Here's every event to check out at Beakerhead 2017

Beakerhead is back, and some awesome events have come with it.

A curious blend of technology and creativity leads to works of art only seen at the yearly Beakerhead Festival, which offers dozens of interactive instalments and exhibits throughout the city.

Make the most of the strange, artistic, technological, and science-driven week by visiting as many of these events as possible.

Snakes and ladders

• What: A journey of 14 different Beakerhead sites to visit the ups and downs of invention.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Where: Throughout downtown Calgary
• Admission: Free!

Kensington Alley

• What: Check out the Beakerhead version of one of Calgary’s tightest squeezes.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Where: Alley beside 1145 Kensington Crescent NW
• Admission: Free!

Loop

• What: Your own motion will activate images in this two metre wide illuminated cylinder.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Where: 4th Street SW, between 20th Avenue and Elbow Drive SW
• Admission: Free!

Love in the Age of Machines

• What: An installation created by the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and the Alberta College of Art + Design.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Where: Visible from the shared traffic corridor and C-Train platform by SAIT and ACAD
• Admission: Free!

Serpent Mother

• What: An awesome, gigantic, fire breathing serpent.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Saturday, September 16
• Time: Nightly shows at 8 and 9 pm on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and at 8, 9, and 10 pm on Saturday
• Where: Fort Calgary – 750 9th Avenue SE
• Admission: Free!

Impulse

• What: 15. Giant. Interactive. Teeter-totters.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Where: 6th Avenue and 6th Street SE
• Admission: Free!

Nest

• What: A nest of dragons hiding behind construction barriers—keep your eye out!
• When:Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Where: Victoria Park – 201 10th Avenue SE
• Admission: Free!

Nucleation

• What: 5,00 white balloons attached to Legion No. 1—don’t worry, it won’t be floating away.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Where: Legion No. 1 – 116 7th Avenue SE
• Admission: Free!

Enoch Park

• What: Check out the bunnies during the day, then see the amazing light shows at night.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Time: Noon to 10 pm Wednesday to Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday
• Where: Enoch Park – 314 12th Avenue SE
• Admission: Free!

Skybeings

• What: Learn about the stars and the story of the Big Dipper
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Time: Noon to 10 pm Wednesday to Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday
• Where: Eighth Avenue Place – 525 8th Avenue SW
• Admission: Free!

Mars 112

• What: A show home on Mars in the first Martian colony.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Time: Noon to 8 pm Wednesday to Friday, 10 am to 8 pm on Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday
• Where: Loft 112 – 535 8th Avenue SE
• Admission:

Up Against All Odds

• What: A game that pits you against fate at the roll of the dice.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Time: Noon to 8 pm Wednesday to Friday, 10 am to 8 pm on Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday
• Where: McDougall Centre – 455 6th Street SW

Claw

• What: An industrial-sized claw game that puts you in the driver seat.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Time: Noon to 8 pm Wednesday to Friday, 10 am to 8 pm on Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday
• Where: Eau Claire Market – 200 Barclay Parade SW
• Admission: Free!

Calgary Municipal Space Station

• What: Take a trip to Calgary’s Space Station by blasting off via the Calgary Tower Space Elevator.
• When: Wednesday, September 13
• Time: 4 to 8 pm, at 15 minute intervals
• Where: Calgary Tower – 101 9th Avenue SW
• Admission: $25, available at Eventbrite

BowWave

• What: Play the Bow River with illuminated, interactive shapes cast across the gravel beach.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Time: 5 to 11 pm Wednesday to Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday
• Where: On the banks of the Bow River east of Centre Street
• Admission: Free!

The Ape In You

• What: A show put on by some of Calgary’s best improv actors, The Ape In You may cause an existential crises.
• When: Wednesday, September 13
• Time: At 7:30 and 9 pm
• Where: Engineered Air Theatre, Arts Commons – 205 8th Avenue SE
• Admission: $26, available at artscommons.ca

Science of Cats and Dogs

• What: A night of science, music, and comedy investigating our favourite pets.
• When: Thursday, September 14
• Time: 7:30 and 9 pm
• Where: Bella Concert Hall, Mount Royal University
• Admission: $45 for adults, $25 for those under 18, available at mru.ca

Engineered Eats

• What: 24 different bars and restaurants participating in Beakerhead experiments.
• When: Tuesday, September 12 to Sunday, September 17
• Where: Participating Restaurants throughout Calgary

Metamorphosis

• What: Interactive artwork that can communicate through sensory metaphors.
• When: September 7 to October 7
• Time: 11 am to 6 pm Tuesday to Friday, 11 am to 5 pm on Saturdays
• Where: Herringer Kiss Gallery – 709 11th Avenue SW
• Admission: Free!

Bee Kingdom’s Inflatable Space Invasion

• What: Huge space invaders blown up and ready to be gawked at.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Time: 10 am to 4 pm Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, 6 to 10 pm Thursday as well, and 1- am to 5 pm on Saturday
• Where: Telus Spark – 220 St. George’s Drive NE
• Admission: $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, $16 for youth, and $13 for kids

Beaker Bar

• What: The perfect place to taste some experimental brews during Beakerhead.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Sunday, September 17
• Time: 4 to 9:30 pm Wednesday to Friday, noon to 11 pm Saturday, noon to 5 pm Sunday
• Where: Fort Calgary – 750 Avenue SE
• Admission: Free admission, beverages by token

Four to Six

• What: Human and technology collide for a street full of interactive installations.
• When: Wednesday, September 13 to Friday, September 15
• Time: 4 to 6 pm
• Where: 8th Avenue and 1st Street SE
• Admission: Free!

Meet the Maker Tour

• What: Meet the artist and creators that are the masterminds behind some of Beakerhead’s most amazing installations.
• When: Wednesday, September 13
• Time: 6 to 8 pm
• Where: Eau Claire Market – 200 Barclay Parade SW
• Admission: $15.50, available at Eventbrite

Virtual Experiences: Making Stuff Easier, Cooler, and Better

• What: Check out what’s going on with virtual reality in this very hands on workshop.
• When: Wednesday, September 13
• Time: 6 to 8:30 pm
• Where: Enmax District Energy Building – 407 9th Avenue SE
• Admission: $30 for Adults, $20 for students, available at thechicgeek.ca

Butcher This Anatomy Class

• What: Drink some beer and east some meat at this culinary and biology experiment.
• When: Wednesday, September 13
• Time: 6 to 8 pm
• Where: The Cookbook Co. Cooks – 722 11th Avenue SW
• Admission: $125, available at Eventbrite

Field of Dreams Tour

• What: Three restaurants. Three hours. A whole lot of delicious eats.
• When: Wednesday, September 13
• Time: 7 to 10 pm
• Where: Hilton Garden Inn Downtown Calgary – 711 4th Street SE
• Admission: $75, available at Eventbrite

Spectral Illuminations II

• What: See the Memorial Park library light up and shine from projection mapping.
• When: Wednesday, September 13
• Time: 8 to 11 pm
• Where: Memorial Park Library – 1221 2nd Street SW
• Admission: Free!

Scent Bar

• What: Mesmerize your nostrils with some special smells at this theatrical sensory experience.
• When: Wednesday, September 13
• Time: 8 to 9 pm
• Where: 604 8th Avenue SW
• Admission: $50, available at brownpapertickets.com

Techstock

• What: Companies, organizations, and researchers coming together to display their new technology.
• When: Thursday, September 14
• Time: 1 to 6:30 pm
• Where: Alastair Ross Technology Centre – 3553 31 Street NW
• Admission: Free!

Nine Dragons: Designing With Light Workshop

• What: See how theatre production works and the intricacies of lighting.
• When: Thursday, September 14
• Time: 5:30 to 7 pm
• Where: Vertigo Theatre – 161, 115 9th Avenue SW
• Admission: $15, available at vertigotheatre.com

Adults Only Night: Hack It

• What: This isn’t just a bunch of people behind computers; think about hacking your own life or mood at this workshop.
• When: Thursday, September 14
• Time: 6 to 10 pm
• Where: Telus Spark – 220 St. Georges Drive NE
• Admission: $19.95, available at sparkscience.ca

Build Your Own Power Source

• What: Learn how to build your very own solar-powered energy source.
• When: Thursday, September 14
• Time: 6 to 9 pm
• Where: Studio C at cSPACE – 235, 1721 29th Avenue SW
• Admission: $35, available at gifttool.com

Good Chemistry: Science of Beer

• What: Discover the delicate art of creating cold brews out of raw ingredients.
• When: Thursday, September 14
• Time: 6 to 8 pm
• Where: Beakerbar, Fort Calgary – 750 9th Avenue SE
• Admission: Free, beer tickets available 10 for $10

Inked: The Science of Skin Deep

• What: Learn to tattoo and the science behind permanent ink.
• When: Thursday, September 14
• Time: 7 to 9 pm
• Where: Barron Tattoo Studio – 912 12th Avenue SW
• Admission: $75 aged 18+, available at Eventbrite

Beakerhead at Night: Photography Workshop

• What: Check out this photowalk to get some of the best night shots that Beakerhead has to offer.
• When: Thursday, September 14
• Time: 7 to 10 pm
• Where: The Camera Store – 802 11th Avenue SW
• Admission: $70, available at beakerhead.com

Night Light Walking Tour

• What: A two kilometre tour of the Beakerheads brightest lights.
• When: Thursday, September 14 to Saturday, September 16
• Time: 7 to 10 pm for Thursday, 7:30 to 10 pm on Friday, and 6:30 to 8 pm on Saturday.
• Where: Eau Claire Market – 200 Barclay Parade SW
• Admission: $15.50, available at Eventbrite

Diane Landry Solo Exhibitiom 

• What: Learn how Diane Landry transforms normal objects into beautiful works of art.
• When: September 15 to October 27
• Time: 11 am to 6 pm (During Beakerhead days)
• Where: VivianneArt – 1114 11th Street SW

Market Collective

• What: A gathering to celebrate art, science, and music, with food truck, DJs, and shopping.
• When: Friday, September 15 to Sunday, September 17
• Time: 4 to 9 pm on Friday, 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday
• Where: Inglewood Warehouse – 1309 17th Avenue SE
• Admission: $5 for the weekend

Cooking in the Arctic

• What: Discover the culinary traditions of Nunavut from the Arctic Institute of North America.
• When: Friday, September 15 and Saturday, September 16
• Time: 5 to 7:30 pm
• Where: ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen – 909 11th Avenue SW
• Admission: $110, available at Eventbrite

A Taste of That Thing in the Desert

• What: Get a taste of Burning Man all the way north in Alberta at this interactive gathering.
• When: Friday, September 15
• Time: 6 to 11 pm
• Where: Parking Lot 311 8th Street SW
• Admission: Free!

Soundscapes of the Weaselhead

• What: Live music and spoken word that captures the essence of the Elbow River Wetlands.
• When: Friday, September 15
• Time: 6 to 8:30 pm
• Where: Blank Page Studio – 1221 B Kensington Road NW
• Admission: Suggested $10 donation

Spinal Tap: Edible Vertebrae

• What: Create your own chocolate bones—and eat them after!
• When: Friday, September 15
• Time: 6 to 9 pm
• Where: The Alex Community Food Centre – 4920 17th Avenue SE
• Admission: $75, available at Eventbrite

That Sounds Different: A Listening Party

• What: Hear songs that you’re familiar with—but from an entirely different perspective.
• When: Friday, September 15
• Time: 6 to 7:30 pm
• Where: Grace Presbyterian Church
• Admission: $10, available at Eventbrite

Creating Cool: The Intriguing World of Special Effects

• What: Check out how award-winning special effects artists pull of some of the craziest effects in movies and TV.
• When: Friday, September 15
• Time: 7 to 9 pm
• Where: Bleeding Art Industries – #3 3815 61st Avenue SE
• Admission: $20, available at shopbleedingart.com

The Locked Library

• What: 1,000 people all locked into a library together, the first group to escape wins the grand prize.
• When: Friday, September 15
• Time: 7 to 10 pm
• Where: Central Public Library – 616 Macleod Trail SE
• Admission: $40, available at librarystore.ca

Science of Good Grooming

• What: Learn the science behind grooming the Victorian way—including cocktails from mixologist Nathan Gareau.
• When: Friday, September 15
• Time: 7 to 9 pm
• Where: Kent of Inglewood – 1319 9th Avenue SE
• Admission: $40, available at Eventbrite

Play Your Way to Great

• What: Discover the importance of play in laying the foundation of a healthy adult.
• When: Friday, September 15
• Time: 7:30 to 8 pm
• Where: Eau Claire Market – 200 Barclay Parade SW
• Admission: Free!

Cosmos Canadiana

• What: Learn about how Canada has contributed to humankind’s journey into the cosmos.
• When: Friday, September 15
• Time: 8 to 11 pm
• Where: Rothney Astronomical Observatory – Highway 22 South, Priddis
• Admission: $30 per carload

Girls Learning Code: Light It Up

• What: A full day of youth and beginner friendly instruction on programming, lights, and wearable technology.
• When: Saturday, September 16
• Time: 10 am to 4 pm
• Where: Innovate Calgary – 3553 31st Street NW
• Admission: Free!

Monstrous Adventure Playground

• What: Adventure Playground allows kids to create, destroy, and imagine to their mind’s delight.
• When: Saturday, September 16
• Time: Noon to 4 pm
• Where: Shaw Millenium Park – 1220 9th Avenue SW
• Admission: Free!

Projecting Mapping Workshop

• What: Create illusions on real-world objects with projection mapping, and learn the methods of disguising what is really there.
• When: Saturday, September 16
• Time: 1 to 4 pm
• Where: Memorial Park Library – 1221 2nd Street SW
• Admission: Free!

Pop-Up Puppet Studio

• What: Create your own puppet—including a chemical reaction—at this kid friendly workshop.
• When: Saturday, September 16
• Time: 1 to 3 pm
• Where: For Calgary Learning Centre – 760 9th Avenue SE
• Admission: $10 per person or $35 for groups of 4-6, available at Eventbrite

Virtual Reality (Intro) Academy

• What: Discover how to create virtual worlds that can be experienced through virtual reality.
• When: Saturday, September 16
• Time: 1 to 4 pm
• Where: Mount Royal University Riddell Library and Learning Centre – 75 Mount Royal Circle SW
• Admission: Free!

Inventors’ Open Mic

• What: Whatever your idea, the mic is there for you! Listen in to what might be bouncing around other peoples’ minds, or share your own crazy creations.
• When: Saturday, September 16
• Time: 3 to 4 pm
• Where: Beakerbar, Fort Calgary – 750 9th Avenue SE
• Admission: Free!

Bike to Beakernight

• What: Get on your bike and pedal over to Beakernight alongside other cyclists. Costumes are encouraged!
• When: Saturday, September 16
• Time: 6:30 to 8 pm
• Where: Loop – 4th Street and 21st Avenue SW
• Admission: Free, donations welcomed

Hack the Flyer

• What: Turn a red wagon into a speed racer with whatever you have at your disposal in this Beakerhead competition.
• When: Saturday, September 16
• Time: 7 to 8:30 pm
• Where: East Village Riverwalk Plaza – 618 Confluence Way SE

Beakernight

• What: Beakerhead’s big send off party, featuring a night of installations, fire, lasers, and more!
• When: Saturday, September 16
• Time: 7 to 11 pm
• Where: Fort Calgary and East Village River Walter
• Admission: By donation

SkiiTour – Beakernight Afterparty

• What: Keep the party going after Beakernight at the Palace Theatre for dancing and drinks
• When: Saturday, September 16
• Time: 11 pm to 2 am
• Where: Palace Theatre – 219 8th Avenue SW
• Admission: Free if RSP before 11 pm, $20 after 11 pm

Brix n’ Blox Lego Fan Expo

• What: Check out everything lego from building stations, displays, themed activities, and more.
• When: Sunday, September 17
• Time: 11 am to 6 pm
• Where: Chinese Cultural Centre – 197 1st Street SW
• Admission: $5

Snakes and Ladders Tour

• What: See the entirely of the Beakerhead Snakes and Ladders exhibits by bike.
• When: Sunday, September 17
• Time: 11 am to 4 pm
• Where: ACAD/SAIT – 1407 14th Avenue NW
• Admission: $50, available at Eventbrite

Coffee in Parts per Million

• What: Learn how the change in water can change how a cup of Joe tastes.
• When: Sunday, September 17
• Time: 1 to 3 pm
• Where: Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters, Simmons Building Roasting Room – 618 Confluence Way SE
• Admission: $60, available at Eventbrite

See also

• 9 epic food events to check out during Beakerhead 2017
• 1000 people will be competing to escape the Locked Library Beakerhead event
• Over 60 events and programs coming to Beakerhead 2017