Keeping costs low at Edmonton's summer attractions and festivals

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]Well, many city attractions and festivals are doing what they can to lower prices and offer deals for edmontonians as the cost of living continues to rise. CTV's Connor Hogg reports.

[00:00:12]Families of all shapes and sizes gather in Horlak Park over the long weekend.

[00:00:16]Rhonda Latosky and her kids came to the park looking for an afternoon activity that wouldn't come with a cost. Just with the price of everything, it's better to find free things to do so we can afford some of, you know, the things we have to get.

[00:00:31]Taste of Edmonton is part of a successful summer partnership from last year coming back again by popular demand. Eat, Play, Laugh ticket packages provide tickets to Taste of Edmonton, K-Days, and the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival. Opening our doors and having the most amount of people that can come in for the least amount of money that we possibly can do and, you know, that's where where we believe that affordability it needs to be top of mind.

[00:00:58]>> [bell] >> Fort Edmonton Park opened for the summer season on Saturday. This summer tickets are 10% cheaper than they were last year. The park hopes the lower price also lowers some financial barriers.

[00:01:11]Discretionary income is becoming more and more stretched these days and so if there's anything we can do to help like lowering our prices a little bit, that's going to hopefully help people feel that they're welcome. They can can still enjoy. They can spend time together with family.

[00:01:24]>> Edmonton's Chamber of Commerce says many edmontonians are feeling a financial pinch right now.

[00:01:31]That could be challenging for people looking for ways to spend the summer.

[00:01:34]People will be looking for ways to save money and to make sure that they stretch their dollar more. Um, but edmontonians are um, a hearty bunch that's that that still love their restaurants. They love their festivals. They love their events.

[00:01:47]I I think we weathered the storm before and and we do it by continuing to help each other. Back at Horlak Park, while Rhonda Latosky is glad to hear that some prices in the city aren't continuing to go up, she thinks the city could always help a little bit more. I think that they could even make admission to the outdoor swimming pools free for the summer. That would be great. Families hoping to make a saving splash without skimping on the summer fun.

[00:02:12]Connor Hogg, CTV News, Edmonton.