What’s Up This Weekend?

March 10 to 12

March 10, 10am to 3pm; Fantastic Forests at Bow Habitat Station, over 50 percent of the land in Alberta is forested – making up complex ecosystems and a prominent part of Alberta’s landscape. This March, learn about the mighty trees that make up a forest and discover what animals you might find living within them. With partners from the Alberta Community Bat Program, Junior Forest Rangers and Inside Education and the City of Calgary – you won’t want to miss out on fun games, trivia and activities! Learn more at http://bowhabitat.alberta.ca.

March 10 to 11; The Calgary Philharmonic Presents: The Best of Whitney, watch as the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra brings down the house with this powerful celebration of the one and only Whitney Houston and other legendary divas including Diana Ross, Donna Summer, and Tina Turner. Join American Idol finalist LaKisha Jones and the Calgary Phil to celebrate hits like I Wanna Dance with Somebody, How Will I Know, I Have Nothing, and more. Learn more at calgaryphil.com.

March 10 to 12; Shen Yun 2023, based in New York, Shen Yun unveils an all-new program every year. Experience the extraordinary depth and breadth of authentic Chinese culture. Savour the magnificence of 5000 years of civilization —the beauty of China before communism—brought to life on stage at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. Learn more at shenyun.com/canada.

March 11, 10am to 2pm; HMCS Tecumseh Centennial Open House, help celebrate 100 years of the Naval Reserve in Calgary with free guided tours, activities, live music and more at HMCS Tecumseh. Learn more at showpass.com.

March 11; Little Modern Market, the local market, brings people together with over 90 local small businesses, a free market tote for the first 50 shoppers through the door, face paint and glitter tattoos for the kiddos and more at ATCO Park in the Commons Building. Learn more at littlemodernmarket.com.

March 11; Intergenerational Storytelling: An event in celebration of International Women’s Day 2023, through intergenerational storytelling, we can spark engaging conversations for people of all gender identities to listen, learn and contribute. Together, we can sew the fabric of allyship through a positive and supportive platform for growth, sharing valuable lessons and learnings in our pursuit to #EmbraceEquity at Calgary Central Library. Learn more at calgarylibrary.ca.

March 11, 1pm to 2pm; The Women’s Day Showcase at the National Music Centre, this weekend matinee will include concert performances followed by short conversations with each artist that explore their journey coming up and making a mark in the Canadian music scene. Featuring artists:  Uyemi, Kue Varo & The Only Hopes, and Cold Little Crow. Learn more at studiobell.ca.

March 11, 3pm to 5pm; Connected: Songs of the World’s People, Calgary Children’s Choir group presents their annual spring concert: Connected – Songs of the World’s People, where they will explore the past through folk songs at Rozsa Centre – University of Calgary. Learn more at calgarychildrenschoir.com.

March 11; Youth Singers of Calgary, join the Youth Singers of Calgary on Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel for their annual gala in support of the Youth Singers of Calgary and their home, the ATCO Performing Arts Centre. Hearts Out is a semi-formal gala fundraiser raising critical funds to support YSC and all of the valuable programming providing an inclusive and engaged community that gives young people the opportunity to grow and express themselves through the performing arts. Learn more at heartsout.ca.

March 11 to 12, 12pm to 6:30pm; The ReLove Market, The ReLove Market is an empowering fashion community dedicated to the pursuit of personal expression balanced with environmental sustainability. The market brings local curators and fashion enthusiasts together in a welcoming, inspiring and creative in-person forum to share ideas and textiles at the Alberta Hotel. Learn more at relovegeneration.com.

March 11 to 12, 11am and 2 pm; St. Patrick’s Day Craft at Toys R Us, crafty kids can try their luck at making a magical leprechaun hat at participating Toys R US locations. Plus: enjoy storytime fun and cool coloring sheets. Learn more at toysrus.ca.

March 12, 2pm to 4pm; Michaels Make Break: Lucky Painted Rocks, participating Michaels stores run Make Break, for kids of all ages to enjoy crafting fun. With some of the crafts, an additional purchase will add fun to it, but all supplies are included for these free crafts. Learn more at canada.michaels.com.

March 12; Spirit at Knox United Church, Spiritus Chamber Choir, Calgary’s award-winning chamber choir, is committed to providing high-quality concerts to choral music lovers in Calgary and surroundings. Our members are accomplished performers who delight in sharing their love for music and the art of singing. The choir sings in a wide array of musical styles, from Renaissance motets to full-fledged choral-orchestral masterworks. Learn more at spirituschamberchoir.ca.

March 12; The Original St. Patrick’s Day Road Race, join over 1000 of your best running friends for Calgary’s first big race of the year! The Calgary Roadrunners started this race 36 years ago and it quickly became a favorite among local runners, as it gave them an opportunity to test their post-winter fitness level. The race supports the Calgary Roadrunners and Diabetes Canada and starts at Central Memorial High School. Learn more at raceroster.com.

March 12 to 13; Jasper Doest: A Voice for Nature, whether in tropical or arctic climates, documenting birds, primates, or our own human impact, Doest’s emotional images are an urgent reminder of the beauty and fragility of our planet. Join Arts Commons Presents and National Geographic Live for Jasper Doest: A Voice for Nature at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Learn more at artscommons.ca/whats-on/voicefornature.

Ongoing

Until March 11; Storybook Theatre Presents: Peter and the Starcatcher, Tony-winning Peter and the Starcatcher upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (a.k.a. Peter Pan). A wildly theatrical adaptation of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson’s best-selling novels, the play was conceived for the stage by directors, Roger Rees and Alex Timbers, and written by Rick Elice, with music by Wayne Barker. From marauding pirates and jungle tyrants to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, Peter and the Starcatcher playfully explores the depths of greed and despair… and the bonds of friendship, duty and love. Learn more at storybooktheatre.org.

Until March 12; Hockey: Faster Than Ever at TELUS Spark Science Centre, it is time to lace up some skates and learn about the technology, anatomy and physics that goes into this Canadian classic. Historical artifacts, including gear used by some of the greatest players of all time, are presented in innovative displays. Learn more at sparkscience.ca.

Until March 12; Tick, Tick … Boom! Before Rent, there was Tick, Tick… Boom!. This autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning composer of Rent, is the story of a composer and the sacrifices that he made to achieve his big break in theatre. Containing 14 songs, ten characters, three actors and a rock band, Tick, Tick… Boom! takes you on the playwright/composer’s journey that led to a Broadway blockbuster. Learn more at artscommons.ca.

Until March 14; Skate the Olympic Oval, the public is welcome for public skating at the Oval – Calgary’s largest ice surface. Learn more at schedules.oval.ucalgary.ca.

Until March March 18; Workshop Theatre Presents: A Murder is Announced, an announcement in the local paper states the time and place when a murder is to occur in Miss Blacklock’s Victorian house. The victim is not one of the house’s several occupants, but an unexpected and unknown visitor. What follows is a classic Christie puzzle of mixed motives, concealed identities, a second death and a determined inspector grimly following the case’s twists and turns. Fortunately, Miss Marple is on hand to provide the solution – at some risk to herself – in a dramatic final confrontation. Learn more about the event at the Pumphouse Theare at eventbrite.ca.

Until March 19; Winsport Tube Park, the perfect activity for a day with family and friends. WinSport’s Tube Park is one of the fastest of its kind in Western Canada. Learn more at winsport.ca.

Until March 19; Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo – Penguin Walk, the 2023 Penguin Walk marks the 11th year of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo’s penguin walk. During the winter months, the king penguin colony heads out on zoo grounds for a daily enrichment walk to keep their brains and bodies healthy and visitors get to experience the fun. Learn more at calgaryzoo.com.

Until March 19; Bombay Black, why would a blind man visit an exotic dancer? Set in present-day India, Bombay Black is a powerful love story of vengeance, betrayal, and seduction. Apsara resides in Bombay with her mother Padma, making a living by selling erotic dances to wealthy men. When Kamal, a blind man, arrives for an appointment, the lives of Apsara and her embittered mother are altered as their complex and brutal past rises to the surface. Mythic, brave and featuring a remarkable poetic text, bold theatrical imagery and contemporary Bombay bar dancing, Bombay Black is a thought-provoking work by one of Canada’s leading playwriting voices. Learn about this performance at the Martha Cohen Theatre more at albertatheatreprojects.com.

Until March 25; Jubilations Theatre Presents: Mama Mio, a singing and dancing sensation with music from ABBA, the most popular band of the disco era! With so many movies and musicals celebrating ABBA’s music, Jubilations is taking all the best of the ABBA music and movies and putting them into one classic Jubilations Dinner Theatre parody romp, Mamma Mio. Learn more at calgary.jubilations.ca.

Until March 25; Jubilations Theatre Presents: Freakish Friday, some people don’t like Mondays… but for this family, Fridays are the days you really gotta be worried about. Mom and daughter just can’t seem to see eye to eye. Why can’t each of them really understand what the other is going through? Well… they may want to be careful what they wish for! Learn more at jubilations.ca.

Until March 31; In Full Bloom: A celebration of artwork by and about women, ATB’s Branch for Arts and Culture (BFAC) is hosting an awe-inspiring exhibit titled “In Full Bloom” curated by Calgary-based multimedia artist, Miriam Fabijan. The art display includes pieces from 14 local female artists with diverse backgrounds and is rooted in celebrating the creative practices of women, with an emphasis on female and nature-inspired imagery and narratives. Learn more at eventbrite.ca.

Until April 1; Theatre Calgary Presents: Forgiveness at Max Bell Theatre, Forgiveness is the acclaimed 2018 Canada Reads–winning novel by Mark Sakamoto. It’s a memoir of Sakamoto’s grandparents and their harrowing experiences during the Second World War. Mark’s maternal grandfather was a Canadian soldier who spent years as a prisoner of war in a Japanese camp. His paternal grandmother was one of the thousands of Japanese–Canadians interned by the Canadian government during the war. In the face of tremendous adversity and transgressions, they chose not to live a life of anger but instead to embrace and teach forgiveness. Be prepared to be moved by this Governor General’s Literary Award-winner Hiro Kanagawa’s heartfelt adaptation. Learn more at theatrecalgary.com.

Until April 9; Nightrise, this unique winter activity merges multimedia, storytelling and nature for a new and inspiring perspective at Banff Gondola. Learn more at banffjaspercollection.com.

Until April 16; Howie Tsui: Retainers of Anarchy at the Edison, featuring a 25-metre hand-drawn animation strip, this exciting exhibit brings together martial arts characters and techniques with the social and political realities of present-day Hong Kong. Learn more at glenbow.org.

Until April 16; Stage West Dinner Theatre Presents: Elvis Has Left The Building, in this whacky comedy, it’s December 20, 1970, and Elvis Presley has disappeared. No one, not even his wily manager, “The Colonel”, knows of his whereabouts. But the Colonel is all shook up because he has racked up a secret debt – and with the King himself missing, the only way to pay it off is to find an Elvis impersonator within 24 hours. Learn more at stagewestcalgary.com.

Until April 30; We Were Here: Stories from Early Chinatown, Gasoline Alley Museum welcomes a new exhibit from January 14 to April 30; We Were Here: Stories from Early Chinatown. Bring your family and come learn about Chinese history on the prairies through art and imagination, discover fictional stories written by members of the Chinese community and explore two iterations of Chinatown in Calgary. Learn more at heritagepark.ca.

Mobile Adventure Playgrounds. Join The City of Calgary for a self-directed, drop-in program that uses loose parts and natural materials to inspire active and creative outdoor play, and connect people, young and old, to nature. Visit calgary.ca/free for locations and details.

Calgary AfterSchool. Calgary AfterSchool offers free afterschool programs across Calgary. The programs are offered two to three days a week at various recreation facilities, community centres and community-based partner agencies. Visit calgary.ca/afterschool for locations and details.