The Best Summer Festivals in Calgary

Posted by Justin Havre on Tuesday, May 7th, 2019 at 12:33pm.

The Best Summer Festivals in CalgaryThere are a number of great festivals in Calgary year-round, and as the air warms up and spring gives way to summer, people flood the streets in search of a great festival to attend. If you're interested in visiting a festival this summer, look no further than one of these great Calgary summer festivals.

The Calgary Fringe Festival

The Calgary Fringe Festival is coming this August. This festival is an uncensored theatre festival and started in 1947 in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has become one of the largest art festivals in the world and the Calgary festival is the second largest in the world drawing nearly 800,000 guests each year.

Plenty of entertainment will be provided with many different shows taking the stage.

If you need more information, the "On The Spot" information booth will be open in the parking lot on 9th Avenue and 12 Street SE throughout the festival.

Afrikadey

Afrikadey is all about those of African descent who have a strong desire to improve the lines of communication between the various cultures in the area. This festival is centered around learning about different cultures and exchanging ideas. There will be world class entertainment for everyone to enjoy while they sit in the shade and have a nice cold drink. To learn more about Afrikadey visit afrikadey.org

The Calgary Blues Festival

Now that the long and cold winter nights are behind us and we're looking forward to the brighter evenings of spring people are looking to get out more and have a social life again. Now, as you're probably aware, there's always something happening in Calgary so you're never left scratching your head wondering what to do but if you're a fan of music at all then the twice-yearly Calgary Blues Festival is going to appeal to you.

Traditionally blues is more popular in the southern United States but that doesn't take away from the fact that Calgary celebrates this soulful and colorful music twice each year - once in February with the Calgary Midwinter Bluesfest and then again in July with Calgary International Blues Festival. You might be asking yourself why have two blues festivals in one year but the real and only answer to that is "Why not?"

Every summer, you can then go out each evening to enjoy the Calgary International Blues Festival, which attracts amazing blues talent from all over the world.

ReggaeFest

Are you a devoted reggae fan? If so you will love the Calgary ReggaeFest. You will enjoy a full day of nothing but the best reggae music from all over the world. There will be live performances, an area for the youth, a beer garden and plenty of good food to enjoy. If you want to learn about the history of reggae music be sure to attend the 30 minute presentation during the reggae lunch n learn. To learn more about the ReggaeFest visit reggaefest.ca.

Carifest

Carifest is a Caribbean festival that is held in Calgary, Alberta every year. This festival showcases the Caribbean arts and the Caribbean culture. The festival is organized by the Caribbean Community Council of Calgary also known as the CCC. There will be a variety of different activities throughout the day so everyone is sure to have a good time. To learn more about Carifest visit carifestcalgary.com.

GlobalFest

Globalfest is an umbrella festival that consists of two festivals and a night market.This festival is a celebration of the different cultures around the world that make up the population of Calgary. Here is what to expect during this year's Globalfest.

The Night Market is one of the popular destinations in this festival. This popular destination for tourists is great for anyone to shop. It has many souvenirs and art vendors, who sell locally made and culturally relevant wares on the streets. Because the market takes place at night, it is a romantic and engaging moonlit experience.

Another location worth visiting during GlobalFest is the OneWorld Festival. Every pavilion in the park will be dedicated to cultural presentations whether it is a performance, world music, or food, such as Philipino and Indonesian just to name a few. This is a great way to learn about another culture or to teach your children about your own heritage. It will be a unique experience to travel the world without leaving Calgary!

Next is the Human Rights Forum. The human rights forum is Globalfest's initiative to promote cross cultural understanding. Each year has a different theme, and this year's theme will consist of topics surrounding gender identity, women's issues, and the role of temporary workers in the Canadian workforce. Admission is free, and it will go from August 12th to 16th at the Calgary Public Library.

Don't forget to order your tickets for this annual festival that has become just as important and significant to culture in Calgary as the people who inspired the festival itself.

The Calgary Folk Music Festival

The Calgary Folk Music Festival is coming up this summer, and it’s sure to bring enjoyment to anyone who attends. This year, the lineup includes 76 musicians that come from a total of 16 different countries. They will be performing on 8 separate stages across the park

Musicians from Korea, Ethiopia, Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and other countries will be providing their own type of music that celebrates a variety of traditions. You can sit back, relax and enjoy a cold drink in the beer garden that’s shaded by trees. In the family area you'll be able to take part in a variety of activities. There will be a special artisan area set up for your shopping enjoyment.

There will be lots of food, fun and music this weekend at this annual Folk Fest. Music will be playing both day and night so grab your friends and family and head down to Prince’s Island Park to take an active part in the celebrations.

Calgary Japanese Festival Omatsuri

The Calgary Japanese Festival Omatsuri is a must for anyone who has an interest in Japanese culture regardless of how large or small that interest might be. It is unfortunate that this summer festival is one of the lesser known choices. It is a chance for you to explore what Japanese culture, Japanese music, and authentic Japanese food feels and tastes like.

ReggaeFest

ReggaeFest is an experience every resident of Calgary needs to enjoy at least once. This festival is generally held on a Friday through Sunday, with events for everyone. It's a family event with plenty of great music, a kid’s zone, plenty of great food and so much more.

Even though the festival really doesn't start until Saturday, many performances will be held on Friday, August 16th. Friday performances will be held from 4pm to 9pm at Shaw Millennium Park. Friday is free for all ages.

Along with the many performances, the youth area will include activities from 12pm to 6pm. Kids can enjoy the craft tent, basketball, sand magic, face painting, storytelling, balloon animals, magic and inflatable bouncers.

Other events will happen on Saturday and Sunday as well.

24 Hours of Adrenalin

The 24 Hours of Adrenalin is a unique and interesting festival for individuals who enjoy the thrill of an adrenaline rush. If you are someone who likes to push yourself as far as you can go and then push a little harder, this is a festival you will enjoy. You get to sit back, drink cold lemonade, and watch hardcore mountain bikers push themselves to their limits.

Carifest Caribbean Festival

Held every year in Calgary, the Carifest Caribbean Festival is an annual event. This festival puts the Caribbean culture on display and helps to educate the public about the art, food and so much more. Here's what you can expect at the festival this year.

The festival will provides plenty of fun including two main events. Starting at 11am, from Olympic Plaza to Shaw Millennium Park, this parade will include Mas Bands and plenty of fun along Stephen/8th Avenue.

The Sunshine Fest is a huge part of the event and will run from 11am to 7pm at Shaw Millennium Park. It's free wand will provide plenty of Caribbean food, arts, crafts and more.

Both the Sunshine Fest and the Parade are both free events to enjoy. The Sunshine Festival will be held at Shaw Millennium Park, which is found at 1220 9 Avenue SW in Calgary.

If you want to enjoy plenty of events on the mainstage, excellent Caribbean food, arts, crafts and so much more, this is a great event to attend.

When Words Collide

When Words Collide is an interesting festival because it is not like any of the other ones hosted in Calgary. It is a few days for writers and readers to come together and share their love for literature. There are always special guest speakers as well.

Calgary is home to a perfect collection of festivals every year. Whether you enjoy music, sports, culture, cooking, or literature – there is a festival for everyone. Fortunately, there are scattered throughout the months of July and August so you can enjoy them all.

Sled Island Music Festival

Every year the Sled Island Music and Arts Festival takes place in the city of Calgary. It started back in 2007 and has been going on ever since. It was the brainchild of Zak Pashak who at the time was the owner of the Calgary music venue Broken City.

Pashak was so inspired by the street life that was created during the Pop Montreal festival that he decided to host one in his hometown of Calgary.

Many refer to the Sled Island Music and Arts Festival as the ultimate urban life experience. It is nothing like you have ever experienced before. Downtown Calgary is known for its traffic. There are so many cars and they usually take precedence over people. However, the Sled Island festival turns that around.

The goal of the festival is to open up the downtown area and flood the streets with as many people as possible. This is accomplished by providing fun and thoughtful music to all who attend. You will be able to listen to the sounds of over 250 bands from all over the world when you attend the festival this year. You will also be able to explore different venues such as art, film and comedy.

Inglewood Sunfest

If you are looking to have a little fun in the sun you need to make sure you are at this year's Inglewood Sunfest. This August, the community of Inglewood will come alive with live performances, vendors and great food. The festival will start at 11am and will go until 5pm.

Admission to the Inglewood Sunfest is absolutely free. That means you can bring all of your friends and family and have a really good time. With so many fun things to do the entire family is sure to be entertained. There will be a "Best of the Fest" contest that you can both participate in and vote on.

Those who participate and vote will have the opportunity to win tickets to the GlobalFest. You can get more information about the Best of the Festcontest by visiting one of the booths located at 11th street and 14th street.

One of the highlights of the Inglewood Sunfest is the pie eating contest. If you aren't afraid to get a little dirty you will love being a part of this contest. Wilde Grainz Bakery will bring the pies and all you have to do is eat them up. Only the fastest pie eater will win so be sure to sign up at the ICA booth so you can show your stuff.

The Highland Games

Calgary is known for a lot of things. One of them is the Calgary Highland Games. When it comes to the Highland Games in Western Canada this by far is one of the best ones. It started way back in 1913 and is considered one of the oldest gatherings in all of North America. This event has taken place for over 100 years.

A lot of people in Western Alberta are of Scottish decent. The Highland Games give them the opportunity to celebrate their heritage. If you aren't of Scottish decent you will have the opportunity to learn about this amazing culture. You will also be able to participate in some of the most well-known Scottish traditions with the main one being the tasting of Scottish food.

The Highland Games will include a heavy weights event, traditional Scottish dances, music, soccer and more. The soccer games are free to participate in, but entrants are encouraged to bring food to be donated to the Inter Faith Food Bank.

Marda Gras Street Festival

The second Sunday in August always provides a fun time on the streets of the Marda Loop. This area of Calgary is transformed into a New Orleans-themed Marda Gras Street Festival full of all kinds of fun. It's a free event for residents to enjoy and one of the top choices in August for all ages.

The event will start at 10am and run until 5pm with thousands coming out to enjoy the experience. Entertainment will be provided for all ages including:

  • Kids Quarter - Full of fun for kids with crafts, games, activities, entertainment, face painting, a bouncy castle and more.
  • Art Tent - A large tent with plenty of great pieces on display.
  • Street Performers - Plenty of interesting performers will provide all kinds of entertainment including a magician, one-man dhows, juggling and more.
  • Open Streets Area - Full of fun with bicycles, bike tune-ups and everything bikes, this area will provide plenty for everybody to enjoy.
  • Main Entertainment Stage - The pain stage will feature plenty of great music from all kinds of genres.

This festival will provide plenty for all to enjoy. There will even be a pet pageant.

The Taste of Calgary

The Taste of Calgary about to be held again for another year. This August, you can enjoy this free event at 203 Barclay Parade SW. This is a premier festival with plenty of international foods and beverages featured at the Eau Claire's Festival Plaza. Sample all kinds of items with small prices. The finest food in the city and some of the best beverages will be found her

When you arrive, you can purchase food and beverage tickets for $1 each. Then, walk around the festival, figure out what you want to try, and enjoy samples of Cajun, East Indian, Persian, Caribbean and many other types of food. Whether you prefer something exotic, want to try something new or you just want to try a sample of some of the best restaurant food in Calgary, there's plenty to choose from at Taste of Calgary.

There's no charge to attend or watch the performances. This is an event everybody in the community loves. If you're new to Calgary, you can discover all types of restaurants and food at Taste of Calgary 2013, held August 15th to 18th from 11am to 9pm daily.

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