How to mark Canada Day in Calgary

The first long weekend of the summer has arrived, and there’s plenty of events in Calgary to mark Canada Day.

The city says all programming is being made with the impact of water use and fire risk being top of mind amid ongoing work to repair a feedermain break in the northwest.

With that being said, there will be a fireworks show to cap off the day’s events at Stampede Park shortly after 11 p.m.

Ahead of that, Calgarians can take in a variety of programming.

The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland

The Confluence Historic Site & Parkland (formerly Fort Calgary) will have a Canada Day Main Stage Evening Show with Emcee Megan Pierson, an Indigenous Showcase and Powwow Arena, an Indigenous Artisans Market, Teaching Tipis and a Trapper’s Tent, a Cultural Carousel, the Coke Canada Rest & Refresh Area, and food trucks.

There will also be free admission to the Confluence Cultural Centre from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., where there will be family craft activities, an art exhibit, film screenings, walking tours and more.

St. Patrick’s Island

St. Patrick’s Island will have three stages with live music (Trout Beach, The Rise & Confluence Plaza), a Calgary Fire Department water vessel display, face painting and airbrush tattoos, a playground and picnic spots, and food trucks.

Olympic Plaza and the Municipal Building

Olympic Plaza and the Municipal Building will have live performances by Alberta musicians, multicultural performances at the Municipal Plaza, presented by Arts Commons, an Indigenous digital art exhibit at the Municipal Atrium, presented by The City of Calgary’s Public Art program, children’s sport activities, presented by Calgary Minor Soccer Association, children’s art activities, and food trucks.

Wreath-laying at Sien Lon Park

There will also be a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the Chinese railway workers at Sien Lon Park from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., as well as multicultural performances, dragon and lion dances, a vendor market, martial arts, and more at the Chinese Cultural Centre from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

More music and festivities

The annual East Village Street Fair goes from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with over 50 vendors, food trucks, musicians, and a beer garden.

The Central Library will have a special storytime, traditional Indigenous dancing demonstrations, outdoor musical performances, and a citizenship ceremony for new Canadians from noon to 4 p.m.

A jam session featuring Calgary artists from a variety of diverse cultural backgrounds will run from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Pixel Park Canada Day Jam.

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Family-friendly live music will take over the King Eddy rooftop and mainstage from 3 p.m. to close, along with Studio Bell being open with activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For a full list of events going on around Calgary on July 1, visit the city’s website.

Parking

People can park for free in on-street ParkPlus zones and Calgary Parking parkades on Canada Day, while weekend rates will apply at the Arts Commons parkade and surface lots.

Transit

Calgary Transit buses and CTrains will operate on a Sunday schedule on Canada Day. More details can be found here.

There will be no CTrain service on the Blue Line between Franklin and Whitehorn stations from Saturday until Monday at 9 a.m. Shuttle buses will run in place of trains during the closure. More information can be found here.

For a full list of what’s open and closed this weekend, click here.