Things are finally warming up here in YYC and our calendars are filling up with exciting plans for long weekends and long-awaited time out of the office. Stop that lingering FOMO from summers past in its tracks and fill the gaps in your summer itinerary with some of the fantastic festivals that our city has to offer. I love this time of year in our beautiful city.
When it comes to festivals, Calgary has it all, from food, to music, to everything in between.
Lilac Fest
Bloom into the summer season right by celebrating at the 4th Street Lilac Festival. Lilac Fest is a free, one-day festival where Calgarians gather to celebrate our local musicians, small businesses, artists, and more. Open to the whole family (furry friends included), Lilac Fest always brings out a crowd. Perfectly positioned throughout Calgary’s Beltline and into Mission, it’s the perfect place to reconnect with our walkable city for the summer.
When: June 2, 2024
Location: 4 St. S.W. Between 12 Ave. S.W. and Elbow Dr.
Market Collective’s Sweet 16
Can you believe Market Collective has been a Calgary staple for sixteen years already? Celebrate Market Collective and the local Calgary vendors and artisans who make it great at one of their two Sweet 16 weekend markets. Market Collective is committed to supporting local creatives by ensuring artists retain 100% of their sales, making MC the perfect place to support your favourite local creatives in one spot. Speaking of art – the MC team has partnered with Contemporary Calgary to host their birthday celebration in a space fully immersed in creative practice in all forms.
When: June 7-9 & 14-16, 2024
Location: Contemporary Calgary
Buckaroos Cabaret
If you’re a lover of the Stampede (taking place July 5-14), then you’ll want to keep tabs on Buckaroos Cabaret, which is taking place at The Pioneer on Stephen Ave for the first weekend. This year, the team has pulled together an incredible lineup of iconic international artists and Western Canadian hometown heroes. Many of the artists are making their debut Canadian appearances, and this will be your chance to see these artists in an intimate setting before they take on bigger international stages. Zella Day and Jesse Woods, known together as Chaparelle, make up one of the fastest growing acts to hit the Americana/Roots scene this year and they are playing festivals such as Under The Big Sky, Newport Folk Fest, Austin City Limits and Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion. Among them will be Hannah Juanita and Mose Wilson, Scott Ballew, JJ Shiplett, Sterling Drake, Boots Graham and The Denim Daddies. You can snag your tickets here!
When: Shows July 5-7, 2024
Location: The Pioneer on Stephen Ave, 117 8 Ave SW
Calgary Folk Fest
An absolute staple in the Calgary summer experience, Calgary Folk Music Festival will be welcoming attendees to another wonderful weekend of music and community festivities in Prince’s Island Park. From Ben Howard to the Roots, over 70 artists will be performing on five daytime and two evening stages throughout the park. With a devoted community of annual festival-goers, attendees are encouraged to set up camp right in front of the main stage with blankets, low-rise lawn chairs and picnic baskets, kick back and take in the energy.
When: July 25-28, 2024
Location: Prince’s Island Park
Taste of Calgary
Explore the abundance of culinary excellence Calgary’s food scene has to offer at Taste of Calgary, where flavour takes the main stage alongside talented local musicians who set the atmosphere. Admission to this outdoor, pet-friendly festival is free! Taste Tickets are available for $1.00/ticket, most dishes range from 2 to 7 tickets. Get out there and try something new, you just might find your new go-to spot.
When: August 1-5, 2024
Location: Calgary Parking Lot #6 311 8 Street S.W.
Global Fest
Calgary’s biggest multicultural celebration, GlobalFest is an annual fixture for Calgarians of all ages! Each day of the festival spotlights one of the many vibrant cultures represented in our city through the artistry of food, music and dance – capping each night off with a stunning firework display by a group of internationally acclaimed pyro-artists. Global Fest reached an attendance of nearly 100,000 in its first year and has been a key player in promoting the rich ethno-cultural diversity and creative talents that make Calgary a wonderful place to call home ever since.
When: August 15-24, 2024
Location: Elliston Park
Great Outdoors Comedy Festival
The perfect summertime date night, the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival brings comedy legends from around the world to perform right here in YYC. Taking comedy to a new setting (sans dark bar atmosphere) and into a more natural element, the festival brings a unique levity to the comedy show experience.
When: August 23-25, 2024
Location: Prince’s Island Park
With so many opportunities to explore, I’ll be sharing everything I get up to this summer on my Wealth With Julie Instagram. Follow along for the “in the moment” experience and let me know what your top festival picks are for this summer.
