Halloween falls on a Saturday, and Calgary has a full day of free and family-friendly trick-or-treating before dark: ZooBOO at the Calgary Zoo, candy stations at both Calgary Farmers' Markets, Inglewood's Treat Street on 9 Avenue and a Halloween safety day at the Calgary Police Discovery Centre. Then, on Sunday, the mood changes: the Field of Crosses goes up on Memorial Drive for the 11 days to Remembrance Day.
The Saddledome has hockey on all three days, the Festival of Crafts fills the BMO Centre with early Christmas shopping, and it's the last night of Pumpkins After Dark. Daylight saving time ends early Sunday morning, so you get an extra hour of sleep after the candy.
Thirteen things worth doing in Calgary this weekend, with times, addresses and what each one costs.
ZooBOO at the Calgary Zoo
Family
Two days of Halloween at the zoo, both included with regular admission. Kids collect treats from zoo staff at stations around the park, fill a ZooBOO Safari card with stamps, help colour a giant monster mural in the River Lodge and catch the Wilder Bunch, the zoo's theatre group, on the Savannah Lawn. Everyone is encouraged to dress up, but the treat stations are for kids only.
When: Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Where: Calgary Zoo, 210 St. George's Drive NE
Cost: Included with a day admission ticket or membership
Ready Set Halloween at the Calgary Police Discovery Centre
Free
A free Halloween warm-up built around getting kids home safely that night. Every young visitor gets a small wearable light to stay visible after dark and a trick-or-treat bag to use later, Calgary Police Service officers share simple safety tips, and there are candy stations throughout the centre. Come in costume. It's drop-in, but the centre asks families to register online.
When: Saturday, October 31, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Calgary Police Discovery Centre, 5111 47 Street NE
Cost: Free
Spooktacular at Calgary Farmers' Market
Free
"Trick-or-treat in the heat" is the pitch, and it's a good one if the weather turns. Both markets run free indoor trick-or-treating with participating vendors all day, plus a Halloween photo booth and kids' craft stations from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The vendors dress up too, and you can vote for the best costume at Guest Services.
When: Saturday, October 31; West 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., South 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (photo booth and crafts 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Where: CFM West, 25 Greenbriar Drive NW; CFM South, 510 77 Avenue SE
Cost: Free
Inglewood Treat Street
Free
Calgary's original main street turns into a daytime trick-or-treat route. Walk 9 Avenue SE and look for the "treats inside" posters on shop doors; anywhere you see one, kids can go in and collect a treat. It caps off Haunted Historic Inglewood, the neighbourhood's month of Halloween events, and it's a good excuse to explore the old storefronts.
When: Saturday, October 31, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: 9 Avenue SE, Inglewood
Cost: Free
The Haunted Pumpkin Hunt at The Hangar Flight Museum
Family
Three days of Halloween among the aircraft. Kids aged 3 to 11 hunt the museum for missing pumpkins, play a themed BINGO and make a flying ghost to take home. Anyone who arrives in a clearly recognizable costume gets $3 off admission, and the best group costume wins a family membership, so this is the weekend to coordinate.
When: Friday, October 30 to Sunday, November 1
Where: The Hangar Flight Museum, 4629 McCall Way NE
Cost: Regular admission, $3 off in costume
Halloween Foley Fun at Studio Bell
Free
A free, hands-on look at how movie sound effects are made. At this drop-in, kids and adults use ordinary props and recording gear to create their own spooky sound effects for a classic, family-friendly Halloween cartoon, Mickey Mouse: The Haunted House. It's on Level 1, which is free to visit, and it pairs well with Inglewood's Treat Street, a few minutes east.
When: Saturday, October 31, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Where: Studio Bell, 850 4 Street SE
Cost: Free on Level 1
Pumpkins After Dark, final night
Family
The lit walk through thousands of hand-carved pumpkins on the hill at Canada Olympic Park closes on Halloween. There are no jump scares, which makes it the one for small kids. Entry is timed, and the last-night slots go first, so book online before you go, and dress warmer than you think; the wind finds the hill.
When: Evenings through Saturday, October 31
Where: WinSport, Canada Olympic Park, 88 Canada Olympic Road SW
Cost: From about $17 plus fees, timed entry
Hockey all weekend at the Saddledome
Sports
Three games in three days in the Saddledome's farewell season. The Flames host the Seattle Kraken on Friday at 6 p.m. The AHL Wranglers play the Laval Rocket at noon on Halloween, which has you home in time for trick-or-treating, and the WHL Hitmen host the Kamloops Blazers on Sunday at 2 p.m. Wranglers and Hitmen tickets start around $19.75 and Flames tickets around $35. Take the CTrain to Victoria Park/Stampede.
When: Friday 6 p.m. (Flames), Saturday noon (Wranglers), Sunday 2 p.m. (Hitmen)
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome, 555 Saddledome Rise SE
Cost: Wranglers and Hitmen from about $19.75, Flames from about $35
Festival of Crafts at the BMO Centre
Shopping
The 42nd Festival of Crafts brings more than 140 Canadian artists, artisans and makers to Hall F at the BMO Centre for four days, which makes it one of the biggest early Christmas markets in the city. It runs through Sunday, so Sunday morning, when the Halloween rush is over, is a good time to walk the aisles.
When: Thursday, October 29 to Sunday, November 1
Where: BMO Centre, Hall F, Stampede Park, 20 Round Up Way SE
Cost: About $3 to $8
Field of Crosses opens on Memorial Drive
Community
On Sunday the Field of Crosses returns to Memorial Drive: thousands of white crosses, each bearing the name of a Southern Albertan who died in service, on display until November 11. You can walk among them at any hour, and they're lit through the night. Sunrise and sunset ceremonies are held every day from November 1 to 10, and November 1 is Memorial Cross Families Day. Arrive 15 minutes early for a ceremony. It's a good one to bring older kids to, the day after Halloween.
When: Sunday, November 1 to Wednesday, November 11; sunrise and sunset ceremonies daily to November 10
Where: Memorial Drive NW at Sunnyside Bank Park
Cost: Free
Alberta Ballet: Peer Gynt, final performances
Culture
Alberta Ballet's Peer Gynt, Edward Clug's ballet of Henrik Ibsen's tale of a restless dreamer, finishes its Calgary run on Halloween with a 2 p.m. matinee and a 7:30 p.m. evening show, after a Friday night performance. It runs about two hours with an intermission. The company warns it has dark themes and unsettling fantastical characters that may be too intense for young children.
When: Friday, October 30, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, October 31, 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Where: Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, 1415 14 Avenue NW
Cost: From about $73
The Three Pigs at Loose Moose Theatre
Family
Loose Moose's Theatre for Kids opens its new show on Halloween: The Three Pigs, told in the company's own playful style for children aged 4 to 10. Shows are Saturdays at 1 p.m. and Sundays at 1 and 3 p.m. until November 22. Tickets are about $19.
When: Saturday, October 31 to Sunday, November 22; Saturdays 1 p.m., Sundays 1 and 3 p.m.
Where: Loose Moose Theatre, 1235 26 Avenue SE
Cost: About $18.89
SUE: The T. rex Experience at TELUS Spark
Family
The most complete T. rex ever found is at Spark until November 29, included in regular admission. It's the standard indoor answer to a cold weekend, which means the parking lot fills by late morning; arrive at opening or after 2.
When: Through November 29
Where: TELUS Spark Science Centre, 220 St. George's Drive NE
Cost: Regular admission
Editor's Pick: Saturday, done as a free Halloween crawl. Ready Set Halloween at the Police Discovery Centre at 10 for the safety lights and trick-or-treat bags, then Inglewood's Treat Street before it ends at 3, with a stop at Studio Bell's Foley Fun on the way. If the weather turns, swap Inglewood for indoor trick-or-treating at Calgary Farmers' Market. Then on Sunday morning, take a quiet walk through the Field of Crosses on its first day.
Know an event we missed? Tag us @culturealberta or email hello@culturealberta.com.
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