Edmonton: bad gas, playoff hockey, and a 16°C weekend

Hi Edmonton,

We're finally getting that spring stretch we've been waiting for, with sunshine taking over the weekend and temperatures climbing toward 16°C by Monday. There's a lot inside today: a south-side gas station story you'll want to read before your next fill-up, and a weekend stacked with everything from the Edmonton Tattoo & Arts Festival to Crystal Shawanda at New Moon Folk Club. Honestly, the ESO doing space music at the Winspear might be the most underrated ticket of the weekend.

— The Edmonton Edit

Today (Friday) is shaping up nicely: a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 8°C, dropping to a clear -5°C overnight. Saturday brings sunshine and 9°C, and then Sunday really turns the corner at 13°C. Monday and Tuesday push to 16°C with a mix of sun and cloud, the warmest stretch we've had so far this spring. No active Environment Canada warnings for the city right now, which is a nice change.

If you fuelled up in Summerside this week, you'll want to pay attention. Dozens of vehicles broke down between Tuesday night and Wednesday after stopping at the Esso/Circle K at Ellerslie Road and Summerside Drive, with drivers describing engines stalling within minutes of leaving the pump.

One dealership took fuel samples and found roughly 80% water and just 20% gasoline in the mix. At least seven repair shops have collectively serviced more than two dozen affected vehicles, and one driver's repair quote came in around $2,000. Couche-Tard, Circle K's parent company, says it has not identified any confirmed issues with the fuel supply but is reviewing the situation. For now, affected drivers are documenting the damage and pursuing reimbursement, and the rest of us are double-checking which station we filled up at.

Read more at https://globalnews.ca/news/11805134/edmonton-esso-contaminated-gas/

City council voted on April 15 to sell two surplus school sites in north Edmonton to be redeveloped as below-market affordable housing. A portion of Herb Link Park in the Dunluce neighbourhood will see homes built within the original school footprint, with adjacent green space staying undeveloped.

Ward Anirniq Coun. Erin Rutherford voted against the move, raising equity concerns about how much affordable housing is being concentrated in her ward when another project is already underway nearby. The City has been redeveloping surplus school sites for nearly two decades to chip away at the housing crunch. Next, City staff will move the sites into a sale or lease process with non-profit affordable housing providers, so we'll likely hear which developers are stepping up later this year.

Read more at https://globalnews.ca/news/11803578/dunluce-sifton-park-surplus-school-sites-affordable-housing/

EPL CEO Pilar Martinez and the Coalition of Alberta Public Libraries are urging the province to pause Bill 28, which would require parental consent for under-16s borrowing certain materials and grant the minister new oversight powers over library collections.

The bill was introduced April 2 as part of the Municipal Affairs and Housing Statutes Amendment Act, 2026. Critics say it raises real privacy issues and creates new access barriers, including for seniors, newcomers, and people without government-issued ID. The Coalition represents 324 public library service points across Alberta, so this is far from a city-only conversation.

Martinez also announced she'll be leaving EPL in August 2026, but she's clearly leaving with a fight on her hands. The Coalition is asking Albertans to contact Premier Smith and Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams as the bill moves through the legislature.

Read more at https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alta-libraries-restrictions-privacy-9.7161614

The matchup is locked in. Edmonton, sprung by Matt Savoie's first NHL hat trick, beat the Vancouver Canucks 6-1 on Thursday to clinch second place in the Pacific Division, while consecutive losses to the Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild squashed any hope of Anaheim overtaking them — though the Ducks' 5-4 win in Nashville secured them third place.

The Oilers will face the Anaheim Ducks in the first round starting on Monday, with Game 1 set for 8 p.m. MT at Rogers Place. Games 2 (Wed., Apr. 22) and 5 (Tue., Apr. 28, TBD) are also at home, with the series shifting to Anaheim for Games 3, 4, and 6 if needed. The Oilers and Ducks have squared off twice previously in the playoffs, with Edmonton earning a five-game victory in the 2006 Western Conference Final and Anaheim emerging in seven games in the second round of the 2017 bracket.

Connor McDavid officially claimed his sixth Art Ross Trophy with 134 points (48G, 86A), tying him with Gordie Howe and Mario Lemieux for second-most scoring titles all-time. The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs open league-wide on Saturday, April 18.

Date: April 17–19, 2026

Time: Friday 4:00 PM – midnight (18+); Sat–Sun various times

Location: Edmonton EXPO Centre, 7515 118 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T5B 4X5

Cost: $$ ($31.56–$103.39)

One of Canada's biggest tattoo conventions returns with over 450 local and international artists. Whether you're booking ink, browsing art, or just soaking in the energy, this is the weekend's marquee event.

Date: April 17 & 18, 2026

Time: 7:30 PM

Location: Francis Winspear Centre, 4 Sir Winston Churchill Square NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 4X8

Cost: $$ (from ~$96)

Conductor John Morris Russell leads the ESO through space-themed scores from Star Trek, Dune, E.T. and more. If sci-fi and orchestral music are your thing, this is a special one.

Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026

Time: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Location: 10310 83 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 2C6

Cost: Free

Edmonton's longest-running indoor farmers' market is packed with local produce, baked goods, prepared food, crafts, and live entertainment. A classic Whyte Avenue Saturday that costs nothing to walk into.

Date: April 17–19, 2026

Time: Fri 10 AM – 4 PM, Sat 9 AM – 4 PM, Sun 10 AM – 4 PM

Location: 3696 97 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 5S8

Cost: Free

South Edmonton's year-round indoor market with fresh produce, meats, coffee roasters, an ethnic food hall, and a kids' play area. Free admission and free parking make it an easy weekend stop.

Date: April 17–19, 2026

Time: Fri 2–8 PM, Sat 10 AM–6 PM, Sun 11 AM–4 PM

Location: Servus Credit Union Place, 400 Campbell Road, St. Albert, AB T8N 3V3

Cost: $ ($3+)

One of the region's most popular consumer expos, featuring more than 250 vendors across home, lifestyle, food, and wellness. A great low-cost outing for families just outside the city.

Date: April 18–19, 2026

Time: Sat: individual gallery hours; Sun: 12:00–4:00 PM

Location: 124 Street & Area galleries, 124 Street NW, Edmonton, AB

Cost: Free

The seasonal gallery crawl is back with new exhibitions across commercial galleries on 124 Street. Free, walkable, and a perfect excuse to explore the shops and restaurants in the neighbourhood.

Date: April 17 & 18, 2026

Time: Sessions begin 7:00 PM

Location: Workshop West Playwrights' Theatre (Gateway Theatre), 8529 Gateway Boulevard NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 6P3

Cost: $ ($15 per session)

Nine short plays across three sessions, including six brand-new works by local playwrights. The winning production heads to the provincial festival in Leduc, so you're seeing fresh Alberta theatre at its earliest stage.

Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026

Time: 8:00 PM

Location: Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, 11455 87 Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T2

Cost: $$

Sam Roberts Band is performing the 2006 album Chemical City in full as part of a five-city Canadian anniversary tour. Edmonton is one of only five stops on this run, so it's a real one-night-only deal.

Date: Saturday, April 18, 2026

Time: 8:00 PM

Location: Century Casino Showroom, 13103 Fort Road NW, Edmonton, AB T5A 1C3

Cost: $$

Canadian rock legends Streetheart mark 50 years with a hits-packed show running through Action, Here Comes the Night, Under My Thumb and more. It's 18+ with free heated underground parking.

Date: Sunday, April 19, 2026

Time: 7:30 PM

Location: Francis Winspear Centre, 4 Sir Winston Churchill Square NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 4X8

Cost: $$ (from $36)

A celebration of homegrown Edmonton talent featuring Brianna Lizotte, Denim Daddies and Secondhand Dreamcar across genres. A great way to see the city's music scene fill the Winspear stage.

Edmonton has a brand new Loran Scholar to be proud of. Tessa Muddle, a Grade 12 student at Strathcona Composite High School, has been named one of just 36 Loran Scholars for 2026, chosen from more than 5,400 applicants across the country. The scholarship is valued at over $100,000 and recognizes character, service, and leadership. Muddle co-founded Flag Like A Girl (FLAG) with classmate Avery Witherspoon to grow girls' participation in flag football across Edmonton. It's a great reminder of what local students are quietly building right under our noses, and another reason to keep an eye on what's coming out of Strathcona.

A group of St. Albert kids has turned a hard family experience into something gentle and useful, making handmade gifts for cancer patients going through treatment. The project grew out of a personal connection to cancer in one of the families, and the kids ran with the idea of doing something tangible for people in chemo chairs and hospital rooms.

Reporter Nicole Stillger profiled the initiative on Global News Hour at 6 Edmonton on April 14, and it's the kind of small, local story that quietly puts your week back in perspective. No grand fundraiser, no big launch, just kids deciding that comfort matters and acting on it. If you've ever sat with someone through treatment, you know how much a small handmade thing can carry.

If this helped you find something to do, pass it along.

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That's it for today.

See you Tuesday,

— Banish

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