Festival season continues in August with an exciting lineup of summer events in Calgary. This month, discover Calgary's diverse food scene at Taste of Calgary, enjoy the summer weather at Calgary’s longest running street festival, Marda Gras, and catch an impressive firework display at Alberta's most explosive festival, GlobalFest!
Celebrate 20 years of the Calgary International Blues Festival with 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.
Where: Cowboys Park (Millennium Park)
When: August 1-4
Discover Calgary's global cuisine with Taste of Calgary. Sample from a mix of unique restaurants and beverage companies along with live entertainment and marketplace vendors.
Where: 4th Avenue and 9th Street
When: August 1-5
The Calgary Fringe Festival is back in 2024 with digital and in-person theatre, comedy, and art installations. Shows run all week long at various Calgary locations.
Where: Various locations
When: August 2-10
Get ready for an epic showdown as Cavalry FC takes on Atlético Ottawa in another exciting match at home.
Where: ATCO Field at Spruce Meadows
When: August 3
Celebrate the neighbourhood and the 21st Annual Tour de Bowness Race and Street Festival with local entertainment, artisan vendors, food booths, and a kid's area.
Where: Bowness
When: August 3-5
BUMP Festival returns with a series of new murals, community events, block parties, and artist talks, transforming the centre of Calgary with art from local and international artists.
Where: Various locations
When: August 3-18
Get your fingers sticky with the Honeybee Hive Tour at Heritage Park, an interactive program that lets you explore the inside of a beehive, taste fresh honey, and discover the different stages of a bee's life cycle from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Where: Heritage Park
When: August 8 & 20
Dive into the science behind diverse body modification practices and explore the motivations that drive people to express themselves uniquely at this Spark After Dark event.
Where: TELUS Spark Science Centre
When: August 9
The Calgary Dragon Boat Race & Festival is Calgary’s premiere water sport festival, with over 1850 competitors and 4000 spectators, displaying dragon boat racing for a family friendly event.
Where: North Glenmore Park
When: August 9-11
The Inglewood Night Market is a modern outdoor market with locally sourced and handmade vendors selling everything from crafts and vintage clothing to antiques and artisan eats. Admission is free!
Where: 10th ave and 10th Street SE
When: August 9
Join the Japanese Canadian community in celebrating heritage, culture, and traditions at the 2024 Calgary Japanese Festival “Omatsuri”, including games and activities for kids, arts and crafts, traditional music, dance, song, and martial arts demonstrations.
Where: Max Bell Centre
When: August 9-10
Celebrate summer with Granary Road's Family Fun Fair! Fun for the whole family, the fair features the interactive Active Learning Park, shopping at the farmers' market, meeting farm animals, and enjoying farm-to-table dining.
Where: Granary Road
When: August 10-11
Marda Gras is a FREE family-friendly event in the neighbourhood of Marda Loop and Calgary’s longest running street festival. Enjoy street performers, live music, dance, and magic shows, along with local businesses and artisans.
Where: Marda Loop
When: August 11
In support of Open Farms Days, Granary Road welcomes you for a day at the farm! Shop local vendors and discover ingredients grown at Granary Road!
Where: Granary Road
When: August 17-18
The Rogers Charity Classic returns as the next stop for the PGA TOUR Champions, a world-class experience for golf fans that supports local charities. This year’s players include John Daly, Fred Couples, Mike Weir, Vijay Singh, Darren Clarke, Mark O’Meara, Corey Pavin, Jeff Sluman, David Toms, and Y.E. Yang.
Where: Canyon Meadows Golf & Country Club
When: August 14-18
Alberta’s Most Explosive Festival returns with GlobalFest at Elliston Park, displaying Calgary’s cultural diversity and artistic excellence with incredible firework displays presented by Spain, Brazil, Mexico, USA, and Canada.
Where: Elliston Park
When: August 15-24
Every year, thousands gather in Calgary for multicultural celebrations through song, dance, food, and five nights of mind-blowing firework displays.
Get ready for a spectacular Caribbean celebration with music, costumes, tradition, and culture, at Carifest 2024, featuring a parade and live music in Shaw Millennium Park.
Where: Shaw Millennium Park
When: August 16-18
Expo Latino is an amazing 3-day festival celebrating Latin food, music, and culture. Join the party at Western Canada’s largest Latin festival in Prince’s Island Park this summer.
Where: Prince’s Island Park
When: August 16-18
Country Thunder returns to Fort Calgary with country music superstars Luke Combs, HARDY, Dallas Smith, The Reklaws, Elle King, Flatland Cavalry, ERNEST, Meghan Patrick, Lonestar, Jake Worthington, Hailey Benedict, and more headlining this summer music festival favourite.
Where: Fort Calgary
When: August 16-18
The Chinatown Street Festival returns with live performances, cultural tents, vendors, food trucks, and a kids fun zone for the biggest event of the year.
Where: Chinatown
When: August 17
Join The Military Museums for the Summer Skirmish, a weekend of historical re-enactments, food trucks, and more.
Where: The Military Museums
When: August 17-18
It's fun for everyone at the Priddis & Millarville Fair, a full weekend of old fashioned, country-style family fun including farm animals, wildlife displays, exhibits and more.
Where: Millarville Racetrack
When: August 17-18
Brewery & the Beast attracts chefs and restaurants from Calgary, Banff, Edmonton and surrounding areas to showcase incredible food and beverages from Alberta.
Where: The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland
When: August 25
The Great Outdoors Comedy Festival is returning to Calgary for its third year with headliners Russell Peters, Tom Segura, and Iliza Shlesinger.
Where: Prince's Island Park
When: August 23-25
Free Live Music in the Plaza at Heritage Park returns with a series of free summer concerts at the Heritage Town Square. Enjoy music from local musicians each Wednesday night starting at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Heritage Park
When: Until August 28
The Calgary Pride Parade & Festival is back for another year! Celebrate gender and sexual diversity with Calgary Pride at the 2-day festival at Prince’s Island Park. Both days feature incredible performances, a marketplace, beer gardens, food trucks, pet-friendly activities, a kid zone, and more!
Where: Festival takes place at Prince’s Island Park. Find Parade details through Calgary Pride.
When: August 31 - September 1
Visit 17th Ave. this season for Summer on 17th. There will be live music, fitness classes, DJ and drag shows, outdoor movies, and more in Tomkins Park throughout the summer. Best part is that all of the events are free.
Where: 17th Avenue S.W.
When: Until September 22
The Deerfoot City Block Party Resort is a place to relax and enjoy a meal, take a break, or a day of shopping amidst the European coastal vacation vibes along the Boulevard. New this year: beat the heat in the Pool Room, a 20-square-foot pool-themed ball pit, suitable for guests young and old!
Where: Deerfoot City
When: Until September 30
Marda Gras Street Festival (photo credit: Shannon McNally)
Deerfoot City Block Party (photo credit: Courtney Verbeek)
