What’s Up This Week?

May 5 to 7

May 4 and 6; Most Imaginary Worlds created by The Point of View Ensemble, this production is produced by Inside Out Theatre and presented by Quest Theatre. Charlotte Bubble feels like the world just doesn’t make any sense to her. Wishing she could imagine a whole new world made just for her, she visits the Make Believers Maker Space where she discovers stories of hope, gems of hilarity, battles with equality, and triumphs of the human spirit. Will Charlotte’s imagination be the key to holding space for herself, articulating what she needs, and inviting others into her world? Learn more at questtheatre.org.

May 5 to 6, 10am to 8pm; Southcentre Mall Mother’s Day Market with Collab, explore 32 local vendors, including artists, artisans, and makers around the centre during mall hours. Learn more at southcentremall.com.

May 5 to 6; Revv52: Revvin’ Country, Stampede came early this year at Revv52. Revvin’ Country will turn the Bella Concert Hall into a country dance hall. Learn more at taylorcentre.ca.

May 5 to 6, 7:30pm; Elgar’s Cello Concerto, experience the passionate intensity of Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto, as interpreted by award-winning Canadian cellist Stéphane Tétreault. Composed in the aftermath of WWI, it is a wistful but compassionate reflection on human suffering. Conductor Ramón Tebar then leads the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in Sergei Rachmaninoff’s final orchestral masterpiece, the Symphonic Dances. Combining big melodies, harmonic lushness, and rhythmic drive, it’s a sonic feast for the ears! Learn more at calgaryphil.com.

May 5 to 7; Jane’s Walk Calgary, an annual festival of free, community-led walking tours inspired by Jane Jacobs. Explore your city, share stories about your community and connect with your neighbors on any of the hundreds of Jane’s Walks taking place across the world. Learn more at janeswalk.calgarycommunities.com.

May 5 to 7; 61st Annual Calgary Rock & Mineral Show, Calgary Rock & Lapidary Club will present the 61st Annual Rock & Mineral Show at Vivo featuring over 50 vendors from around the world, live demonstrations, activities, silent auction and more. Learn more at crlc.ca.

May 6; Free Comic Book Day, the first Saturday in May each year when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books free to anyone who comes into their stores. Every comic shop has its own rules and selection may vary. Learn more at freecomicbookday.com.

May 6, 8 am to 5 pm; Calgary Bike Swap, donate, consign or buy a new set of wheels at Calgary Bike Swap at Genesis Centre. Sell your bike(s) from 8am to 2pm. Buy from 2:30pm to 4pm or donate your bike(s) from 8am to 5pm. Learn more at albertabikeswap.ca.

May 6, 10am to 4pm, Artisan Show and Sale, looking for special handmade items? Mother’s Day is approaching fast. Four local vendors are hosting a show and sale at Shaganappi Community Association.

May 6, 10am to 7pm; TEDxCalgary’s “Yes, and…”, a celebration of great ideas worth spreading, with more than a dozen speakers and performers bringing their high-energy ideas to the stage at the beautiful Ampersand building in downtown Calgary. Learn more at tedxcalgary.ca.

May 6, 10am to 4pm; Shane Homes YMCA Rocky Ridge Spring Market, spring is in the air and new community markets are popping up along with the flowers! Come check out local vendors and sellers at one of the Y’s spring markets this April and May. Learn more at ymcacalgary.org.

May 6, 11am; Cineplex Family Favourites: The LEGO Movie 2, visit participating Cineplex theatres near you and watch a favorite family film each week for only $2.99. Learn more at cineplex.com.

May 6, 11am; 2023 Spring Market at New Horizon Mall, the second annual Spring Market showcases more than 45 artisans, makers and micro businesses. From home, lifestyle and garden decor to bath and beauty, baking and everything in between. Supporting local home businesses in Calgary, Airdrie and surrounding areas. Learn more at newhorizonmall.com.

May 6, 2:30pm, MJP Academy of Irish Dance presents “The Journey”, an evening of extraordinary Irish dance performed by the students of MJP Academy of Irish dance at Glenmore Christian Academy Theatre.

May 6, 3pm; Calgary Children’s Choir Spring Concert, the year-end event will be held at Rozsa Centre at the University of Calgary. Tickets are $24. Learn more at calgarychildrenschoir.com.

May 6, 5pm to 10pm; All My Relations Healing Pow Wow, Closer to Home, Calgary Police Service and Simon House Recovery Centre are hosting the first annual All My Relations Healing Pow Wow at Bowness Community Association with a collaborative goal of bringing all Nations and families together to heal and connect through this gathering. Learn more at simonhouse.com.

May 6, 6pm; Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo Revenge of the Sixth (Adults Only), attention all space explorers and wildlife enthusiasts! Are you ready for an out-of-this-world adventure? Well, buckle up for a galactic mystery game. Wild After Hours presents an adult-only evening of fun at Revenge of the Sixth. Learn more at calgaryzoo.com.

May 6, 6pm to 11pm; Images of Hope Fundraising Gala, this annual gala is an elegant evening at Hudson in downtown Calgary. The event celebrates the families who have received fertility assistance through the Regional Fertility Program and raises money for the Generations of Hope Fertility Assistance Fund. Enjoy welcome bubbles, games of chance, a full dinner by The Guild Restaurant, live and silent auctions and more. Learn more at imagesofhopegala.ca.

May 6, 7pm; SPARK – One Life. A Million Dreams, CH Financial is pleased to present: ”SPARK – One Life. A Million Dreams” with Youth Singers of Calgary at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium. A magical, musical journey – from the moment that initial fire of artistic passion is lit, to the final spectacle of a dream realized on stage. A performer’s story is one that is imitated in life: we all have a dream and the power to realize it, if we only just trust and follow our spark. Learn more at allevents.in.

May 6, 7:30 pm; ‘Songs from the American Songbook’, enjoy an evening of songs and music from the Great American Songbook at Cardel Theatre. Soprano Amanda HIllestad, Claire Butler on piano, Stefano Valdo on bass and Reuben Grendus on drums fill your night with songs and music arrangements of the great jazz legends. Learn more at jazzyyc.com.

May 6, 7:30pm; Immortal Bach, this will be an evening of two choral/orchestral works, one sacred and the other secular – J.S. Bach’s stirring ‘Ascension’ Oratorio/Cantata no. 11 and ‘Hunt’ Cantata no. 208 featuring the beloved ‘Sheep May Safely Graze’ at Knox United Church. Learn more at thefestivalchorus.com.

May 6; 7:30pm, Heebee-jeebees Cabaret, the Heebee-jeebees™ are an internationally acclaimed, award-winning, comic a cappella group born and raised in Calgary. Celebrating 30 years together in 2023, they have released eight CDs and have won three international CARA awards – the Grammys of a cappella. The Heebee-jeebees have sung thousands of live performances and have appeared on local, national and international radio and television. Don’t miss them at the BMO Theatre at Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge. Learn more at ymcacalgary.org.

May 6 to 7, 11am and 2pm; Toys R Us: Star Wars Lightsaber Academy, celebrate May the 4th and bring your young padawans in-store to learn legendary lightsaber moves. Kids can engage in lightsaber training sessions to hone their Jedi powers and get a personalized certificate to certify their Jedi Knight status. At select stores, you can snap pics of your padawans in front of a Star Wars backdrop. Learn more at toysrus.ca.

May 6 to 7; Day Out With Thomas at Heritage Park, Thomas the Tank Engine is making his triumphant return to Heritage Park this May. Board an interactive train ride with Thomas, enjoy some exciting live entertainment and snap some fantastic family photos at the many eye-catching photo ops that will be around the park. Learn more at heritagepark.ca.

May 6 to 7; Calgary Baby and Tot Show, a premier parenting event designed to bring everything you need under one roof. Featuring local and national exhibitors showcasing the latest in services, products, apparel, and toys. Assisting parents and caregivers every step of the way. Join industry experts as they discuss everything from pregnancy to preschool followed by an afternoon of children’s interactive entertainment. Learn more at calgarybabyshow.com.

May 7; 1 to 4pm; Trico Homes Mother’s Day Market in Midtown, tour showhomes and enjoy shopping for Mother’s day with local vendors, food trucks, family fun activities and more. Learn more at tricohomes.com.

May 7, 1:15pm; Pilates Fest, an invigorating outdoor mat class combining 45 minutes of pilates with 30 minutes of stretching flow in the beautiful fresh air at McMahon Stadium. This event is perfect for all fitness levels and is designed to help you improve your core strength, flexibility, and balance. All the funds raised from this event will go towards supporting Kidsport Calgary, a non-profit organization that helps kids from underprivileged families participate in sports.

May 7, 9am, Hike for Hospice Calgary 2023, a fundraiser open to all ages and abilities. The event at Fish Creek Park provides participants with an opportunity to celebrate loved ones living with advanced illness and honor those who have passed away. Each year, participants walk a 5km route to raise funds that will support Hospice Calgary’s mission. Learn more at chpca.ca.

May 7, 10am to 5pm; Dave’s Big Art Show Volume 2, a free to attend art event with over a dozen local artists showcasing and selling art at cSPACE. There will be a free raffle for all that attend. Come down and find a unique gift for Mother’s Day. Learn more at allevents.in.

May 7; 3pm, Renewal at Christ Church Anglican Calgary, anchored by Jake Runestad’s ‘And So I Go On’ for double chorus, the final concert of the season explores themes of grief, acceptance, hope, and renewal. Learn more at allevents.in.

May 7, 7:30pm, Calgary Renaissance Singers & Players Spring Concert: A Garden of Divers Delytes, this diverse program brings together works from Renaissance and modern periods, and from both European and Indigenous cultures at St. Stephen’s Anglican Church. Learn more at renaissance-singers.com.

Until May 7 and 12 to 14; RESET Society of Calgary Book Sale, the Calgary Book Drive & Sale in support of RESET Society is back for two weekends at Crossroads Market. You can help make a difference for women and children experiencing the violence and trauma of sexual exploitation, as they turn the page and start a new chapter of their story. Come shop over 100,000 books. Learn more at resetcalgary.ca.

May 7 to 8; Arts Commons Presents: Diva Amon: From Shallows to Seafloor, marine biologist Diva Amon’s research on unusual deep-sea habitats and species has taken her to extraordinary depths in some of the remotest parts of the planet and up close with the weird and wonderful animals living there. Relive her adventures at the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Learn more at artscommon.ca.

Ongoing

Until May 6; Pumphouse Theatre Presents: Yeoman of the Guard, the show takes place in the Tower of London where Colonel Fairfax is wrongly accused of sorcery and sentenced to death within the hour. Fairfax hatches a plan to secretly marry a strolling singer, who now expects to be a wealthy widow upon Fairfax’s imminent demise, leaving her free to marry her lover, the jester Jack Point. However, Fairfax miraculously escapes his fate and chaos ensues. Learn more at tickets.morpheustheatre.ca.

Until May 7; Donate to Calgary Reads Big Book Sale, give your old books new life! The sale’s main book donation site is the Calgary Curling Club. If you can’t make it to the Calgary Curling Club between April 28 and May 7, organizers also host stuff-a-truck events across Calgary. Find the dates and locations for Stuff A Truck events at bigbooksale.ca.

Until May 7; Loose Moose Theatre Presents: The Return of Sherlock Junior, the Loose Moose Theatre Company makes going to the theatre an experience that is truly magical for children four to ten years old, as well as fun and entertaining for parents. Plan an affordable family time out that everyone can enjoy. Learn more at loosemoose.com.

Until May 7; The Sound of Music, a classic that is loved by all, young and old. The Painted Fish Theatre Company Presents at La Cité des Rocheuses Theater. Learn more at paintedfish.tickit.ca.

Until June 3; Wedding Singer: 1999, we’ve all attended a wedding or two. Which is why we could all relate to the classic movie about a 1980’s wedding singer who finally found a love of his own. By the 1990’s, the wedding singer has had lots of practice and is often called on to sing at the biggest weddings of the year. But what happens when he must sing at, what everyone says will surely be, the wedding of the millennium? Oh, and the millennium bride just happens to be his daughter. Learn more at jubilations.ca.

Until June 3; Sleeping Beauty at Stage West Theatre, when Prince Princely shows up, Princess Gillian thinks she has found the love of her life. But, a jealous witch has other plans. When a sleeping spell, meant for the Princess, goes wrong, craziness ensues and no one is safe from catching some extra zzz’s! Based on the classic tale of the same name, this comedic adventure with a modern twist is sure to entertain audiences of all ages. Learn more at stagewestcalgary.com.

Until June 3, Jubilations Junior Presents: Super Duper Mario Musical, who knew that those Mario Bros could sing and dance? Well, they can do that and a whole lot more when they come to life on the Jubilations Junior stage. Can Mario save the kingdom? Or will it be game over for the good guys? With Mario and Luigi, Princess Peach and Bowser… the gang’s all here so you should be too. Learn more at jubilations.ca.

Until June 4; NEVERMORE: The Imaginary Life & Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, Master of the Macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, battled addiction, tragedy and poverty, all while creating some of the most influential works in genre fiction. Bizarrely beautiful and whimsically witty, NEVERMORE uses haunting song, poetic storytelling, and surreal imagery to explore the events that shaped Poe’s career and ignited his lifelong battle with “visions dark and sinister” at The Playhouse. Learn more at catalysttheatre.ca.

Until June 17; FreshFaces | Invitational Group Exhibition, Newzones Gallery is thrilled to announce the third edition of the invitational exhibition, “FreshFaces.” “FreshFaces” is a curated exhibition which brings together select artists from North America for a one-time group showing. Surveying each artist’s practice in depth, “FreshFaces” will analyze the ways in which the artists challenge both the traditional use of materials and formal aesthetics through painting, photography, mixed media and sculpture, resulting in a stimulating and fresh view of “New to Newzones” and “New to Calgary” talent. Learn more at newzones.com.

Until June 25; Stage West Presents: 9 to 5 The Musical, based on the seminal 1980 hit movie, set in the late 70s this hilarious story of friendship and revenge in the rolodex era is outrageous, thought-provoking and even a little romantic. Learn more at stagewestcalgary.com.

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.

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.