100+ Free Things to Do in Edmonton in August With Kids

August in Edmonton is one long golden hour — 16 hours of daylight, warm river valley evenings, and a splash park within reach of almost anywhere you live. It's also when the "I'm bored" chorus peaks. Good news: you don't need a single ticket to fill the month. This is your running list of free things to do in Edmonton in August with kids — splash parks and spray decks, no-cost festivals, library programs, river valley trails, and free museum days.

Free Things to do in Edmonton in August - The Schedule

Everything here is free to show up to (we flag anything needing registration or a paid upgrade). Bookmark it, work down the list, and save the big-spend days for when it rains.

Fun, no-cost summer activities in Edmonton

Splash Parks & Spray Decks (Free All Summer)

Hot day, zero budget, happy kids — spray parks are the easiest win of the summer. Edmonton's are free, drop-in, and scattered across every quadrant, with no standing water so even toddlers are safe to splash. Pin the nearest one on the map, then scroll for our five favourites worth the extra drive.

Check out the Spray Park Trail. Families looking for a free, active, and engaging way to spend their Tuesday afternoons this summer are encouraged to join the Spray Park Trail, collect passport stamps, and enjoy eight weeks of fun at some of Edmonton's neighbourhood spray parks. Tuesdays in August.

Free Drop in Park Programs

  • Alberta Avenue open gardens Night | Every Thursday from 6:30-8:30 pm until Sept 10, the beautiful community garden will be open to the public. Come wander, view, sit and enjoy. 

  • FREE Strathma Garden Explorers | Garden Explorers starts at Strathcona Museum and Archives! Drop by from 10:30–11:00 AM for some garden fun. Kids 4+ and their grown-ups can help us plant the garden, do a simple activity, and take home a bean plant.

  • Free Drop-in Park Programs
    Free games, music, and mini golf popping up in Edmonton parks all summer — no tickets, no registration, just show up and play.

Free Festivals & Events in Edmonton This August

  • Heritage Festival | August 1-3, 2026
    Eat your way around the world across 60+ pavilions and 100+ cultures — free to enter, back at Hawrelak this year. Bring cash-free hands and a Food Bank donation.

  • Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival | Aug 14–16, Louise McKinney Riverfront Park
    Dragon-headed boats, thundering drums, and paddlers racing down the North Saskatchewan — free to watch, food trucks riverside, all weekend. Pick a boat and cheer loud.

Free Nature Activities and Events

Free Museum & Gallery Days

Indoor/Rainy Day Things to do

Big Al’s Aquarium Store | All Month
Free walk-through "aquarium" that happens to be a store. Thousands of tropical fish, marine tanks, live coral, reptiles, and a manta ray to watch up close — no ticket, no time limit. Catch the weekly shark feeding if you can. The best rainy-day plan - and it’s completely free.

Apple Camp Drop-in | All Month
The Apple Store has free weekly coding classes and Apple Camp in Edmonton offer hands-on, beginner-friendly opportunities for kids and teens to learn real programming skills in a fun, supportive environment. Local programs include interactive workshops at the Apple Store where participants use Swift Playground on iPad to build apps, create digital stories, and explore the basics of coding and design.