Activities . Family Fun . What's Up in Calgary?

What’s Up This Week?

On September 7, 2023 by Calgary's Child

September 8 to 10

September 8, 11am; Cineplex Family Favourites: The Mitchells vs The Machines, visit participating Cineplex theatres near you and watch a favorite family film each week for only $2.99. Learn more at cineplex.com.

September 8, 4 to 6pm, Get in the Groove! Free Dance Classes, all classes for this event at Free House Dance Plus are 30 minutes and free. These trial classes provide young dancers the opportunity to try dance for the first time or try new dance styles. Classes in WeeBop, Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Acro and Hip Hop. Ages three to 12. Learn more at freehousedance.com.

September 8, 4 to 10pm; Chinese Lantern Festival, hosted by the Calgary Chinatown Business Improvement Area, this one-day event will feature light and lantern displays and local vendors and food trucks. So grab your foodie friends and family and join for a night filled with tradition and beautiful lantern displays. 

September 8, 5 to 9:30pm; The Barn After Dark Night Market, come ‘Sip & Shop’ at the historic Shawnessy Barn in southwest Calgary. Live music and food trucks. Featuring local vendors, with two full floors of hand-crafted, created, and made-in-Alberta products. Learn more at thebarnartisanmarket.ca.

September 8 to 9; The Music of Fleetwood Mac, the 2023/2024 Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra season opens with classic rock flair in this tribute to one of the most successful and influential bands of all time, Fleetwood Mac. Revel in the legendary sound of their greatest hits transformed by the sonic power of the Calgary Phil at Jack Singer Concert Hall. Learn more at calgaryphil.com.

September 8 to 10; 9th India Film Festival of Alberta, the festival features award-winning and independent films from India and Canada screening across five cities in Alberta. Learn more at indiafilmfestival.ca/.

September 8 to 10; Rotary Ribfest, a modern-day meat brigade. The best ribbers in town are coming together to serve your favorite meats this summer. Dine at the best barbecue in Calgary with some cold beer, live entertainment, vendor alley, 50/50, raffles, and more. Learn more at yycrotaryribfest.ca.

September 8 to 10; Outdoor Movies in the Park, summer may be winding down, but the fun doesn’t stop on 17th Ave where you can tune into free outdoor movies in Tomkins Park. Bring your crew down for a family-friendly showing at 3pm, where you can also participate in fun contests and entertainment happening before the movie begins. The 6pm showings will be date-night themed, so the perfect pre- or post-dinner date activity, complete with prizes, live entertainment and more. Learn more at 17thave.ca.

September 8 to 10; Judo PanAm Oceania at Winsport, the cadet and junior level judokas will get the ball rolling with the individual and team events this weekend. This will be followed by a three-day international training camp. Learn more at judocanada.org.

September 8 to 10; Le Cirque de la Nuit and Jupiter Theatre Present The Time Machinist, prepare to be transported on a thrilling adventure through time as Le Cirque de la Nuit, in collaboration with Jupiter Theatre, present their debut seated circus-theatre production The Time Machinist at The Grand theatre. Experience the captivating mysteries of time travel as the vainglorious Time Machinist, Owen Mittagen Vottenberg III, takes you on an extraordinary journey through the ages, for all ages. Learn more at thegrandyyc.ca.

September 9, 9 am to 4pm; Airdriefest, a downtown street festival that includes local food and drinks, entertainment, performances, artisans, businesses and non-profits. Learn more at airdrie.ca.

September 9, 9:30am to 5:30pm; Alberta Military Modellers Show, the AMMS has a rich history of military modelling in Alberta. The AMMS started in Bragg Creek as the Alberta AFV Modellers show in 2002. The show has evolved, grown and has changed to AMMS on the 10-year anniversary to include all modelling subjects that are military related at Chapelhow Legion Branch. Learn more at albertamilmodshow.ca.

September 9, 10am; Terminator 9th Annual 5K Run for Youth Addiction Awareness, the Terminator Run at Confederation Park for Youth Addiction Awareness is an annual non-competitive charity run that has been bringing HOPE, raising awareness and funds for addiction and mental health for nine years. All funds raised in support of the Terminator Run for Youth Addiction Awareness go towards assisting the Terminator Foundation to transform lives through their Activity-Based Recovery Therapy Program (ABRT) for those individuals impacted by addiction and mental health challenges. Learn more at terminatorfoundation.com.

September 9, 10am to 3pm; BLC Demo Day Market with the Paw Patrol Gang! Try many of the programs the Bearspaw Lifestyle Centre has to offer. Like zumba, yoga, basketball, and more. Shop with the vendors and start preordering your Christmas gifts! Enjoy free ice cream for the kids, bouncy castles, Crazy Chris Balloon Extraordinaire, face painting and a giant sandbox. The Paw Patrol Gang of Chase, Marshal and Skye will be attending too. Grab a photo, watch them bust some moves with the demos and just hang with them. Learn more at bearspawlc.org.

September 9, 10am to 4pm; Springbank Old Tyme Fall Fair, the fall fair is a great day where Springbank families can gather and celebrate their agricultural roots and community spirit. Come out for a day of fun, fellowship, and festivities for all ages. Learn more at springbankpark.com.

September 9, 10am to 4pm; In Living(ston) Colour, join for the grand opening event of Livingston’s new Show Home Village. Enjoy live performances, music, photo opportunities, live art installations and more. Learn more at experiencelivingston.com/.

September 9, 10am to 4pm; Parkdale Pet Fest, a day for pet owners of all stripes to head to the Parkdale Community Association for shows by the Superdogs, vet talks, vendors and prizes. Learn more at parkdalepetfest.com.

September 9, 10am to 5pm; Eastside Studio Crawl, artists of Inglewood and Ramsay welcome you to the 20th Annual East Side Studio Crawl. Follow the red balloons to Artpoint, Burns Visual Arts Society, Heritage Weavers & Spinners, mud Urban Potters, nvrlnd, The New Blank, Workshop Studios and 500 Collective. Learn more at burnsvisualarts.com/.

September 9, 11am and 2 pm; Toys R Us Activities: Care Bears Share Your Care Day, kids are invited to celebrate caring and kindness with a bracelet craft and activity sheets. Learn more at toysrus.ca.

September 9, 11am to 2pm; Best of Country Hills Village, Country Hills Village (CHV) Shopping Centre is wrapping up the season with an end-of-summer celebration that showcases the best of CHV. The fun family-friendly event will have food samples, free kids activities and amazing offers from retailers. Learn more at chvshopping.com.

September 9, 11am to 4pm; Fall Fest, for the second year in a row, Bloom Culture is turning the space outside their flora studio into a lively community event to support local small businesses and the school lunch programs by Brown Bagging for Calgary Kids. Join for artisans, live entertainment and food trucks. Learn more at bloomculture.ca/.

September 9, 2 to 3pm; Queer History Walking Tour at Fort Calgary, how was gender and sexuality constructed in early Calgary and Canada? This one-hour outdoor walking tour explores the impact of militarism and cowboys on gender and sexuality, and highlights those who broke the boundaries of society to explore their own path. The walk will take place rain or shine, so come dressed for the weather. Learn more at fortcalgary.com.

September 9, 2 to 3:40pm; 2023 Honens Festival, a free musical extravaganza in the beautiful Central Memorial Park. Enjoy an afternoon in the park with pianists Illia Ovcharenko and Jon Kimura Parker, violinist Donovan Seidle, and the Ladom Ensemble for a family-friendly program from blazingly virtuosic Rachmaninov to charming salon pieces by Elgar and Albeniz. Learn more at honens.com.

September 9, Rattle the Bones at Dino Park, a free, city-wide cultural and musical extravaganza proudly supported by the City of Calgary and the Government of Alberta. This is an outdoor event with beer garden, food trucks children’s activities, Indigenous storytelling and live music throughout the day. Learn more at eventbrite.ca.

September 9; Chestermere County Fair, the Chestermere Country Fair is the oldest ongoing annual event in Chestermere, held every year in September. Featuring a parade, pancake breakfast, bull riding, harvest market, kids zone, mutton busting, and more at the Chestermere Recreation Centre. Learn more at rvcagsociety.ca/country-fair.

September 9, 5 to 9pm; A Taste of Latin America, as part of the Latin American Arts and Culture Festival and to celebrate Alberta Culture Days, cSPACE is hosting an appreciation day for artists and community organizations to celebrate our community spirit as part of this multicultural province.

September 9, 6:30pm; Flamenco Esencia, a family event with a tablao-style flamenco performance, bite-size tapas and drinks at Aura Calgary. Annette Morcos (singer/dancer) will be back from Spain to interpret common and rarely performed palos (forms of Flamenco). She will be performing along with Calgary’s own Francesca Canalizo and Jessica Peñalver-Cote (dancers), Tosh Hayashi on guitar, as well as guest dancer Jane Ogilvie. Learn more at showpass.com.

September 9, 6:30 pm; Night Raiders – Films at the Fort, this film is being screened as part of the Films at the Fort – Indigenous Films series. Each movie features Indigenous actors and themes, and is created by Canadian filmmakers. Night Raiders (14A) A mother joins an underground band of vigilantes to try to rescue her daughter from a state-run institution. Learn more at fortcalgary.com.

September 9 to 10; Railway Days at Heritage Park, Heritage Park’s extraordinary rail collection takes centre stage for two days with hands-on activities, and exciting exhibits. Catch a rare glimpse of the turntable in action, enjoy special demonstrations of a double-headed steam engine and spend some time with the Park’s very own telegraphy club. Learn more at heritagepark.ca.

September 9 to 10; Calgary PMA’s Fall Harvest Sale, the Calgary PMA’s Fall Harvest Sale is an Annual Charitable Sale of fruits and vegetables at the BMO Centre. Proceeds of the sale will continue supporting charity partners, the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, Community Kitchen Program of Calgary, and others. Bring your wagon and take advantage of the great prices and wide variety. Learn more at calgarypma.ca.

Until September 10; Spruce Meadows Masters, the eyes of the world are watching as top riders and horses compete on the famed International Ring at Spruce Meadows this September. MARKT at the Masters features over 70 shops — from artists to local business owners — throughout the week in the Equi-Plex, Founders Plaza, Horizons Pavilion, and International Plaza. Learn more at sprucemeadows.com.

September 10, 8am to 11am; RBC Race for the Kids, the annual RBC Race for the Kids is returning to Heritage Park. Now in its seventh year, the RBC Race for the Kids funds programs and services that support the increasing number of kids in our community who are struggling with their mental health. Learn more at childrenshospital.ab.ca/event/rbc-race-for-the-kids.

September 10, 10am to 3pm; The Mom Market, this market supports small businesses of all kinds from makers to service providers to bakers and everything in between. The market showcases a large variety of small businesses for you to explore and shop from at Pop-Up Markets all while supporting the local economies. Join them at Riverwalk Plaza in East Lake Village with 10 vendors, live music, lemonade and ice cream stands. Learn more at themommarketco.com.

September 10, 11am to 7pm; Taste of Italy Calgary, a not-for-profit community event that intends to celebrate and share Italian culture in Calgary at Bridgeland Community Centre. There will be a good variety of Italian businesses, restaurants and entertainers all sharing their Italian products and services. Learn more at italianfestival.ca.

September 10, 11:30 am; Sonshine & Broccoli Family Concert, join the community for a fun family concert featuring Sonshine & Broccoli. Join before the concert for a 5k walk, which will finish at the Paperny Family JCC just in time for the concert. Learn more at jewishcalgary.crowdchange.co/33571/add/registration.

September 10, 2 to 4pm; Rosie – Films at the Fort, a screening of Rosie as part of the Films at the Fort: Indigenous Films series. Each movie features Indigenous actors and themes and is created by Canadian filmmakers. Rosie (PG) An orphaned Indigenous girl is forced to live with her reluctant Francophone aunty and her two gender-bending best friends in 80’s Montreal. Every ticket includes popcorn and admission to the interpretive centre. Learn more at fortcalgary.com/events/rosie.

September 10, 2 to 4pm; Annual Calgary Walk to Remember, an annual walk in honour of babies gone too soon, lost to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, neonatal death and SIDS at Confederation Park. Learn more at tinyhandsofhope.ca.

September 10, 8pm; Game Grumps, Arin Hanson and Dan Avidan return to the stage with a brand new show – Tournament of Gamers –  that pits the audience against each other in a series of hilarious games to find out who really is the best gamer at Jack Singer Concert Hall. Learn more at artscommons.ca.

September 10, 17 and 24; Mid-Autumn Festival, during Alberta Culture Days dive into workshops for snowy mooncakes, lanterns, and dream catchers at the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre. Experience a blend of tradition and creativity. Learn more and register at culturalcentre.ca.

Ongoing

Until September 10; #YYCBlockParty – Roller Rink on The Boulevard, get ready to let the good times roll, Calgary! Block Party is back for its fourth installment, bringing good vibes, fun games, and eye-catching art to The Boulevard at Deerfoot City. Proceeds from skate rentals go to Kids Up Front, an organization dedicated to ensuring that all kids have access to fun, enriching experiences. Learn more at deerfootcity.com.

Until September 10; Barbie: A Cultural Icon Exhibition at TELUS Spark, experience all things Barbie! This exhibition takes guests from 1959 to present day; examining how pop culture and fashion trends have shaped this global phenomenon. Learn more at sparkscience.ca.

Until September 14; Le Burger Week Calgary, a burger festival that takes place each year where participating restaurants from various Canadian cities compete to create a unique burger; reflective of their overall concept and cuisine. Throughout the week, burger aficionados everywhere are called upon to indulge in their city’s LBW burgers and vote online for their favorite one. Learn more at leburgerweek.com.

Until September 15; Inglewood Night Market 2023, 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. Learn more at inglewoodnightmarket.ca.

Until mid-September; WildScapes at the Calgary Zoo, this summer, the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo will be taken over by larger-than-life animal topiaries. This one-of-a-kind summer garden experience can’t be found anywhere else in Western Canada, and will only be available for three short months. Learn more at calgaryzoo.com.

Until September 16, 4 to 10pm; 4th Street Night Market, Calgary’s hippest night market located in the heart of Mission. Visit the lively main street neighborhood of 4th Street for food, fun, local finds and friends. Learn more at 4th-street-night-market.myshopify.com.

Until September 23; Summer on 17th, returning for its sophomore season along with all of your favorite events. From movies in the park to live bands, theatrical performances and fitness classes, the 17th Ave Business Improvement Area is pulling out all the stops to ensure this summer is epic. Along with last year’s crowd favorites, there’s also tons of exciting new editions for 2023, so clear your calendars, because your summer plans are officially set. Learn more at 17thave.ca/summer.

Until September 30; Alberta Culture Days, this event will feature hundreds of free, hands-on, interactive activities that invite the public to discover their inner artist, experience their heritage, and celebrate what it means to be Albertan. Learn more at alberta.ca/alberta-culture-days.

Until October; Bow Habitat Kids Can Catch Trout Pond, the Bow Habitat Station’s Kids Can Catch Trout Pond opens in mid-May and is stocked with rainbow trout in the fish hatchery for you to catch and release. Learn more at bowhabitat.alberta.ca.

Until October; Sacred Defenders of the Universe at TELUS Spark Science Centre, a vibrant floor-to-ceiling journey inside a graphic novel that follows four Indigenous superheroes as they seek to bring back the balance of earth between humility and respect for the land, and the excessive destruction of human ego. Learn more at sparkscience.ca.

Until October 2; Loose Moose Theatre Presents: The Three Bears, the Loose Moose Theatre For Kids is a truly magical experience for children four to ten years old, as well as fun and entertaining for parents. Learn more at loosemoose.com.

Saturdays until October 7; Millarville Farmers’ Market, the people behind the tables at the Millarville Farmers’ Market are the real deal. They are the growers, farmers, makers, bakers, and artists. Ask them about their farm, their art, their love of what they do. Learn more at millarvilleracetrack.com.

Until October 8; Cirque Du Soleil’s KOOZA, KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil that combines two circus traditions — acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility, presented in a colorful mélange that emphasizes bold slapstick humor at Stampede Park. Learn more at cirquedusoleil.com.

Until October 9; Boo Crew at Calaway Park, stroll through Hallotown… if you dare! Is it scary? No, it’s friendly. Dress up as your favorite family-friendly character and enjoy a day of fall fun! It’s a spooktacular good time for the whole family. Learn more at calawaypark.com.

Until October 21; Jubilations Dinner Theatre Presents Crocodile Rock: The Legend Of Elton John, he’s one of the all-time great rock legends, with hit after hit all across the world. And now the story of the Rocketman is getting the Jubilations Dinner Theatre twist. Learn more at jubilations.ca.

Until October 21; Jubilations Junior Dinner Theatre Presents The Secret Life of Trolls, Melanie’s apartment seems like a normal place to live, but when she’s gone to work, the Trolls come out to play! While the Trolls are having a fun day full of music, a mysterious package gets dropped in the living room… that’s moving on its own? What’s in the package? Will their secret life be exposed? Will Melanie’s cat threaten their very existence? Learn more at jubilations.ca.