Welcome to Edmonton, Canada’s festival city.

Edmonton, capital city of the Western Canadian province of Alberta, welcomes visitors year-round with thriving arts and festivals , including its internationally renowned folk, fringe and street performers festivals; natural beauty; eclectic neighbourhoods; and iconic attractions like West Edmonton Mall, North America’s largest shopping entertainment centre and Alberta’s number-one tourist attraction.

Nestled into the curves of the North Saskatchewan River, the capital of Alberta is a lively metropolis with sensational night time entertainment and deep cultural roots. History and the arts — and a dash of northerly spirit — have combined to create this cosmopolitan centre — a place where creativity thrives, culture is celebrated and nature embraced. Edmonton was named the Cultural Capital of Canada for 2007.

Be sure to check out Edmonton’s wealth of attractions, including Fort Edmonton Park — Canada’s largest living history museum, the Royal Alberta Museum, and the award-winning Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village . And that’s just a sample of what our city and region offer. Come, and see why Trip Advisor named Edmonton one of Canada’s top 10 family-friendly destinations in 2011.

Greater Edmonton is home to a wide dining selection with more than 3,500 eating establishments. Many of these restaurants mirror the diversity of more than 50 ethnic groups, featuring regionally inspired menus while Alberta’s world-famous beef is a star attraction for restaurant-goers. Be sure to sample one of our fine eateries showcasing locally sourced ingredients and Edmonton flavours.

Our Live Local movement — Canada’s only one of its kind — encourages visitors and residents to eat, dine, shop and experience everything our region has to offer. Living local means keeping locally owned businesses in business, and gets Edmontonians working together to create healthy, vibrant communities. Be sure to experience Edmonton’s local flavour, colour and energy.

Living up to our accolade of Canada’s cultural capital, a thriving art, music and theatre scene awaits you. Arts and culture are indeed the very soul of Edmonton, creating an oasis for creativity, exploration and accomplishment vital for nourishing and sustaining our community. Check out the Art Gallery of Alberta, with its marquee architecture and sweeping lines that reflect Canada’s aurora borealis and Edmonton’s river valley. Take a gallery walk , Canada’s first of its kind, through a 12-block area that showcases the best of Canadian art and caters to every taste — from Aboriginal to abstract to landscape. Or visit Old Strathcona , a designated historic area that boasts a year-round farmers’ market, a thriving night life and music scene, and Alberta’s largest concentration of live theatres.

If you are in search of variety, look no further than our distinctive and sometimes electic neighbourhoods: Old Strathcona for its historic charm, High Street for its one-of-a-kind shopping and dining gems, downtown for its urban sophistication, and Little Italy for a taste of la dolce vita … and that is but just a small part of our city’s charm.

Did someone say shopping? You will be hard-pressed to find anything better than Edmonton’s fantastic retail options. Did someone say provincial sales tax? We are the only province with no provincial retail sales tax, which means you stretch your dollars further here. If you are looking for variety or the trendiest, you cannot beat West Edmonton Mall or South Edmonton Common, Old Strathcona and High Street boast family-owned and independent businesses where you will leave with one-of-a-kind retail experiences. Don’t forget downtown for the latest in high fashion, gourmet delights and uptown dining.

Edmonton is a great starting point for experiencing the great outdoors. Start with North America’s largest urban park: Edmonton’s river valley is 22 times larger than New York City’s Central Park, and offers 22 major parks and 150 km of trails on which you can enjoy walks, bike rides, picnics, segwaying, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and more. Get close to the North Saskatchewan River with guided or independent canoe tours. For something more pampered, there is the Edmonton Queen Riverboat. Or to get your adrenalin going, try a jet boat tour.Elk Island National Park Canada’s first federal wildlife sanctuary for large mammals, is on the city’s doorstep. Edmonton also offers access to stunning botanic gardens , Alberta’s northern lakes and a variety of wildlife in their natural habitat. By car, bus, air or VIA Rail’s well-known “The Canadian,” a few hours to the west is Jasper National Park and the majestic Canadian Rockies.

Come see why over a million people call Greater Edmonton home and discover for yourself Canada’s festival city .

Edmonton looks forward to welcoming you to Rendez-vous Canada 2012.