It can be difficult to decide what to do for date night. It can either feel like there’s too many options, or not enough, or sometimes everyone just can’t agree on an idea. While staying in and binging on a favourite TV show is a fantastic idea, here is my list of some fun and approved things to do for date nights out in Edmonton!
Board Game Cafe
My favourite place to go for this is Tabletop (there is also Hexagon if you want to stay on Whyte), they have a few locations across the city. Have some snacks or a latte and enjoy discovering new games or playing trusted favourites for the millionth time! If you’re not sure what to pick, the staff are very knowledgeable and can help you choose based on your interests.
Dinner Theatre
This is a little on the pricier side, however, for dinner and a show it’s a good deal. I like both Jubilations and The Mayfield, but they do offer different experiences:
Jubilations is usually a bit less expensive, with a comedy-driven, musical parody show (written especially for the Jubilations brand). Dinner is served in three courses before each act, with soup and salad, entree, and dessert. The menu always has funny names for the food and cocktails to go along with the show. I think that Jubilations would be appealing to many audiences, as the shows usually combine something in pop culture with a particular style of music. I recently saw a show there that combined Star Wars with rock music, which would be interesting to someone who likes Star Wars but might not normally be interested in theatre.
At The Mayfield, they usually have more popular musicals (Jesus Christ Superstar, All Shook Up, Sister Act) or other original content. I personally prefer the larger musicals, as it fits more into my field of interest and I know what to expect out of my experience (when paying closer to $100 for a ticket). The Mayfield has a buffet that is open two hours before the show (either for brunch or dinner), followed by a regular two act performance. You are still able to order drinks at intermission, and sometimes they also have themed cocktails for the larger musical shows. I would recommend this dinner theatre if you’re looking for a more extravagant night out or brunch, or if they’re performing a show you’re really interested in.
Improv Shows
In Edmonton I really like Rapid Fire Theatre (Downtown at the Citadel) and Grindstone Theatre (off Whyte). Both offer very reasonable prices for their shows (usually $12-$15) and do an improvised musicals (which are my favourite). Both theatres also have many other shows throughout the week.
I have been to quite a few shows at Rapid Fire Theatre and they never fail to entertain me.They are in a good location if you want to have dinner before or after (The Old Spaghetti Factory is a great choice). In November they usually do Off Book:The Musical as part of their Saturday series at 7:30pm. I am definitely planning on going at least twice this month!
I first checked out Grindstone Theatre through the Fringe Festival this summer and they’re super interesting. I have only been to their improvised musical The 11 O’Clock Number (Friday nights at 7:00pm) a few times but it was super funny! It’s a smaller venue, so if it’s busy it can be a little squishy. They also have a bar and some food options (like chili dogs) available in their lobby area.
Some other great date night ideas are to check out the Cat Cafe on Whyte, The Muttart Conservatory (they usually have adult only events on Wednesdays), and the Art Gallery of Alberta (free admission on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5:00pm-8:00pm, and everyday for Alberta post-secondary students).