December is here and there are so many things to do in Calgary to celebrate the season with festivals and markets all over the city.
Get your shopping done or enjoy some amazing light displays. You can also enjoy Calgary’s latest outdoor skating experience.
Here are 14 things to do this weekend in Calgary.
Experience a new winter park at Central Commons Park
Central Commons Winter Skating Rink
What: The grand opening of Central Commons Park will feature outdoor activities and entertainment to welcome the three-acre, four-season park on Sunday, December 4, 2022, from 1 to 5 pm. Bring your skates to enjoy the stunning outdoor skating rink and then warm up with a cup of hot cider at the Hot Apple Cider Station. There will also be live music and entertainment including a professional skating performance from Skate Canada. And to top it all off you can get your holiday shopping jump-started at the U/D Night Market Holiday Edition with a variety of vendors in partnership with Marketspot. Central Commons Park is located at the heart of the University District anchored by Retail Main Street.
When: Sunday, December 4, 2022
Time: 1 pm to 5 pm
Where: Central Commons Park (4019 University Avenue NW)
Tickets: Free
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- Skate on a glowing rink and see 300,000 Christmas lights in Sylvan Lake this winter
- Winter activities in Calgary to check out for under $20
- A Calgary mall is turning into a winter wonderland for the holidays
Light up your weekend with ZooLights
ZOOLIGHTS/Calgary Zoo
What: A staple of the holiday season returns this weekend as ZooLights is back in Calgary for its 28th season. The Calgary Zoo will be lit up with stunning lights everywhere you go with over 200 light figures along with interactive and choreographed light displays. This year’s event will feature some fun, themed areas, and activities including a new story in Prehistoric Park, a new Polar Wonderland, a multi-sensory experience in the gorilla amphitheatre, The Nutcracker in the Enmax Conservatory, and a brand new dining experience in snow globes. Of course, the zoo is bringing back all the classic activities everyone has come to love, such as the Tunnel of Light.
When: November 18, 2022, to January 8, 2023
Time: 5 to 9 pm
Where: Calgary Zoo — 210 St. George’s Drive NE, Calgary
Tickets: $21.95 for adults, $14.95 for children
Have your mind blown at The Immersive Nutcracker, A Winter Miracle
The Immersive Nutcracker, A Winter Miracle (Lighthouse Immersive/Patrick Hodgson)
What: Guests are placed in the middle of the classic Nutcracker story as dazzling projections swirl around the room and dancers from the Bolshoi Theatre twirl to the music of Tchaikovsky. Produced by Lighthouse Immersive, the team behind Immersive Van Gogh, The Immersive Nutcracker whisks audiences into five fantasy-filled worlds accompanied by classical scores like “The March of the Toys,” “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” and more.
When: December 1 to 28, 2022
Time: Various times
Where: BMO Centre – 20 Roundup Way SE, Calgary
Tickets: Starting at $30, children under three are free when accompanying a paying adult
Go back in time with Once Upon a Christmas at Heritage Park
Courtesy of Heritage Park
What: Once Upon a Christmas at Heritage Park is one of Calgary’s most iconic holiday events, with hands-on activities and entertainment sure to delight guests of all ages. Come get your fix of wholesome holiday cheer!
When: Saturdays and Sundays from November 26 to December 18
Time: 10 am to 4 pm
Where: 1900 Heritage Drive SW, Calgary
Tickets: $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for children
Enjoy the Spruce Meadows 2022 International Christmas Market
Spruce Meadows Christmas lights (sprucemeadows.com)
What: The International Christmas Market is back in full force with some new and exciting changes, with over 300 unique vendors including – for the first time – an outdoor Christmas tree lot. Bring your friends and family and enjoy the yuletide entertainment, kids zone with a daily petting zoo and activities, and a magical holiday atmosphere. Santa’s reindeer can be spotted in the Riding Hall Circle on Sundays of each weekend as they prepare for their Christmas journey.
When: November 18 to 20, 25 to 27, and December 2 to 4
Time: Noon to 9 pm on Fridays, 10 am to 6 pm on Saturdays, 10 am to 5 pm on Sundays
Where: Spruce Meadows — 18011 Spruce Meadows Way SW, Calgary
Tickets: $15 for adults, $10 for children and seniors
Sparkle up your weekend at TELUS Spark
Telus Spark (sparkscience.ca)
What: You can enjoy the Goodnight Moon immersive digital experience that turns the great green room into a 3,000-square-foot interactive playground for everyone. There is also an illuminated, enchanted winter forest, snowy ice cave and candy cane lane to experience. The infinity dome offers an out-of-this-world twist on a holiday classic with The Alien Who Stole Christmas. Of course, the big guy will be there as well. You can get your picture taken with Santa in the Earth and Sky ice caves and have fun with the elves.
When: December 1, 2022, to January 2, 2023
Time: 5 pm to 9 pm
Where: TELUS Spark Science Centre (220 St. George’s Drive NE, Calgary)
Tickets: $26 for adults, $19 for youth (ages three to 17)
Add some glow to your weekend with the Glow Christmas Festival
Glow Christmas Festival
What: This holiday fest is a major annual event in Edmonton, so it’s amazing it’s making its way to YYC this year. Visitors will be dazzled by a million Christmas lights, including a light tunnel and possibly even a visit from Santa Claus himself. Held at the massive 70,000-square-foot Nutrien Western Events Centre in Stampede Park, this is shaping up to be one of the largest indoor holiday festivals of the season. If you are looking to find the perfect gift for the holiday season, stop by the Merry Makers Market which is set to have a ton of local vendors. There will be plenty of food and drinks here as well, with licensed bars and food trucks like Happy Fish serving grilled cheese sandwiches and tacos.
When: November 25 to December 31, 2022
Where: Nutrien Western Events Centre
Tickets: $16.99 to $25.99; tickets can be found here
Get shopping done at Inglewood Night Market: Holiday Edition
Inglewoodnightmarketyyc/Instagram
What: The Inglewood Night Market is a modern market with locally sourced and handmade vendors selling diverse goods, from handmade crafts to vintage clothing, antiques and collectibles, artisan eats, and more.
When: November 11, 12, 19, 25, 26, and December 3
Time: 5 to 10 pm
Where: Quonset at Crossroads Farmers Market — 1235 26th Avenue SE
Tickets: $5
Head north and enjoy the Airdrie Festival of Lights
Airdrie Festival of Lights
What: Head down to Nose Creek Park in Airdrie to check out this beautiful, outdoor walk-through lights experience, with about a million dollars worth of displays and other special features. Light up your social media with some amazing displays like North Pole, Candy Land, Penguin Village, Poinsettia Arch, Santa Takes Flight, Skating Party, Woodland Fantasy, and Winter Wonderland.
When: December 1 to 31
Time: 6 to 9 pm
Where: Nose Creek Park, Airdrie
Tickets: Free; donations gratefully accepted
Laugh along with Elf the Musical
Elf The Musical
What: Elf The Musical is a modern-day holiday classic that is sure to make everyone
embrace their inner elf. It is the perfect night out for the whole family.
When: November 25 to December 31
Where: Storybook Theatre — 375 Bermuda Drive NW
Price: $27 for children, $32 for adults
Take a ride Aspen Crossing’s Polar Express Train
Polar Express (Aspen Crossing/Facebook)
What: Dive into the classic holiday movie with Aspen Crossing’s Polar Express. Hangout with characters from the movie then get your picture with Santa. The train experience lasts about an hour, and along with the bell, you also get hot chocolate in a collector’s ceramic Polar Express mug and a delicious cookie.
When: Fridays to Sundays, November 25 to December 18, and December 19 to 24. Visit the website for details
Where: Box 30, Mossleigh, Alberta (one kilometre west of Mossleigh on Highway #24)
Tickets: Available online now, varies by day and train
Test your skills at Potion Putt
Courtesy of Potion Putt/Explore Hidden
What: This boozy experience offers the chance to have some golf fun even in the winter months. This is from the same team that has brought similar pop-up adventures to Calgary, like the Alice Cocktail Experience and the Peter Pan Neverland experience. This “crazy golf course” is inspired by a certain famous wizard who can’t be named for copyright reasons. There will be nine holes to play as you come across bubbling cauldrons filled with tasty potions that may even help you cast a few spells to help you complete some of the mystical tee-off challenges.
When: November 3, 2022, to May 31, 2023
Where: Springbank Links Golf Club – 125 Hackamore Trail, Calgary
Price: $15 per person; buy here
Check out a parody of a legendary sitcom
@JamesMoore_org/Twitter (NBC)
What: Check out this pop-rock parody of The Office at Jubilations Dinner Theatre. Have a great meal along with some laughs as you follow along with this unique look at the legendary show and its iconic characters.
When: From now until January 14, 2023
Where: Jubilations Dinner Theatre — 37th Street SW
Cost: Starting at $69.95
Walk into a parallel universe at Calgary’s science centre
Quantum Sandbox exhibit (Elle McLean/Daily Hive)
What: Fascinated by the idea of parallel universes? If so, you can now take a deeper trip into the world of the subatomic in an exhibit at Telus Spark Science Centre’s digital immersion gallery. The team at Calgary’s science centre has taken what many would consider to be the hardest science subject – quantum physics – and turned it into a floor-to-ceiling visual adventure that everyone can relate to.
When: Open as of March 1, 2022
Time: 9 am to 4 pm Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm Friday through Sunday
Where: Telus Spark Science Centre – 220 St. George’s Drive NE, Calgary
Cost: Included with general admission; $26 for adults, $19 for children
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