GlobalFest Calgary: Your Ultimate Guide to Calgary's Annual Festival [2024]

Calgary's GlobalFest is a spectacular event that brings the world to Alberta with its vibrant cultural displays and stunning fireworks. This annual festival, one of the top things to do in Calgary every year, showcases international cultures through performances, food, and art. Visitors can enjoy multicultural pavilions, live music, and dance, all celebrating diversity.

The highlight of GlobalFest is the breathtaking fireworks competition, where countries compete to light up the night sky with dazzling displays, but that's just one aspect of this massive, 10-day festival that takes place in mid-August. This guide will detail what makes GlobalFest a must-see event, including key attractions, activities, and tips for making the most of your visit. Discover why GlobalFest is a highlight of Calgary's cultural calendar.

What is GlobalFest?

The two main parts of GlobalFest are the OneWorld Festival and the International Fireworks Festival. The OneWorld Festival celebrates Calgary's many diverse cultures. The gates open at 6:00 p.m. each night, and the fun continues until roughly 11:00 p.m. at the end of each night's fireworks show. The Calgary Fireworks Festival Society organizes the entire GlobalFest.

The OneWorld Festival encompasses everything that happens before the fireworks. Roughly two dozen pavilions are set up in Elliston Park in East Calgary, where festival-goers can learn about the various cultures that make up Calgary. There are two stages of music, dance, and other cultural performances. The pavilions have children's programming, games, and other activities. Dozens of food trucks and international food booths allow visitors to try cuisine from many different countries. The park is licensed for the festival, so guests who are 18 and up can enjoy alcoholic beverages.

Recent buyers of homes in Calgary can rest easy knowing that the fireworks displays aren't held on consecutive days. The five-night festival takes place on alternating nights over the course of 10 days, with one three-day gap; the 2024 GlobalFest dates are as follows:

• Thursday, August 15
• Saturday, August 17
• Tuesday, August 20
• Thursday, August 22
• Saturday, August 24

How Can I Go to GlobalFest?

There is no on-site parking at GlobalFest, and the festival is extremely popular. Residents and visitors converge on Elliston Park from each and every one of Calgary's top neighbourhoods, so planning is vital. Guests who don't live within walking distance can take a round-trip shuttle bus service from the Sunridge Mall parking lot, which is located in Northeast Calgary, less than 10 kilometres from the park.

Shuttle bus tickets for general admission ticket holders are $7 per person, round trip, and must be purchased online after August 2 or on-site the day of. In recent years, shuttle tickets have been cash-only, but the shuttle company has since gone cashless, so credit or debit cards are needed. Kids under five can ride the shuttle for free with a paying adult.

Calgary's public transit system is a great way to get to the festival. To reach Elliston Park, people can ride Calgary Transit bus lines 68, 87, 307, and 440. Portions of 17 Avenue and 23 Avenue are blocked off to through traffic on festival evenings, so aside from walking or biking, the shuttles and Calgary Transit buses are the only ways to ride to the festival.

GlobalFest tickets can be purchased online all year round, but there is a discount for buying before mid-July. Regular full prices are charged from July 14 until tickets are sold out. VIP ticket holders receive free shuttle rides to the VIP Gate near Lowe's on 60 Street SE. If a fireworks display is cancelled for any reason (usually weather), it will be rescheduled for a subsequent night, and all tickets will be honoured.

International Fireworks Festival

Starting around 9:30 p.m. each night, the International Fireworks Festival caps off each night of GlobalFest—one of the best festivals in Calgary. Different countries put on fireworks each night for the first four nights. On the last night of the festival, the Grand Finale fireworks show by Canada's Archangel Fireworks takes place. The dazzling fireworks are set off over the waters of Elliston Lake, making a stunning show. There aren't many tall buildings on the east side like in Downtown Calgary, so the fireworks can be viewed from several kilometres away in some directions. However, the best views are from the park because the fireworks are reflected off Elliston Lake.

Each participating country sets their fireworks performance to music. The five fireworks shows are adjudicated based on the quality of the display, artistic originality, brilliance of colours, and synchronization of music, effects and fireworks. Since the five countries are vying for bragging rights each year, the fireworks displays tend to be huge events. The US and China have been regular participants in the fireworks displays. Numerous countries from Europe, Asia, and South America have also performed at past GlobalFests.

OneWorld Festival

TD Canada Trust Bank sponsors the OneWorld Festival at GlobalFest, and OneWorld's cultural pavilions highlight the entire event. Each pavilion represents a different nation or people who now call Calgary their home. There are pavilions for Africa, Bangladesh, the Siksika Nation, Brazil, China, Hungary, Pakistan, Romania, Scotland, and dozens of other countries. Pavilions feature each nation's dress, dance, artwork and other cultural programming. The Night Market features booths from area businesses that help to sponsor GlobalFest, including local radio stations, TD Bank and Downhill Karting.

The two main performance stages at GlobalFest are the TD Main Stage and the Air Canada Stage, sponsored by two companies vital to Calgary's economy. Both stages feature live cultural performances, primarily dance troupes and traditional music from each country. International concessions and food booths from around the world are available from local restaurants and eateries.

A Human Rights Forum to combat racism and discrimination occurs each year at GlobalFest. During one night of the festival, Citizenship and Immigration Canada holds a citizenship ceremony at the park, where a group of newcomers officially become naturalized Canadians.

Who Can Enjoy GlobalFest?

GlobalFest is about welcoming everyone living in Calgary to an event that combines many different cultures in unity. It's a great time for anyone who enjoys fireworks, food, cultural pavilions, and performances! Here are some of the specialized activities available as well:

• GlobalFest is one of the top things to do with kids in Calgary! The playground area at Elliston Park is set aside for children. There's a small stage for performances by and for kids, and arts and crafts activities and story times hosted by various groups.
• The international foods offered by so many countries mean that foodies can sample many different cuisines in one location.
• The Night Market, foods, and community events make GlobalFest an excellent choice for groups of friends or co-workers to bond over a significant cultural event

Enjoy GlobalFest in Calgary Every Year

GlobalFest has grown from a small local festival to one of the things Calgary is most known for. The area near the festival is still under development, with an increasing number of condos near Elliston Park—great options for committed festival-goers. That means that even more people will soon live within walking distance of this significant cultural event. GlobalFest plans to expand its cultural offerings, so it keeps getting bigger and better each year.

Whether you're a Calgary resident or visitor, GlobalFest is a can't-miss annual event in August.

If you're interested in Calgary real estate, contact Justin Havre Real Estate Team with eXp Realty with Calgary Homes at (403) 217-0003 to get in touch with a local real estate agent who can help you find your Calgary dream home today.