall migration of owls occurs from September until early November, with October being the peak in their abundance. Species captured include Northern Saw-whet Owls, Long-eared Owls and Boreal Owls. Join our biologists for an evening in the woods to learn about the research being conducted on our feathery friends and hopefully see a live owl up close and personal!*
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Drop in Loonie Swim and Jaws Party in Fort Saskatchewan
This is a perfect opportunity to explore the youth only time in the pool! Drop off your youth for a Nintendo switch-game filled, Jaws themed swim with activities both inside, and out of the water. It’s your chance to win a spooky themed prize basket and it’s only a dollar to get in! Harbour Pool has such fun events for kids and families!
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Climb the Wibit at MacEwan Pool
Every month, on the first Saturday of the month, the Wibit is inflated in the pool at Grant MacEwan. Drop in for the family swim on the Saturday afternoon session to climb in the pool!
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Sunday

Foam Fighters Play All Day
Spend a full day playing at Foam Fighters with the Play All Day event on Sunday, October 8, 2023. Tickets are just $15 and include all-day fun including the ability play in the NERF Arena, shoot targets at the target range and cool down in the Gamer’s Lounge. Tickets can be booked online, limited tickets available.
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All Day Sunday at Art Gallery of Alberta
Squeeze, roll and mold the clay to create a playful sculpture and wearable art inspired by contemporary ceramics in the galleries. Get out with the kids and explore the whole gallery with supplementary activities with the kids.
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Watch a Family Movie at the Library
There are two movies you can catch at the library, at two locations, this weekend. Watch Caspar, or James and the Giant Peach with friends, family and fun at the library.
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Free Drop in Coding Workshop: Make your own Theme Song
Create a theme song for your favourite show, book or game using GarageBand on iPad. We’ll cover rhythm basics and kids will get hands-on with experimenting with Smart Drums, adding pre-recorded loops and remixing their theme song. Bring your iPad or we’ll provide one. Recommended for ages 8–12.
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