Summer on 17th returns to Calgary’s Beltline with changes to programming

A beloved summer festival in Calgary’s Beltline returns Friday, but it may look a bit different to those who have attended in the past.

This year, instead of having 80 days of free programming, Summer on 17th will be held for one weekend a month in June, July, and August.

The event returns to Tompkins Park for a pre-Stampede weekend called Rhinestone Cowboy tonight, featuring a vintage market put on by Seconds Collective, line-dancing lessons, and an after party at Whiskey Rose.

The market will continue on Saturday and Sunday with more musical performances and features by local restaurants and dessert shops.

Over the last couple of years, sidewalk reconstruction has been a staple along 17 Avenue, but Tulene Steiestol with 17th Avenue Business Improvement says it doesn’t affect this.

“We’ve honed it down, we’ve scaled it down, and taking a different approach, so instead of doing something for 13 weeks straight, we’re just going to focus on one weekend every month in June, July, and August, and really do a bang up job with the variety and the community engagement rather than spreading it out over 80 days,” she explained.

Road construction has also been a mainstay on 17 Avenue for sometime, but Steiestol says the work has moved farther west down the road and won’t impact the festivities.

The next event, with a retro 80s theme, will be held July 26-28, before the trio rounds out with an arts and culture event from Aug. 16-18.

For the full schedule of events, visit 17thave.ca