Five Uniquely Albertan Live Performance Venues You Need to See

Alberta is home to some heavy hitter events that generate global attraction from around the world. Playing host to spectacles like the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, the Calgary Stampede, and Canada's largest folk music festival, Edmonton Folk Fest, Alberta has certainly made a name for itself in the live performance scene.

But while some of these larger household names may be familiar, Alberta is also the stage for some of the most unique outdoor performance venues in the country. Ranging from vast and magnificent to quaint and almost secretive, discover Alberta's five must-see, outdoor venues that are well worth a visit.

Badlands Amphitheatre (Drumheller)

Although one of the better-known venues on this list, the Badlands Amphitheatre is one of Alberta's most spectacular outdoor venues and natural phenomenon. This incredible non-profit theatre is naturally formed by the massive badland coulees and seats 2,500 spectators. Throughout the summer season, it holds a variety of concerts, theatre shows, fireworks and outdoor movies. Visitors can book a guided tour of Canada's largest outdoor stage or fully indulge in the scenic, sensory experience that only this one-of-a-kind acoustic powerhouse delivers by attending one of their many events.

Festival Park (Whitecourt)

In unassuming Whitecourt in the Northern Rockies region resides one of the most fun, family-friendly, year-round outdoor venues in the province, Festival Park (formerly Rotary Park). From skating rinks in the winter to a water park, lazy river and playgrounds during the summer, this versatile venue plays host to a huge variety of activities for all ages — perhaps the most notable being the annual Party in the Park Festival, held each summer in June. Established in 2007, this free, two-day summer festival boasts an impressive lineup of Canadian headliners and local talents amplified by an array of local food vendors and family activities. It's not just another outdoor festival. It's a festival in the great outdoors. This year's festival lineup featured Canadian legends Fefe Dobson, Jojo Mason, Econoline Crush and Jake Vaadeland & the Sturgeon River Boys.

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (Jasper)

While not a permanent outdoor venue, this manicured lawn laid out under the dark, starry night sky makes for one of the most captivatingly charming stages in Alberta. As part of Jasper's Dark Sky Festival, the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge hosts a truly celestial experience called Symphony Under the Stars. Set in one of the world's largest Dark Sky Preserves, this celebrated event features the transformative sounds of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra under a blanket of stars in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. This year's event will take place from October 13-15.

The Commercial Hotel – Blues on Whyte Ave (Edmonton)

Known as Canada's Festival City, Edmonton is no stranger to attracting, hosting and even birthing some of Canada's most renowned musical artists. It's also home to some of Canada's most iconic music venues, like The Commercial Hotel's Blues on Whyte Pub. Celebrating its 111th birthday this year, this historic venue has been around for the better part of Edmonton's musical lifespan and is known for its live music and jam sessions. But what's new to Edmonton's heady music scene is the massive 4,410 square-foot outdoor patio and stage this venue recently opened during the pandemic. The patio features a colourful mural, comfy seating and a regular rotation of local musicians.

Princes Island Park (Calgary)

Located on a small island in the centre of the Bow River in downtown Calgary, Prince's Island Park is a picturesque backdrop for Calgary's bird watchers, joggers and picnickers alike, while also doubling as a prominent stage for some of Calgary's most celebrated events. Said to be one of the most used urban parks in Canada, this beautifully landscaped and well-maintained venue recently upgraded its temporary tent structure stage to the new-and-improved permanent Enmax Stage, elevating its sound quality and equipping the venue with a host of new features just in time for one of the city's longest running festivals, the Calgary Folk Music Festival.