Why Edmonton ᐊᒥᐢᑿᒌᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ?
We are the Gateway to the North
Edmonton ᐊᒥᐢᑿᒌᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ is the fifth-largest city in Canada, and is the most northerly large metropolis in the country. The city is shaped by the mighty North Saskatchewan river, whose deep river valley provides verdant walking trails and scenic views.
Known for its diversity, its arts festivals, vibrant theatre scene, and progressive politics, Edmonton ᐊᒥᐢᑿᒌᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ is cooler than you'd expect.
Our weather is great
Edmonton ᐊᒥᐢᑿᒌᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ enjoys mild winters in which the temperature often reaches a pleasant -30°F, which is close enough to be effectively the same in °C.
But don't worry. If the city is selected to host the 2030 Worldcon, the event would be in August, and it very rarely snows here in the summer.
Canada is really big
We are excited that our sibling city of Montreal is hosting Worldcon 2027, but also think Canada has room for many Worldcons. Because Canada is really big.
Although Edmonton ᐊᒥᐢᑿᒌᐚᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ and Montreal are in the same country, we are actually not very close to each other. The two cities are separated by almost 2,000 miles and are culturally distinct. The 2026 Worldcon LAcon V in Los Angeles is geographically closer to us than the Montreal Worldcon in 2027. And this bid was conceived by a completely separate group of fans and volunteers.
One of our local choirs even did a cover of a bit of a Canadian anthem on this theme…
Edmonton ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ has earned a reputation in Western Canada as a haven for freethinkers, non-conformists, and political idealists. Because there are so many progressives, trade unionists, activists, and LGBTQ+ folk here, it’s sometimes jokingly called ‘REDmonton’ (for those in the USA, ‘RED’ is a reference to left-wing politics).
Edmonton ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ is one of the most diverse cities in Canada, and has the second-largest Indigenous population in the country. One in four of our residents is an immigrant, and there are sizable communities in the city celebrating cultures from around the World.
Honestly, we think that a lot of our friends at Worldcon would feel quite at home in Edmonton ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ.
We have excellent convention facilities, great restaurants, great places to see, and an amazing community.
In 2024, Lonely Planet named Edmonton one of the Top-10 cities to visit in 2025.
