09/17/2026
Rubaboo Indigenous Arts Festival 2026
September 30th – October 11th, 2026
amiskwaciy-wâskahikan
(Edmonton)
You Are Loved: wêsihcikêw
Events at a glance:
You Are Loved: Celebrate It! Opening | 5 PM | September 30 – kicking off with musical artists: Celeigh Cardinal, Northside Baby, Jay Gilday, Donita Large with art installations, at Beaver Hills House Park. FREE
Indigenous RPM | 7 PM | October 1 – honouring the Revolutions Per Minute of the vinyl experience and the revolutions in Indigenous music, politics, fashion, and art. Bring your choice albums, we’ll play them and share stories at the CKUA Arts Den. FREE- with donation to Saddle Lake Treaty Health Legal Defense Fund
Must Be Nice Comedy Showcase | 7 PM | October 2 & 3 – featuring a new line-up and comedian headliners each night from all over Treaty territories. October 2nd performance at CO*LAB and an 18+ show October 3rd at Dolly’s Cocktail Lounge. Tickets $20-45
Dance, Heal, Vibe Party | 10 PM | October 3 – chill to the beats in the outdoor lounge or dance your Bannock-Booty off inside! Featuring DJ Kookum, Chief Joe, and more! At Dolly's Cocktail Lounge. Tickets $20
Bow Making Artist Talk | 4 PM | October 4 – journey through invaluable stories and teachings of traditional nêhiyawi bow making with maskwacis kêhtêyayah (elder) Jerry Saddleback at CO*LAB Gallery. PWYW
Imagining Indigenous Art Exhibit | 6 PM | October 6-9 – featuring the pop culture iconography work of JCat, photography of EdmonToms Art by Tom Baril, and THORN, an immersive Indigenous storytelling 3rd-person interactive horror experience created by Oshki Games Ltd. At CO*LAB Gallery. PWYW
Cabaret Hoka Hey | 7 PM | October 9 – featuring the internationally celebrated musical stylings of Donita Large & The Small Band, burlesque, poetry and more! At CO*LAB. Tickets $15
Elon Muskrat | 7 PM | October 10 – from Anishinaabe playwright Josh Languedoc, this satirical play of stand up comedy, dance, and oral storytelling will make you laugh as you participate in a sales pitch that unpacks power and its use in the colonial world. At CO*LAB. Tickets $20
Deadly Fashion Show | 6 PM | October 11 - featuring Rhonda Johnson of Acahkos Design, Heather Bouchier Design; and Little Feather Couture with performances and displays, at the CKUA Beresh Arts Den. Tickets $20. Celebrate afterwards at the Rubaboo Festival Wrap Party at 8 PM. Tickets $10 or FREE with fashion show.
Rubaboo refers to a rich traditional Métis stew fi lled with all good things. It is an artistic philosophy about what sustains us; it’s about feeding the spirit, and thriving. The Arts are like a great meal, stimulate your senses, make you anticipate, savour, and process new ideas, appreciate and leave you nourished and healed. The Rubaboo Arts Festival is presented by Dreamspeakers Festival Society, and is supported by Canada Council for the Arts, Canada, City of Edmonton, Edmonton Arts Council, CJWE, CFWE, Raven Radio, Red Beats, CTV, Alberta Government, Edmonton Downtown Business Association, Sokaris Studios, Edmonton Screen, and CJSR.
dreamspeakers.org/raff
