Festivals and Events

Spring

Calgary International Children’s Festival (403/294-7414, www.calgarychildfest.org [1]) is the third week of May. Events include theater, puppetry, and performances by musicians from around the world. It’s held in the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts and Olympic Plaza. Olympic Plaza comes alive with the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Caribbean on the second Saturday of June for Carifest (403/774-1300, www.carifestcalgary.ca [2]).

Summer

Few cities in the world are associated as closely with an event as Calgary [3] is with the Calgary Stampede [4]. For details of the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” held each summer in July.

Canada Day is celebrated on July 1 in Prince’s Island Park [5], Fort Calgary [6], the zoo [7], and Heritage Park [8]. The Calgary Folk Music Festival (403/233-0904, www.calgaryfolkfest.com [9]), during the last weekend of July, is an indoor and outdoor extravaganza of Canadian and international performers that centers on Prince’s Island Park.

The first full week of August, and also at this downtown riverfront park, is Afrikadey! (403/234-9110, www.afrikadey.com [10]), with performances and workshops by African-influenced musicians and artists and screenings of African-themed films.

Fall

In October, hockey and skiing and snowboarding fever hits the city as the NHL Calgary Flames start their season and the first snow flies. Late September through early October sees screenings of movies during the Calgary International Film Festival (403/283-1490, www.calgaryfilm.com [11]) at the historic Plaza theater, and at the Globe Theatre and Cineplex at Eau Claire Market [5]. This is followed by Wordfest (403/237-9068, www.wordfest.com [12]), where authors talk about their books, workshops are given, and many readings take place at venues throughout the city and in Banff [13].

As Halloween approaches a good place for kids is Calgary Zoo [7] (403/232-9300, www.calgaryzoo.org [14]), where there are Boo at the Zoo celebrations after dark throughout the last week of October.

Winter

Calgary [3] has joined other major Canadian cities by celebrating New Year’s Eve with a First Night festival. Although severely curtailed by the weather, Calgarians enjoy the winter with the opening of the theater, ballet, and opera seasons. National and international ski-jumping, luge, and bobsledding events are held at Canada Olympic Park [15] November–March.