17 distanced things to do in Calgary this week: March 15 to 21
As recommended by health officials, if you choose to participate in events outside of your home, please adhere to COVID-19 health and safety measures, including proper physical distancing, mask-wearing, and frequent handwashing. If you are sick, please stay home.
With more warm weather headed our way, there’s no excuse to remain in your winter hibernation – although there are lots of virtual things to do right now if you prefer to stay at home.
There are tons of events happening in Calgary this week, from a drive-thru food truck festival and an ice bar, to ghost tours and an online murder mystery game. There’s sure to be something on our list for everyone.
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Mask up, grab a family member or cohort buddy, and get out there and enjoy the city.
YYC Food Trucks March Break Seafood Escape
What: YYC Food Trucks is bringing the beach to Calgarians this spring break, with seaside dishes, drinks and desserts to purchase in a drive-thru format.
When: March 20 and 21
Time: Noon to 6 pm
Where: Grey Eagle Resort & Casino’s overflow parking lot (3777 Grey Eagle Drive)
Cost: Varies
Bridgeland Arctic Adventure
What: Participants can choose their own adventure through the neighbourhood of Bridgeland – from the full, self-guided course to a scavenger hunt. Afterwards, join Bridgeland Distillery for a beverage at their ice bar and relax by the firepits.
When: Now through March 31
Time: Self-guided (the ice bar is open 2 to 6 pm Friday through Sunday)
Where: Throughout the Bridgeland community, view map for details
Cost: Free, unless you purchase a drink at the ice bar
Check out art installations at Southcentre Mall and #ChooseToChallenge
Courtesy of Southcentre Mall
What: In celebration of International Women’s Day this month, Southcentre Mall invited three emerging female artists to create mural artwork for shoppers to enjoy, with an interactive graphic design on the flip side of each mural celebrating three of the mall’s female entrepreneurs, for a total of six Instagrammable backdrops.
Southcentre encourages Calgarians to explore the Women’s Day-inspired artwork and participate in the IWD 2021 theme, #ChooseToChallenge, by sharing an image on social media (either taken in front of one of the mall’s backdrops or from the comfort of home) to show support and solidarity in celebrating women’s achievements and challenging inequality.
When: All month long
Time: Mall hours (11 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday, and 11 am to 6 pm on Sundays)
Where: Southcentre Mall (100 Anderson Rd SE), and virtually
Cost: Free
Spark Science from Home
What: TELUS Spark Science Centre hosts a wide variety of fun and educational options online, from virtual programs and Dome Movies at Home to Cereal Science and a collection of experiments and activities.
When: Programming varies, learn more through their website
Where: From the comfort of your own home
Cost: Varies by program
Take a walk through Devonian Gardens
What: Feel like you’re in a tropical paradise within downtown Calgary at Devonian Gardens. Stroll the boardwalk, take in the plants and ponds, and grab a quick bite at the food court.
When: Daily
Time: 11 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 pm on Sundays
Where: Fourth floor of the CORE Shopping Centre (400 – 317 7th Avenue SW)
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
What: St. Patrick’s Day may look a little different in 2021, but there are still tons of things to do in Calgary to help bring the luck of the Irish your way. The annual celebration falls mid-week this year, but you can bet that YYC will still be donning shamrock-coloured clothing and looking for leprechauns. Whether you want to enjoy a pint at your local pub, try some trivia, or go green for our planet, check out our list for the best ways to toast the patron saint of Ireland.
When: March 17
Where: Citywide, and from home
Cost: Varies
Visit the National Music Centre’s Amplify platform
What: Amplify serves as an extension of the NMC’s onsite programs through an online hub detailing the sounds and stories of music in Canada. Take a guided tour of the museum virtually, delve into articles from their vast collection of historical musical instruments, equipment, and memorabilia, and learn more about the power of music for healing and wellness.
When: Anytime
Where: Online, from the comfort of your own home
Cost: Free
Check out High Park
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What: High Park offers downtown views, adorable string lights, colourful picnic tables, and fun signs to take photos with – on top of a parking garage in the Beltline. Have a winter picnic six floors above street level and grab some cool photos while you’re at it.
When: Open daily
Time: 7 am to 11 pm
Where: The top level of the Centre City Parkade at 340 10th Avenue SW
Heritage Park Ghost Tours
What: Visit Heritage Park after dark for a guided ghost tour through the abandoned streets of its Historical Village. Hear spooky stories and learn a little bit about Calgary’s haunted past during a 90-minute walking tour, covering approximately 2 km of the park.
When: March 18, and 25, April 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, and May 6
Time: Two tours each evening, beginning at 7 and 7:30 pm
Where: Heritage Park Historical Village (1900 Heritage Drive SW)
Cost: $22.95
Attend an online, interactive murder mystery
What: In this interactive and live Zoom performance, the audience has been invited to attend an exclusive promotional event for Awakenings Spa, but what was once a hotspot for celebrities, politicians, and oil and gas tycoons is now a dying business. The owners are offering amazing deals to get customers to return, but when the unthinkable happens, your detective skills are put to the test. Ask questions, have some fun, and see if you can identify the killer and motive in time.
When: Thursday through Sunday until March 21
Time: 7 pm
Where: Morpheus Theatre and Smoking Gun Entertainment will be presenting this production through Zoom
Cost: $20 per person (recommended), with “pay what you can” options available
Watch a tournament happening in Calgary’s Curling Canada Bubble
What: Calgary is hosting Curling Canada’s curling bubble in the city right now, with four more events happening at WinSport’s Markin MacPhail Centre between now and April. The 2021 Home Hardware Canadian Mixed Doubles tournament starts this week, so be sure to catch all the action on TSN.
When: March 18 to 24
Time: Broadcast schedule available here
Where: Broadcast on TSN
Zombie Scavenger Hunt
What: Test your ability to survive after a zombie apocalypse in this scavenger hunt game that leads you through the city. Players have 60 minutes to collect supplies to survive during the interactive game that invites participants to complete challenges and answer trivia questions.
When: Daily
Time: One hour of your choosing between 10 am and 9 pm
Where: Downtown Calgary
Cost: $29.30 per team (up to 10 people)
Visit a sculpture covered with flowers and snakes in this Inglewood window
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What: While we wait for the Esker Foundation’s main gallery to reopen, their Project Space window brings some art into our lives while simultaneously providing a concept to contemplate. Visible from street level, “The Garden” is a clay sculpture combining elements of nature with the human form, created by ceramic artist Yvonne Kustec.
When: Now through June 6
Where: Esker Foundation’s Project Space window (1011 9th Avenue SE)
Cost: Free
Explore fandoms and win prizes during Calgary Library and Calgary Expo’s four-month reading challenge
What: Calgary Public Library and the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo have paired up to host a reading challenge. Over the next few months, kids and adults alike can take on both reading and creative challenges to be entered to win one of 25 prizes.
When: Now through May 15
Where: Anywhere
Cost: Free with your Calgary Library card
Glenbow from Home
What: Tour Glenbow’s extensive collection and galleries of rotating exhibits virtually and get cultured without even leaving the house.
When: Anytime
Where: Online, available through Glenbow’s website
Cost: Free
“Escape from the Alternate Dimension” in this ’90s-themed virtual escape room
What: In this virtual escape room, players are transported to a parallel 1990s universe using a time machine. A Live Adventure Guide will host the experience and cater to your group based on the ages of players, making this a fitting activity for everyone – whether you were alive during the 90s or not.
When: Daily
Time: Start times are staggered through the day, typically between 9 am and 9:30 pm (players have 60 minutes to win the game)
Where: From the comfort of your own home
Cost: $25 per person
Tee-off at one of the world’s best courses from Hotel Arts’ Golf Studios
Hotel Arts
What: Choose from simulations of more than 20 of the world’s best courses, including Pebble Beach, Oakmont, and Valderrama, and tee-off from your own private Golf Studio in downtown Calgary. Players can enjoy their own stocked carts with food and beverage service from Hotel Arts’ Clubhouse during the game.
When: Open daily
Time: Book one-, two-, three-, or four-hour time slots from 8 am to 9 pm
Where: Hotel Arts
Cost: Starting at $50 for 55 minutes
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