11 awesome things happening in Calgary this weekend: August 11 to 13
It’s summertime in Calgary and you know what that means… it’s event season!
We’ve rounded up a list of our favourites to watch for this weekend, and there’s everything from a pickle festival to the longest-running street festival in the city and so much more in between.
Granary Road Pickle Palooza
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What: Granary Road is hosting its annual Pickle Palooza, where you will find delicious pickles from numerous vendors. If the pickles aren’t enough to attract you (which they should be), there will also be a pickle-eating contest, brine chugging, and even pickleball to enjoy. Get into it!
When: August 12 and 13
Where: Granary Road, 226066 112th Street W
Price: Free entry into the farmer’s market, tickets to the park are $15.95 and are available to purchase in person or online here.
Calgary Japanese Festival “Omatsuri”
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What: The Japanese Canadian community is hosting an incredible festival celebrating heritage, tradition, and culture.
When: August 11 to 12, 7 to 11 pm
Where: Max Bell Centre, 1001 Barlow Trail SE, Calgary
Price: Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door
Marda Gras
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What: Marda Gras is the longest-running street festival in Calgary and it’s FREE. The whole family will enjoy all the food and the pet pageant!
When: August 13
Where: Marda Loop
Price: FREE
Calgary Zoo Wildscapes
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What: This temporary summer attraction features 10 giant topiary statues scattered across the zoo. Enjoy looking for them while you check out the living animals in their different habitats. They’re only up for a few more weeks so don’t miss your chance to see them!
When: Now until mid-September
Where: Calgary Zoo, 210 St. George’s Drive NE, Calgary
Price: Included with the price of general admission, which is around $35. Buy your tickets at the zoo or online here.
The Calgary Fringe Festival
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What: Alberta is home to the second largest fringe festival in North America in Edmonton, but Calgary’s festival is a beloved staple summer event. It’s considered a “boutique” festival, which means the performances are meant for a small group of people and are more niche. The festival wraps up this weekend but there are still plenty of performances to watch for.
When: August 4 to 12
Where: Multiple locations throughout the city; you can see the schedule here.
Price: Tickets are $20 each and are available for purchase here.
Summer on 17th Avenue
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What: Summer on 17th is back for its second year, transforming the vibrant neighbourhood into a hub for live music and events. With something new scheduled almost every day, it’s bound to keep you entertained. For a full list of events click here.
When: Now until September 23
Where: 17th Avenue
Price: FREE
Block Party at Deerfoot City
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What: Check out the colourful neighbourhood pop-up this summer and get your skating on!
When: June 24 to September 10
Where: Deerfoot City, 901 64th Avenue NE, Calgary
Price: FREE
Summer Farm Days at Calgary Farmyard
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What: Visitors to the Calgary Farmyard have so many different activities to check out. From a petting zoo full of grown-up barnyard babies to an 11-acre corn maze, there’s so much to see.
When: On until August 31, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
Where: Calgary Farmyard, 284022 Township Road 224, Rocky View, Alberta
Price: Tickets range from $21.95 to $26.50 and are available for purchase here.
BUMP festival
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What: The streets of Calgary are getting a lot more colourful this August, with help from the city’s giant mural festival. Check out the long list of events scheduled including live mural paintings and artists’ talks here.
When: August 5 to 26
Where: View the map here
Price: FREE
Prairie Persuasion at Heritage Park
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What: Check out the temporary Heritage Park exhibit Prairie Persuasion: Communication and Propaganda in Southern Alberta. The exhibit wraps up at the end of August, so check it out while you can!
When: August 27, 10 am to 5 pm
Where: Gasoline Alley Museum, 1900 Heritage Drive SW, Calgary
Price: General admission is $34.95. Tickets can be purchased here.
Flip the Script Fort Calgary Art Show
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What: Fort Calgary got a recent makeover with hundreds of new artworks adorning both floors of the replica barracks. Check out over a hundred incredible artworks this week.
When: The exhibit runs until November 9
Where: Fort Calgary, 750 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
Price: General admission is $10 and can be purchased in person or online here.