Every season is festival season in Calgary. Festivals bring out the best in Calgary, as visitors and locals celebrate everything from culture and music to food and theatre. These must-attend festivals are perfect for planning a trip around.  

Music Festivals

JazzYYC

Whether you are new to the world of jazz or a longtime fan, JazzYYC provides easy access to all the jazz events happening in Calgary, including three major festivals: 

Summer Festival

Summer Festival brings an event series with multifaceted American jazz pianist, composer and prodigy, Emmet Cohen. 

When: June 28 to July 2, 2023 

Location: King Eddy, Ironwood Stage and Grill, Bella Concert Hall, Festival Hall 

Canadian Festival

Canadian Festival wraps up the end of the year with more jazz indulges, performances, and community fun in a bopping jazz environment. 

When: November 9 to 12, 2023 

Location: TBD 

International Jazz Days Festival

International Jazz Days Festival presents some of the best vocalists, and local and international musicians to showcase the best of jazz.  

When: April 27 to 30, 2023 

Location: Various locations 

Sled Island Music & Arts Festival 

Sled Island Music & Arts Festival brings together more than 200 bands, comedians, films, and artists in 30-plus venues throughout the city. Enjoy five jam-packed days of culture in the heart of the city with bands that you might not often see in Calgary. 

When: June 21-25, 2023 

Location: Various locations 

Calgary Folk Music Festival

Get a front-row seat to a festival lineup of international artists at the Calgary Folk Music Festival. This popular festival takes place on beautiful Prince’s Island Park with 70 artists, performing on five daytime and two evening stages. Regular festival goers enjoy setting up camp right in front of the main stage with blankets, low-rise lawn chairs and picnic baskets to enjoy the festival atmosphere. 

When: July 27-30, 2023 

Location: Prince’s Island Park 

Calgary International Blues Festival 

The Calgary International Blues Festival serves up a week of blues music from around the world, including workshops, special events, and live concerts. Local and international musicians come together for this Calgary classic. 

When: August 3-6, 2023 

Location: Shaw Millennium Park 

Country Thunder 

The biggest names in country music take the stage at Country Thunder for an epic concert event each summer in Calgary. Fort Calgary hosts this outdoor music festival with two stages, up-and-coming artists, and a nightly headliner straight from the top of the country charts. 

When: August 18-20, 2023 

Location: Fort Calgary 

Big Winter Classic 

Why only celebrate Calgary during the warm, yet brief, summer months? That question led to the creation of Big Winter Classic, a festival designed to ensure Calgary is celebrated year-round. Arts, live music, local beer, and community combine to remind Calgarians that some of the best parties happen in the dead of winter.  

When: January 25-29, 2024 

Location: Various locations 

Block Heater 

Every winter, The Calgary Folk Music Festival presents Block Heater. This music festival brings incredible local and international musicians to perform at intimate venues throughout the Inglewood and East Village neighbourhoods.  

When: February 9-12, 2024 

Location: Various locations 

Food & Drink Festivals

Calgary International Beerfest 

Canada’s largest beer festival brings together over 700 beers from more than 200 breweries. The Calgary International Beerfest includes tastings, brewmaster seminars, awards, and live entertainment worthy of a toast. This is an 18+ only event. 

When: May 5-6, 2023 

Location: BMO Centre, Stampede Park 

Taste of Calgary 

Discover Calgary’s rich culinary scene at Taste of Calgary, a unique mix of restaurants and beverage companies with a side of live music. Admission to the festival is free, and you can purchase sample tickets for $1.00 to try select dishes from some of the city’s best restaurants and brewers. 

When: August 3-7, 2023 

Location: TBD 

YYC Hot Chocolate Festival 

Every February, participating cafes, restaurants and chocolatiers compete to be crowned YYC’s Best Hot Chocolate. Not only is the YYC Hot Chocolate Festival an ideal chance to indulge in a variety of hot chocolate selections, but $1 to $3 from every cup sold goes to Calgary Meals on Wheels to provide nutritious meals to those in need. 

When: February 1-28, 2024 

Location: Various participating locations 

Winefest Calgary 

Are you interested in expanding your knowledge of the flavours and types of wine? Winefest Calgary is your chance to enjoy a variety of red, white, port, sparkling, and dessert wines from the world’s most celebrated wine regions. Pair each sample with a selection of sweet and savoury treats to further enhance the flavours. This is an 18+ only event. 

When: 2024 TBD 

Location: BMO Centre, Stampede Park 

Grape Escape 

Join over 150 vendors at Calgary’s largest premium wine, spirits, and beer-tasting event featuring sommelier-led tasting events, exciting drinks, and delicious foods. The Grape Escape is a chance to try local beer, sample crafted spirits, and sip on cocktails while discovering your new favourite drinks. This is an 18+ only event. 

When: 2024 TBD 

Location: BMO Centre, Stampede Park 

YYC Food and Drink Experience 

Chefs, sommeliers, bartenders, and local producers gather to bring the city’s culinary culture to life. The YYC Food and Drink Experience features multi-course prix fixe menus from dozens of Calgary’s favourite chef-led restaurants alongside six scheduled curated event experiences. 

When: 2024 TBD

Location: Various locations 

Arts & Entertainment Festivals

BUMP Festival 

The Beltline Urban Murals Project is Calgary’s street art festival. Since 2017, BUMP has added over 180 public art installations to Calgary. During the BUMP Festival you can watch new murals go up in real time, attend artist talks, and vibe out to Graffiti Jams. 

When: August 5-26, 2023 

Location: Various

Great Outdoors Comedy Festival 

The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival features some of the best comedy legends in live shows that promise great laughs, good times, and a celebration of all forms of performance comedy. 

When: August 25-27, 2023 

Location: Prince’s Island Park 

Calgary International Film Festival 

The Calgary International Film Festival brings over 200 feature and short films to the big screen each fall with gala events, movie screenings, and red-carpet premieres. Local and international films are shown at various theatres throughout the city with the opportunity for fans and local filmmakers to interact. 

When: September 21 - October 1, 2023 

Location: Various locations 

The Imaginairium by Wordfest 

Spark your literary imagination at The Imaginairium by Wordfest, an annual festival that has been attracting readers and authors for more than 20 years. Writers from around the world come to Calgary for ten days of live experiences, such as talk-show-style conversations, variety shows, and live storytelling. 

When: October 11-15, 2023 

Location: Memorial Park Library, 2nd floor 

Calgary Fringe Festival 

Calgary Fringe Festival is a nine-day theatre festival showcasing a wide range of performances. The term “fringe” refers to a festival where any and all submissions are accepted and includes emerging and established artists alike to share stories on stage. Watch street performances, browse vendors, and experience the eclectic entertainment presented each day. 

When: August 4-12, 2023 

Location: Various locations 

High Performance Rodeo 

High Performance Rodeo is Calgary’s International Festival of the Arts. Local and international theatre, music, dance, comedy, and interdisciplinary arts come together at various venues each January in collaboration with local arts organizations and theatre companies. 

When: January 15-February 4, 2024 

Location: Various locations 

Calgary Underground Film Festival  

The Calgary Underground Film Festival is integral to Calgary’s cultural landscape with the best in international independent cinema. It is Western Canada’s premiere genre festival.  

When: April 20-30, 2023  

Location: Globe Cinema  

Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo 

The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo celebrates all things pop culture. This family-friendly festival is one of the largest of its kind in North America. It includes hundreds of vendors, exhibits, workshops, autograph sessions, and panel discussions featuring iconic stars from the small and big screens. 

When: April 27-30, 2023 

Location: Stampede Park 

Cultural Festivals

GlobalFest 

Take in GlobalFest, a multicultural celebration with five incredible nights of dancing, music, food, and fireworks displays. Each night features a world-class fireworks show set to music from an international group of pyro-artists at Alberta’s most explosive festival. 

When: August 17-26, 2023 

Location: Elliston Park 

Carifest 

Join in the fun of Carifest, a spectacular celebration of Caribbean music, costumes, tradition, and culture. Carifest hosts a colourful parade that starts in Olympic Plaza and makes its way to Shaw Millennium Park for a festival of live reggae and steel pan music, dancing, and food. 

When: August 18-20, 2023 

Location: Shaw Millennium Park 

Expo Latino Festivals 

Expo Latino Festivals is Western Canada's largest Latino festival and welcomes visitors for a vibrant weekend of food, artisans, dancing, music, and entertainment for over 35 years. 

When: August 18-20, 2023 

Location: Prince’s Island Park 

Calgary Pride 

Calgary Pride celebrates the city’s diverse and inclusive 2SLGBTQ+ community. There is a full week of events, including the Pride Parade which attracts more than 60,000 spectators. The Parade is followed by Pride in the Park, a free, family-friendly, outdoor celebration with food trucks, live music, a beer garden, and a family activity zone. 

When: August 26 - September 4, 2023 

Location: Various Locations   

Calgary International Salsa Congress 

The Calgary International Salsa Congress welcomes some of the best salsa dancers in the world for showcase performances in Calgary. Watch local and international dancers, participate in daily workshops, and finish the night with an exciting dance party where you can salsa with locals and professionals from around the globe. 

When: April 4-7, 2024 

Location: Hyatt Regency Calgary 

Community Festivals

4th Street Lilac Festival 

Shake off those winter blues and take in Calgary's thriving creative spirit and community with the 4th Street Lilac Festival. This free, one-day festival brings an array of musical talent, artisan vendors, local entertainment, and fun for all ages. With over 500 vendors and more than 30 performances, there is no shortage of things to discover. 

When: June 4, 2023 

Location: 4 St. S.W. Between 12 Ave. S.W. and Elbow Dr. 

Inglewood Sunfest 

Celebrate the best of summer in the heart of Inglewood. The Inglewood Sunfest offers something for everyone, from 200 vendors offering artisan crafts and imported wares to live performances, world-class circus acts, comedy street shows, bouncy castles, and more. There’s so much to watch, partake in, sample, and enjoy. 

When: July 29, 2023 

Location: 9 Ave. S.E. between 11 and 14 St. S.E. 

Marda Gras Street Festival 

This free, family-friendly event set in the heart of Marda Loop is the longest running street festival in Calgary. Marda Gras Street Festival brings a full lineup of live music, dance, and entertainment for all ages, plus local businesses and artisans offer unique and fun products to browse and buy. Even pets have the chance to join in the fun at the Marda Gras Pet Photo Booth. 

When: August 13, 2023 

Location: 33 Ave. S.W. between 19 and 22 St. S.W.