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.  

Food & Drink Festivals

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, 2026

Location: Various participating locations 

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: March 2026 - Dates TBD

Location: Various locations 

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: March 2026 - Dates TBD

Location: BMO Centre, Stampede Park 

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 2026 - Dates TBD

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: July 31 - August 4, 2025

Location: Calgary Parking Lot #6 311 8 Street S.W.

Brewery & the Beast

Brewery & the Beast attracts chefs and restaurants from Calgary, Banff, Edmonton and surrounding areas to showcase incredible food and beverages from Alberta. This festival creates a playful and educational environment where you can learn about local proteins and produce, enjoy quality food and drink, and participate in a dynamic environment that supports local businesses.

When: August 24, 2025

Location: The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland (formerly Fort Calgary)

Music Festivals

JazzYYC Summer Festival

Whether you are new to the world of jazz or a longtime fan, JazzYYC Summer Festival brings you an intimate event series across Calgary's top jazz venues.

When: June 23-29, 2025

Location: Various locations

Roundup MusicFest

Celebrate summer with big sound and big names at Roundup MusicFest. This one-day outdoor concert features international rock and alternative acts, all set in the heart of downtown. Held during Stampede Week, it's a midweek escape where music lovers gather for great tunes, good food, and high-energy fun in the sun.

When: July 9, 2025

Location: Prince’s Island Park

Oxford STOMP

Wrap up Stampede Week with the Oxford STOMP, Calgary’s long-running music tradition. Set against the Bow River and city skyline, this evening concert brings together iconic rock bands and thousands of fans for one unforgettable night. With food trucks, cold drinks, and a lively crowd, it's a can't-miss summer experience.

When: July 11, 2025

Location: Prince’s Island Park

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 24-27, 2025

Location: Prince’s Island Park

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 2026 - Dates TBD

Location: Various locations

Cowboys Music Festival 

The world famous Cowboys Music Festival combines a diverse line-up of the world’s top artists with Cowboys iconic party status making it the most LEGENDARY 11 day party in the country!

When: July 3-13, 2025

Location: Cowboys Park

Badlands Music Festival

The Badlands Music Festival is an ever growing, electrifying celebration of music that showcases a mix of electronic, hip-hop, and pop genres, set against the picturesque backdrop of Calgary's dynamic cityscape. This annual summer festival draws music lovers from all over, offering an unforgettable experience with its lineup of renowned international and local artists.

When: July 4-13, 2025

Location: 725 9th Ave SW

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: July 31 - August 3, 2025

Location: The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland (formerly Fort Calgary)

Chasing Summer 

The largest outdoor EDM event in Western Canada returns to Alberta for this two-day annual electronic fest. At Chasing Summer you can dance from sunrise to sundown with the hottest names in EDM.

When: August 2 & 3, 2025

Location: Max Bell Center

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 15-17, 2025

Location: The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland (formerly Fort Calgary)

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 2026 - Dates TBD

Location: Various locations 

Arts & Entertainment Festivals

CALGARY EXPO

Celebrate all things pop culture at the CALGARY EXPO. Get a photo with a Hollywood icon, flip through endless comic books, then hear all about your favourite movies and TV shows during celebrity panels! And don't miss the Parade of Wonders, Canada’s largest cosplay parade.

When: April 23-26, 2026

Location: Stampede Park

Calgary Underground Film Festival

Watch the best in local and international independent cinema at the Calgary Underground Film Festival. Watch boundary-breaking films and attend compelling artist showcases with other film enthusiasts.

When: April 16-26, 2026

Location: Various Theatres

Calgary International Film Festival

Around 30,000 movie fans and filmmakers come together every year at the Calgary International Film Festival. The 11-day event showcases over 200 films from around the world and connects audiences with filmmakers through post-screening Q&As, panels, and film talks.  

When: September 18-28, 2025

Location: Various Theatres

FunnyFest Comedy Festival

Experience 20 memorable shows featuring 70 hilarious performers for over 11 days and nights of pure comedy at FunnyFest. Each show features six performers with up to 2 hours of non-stop laughter at multiple venues including local theatres, hotels, and pubs.

When: May/June 2026 - Dates TBD

Location: Various

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 2025 - Dates TBD

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 22-24, 2025

Location: Prince’s Island Park 

Cultural Festivals

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: March/April 2026 - Dates TBD 

Location: Hyatt Regency Calgary 

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 14-23, 2025

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 15-17, 2025

Location: Cowboys 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 8-10, 2025

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 30 & 31, 2025

Location: Various Locations

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 1, 2026

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 26, 2025

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 10, 2025

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