Picnic Sites

Main page content begins here

Construction Notice - Rundle Park Site #6

Due to a renewal project at the Rundle Family Centre, Rundle Park Site #6 must be accessed by travelling west around the pond.

A pathway lined with trees in Borden Park.

The City of Edmonton boasts some of the most beautiful and scenic picnic areas in all of Alberta. Located in the heart of the City's parks, our picnic sites are available for reservation (for a guaranteed spot) or on a first-come, first-served basis.

Groups of less than 50 people are free to use the drop in picnic sites scattered throughout the parks. Reservations are required for groups of more than 50, or those requiring special services.

Different picnic sites offer different amenities to fit your needs as well as additional services, such as power or vehicle access. Some of these come with additional fees and conditions of use.

Picnic Site Bookings

Picnic site reservations for fall/winter 2024-2025 can be completed online for dates between October 15, 2024 and April 30, 2025.

On March 4, 2025, picnic site reservations for spring/summer 2025 can be completed online for dates between May 1 and October 14, 2025.

Please consider the capacity and amenities of a picnic site to ensure the site suits your needs. Review the Picnic Sites and Amenities Sheet to compare all sites, or see Picnic Site Locations. Picnic site capacity is based on the number of tables, with each table seating 6 - 8 people.

How to Book

All picnic site reservations must be made a minimum of 7 days in advance.

Online self-serve reservations can be done on MoveLearnPlay. To book online, first create an account and then follow these steps:

Visit the Picnic Site Rentals page to view availability
Select the type of site you need: Canopied or Non-Canopied / With Power / With Vehicle Access
Select your booking date (start and end time are not necessary)
Select the location and/or venue you would like to check availability at
Check availability. Times that are available will be blue and will display the base rental fee
Select an available time slot to add to cart and follow the check out instructions

Important to Know

Spring/summer reservations are pre-packaged in specific time slots of 10am-2pm and 4-8pm, with a minimum reservation time of 4 hours. Fall/winter reservations are pre-packaged in specific time slots of 10am-noon and 2-4pm, with a minimum reservation time of 2 hours. Outside of these reservable time slots, the sites are open to the public for drop-in use during park hours.

If you require additional services, such as power or vehicle access where available, please select the appropriate package when booking on MoveLearnPlay. These services must be booked in advance and come with additional fees and conditions of use.

Permission for bouncy castles and other inflatable equipment (where permitted) must be requested at the time of booking and come with additional conditions of use

See also: Terms and Conditions: Picnic Site Reservations

Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions for more information

Policies and Responsibilities

Cancellations & Rescheduling

Rescheduling requests must be submitted to the Picnic Bookings office via email a minimum of 4 business days prior to the reservation date. Please note that there will be a $12 rescheduling fee.

Cancellation requests must be submitted to the Picnic Bookings office via email a minimum of 7 or more days prior to the reservation date to receive a full refund. Any cancellation requests that come within 7 days of the reservation date forfeit any refund.

Upon cancellation, please delete or dispose of the cancelled/rescheduled permit as it is no longer valid. If you are found using a cancelled permit you will be billed for the reservation.

Inclement Weather & Air Quality

The Licensee must email the Picnic Bookings team no later than noon on the day after their booking, indicating their reservation was affected by inclement weather.

Refunds will be granted on a case-by-case basis depending on historical data supplied by Environment Canada.

Inclement weather conditions considered for refunds:

If heavy rain, hail, sleet, or snow prevents use of the site
If temperatures are recorded at -22 degrees Celsius or below at the time of your booking
If significant and sustained snow/ice prevents Park Operations from clearing your picnic site for use
If the air quality index is recorded at 7 or higher at the time of your booking

Refunds will not be granted in the event of cold weather (between May-September), strong winds, mosquitos, or fire bans.

Reserve a Picnic Site

Search Availability to Book

Picnic Site Locations

Locations marked with an asterisk (*) have winterized picnic sites available for reservation during the off season.

7507 Borden Park Rd NW

Reservable Sites: 4 picnic sites
Drop-in Use: 6 picnic sites

Features

Canopy/Shelter
No fireplace

More information:
Borden Park Picnic Sites

Reservable Sites: 1 picnic site
Drop-in Use: 10 picnic sites

Features

Canopy/Shelter

More information:
Capilano Picnic Site

11425 142 Street

Reservable Sites: 3 picnic sites
No sites available for drop-in use.

Features

Canopy/Shelter

More information:
Coronation Park Picnic Sites

10298 89 Street

Reservable Sites: 1 picnic sites
Drop-in Use: 8 picnic sites

Features

Canopy/Shelter
Power available for additional $46.80

More information:
Dawson Picnic Site

11904 Emily Murphy Park Rd NW

Reservable Sites: 3 picnic sites
Drop-in Use: 26 picnic sites

Features

Canopy/Shelter
Non-Canopied Shelter
Vehicle Access available for additional $46.80 (Site #1)
Inflatable play equipment is permitted (Site #1). Additional terms and conditions apply.
Wheelchair accessible (Site #1, #2)

More information:
Emily Murphy Park Picnic Sites

Reservable Sites: 4 picnic sites
Drop-in Use: 17 picnic sites

Features

Canopy/Shelter
Non-Canopy Sites

More information:
Gold Bar Park Picnic Sites

Government House

9938 Groat Rd NW

Reservable Sites: 1 picnic site
Drop-in Use: 24 picnic sites

Features

Non-Canopy Site
Inflatable play equipment is permitted. Additional terms and conditions apply.

More information:
Government House Park Picnic Sites

2115 Hermitage Rd NW

Reservable Sites: 1 picnic site
Drop-in Use: 24 picnic sites

Features

Canopy/Shelter

More information:
Hermitage Park Picnic Sites

Reservable Sites: 5 picnic sites
Drop-in Use: 12 picnic tables

Features

Non-Canopy Sites
Vehicle Access available for additional $46.80 (Site #11)
Inflatable Play Equipment is permitted (Site #11) - additional terms and conditions apply

More information:
Jackie Parker Park Picnic Sites

9100 Walterdale Hill

Reservable Sites: 1 picnic site
No sites available for drop-in use.

Features

Canopy/Shelter
Inflatable play equipment is permitted. Additional terms and conditions apply.

More information:
Kinsmen Park Picnic Site

Queen Elizabeth

10380 Queen Elizabeth Park Road

Reservable Sites: 1 picnic site
Drop-in Use: 11 picnic sites

Features

Canopy/Shelter
Power available for additional $46.80
Wheelchair Accessible Site

More information:
Queen Elizabeth Park Picnic Site

Pilot Program

In summer 2024, you will be able to bundle your Rundle Park picnic site rental with the added feature of firewood. Pay in advance as part of your picnic booking and have a bundle delivered to your site at the start of your booking.

2909 113 Ave NW

Reservable Sites: 6 picnic sites
Drop-in Use: 23 picnic sites

Features

Canopy/Shelter
Power available for additional $46.80 (Site #1, #2, #3, #4 and #5)

More information:
Rundle Park Park Picnic Sites

Sir Wilfrid Laurier

13221 Buena Vista Rd NW

Reservable Sites: 9 picnic sites
Drop-in Use: 31 picnic sites

Features

Vehicle Access for additional $46.80 (Site #7, #8, #9)
Power available at select sites
Canopy/Shelter
Non-Canopy Sites
Inflatable Play Equipment is permitted (Site #7, #8) - additional terms and conditions apply

More information:
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park Picnic Sites

12130 River Valley Road NW

Reservable Sites: 6 picnic sites

Drop-in Use: 7 picnic sites

Features

Vehicle Access available for additional $46.80 (Site #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6)
Power available for additional $46.80 (Site #2, #4 and #6)
Canopy/Shelter
Non-Canopy Sites
Inflatable Play Equipment is permitted (Site #2, #3, #4, #5, #6) - additional terms and conditions apply

More information:
Victoria Park Picnic Sites

13204 Fox Dr NW

Reservable Sites: 1 picnic site
Drop-in Use: 20 picnic sites

Features

Non-Canopy Site
Vehicle Access for additional $46.80

More information:
Whitemud Park Picnic Sites

Rates

Canopied Picnic Sites: $41.50 per hour

Non-canopied Picnic Sites: $31.75 per hour

Additional Fees

Some sites offer additional services or permissions, which you can request and pay for at the time of booking.

Extra Picnic Tables*: $28.40

Power Access*: $46.80 per site

Vehicle Access*: $46.80 per site

Maximum 3 vehicles for pick up/drop off use only
Parking not permitted on parkland

Inflatable permission*

Booking must be made at a site which allows inflatables
$2 million liability insurance required

*Additional terms and conditions apply

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to reserve a site to have a picnic?

City Parks are open to the public and everyone is welcome to enjoy a picnic without making a reservation. However, this does not guarantee you exclusive use of the site.

If you are organizing a picnic for over 49 people a reservation is required, as per Parkland Bylaw 2202. A reservation also guarantees that you have exclusive use of the site for the duration of your booking.

Why should I reserve a picnic site? What would a reservation include?

Reserving a designated picnic site means that you will have exclusive use of your preferred site and immediate area surrounding it for the duration of your booking time.

Park Operations will put up a reserved sign in advance of your start time and will make every effort to ensure that the site is presentable upon your arrival. With a reservation there is no need to arrive at the park hours in advance to ensure you have your preferred site reserved - you have the flexibility to plan your event in advance.

How do I find my reserved site?

Each reservable picnic site has a sign identifying the site number and its reserved status. Site maps are also available.

Is parking available?

Each park has a varied number of public parking spaces, free of charge.

Parking spaces are not reserved as part of your reservation. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Can I access my reserved site with my vehicle?

Designated picnic sites allow vehicle access for pick-up and drop-off use; these services can be added only if they are requested in advance as part of the reservation process. Please see the list of applicable sites or contact us at picnicbookings@edmonton.ca.

What do I do if someone is already using my reserved site when I arrive?

Please politely advise the people concerned that you have a confirmed reservation for that site and ask them to move to a different location. If they do not oblige, please call 311 and they will connect you with a park ranger.

Please make sure that you have your picnic site booking confirmation with you at all times on the day of your reservation, as you may be required to show this to a park ranger and/or Park Operations staff.

Can I make other changes to my reservation after it has been confirmed?

Yes. Changes to your reservation must be made in writing through the Picnic Bookings Office. Changes may include the addition of vehicle access or power where applicable, or if your expected attendance has changed. In this latter case, there may be another picnic site available which is better suited to your new group size. Site changes may come with additional fees (for example, moving from a non-canopy site to a canopy site). Please make all change requests to picnicbookings@edmonton.ca.

Can I cancel/reschedule my reservation after it has been confirmed?

Rescheduling requests must be submitted to the Picnic Bookings office via email, a minimum of 4 business days prior to the reservation date. Please note that there will be a $12 rescheduling fee.

Cancellation requests must be submitted to the Picnic Bookings office via email a minimum of 16 or more days prior to the reservation date to receive a full refund (minus a cancellation fee of $12). Any cancellation requests that come within 16 days of the reservation date forfeit any refund.

What do I do if there's inclement weather on the day of my reservation?

It is the permit holder’s responsibility to contact the Picnic Bookings office via email to arrange a refund after their reservation has been affected by inclement weather. Refunds will be granted on a case-by-case basis depending on historical data supplied by Environment Canada and Operational reports.

Inclement weather refunds will be granted in the event of significant precipitation (heavy rain, hail, sleet and snow) or when temperatures are -22 degrees Celsius or below at the start of your rental, and where significant and sustained snow/ice prevents Operations from clearing your picnic site for use.

Refunds will not be granted in the event of cold weather (in the Spring/Summer), strong winds, due to mosquitoes, or fire bans.

What do I do with waste at the site I booked?

The City of Edmonton is committed to reducing waste both at home and in our parks. Please be mindful of the waste you make and do your best to reduce waste by bringing reusable containers and not wasting food.

During the event, and when you are done with your site, please sort your waste into the appropriate bins. The three bins provided are for food scraps (green), recycling (blue) and garbage (black). If you are unsure of where something goes, look at the signs on the bins or check WasteWise. The bin lids can be removed for disposing of larger items (example: pizza boxes).

Three waste bins at a picnic site

More information about waste reduction.

More information about waste sorting.

Why is the City introducing food scraps collection in its facilities and what happens to the organics after they are collected?

The City is introducing separated organic waste collection for residents as well as in City owned and operated facilities as part of the 25-year Waste Strategy, which was approved by City Council in 2019. Separating food scraps from the rest of the waste stream will allow us to divert more waste from landfill. Food scraps will be sent to the Edmonton Waste Management Centre for processing.

What do I do if my reserved site contains excess garbage when I arrive?

Please report this immediately to Park Operations staff by calling 311.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you leave the site clean and tidy on the day of your reservation. The cost of excessive cleaning and waste removal by Park Operations will be billed to you as per the Picnic Reservation Terms and Conditions.

Can I leave my vehicle in the park overnight?

No. All City parks close at 11pm every night. If your vehicle is left it will be towed at your expense and you will be fined.

Can I bring my dog to our picnic site?

No. As per parkland bylaw 2202 no dogs are permitted within 10 metres of a designated picnic site or gazebo. No other animals are permitted on City parkland.

Can I have a bouncy castle at my picnic?

Inflatable play equipment is only permitted at certain designated park sites within the City. Once a designated site has been reserved, $2 million liability insurance must be provided to the Bookings Office before the equipment would be permitted. Other conditions may apply - please contact 780-423-7428 or picnicbookings@edmonton.ca.

Can I bring my own barbeque?

Yes. Propane and charcoal barbecues are permitted, provided that they are a minimum of 6 inches off the ground and placed 30 feet from any flammable materials. All charcoal must be extinguished and disposed of in a barbecue pit; it is unlawful to dispose of coals anywhere else. Please be considerate and place your barbeques on the cement pads or dirt area within the site. Prior approval from the Reservations Office is required in order to bring any commercial or industrial-sized barbeque.

Can I have alcohol at my picnic site?

Alcohol consumption is permitted at specific designated sites. View picnic sites where alcohol is permitted.

Can I hire a caterer for my event?

Yes, catering companies can be hired for private event bookings provided they follow these requirements:

Preparation of food is to be conducted off-premise (not on city property) at an approved Alberta Health Services (AHS) location;
Delivery of pre-prepared meals to the site; and
Function to serve only private event guests.

Can I sell product or display signs at my picnic site?

No. Parkland regulations forbid the retailing of products or use of promotional signage on parkland without the prior approval of City of Edmonton’s Sustainable Development Office.

Can I have musical entertainment?

If you have a personal music player, please keep the sound at a level that is only audible within the boundaries of your reserved area (max 75 dB).

DJs, bands, and PA systems are not permitted.

Can I attach things to the trees and/or structures within my reserved site?

Please do not tie or attach any decorations to the trees around your reserved site. You may attach approved decorations, balloons, signs and banners by tying them to the picnic shelter. All items must be removed at the end of your reservation and properly disposed of.

Confetti, rice, sparklers, and fireworks are not permitted.

*All decorations - balloons, signs, banners - must be approved by the Bookings Office (780-423-7428) prior to your reservation date.

What do I do if I lose something in the park or leave it behind?

Please contact 311 (outside of Edmonton: 780-442-5311) with the following details:

Your name
Your contact details
A description of the item
The approximate time you may have lost the item
The approximate place you may have lost the item

How can I book a picnic site that allows alcohol?

Bookable designated sites can be booked through Picnic Site Bookings.

How do non-bookable sites work?

Sites are first-come, first-served. Consumption of alcohol is permitted at designated sites only. See examples of designated signs.

Contact Us

Picnic Site and Event Booking

Telephone

Picnic Site and Gazebo Reservations
780-423-7428

Event Bookings
In Edmonton: 311
Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311

Email

picnicbookings@edmonton.ca