They don't call Edmonton the Festival City for nothing. Musicians from all over perform at the various festivals and immerse themselves in the supportive music community. Near Edmonton, in Stony Plain, Alberta, Mark Times launched his music career and has been playing in bars since he was 17 years old. The folk-country singer and songwriter is a part of this year's Project WILD Showcase Series, competing for the grand prize.
You can catch him at Knoxville's Tavern in Calgary on October 5 and get your hands on his debut self-titled EP on November 3rd.
If you happen to be visiting in and around his home town, here are some of his favourite places to eat and drink.
Breakfast
I am a true believer that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I feel like Sandyview Farms in Spruce Grove gets that. Their meat is all from local farmers and smoked in house and the eggs Benny is a work of art. Good for a hangover cure or breakfast with your grandma after church!
Lunch
The Homesteader’s Kitchen in Stony Plain is a quaint kitchen in an old brick schoolhouse built in 1925. Cool history, better food. Try the flapper pie.
Dinner
Porta Romana in Spruce Grove. I’m an absolute sucker for Italian food, especially when it’s authentic. The owners used to run a restaurant in Italy and you can taste the amount of care that has been put into everything coming out of that kitchen. So good!
Drinks
The Cossack Inn is a highway motel bar. Karaoke, slot machines, cheap pitchers of average beer--fantastic time, every time. I’m probably a bad person to ask about where to drink because in my eyes, this is the only place to consider.
