Calgary spreads Heritage Day across two free celebrations on the Monday, one downtown at Eau Claire and one out at Heritage Park, and fills the three days in front of them with a food festival, a bike race that closes Bowness Road, and a rodeo 45 minutes east. Seven things worth leaving the house for. If you need to know what is open on the holiday itself, we have a full guide to that here.
Heritage Day Festival at Eau Claire Plaza
Festival
The Calgary Folk Arts Council puts more than 30 countries into one downtown plaza for six hours: cultural exhibits, traditional dress, dance, handmade work and food, all free to walk into. There are two playgrounds on site including a sand play area, which makes this the easiest of the weekend's festivals to do with small kids. Park in East Village and walk the RiverWalk in rather than fighting for a spot in Eau Claire.
When: Monday, August 3, noon to 6 p.m.
Where: Eau Claire Plaza, 101 Barclay Parade SW
Cost: Free
Heritage Day at Heritage Park
Heritage
Heritage Town Square hosts a full day of cultural performances and speakers, including Chinese music, Mexican folkloric dance, Greek dancing and Caribbean performance. The part most people miss: the Town Square programming is genuinely free. You can park, watch the whole thing and leave without ever buying a ticket into the Historical Village behind it.
When: Monday, August 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Heritage Park, 1900 Heritage Drive SW
Cost: Town Square free; Historical Village admission $39.95 adults, $31.95 seniors, $27.95 children 3 to 15
Instagram: @heritageparkyyc
Days of Yore at Heritage Park
Family
The Saturday and Sunday half of Heritage Park's long weekend is a living history event that runs from Vikings through to Second World War reenactors, with jousting as the headline. The jousting arena fills first, so get there for the earlier show rather than the afternoon one if you want to actually see it.
When: Saturday and Sunday, August 1 and 2
Where: Heritage Park, 1900 Heritage Drive SW
Cost: Included with park admission, $27.95 to $39.95
Taste of Calgary
Food
Five days of vendors at Cowboys Park, the downtown green space formerly known as Shaw Millennium. Entry is free and everything runs on $1 tickets, with dishes costing two to eight of them, so you can walk the whole site and price things out before spending anything. Go right at 11 a.m. for the shortest lines. Monday closes early at 8 p.m.
When: Through Monday, August 3. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday
Where: Cowboys Park, 1220 9 Avenue SW
Cost: Free entry, $1 per taste ticket
Instagram: @tasteofcalgary
Tour de Bowness
Free
Three days of racing through Bowness, including the Canadian Masters Road Championships and the provincial time trial, wrapped in a street festival with food trucks, vendors and street performers along Bowness Road. Watching costs nothing. The circuit racing is the one to plan around because the riders come back past you every few minutes instead of once.
When: Saturday to Monday, August 1 to 3
Where: Bowness Road NW, Calgary
Cost: Free to watch
Calgary Wild FC vs. AFC Toronto
Sports
Northern Super League at McMahon on the Saturday. The stadium is a short walk from Banff Trail station, which is by far the least painful way in, and the north side seats keep the late-afternoon sun off your side of the pitch.
When: Saturday, August 1
Where: McMahon Stadium, 1817 Crowchild Trail NW
Cost: From around $29
Instagram: @calgarywildfc
Strathmore Stampede
Rodeo
Four days of pro rodeo and chuckwagon racing about 45 minutes east on the Trans-Canada. The afternoon rodeo tickets are the cheapest way in and the better slot for kids, since the grounds are quieter and you are not driving home at midnight. Bring cash for the midway.
When: Friday to Monday, July 31 to August 3
Where: Strathmore Stampede Grounds, 33 Wheatland Trail, Strathmore
Cost: Around $19 to $54
Editor's Pick
The Heritage Day Festival at Eau Claire Plaza. Thirty-plus countries, six hours, no ticket, two playgrounds on site, and it is downtown so you can pair it with the RiverWalk or Prince's Island. Heritage Park's Town Square day is free too and worth doing if you are on the south side, but Eau Claire is the one you can walk into with a stroller and no plan.
Know an event we missed? Tag us @culturealberta or email hello@culturealberta.com.
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