Friday kicks off big—Ne-Yo and Akon at Rogers Place tonight.

It's 9°C and sitting pretty—UV's running high at 6.0, so if you're out midday grab some shade or sunscreen. You've got 17 hours of daylight today, which means sunset isn't until 10:07 PM. That's your evening window wide open.

Friday's the move to kick things off right, and E-town's got range tonight. Ne-Yo and Akon are at Rogers Place—exactly the kind of big-name, big-energy start to the weekend you can't pass up if you're in the mood for it. But if that's not calling your name, Comedy Strip's got Malik B at 7:30, or you can catch live music and discovery: Mint Club's hosting five bands at the Starlite Room from 5:30, Dance Discovery's 20th Anniversary Gala is going down at Midway Music Hall at 7, and if jazz is your Friday move, MA:Q's at Yardbird Suite at 7.

On the broader front, insurance premiums are surging across Alberta as extreme weather events keep piling up—something worth flagging if you're reviewing your coverage soon. There's also some heavier stuff in the news: an Edmonton man's been charged with $50,000 in stolen vehicle trafficking, AHS is being ordered to turn over procurement records tied to an RCMP probe, and a retired detective got sentenced for leaking police database info. Meanwhile, Alberta families continue to wait years for disability support—a story that's been sitting heavy for a while now.

If you're thinking food, there's some solid new stuff moving. Okie Dokie Smokies is raising the bar on Edmonton's hot dog game if you want to grab something quick and good. There's a South Indian spot that just opened with 35 dosa varieties—that's a deep menu worth exploring. And if you've been sleeping on Whyte, five Japanese restaurants just popped up at Station Park, so you've got options there too. Looking for tomato jam specifically? That one's worth tracking down separately, but the food scene's firing on all cylinders right now.

Weather's solid for getting out—no deep freeze, no surprises. Just get outside and enjoy the long light before the sun finally dips. Weekend's yours to shape.