This weekend is full of both exciting events and terrifying treasures just waiting to be discovered!
Now that Thanksgiving is over it’s time to officially get your spook on — though there are also a few great (and not skin-crawlingly, soul-crushingly scary) activities to check out over the next few days!
See also
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Friday, October 12
Train of Terror
What: Are you ready for the Train of Terror? This frightful train ride will get your blood boiling with unimaginable scares and innovative thrills. Complete with a haunted maze, sinister photo-ops, and creatures hiding in the fog, this train will surely deliver the most frightful experience of your life — if you make it out alive, that is. Afterwards, join in on a fun Halloween party to calm your nerves and enjoy a lighter side of the season.
When: October 12 to November 3
Time: 7 pm
Where: Aspen Crossing – Highway 24, Mossleigh AB
Tickets: Online, $66.60
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
What: Hamlet’s good friends are summoned to Denmark to comfort their grieving friend, but their journey is anything but boring! Their story of facing their fears seems as though it could be heading towards a tragic ending.
When: October 9 to 21
Time: 7:30 pm and 2 pm
Where: Martha Cohen Theatre – 215 8th Avenue SE
Tickets: Online, $30 to $76
Grim Manor
What: This is Calgary’s newest haunted attraction! Immerse yourself in the legend of Professor Grim and his quest for immortality. There are three separate haunted houses for you to test your fear levels in, along with spooky live entertainment, and performances by comedy daredevil, Ryan Stock and Aberlynn, whom you might recognize from America’s Got Talent.
When: October 12 to 31 (on select days)
Time:
Sunday – Thursday: 7 to 11 pm
Friday and Saturday: 7 pm to midnight
Where: Winsport, Canada Olympic Park – 88 Canada Olympic Road SW
Tickets: Online or can be purchased at the door
Go on a Clue Solving Adventure through Canmore
What: Looking for a way to switch up date night or a new activity to keep the family busy? Check out Mystery Towns and enjoy an exciting mystery-filled adventure. Instantly accessible via clues to your smartphone, each Mystery Towns adventure combines the fun of a scavenger hunt, the puzzles of an escape room, and the challenge of an Amazing Race. This is the perfect way to discover a new city or hidden gems you never knew of in your own hometown. Good luck!
Where: Currently available in both Calgary, Canmore, and Edmonton and soon to be available in Banff.
Register: Online, $49 to $99
Calgary Tattoo and Arts Festival
What: Get inked! Learn everything there is to know about tattoos and the artistry behind them.
When: October 12 to 14
Time:
Friday: 4 pm to midnight
Saturday: 12 to 10 pm
Sunday: 12 to 6 pm
Where: BMO Centre, Hall A/B/C – 20 Round Up Way SW
Tickets: Online, $25 or $50 weekend pass
Burt Cummings and Band
What: Former lead singer of The Guess Who has since gone out on his own. Burt Cummings as a one-man-band will blow you away with his undeniable talent and ability to captivate an audience.
When: Friday, October 12
Time: 8 pm
Where: Grey Eagle Event Centre –3777 Grey Eagle Drive SW
Tickets: Ticketmaster, $50+
Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival
What: Swirl, smell, sip – you know the drill!
When: October 12 to 13
Time:
Friday: 5 to 10 pm
Saturday: Noon to 4 pm
Saturday: 6 to 10 pm
Where: BMO Centre – 20 Roundup Way SE
Tickets: Online, $29 to $32
Watch the Calgary Hitmen play the Lethbridge Hurricanes
What: The Hitmen are always known for raising the bar and putting their all into every game. Come cheer them on and wish them luck in the 2018/19 season!
When: Friday, October 12
Time: 7 pm
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome – 555 Saddledome Rise SE
Tickets: Ticketmaster, $13 to $31
Saturday, October 13
23rd Annual Wordfest
What: Calling all writers, authors and those who appreciate a good book – Calgary’s number one reader’s festival is back for seven days you won’t want to miss out on! Celebrate the written word by experiencing live presentations, panels, industry workshops, art installations, and more by 80+ international bestselling authors and up-and-comers.
When: October 8 to 14
Where: Various locations around Calgary
Festival Pass: Online, $195 to $225
Vino Value
What: Try fine wine from J. Webb Market Wines and pair it with delicious bites from the Calgary Farmers Market as you navigate this exciting festival style showcase event.
When: Saturday, October 13
Time: 7 to 9 pm
Where: J. Webb Market Wines – 520 77th Avenue SE
Tickets: Online, $39
Harvest Pumpkin Hunt
What: There is nothing more satisfying than decorating a pumpkin that you forged for yourself!
When: October 6 to 28
Time: 10:20 am to 1:40 pm
Where: Butterfield Acres Farm – 254077 Rocky Ridge Road
Admission: $15
Heritage Treasures Harvest Market
What: Shop over 60 local vendors, makers, creators, and artisans and get a head start on your holiday shopping. Come with a friend or your special someone and spend the afternoon perusing some of Calgary’s best small businesses. You never know what unique gem you’re going to find!
When: October 13 and 14
Time:
Saturday: 9 am to 5 pm
Sunday: 10 am to 4 pm
Where: The Heritage Centre – 4148 Highway 580
Admission: $5
Autumn Pumpkin Festival
What: Celebrate fall in the most appropriate way possible! Every weekend in October you will have the opportunity to explore the patch and pick out the perfect pumpkin to bring home. You can also check out the petting zoo, corn maze, fun farm, and more. Don’t miss The Great Pumpkin Explosion, where a pumpkin filled with candy is exploded daily!
When: Every Saturday and Sunday in October
Where: Calgary Corn Maze and Fun Farm – 284022 Township Road 224
Admission: $16.95 (ages 3+)
Jenn Beaupre Bad Girl Release Concert
What: Jenn’s bold and eclectic vocals are captivating! Think Betty Milder meets Adele with a splash of Alanis Morsette — the perfect combination!
When: Saturday, October 13
Time: 7 to 10 pm
Where: Festival Hall – 1215 10th Avenue SE
Tickets: Online, $20
Watch the Calgary Stampeders play the BC Lions
What: Grab your jersey and head down to McMahon Stadium for a tailgate and a chance to cheer on the Calgary Stampeders. Bundle up!
When: Saturday, October 13
Time: 6 pm
Where: McMahon Stadium — 1817 Crowchild Trail NW, Calgary
Tickets: Ticketmaster, $37 to $148
Sunday, October 14
The 13 Annual Zombie Walk
What: In all of your zombie splendour (a make-up artist will be on-site) shuffle to the end of the course in Tomkin Park where all your zombie friends will wait.
When: October 14
Time: 12 pm
Where: Olympic Plaza – 228 8th Avenue SE
Cost: $5 and a $1 or a food donation to the Calgary Food Bank
Run for Life
What: Run for those who have survived suicide in one form or another in the First Annual Run for Life. Walk or run into the sunrise as you raise awareness and shed light on an issue that affects too many in our society today. Following the run will be a fun social reception featuring snacks from Charbar and much-needed COFFEE from Phil and Sebastians.
When: Sunday, October 14
Time: 7 to 9 am
Where: Simmons Building – 618 Confluence Way SE
Tickets: Online, $50
Flashlight Nights: Corn Maze in the Dark
What: Think navigating a corn maze in the daylight is hard? Think again!
When: Fridays and Saturdays beginning on September 14
Where: Calgary Corn Maze and Fun Farm – 284022 Township Road 224
Admission: $15.95 per adult, $14.95 per child
Watch the Calgary Hitmen play the Regina Pats
What: Another chance to check out the Hitmen as they play their way through the season!
When: Sunday, October 14
Time: 2 pm
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome – 555 Saddledome Rise SE
Tickets: Ticketmaster, $20
Find your way through a corn maze
What: There is no better way to welcome fall then by heading out to one of Calgary’s many corn mazes and enjoying a fun-filled farm adventure. You can’t miss the “Outback Adventure” design at Cobbs Adventure park, along with the Kangaroo Petting Zoo, tractor rides, rope course, and more.
Where: Cobb’s Adventure Park and Calgary Corn Maze and Fun Farm
Head out on a Larch hike through the Rockies
What: It’s officially larch season (it’s a type of tree). Grab your cameras and hiking gear and head up to the mountains to spend the day reconnecting with nature in the great outdoors and enjoy the picturesque fall views from the top.
Where: Here are some of the best hiking spots in and around Banff to check out this summer and fall.