Free admission, cultural performances and family activities are on offer across Edmonton and nearby communities this weekend as Alberta Culture Days brings special programming to the region. The month-long provincial celebration recognizes arts, culture, heritage and diversity in communities of all sizes, adding events to a weekend schedule that also includes open houses, festivals and sports.

In Edmonton, Rutherford House at 11153 Saskatchewan Dr. NW will welcome visitors Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The University of Alberta campus site is a 1911 post-Edwardian home and garden associated with Alberta’s first premier. At the Citadel Theatre, 9828 101A Ave. NW, activities will run throughout Saturday and Sunday, with theatre school games and exercises, backstage tours, artist talks and film screenings intended for families.

Culture Days at McIntyre Park, also known as Gazebo Park, will run Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 8331 104 St. NW in Old Strathcona. The program includes live music by the Parkbench Concert Band, Jazz Big Band, Handbell Choir, Littlebirds Jazz Band and other performers, as well as swing dance lessons. The Cosmopolitan Music Society is presenting the event.

Pinas Kultura Days continues at the Stanley A. Milner Library on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Day 2 of the festival, presented by the Edmonton Philippine International Centre, invites visitors to explore Filipino culture through exhibits, workshops, storytelling, art, music and contemporary conversations. The Royal Alberta Museum, at 9810 103A Ave. NW, is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with exhibits spanning millions of years of natural and cultural history and creative play spaces in the Children’s Gallery.

ArtsHub Ortona, at 9722 102 St. NW, will host HeART of the Habitat on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Arts Habitat Edmonton is presenting performances, workshops, activities and exhibitions. Admission is free, though visitors need tickets. Another family-friendly event, One People Festival: Celebrating Unity Through Culture, takes place at Whitemud Crossing Theatre, 4211 106 St. NW, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Presented by Vision de Loin, it features music, dance, storytelling, food and community showcases.

At The Orange Hub, #296, 10045 156 St. NW, Kayanou will present Terre Des Rencontres/Meeting Grounds on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event uses dominoes as a symbol of togetherness, bringing people together to play, share stories and pass on traditions. YouthWrite’s 30th Anniversary Block Party begins at 6 p.m. Saturday on 64 Street NW between 113 and 114 avenues, with live performances, refreshments, canapés and dancing. Special guests are the Spoken Word Youth Choir, Miranda Martini, Masani St. Rose, and Brad Bucknell and The oHNo Band.

Sunday programming includes Dey Maveli 2.0, presented by the Edmonton Malayali Association of Alberta from 11 a.m. at the Pleasantview Community League hall. The gathering celebrates cultural diversity through music, dance, arts, traditions and community spirit. The Connect Society will hold Hands Across Alberta: A Deaf Cultural Celebration from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Edmonton Association of the Deaf, 11404 142 St. NW. Scheduled during the International Week of Deaf People, it includes presentations, a short film, popcorn and cake.

In St. Albert, the St. Albert Cultivates the Arts Society is presenting two Alberta Culture Days events. A Hair Braiding Workshop runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Albert United Church, 20 Green Grove Dr., where the African and African Descendant Friendship Club will teach techniques. Registration is required. The Visual Arts Council Drop-in Workshops begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Albert Place, 5 St. Anne St. Participants can meet and create with members of the Floral Art Society of St. Albert, St. Albert Painters’ Guild, St. Albert Paper Arts Guild, St. Albert Potters Guild and St. Albert Quilters’ Guild, each offering a hands-on activity.

St. Albert Place will also host the Arts and Heritage Exploration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Visitors can browse arts and heritage activities and sign up for free art programs or family-friendly drop-in sessions. In Sherwood Park, Gallery@501, 501 Festival Ave., will offer How to Photograph Your Artwork at 1 p.m. Saturday. The practical workshop covers lighting, camera setup, composition, photographing two- and three-dimensional work, file organization and troubleshooting. Registration is required.

In Leduc, Connectivity Dance, #102, 4709 51 Ave., will celebrate 16 years in Leduc County with a CDL Birthday Celebration from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. Activities include free dance classes, jump rope, breaking demonstrations and interactive arts activities for all ages.

Outside the Culture Days program, Edmonton Transit Service staff will welcome visitors to the D.L. MacDonald Garage, 13310 50A St. NW, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a behind-the-scenes open house. Guests can tour the garage, explore vehicles, sit in operators’ seats and ask questions about transit operations. A free shuttle will run every 15 minutes between Belvedere Transit Centre and the garage. There will be no on-site parking.

The Alberta Aviation Museum is holding its annual Open Cockpit Day on Saturday. Visitors can learn about 20 aircraft and climb aboard more than a dozen in the historic Kingsway hangar. The museum will also open its simulator lab and provide family activities, with food vendors on site. Tickets are required.

AsiaFest YEG returns to Currents of Windermere from Friday through Sunday at twice the size of last year’s event. More than 120 vendors are expected at the night market, including more than 40 food destinations serving authentic dishes. The festival also features more than 50 performance groups, cultural showcases and family-friendly activities. It runs from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Other weekend attractions include Pumpkins After Dark at Borden Park, the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market’s Harvest Festival and Fall-o-ween at Prairie Gardens near Bon Accord. Sports fans can see the CFL’s Edmonton Elks host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday at 5 p.m. The Edmonton Oilers face the Calgary Flames in NHL preseason action at Rogers Place at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Based on reporting by CTV News Edmonton.