Calgary's newest activation transforms downtown into a mysterious virtual adventure

Have you noticed anyone exploring downtown Calgary? And we don’t mean merely wandering and checking out the sights and sounds (though that can certainly count as exploring!).

We mean following secret missions, scouting elusive clues, and battling mystical monsters.

No, these explorers aren’t losing it. They’re actually adventurers who are participating in Story City, a brand-new activation courtesy of The City of Calgary Downtown Strategy and Common Ground Arts Society.

Where art meets adventure

The City of Calgary

So, how the heck does this all work? Story City is an Edmonton-based technology company that has launched storytelling experiences from Edmonton to Calgary and across the world.

The Story City app utilizes cutting-edge technology to create interactive experiences that turn downtown Calgary into a wonderland meant to be explored beyond office hours. These experiences feature local writers, musicians, actors, and illustrators in cross-disciplinary collaborations that bring the collection of stories to life.

Users are encouraged to get out and about to solve puzzles using the real-world environment and elements within the app. Each chapter is placed in a landmark site or hidden gem, and can only be unlocked once the user visits the correct location.

Choose your story

The City of Calgary

You get to be the hero of the story you choose. So what will it be?

In A Spy Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Lab, you’ll act as a secret agent tasked with stopping a biochemical toxin from being released into the city’s water supply.

In Chase, you’re the only one who can see the cosmic crisis tearing the barrier between dimensions apart, as everyone else goes about their regular lives.

In The Not-So-Secret Door in the Back of a Chinese Restaurant, you’ll solve the mystery of secret doors that have been appearing all over Chinatown.

And in Heartbreak Speedrun you’ll embark on nine fictional dates with three fictional suitors across local haunts and hidden gems in a funny (and all too relatable) story about what it’s like to date with a broken heart.

There’s still time to make the most of summer and explore the vibrant city we call home. Download Story City on Android or iOS, and choose your adventure with friends and family. Who knows what you’ll discover?