Five weekend stabbings – one fatal – have Edmonton police warning bars to watch for the deadly combination of knives and over-drinking.

A 20-year-old man remains on life support after three men were knifed when a fight broke out early Saturday morning on Whyte Avenue, a popular strip with bars, shops and restaurants.

Meanwhile, two teenagers have been charged after a 23-year-old male was stabbed and beaten outside a downtown nightclub on 102 Street just south of Jasper Avenue.

Police are also looking for a suspect in the stabbing death of a 17-year-old at his birthday party.

Evan Grykuliak was celebrating at the La Perle Community Hall when he was stabbed early Sunday morning. He is Edmonton's 33rd homicide victim.

Edmonton police Insp. Darren Eastcott said while the incidents are unrelated, there is a common thread.

"In each one of these scenarios there's alcohol involved and there's knives involved."

Eastcott says metal detectors in nightclubs might reduce the number of knives in bars, but he says many bars are overcrowded and the patrons are being served too much alcohol.

Neil Wolsegger, who owns the Savoy Lounge on Whyte Avenue, says the area needs better policing.

"We have how many thousands of people here on a night and we don't have nearly enough police to enforce that amount of people."