KDays and FIRST: A Summer Celebration of Innovation, Community, and Competition

Each summer, the city of Edmonton comes alive with the energy of KDays—a vibrant, 10-day festival packed with thrilling rides, dazzling fireworks, live music, delicious food, and unforgettable experiences. But what many may not know is that this iconic fair has roots stretching back more than 130 years, to a time when it was known as the Edmonton Exhibition.

Originally conceived as a platform to showcase the latest in technology and innovation to the local agricultural community, the fair quickly grew to become a cornerstone of summer in Alberta. Over the decades, it expanded its reach, drawing ever-larger crowds and evolving into a diverse and dynamic celebration of local culture, creativity, and excitement.

Now, in 2025, KDays is going back to those innovative roots in the most exciting way possible—with robots.

This July, FIRST Alberta is proud to partner with KDays to host the Canadian Rockies Premier Event, a flagship FIRST Tech Challenge competition that will bring together 48 teams from 9 countries to compete in this year’s game, INTO THE DEEP presented by RTX. The competition will take place July 25–27 in Hall C of the Edmonton Expo Centre, right on the grounds of KDays.

The Ultimate Summer Competition

This is no ordinary offseason event. The Canadian Rockies Premier Event is an official FIRST Tech Challenge Premier Event, running full regulation gameplay on an official field. It’s a rare opportunity for teams to experience high-level competition during the summer break—whether they’re testing a refined version of their last-season bot, bonding with new team members, or gaining inspiration for the season ahead.

And it’s not just Alberta teams attending—this is an international affair. Teams from across the globe will go head-to-head in a spirited battle of strategy, engineering, and teamwork, all to be crowned the Canadian Rockies Premier Event Champion.

But the action doesn’t stop with students. One of the most unique features of this event is the Mentor Bots Showcase, held on the first day of the competition. Coaches, mentors, and alumni are invited to build and bring their own robots and face off against each other and students in a full schedule of exhibition matches. It’s a fun, engaging way for adults to reconnect with the building experience and for students to flip the script and cheer from the sidelines.

Explore KDays

In true celebration of this partnership, KDays is offering free entrance to the fair for all registered participants. That means teams will not only get to compete in an amazing venue but also enjoy everything the festival has to offer—concerts, midway rides, local vendors, cultural showcases, and more.

For many teams, this will be their first time visiting Edmonton. With West Edmonton Mall (North America’s largest shopping and entertainment complex) just a short drive away, and the Canadian Rockies within reach for a pre- or post-event adventure, there’s no shortage of opportunities to turn this trip into a full-on summer vacation.

The experience promises something for everyone—students, mentors, parents, and siblings alike. Whether you’re riding roller coasters, watching fireworks over the midway, or enjoying a snack with your team under the Alberta sun, it’s a perfect way to create unforgettable memories while celebrating STEM.

A Stage Like No Other

What truly sets this event apart is the incredible atmosphere. Last year, over 750,000 people attended KDays. With the Canadian Rockies Premier Event hosted right in the heart of the festival, thousands of curious fairgoers will walk through the event space and see FIRST in action—many for the first time.

That exposure provides an amazing opportunity for teams to not only compete but to inspire. Whether it’s a young child seeing a robot up close for the first time, or a high school student discovering a path they didn’t know existed, every interaction has the power to spark something.

In this way, every team becomes an ambassador for FIRST, sharing not just what their robot can do, but what they can do—how they work as a team, solve problems, and build something extraordinary from scratch.

More Than Robots

At its core, FIRST has always been about much more than just building robots. It’s about building confidence, collaboration, resilience, and community. It’s about preparing young people for the future—through hands-on experience, through mentorship, and through inspiration.

The Canadian Rockies Premier Event @ KDays captures that spirit perfectly. It’s a fusion of competition and celebration, learning and laughter, engineering and entertainment. It’s a space where students showcase their hard work, connect with peers from across the world, and get a taste of what happens when innovation meets imagination.

So, whether you're a competing team, a curious visitor, or a long-time supporter of STEM education, come experience it for yourself. Because at this event, the robots are just the beginning.

We’ll see you this July at KDays – where innovation, excitement, and inspiration collide.

Find more information on our website: https://kdays.firstalberta.ca/ 

Written by the Canadian Rockies Premier Event Organizers