Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The Calgary Winter Festival commemorates the 1988 Winter Olympics by hosting 11 days filled with sports competitions, entertainment and music. There are pond hockey tournaments, curling tournaments and skating parties. Kids participate in scavenger hunts, arts and crafts and children's games. A multicultural celebration shows Calgary's diversity with ethnic music and dance. The festival takes place at locations throughout the city, including the Fort Calgary and Village Square Leisure Centre.
Canada Olympic Park hosted several events during the 1988 Olympics. While elite athletes still train there, it's open to the public for downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding and other activities. You could go on fast-paced bobsled and luge rides driven by professionals. There's also an Olympic Hall of Fame and Museum to explore.
You don't have to celebrate the holiday to enjoy the Twelve Days of Christmas event at Heritage Park Historical Village. It typically runs on the weekends from late November up to a few days before Christmas. The activities include ice skating, wagon riding and delicious buffets. You'll be entertained by plays and carolers. There's also plenty of shopping available for all the presents you need to buy.
Don't let the name fool you---no bulls are involved. This High Performance Rodeo is run by Calgary's One Yellow Rabbit performance theatre company. It's an annual three-week festival of the arts in January that features comedy, dance, film, music and theater. More than 80 performers from all over the world entertain crowds. The performances take place in several venues including the Grand Theatre and the Max Bell Theatre.
The Picture This ... Film Festival is Canada's first international disability film festival. It features movies that either focus on disability culture or are directed, produced or written by people with a disability. The festival is both a competition with awards for the best films, as well as an exhibition to showcase films to a wider audience. The festival takes place at the La Joie De Vivre banquet facility.
The Calgary Animated Objects Society sponsors this international festival every two years and calls it, "a celebration of puppetry, masks and all things animated." You'll get to see colorful live performances and movies. There are also lectures and workshops for a greater understanding of the genre. The festival takes place at nearly a dozen venues throughout the city. Fast Forward Weekly, a Calgary newspaper, calls it "a magical experience."