Taste of Edmonton is back this week. Here’s what’s new at the downtown food festival

The downtown core is once again asking Edmontonians to “come hungry, stay curious” for this year’s Taste of Edmonton foodie festival extravaganza.

The downtown core is once again asking Edmontonians to “come hungry, stay curious” for this year’s Taste of Edmonton foodie festival extravaganza. The event is considered western Canada’s largest outdoor food festival – this year, with more than 200 items across more than 50 local restaurants and food trucks – and runs until July 26. Festivities kicked off Thursday with speeches from city officials celebrating the culmination of months of preparation.

The hard work manifests each year as smells of smoked brisket, coconut shrimp, waffles and more wafting through Sir Winston Churchill Square. Taste of Edmonton executive director Donovan Vienneau says 11 of this year’s 49 restaurant partners are brand new. “We also have two food carts, two food trucks, a centralized bar that has only Alberta-made products, beer, highballs,” he said on Thursday.

Plus, not new, but an improved menu-side element: “Every dietary restriction known to humankind is accounted for.” On the entertainment side , attendees can expect to see some heavy hitters at the McLennan Ross stage: Econoline Crush on Thursday night, for example. Brayden King will headline the country theme night.

Tyler Shaw takes the stage July 23. Legends close the festival on July 25. Taste of Edmonton is proud to be well-attended – boasting anywhere between 250,000 to 350,000 attendees, weather permitting – and is a rain-or-shine festival.

The 42-year-old event, Vienneau says, has seen it all and has rainy days to serious emergency plans covered. He’s also proud to say he hasn’t increased pricing since 2018. “How I do that is with genuine conversations with my restaurant partners ...

It’s working with all of these great partners, asking for everything at a reduced price or a discounted price. I immediately pass those savings along to Edmonton. “I like out-of-the-box thinking.

I like finding different solutions ... Taste of Edmonton’s not for everybody, but we certainly strive to be.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Curtis Goodrum