Things to do in Calgary; what’s open and closed this holiday

With the holiday season upon us, some Calgarians will be stretching their legs and taking a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Much of the city will be closed on Christmas Day, a statutory holiday across Canada, including restaurants, malls, major banks, grocery stores, and most city services.

Some Albertans might be working, though, because Christmas Eve and Boxing Day aren’t statutory holidays; however, the latter is a statutory holiday for federal offices.

If you’re looking to engage in some activities, free ice skating, light festivals, and performances commemorating the holiday are happening throughout the city.

And if you want to catch a Christmas flick in the morning, movie theatres will be open.

Here’s a list of what’s open and closed in Calgary this holiday season, along with what to do across the city.

What to do?

Calgary Zoo Lights

The Zoo Lights at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo closes on Christmas Day, but it will remain open on every other day until Jan. 4.

Calgarians can embark on trails, tunnels, and walks, along with trying their hand at daily interactive activities like axe-throwing. There are also treats and chances to learn about the different animals on site.

More information about the nearly 30-year event can be found online.

Confederation Park Golf Course

For 39 years, the Lions Festival of Lights has lit up the night along 14 Street NW, north of 24 Avenue. The family-friendly free light display runs every evening until Jan. 8, 2026.

Merry and Matter at Telus Spark

Until Jan. 4, Telus Spark has plenty to do for anyone who wants to “warm up, geek out, and make the season a little bit brighter with science.”

There are immersive galleries on children’s books, activities to learn the science behind adventure and extreme feats, and ways to learn the craft of pyrography — wood decor design.

You can find out more here.

Once Upon a Christmas at Heritage Park

Heritage Park has one more day of its Once Upon a Christmas and Holiday Day Train event, which features the newly unveiled Heritage Holiday Train, a restored 1951 diesel-electric locomotive, which has onboard entertainment for all ages.

The park is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 23, and the train departs every 20 minutes. More information can be found here.

City of Calgary activities

The city is offering free skating right after the holiday on Boxing Day from 1-2:15 p.m. at the following arenas:

• Ernie Starr Arena (4808 14 Avenue SE).
• Frank McCool Arena (1900 Lake Bonavista Drive SE).
• Henry Viney Arena (814 13 Avenue NE).

New Year’s Day will also have free skating with the same hours, along with an additional slot from 2:30-3:45 p.m., at the following arenas:

• Optimist/George Blundun Arenas (5020 26 Avenue SW).
• Rose Kohn / Jimmie Condon Arenas (502 Heritage Drive SW).
• Shouldice Arena (1515 Home Road NW).

The city is asking Calgarians to attend only one timeslot for the New Year’s Day skate because of the frequency of bookings. It adds that the ice may be cleared at 2:30 p.m. to allow for more guests.

Leisure centres

The city says the following facilities will be open Dec. 20 – 24 and Jan. 2 – 4:

• Southland Leisure Centre (2000 Southland Drive SW).
• Village Square Leisure Centre (2623 56 Street NE).
• Bob Bahan Aquatic & Fitness Centre (4812 14 Avenue SE).
• Canyon Meadows Aquatic & Fitness Centre (89 Canova Road SW).
• Killarney Aquatic & Recreation Centre (1919 29 Street SW).
• Renfrew Aquatic & Recreation Centre (810 13 Avenue NE).
• Thornhill Aquatic & Recreation Centre (6715 Centre Street NW).
• Sir Winston Churchill Aquatic & Recreation Centre (1520 Northmount Drive NW).
• Maxwell Soccer Centre (7050 48 Street SE).

More information on hours can be found here.

What’s open and closed

Calgary Transit

The City of Calgary says buses, CTrains, and On Demand will operate on a Sunday-level service for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Parking is free in on-street ParkPlus zones on both days; however, regular rates will continue to apply for partner parking lots in the city, including the Calgary Stampede, TELUS Spark, the Calgary Zoo and Heritage Park.

You can find more information on Transit’s holiday hours on its website.

City parking

Meanwhile, the Calgary Parking Contact Centre and the impound lot will be closed on Christmas Day.

More information is available online.

Malls

All major shopping malls in Calgary will be closed on Christmas Day; however, they will remain open on Christmas Eve.

Sunridge Mall is the only mall that will stay open until 6 p.m., while every other one closes at 5 p.m.

Calgary’s mall hours are below:

• CrossIron Mills: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• CF Chinook Centre: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The Core: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• CF Market Mall: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Marlborough Mall: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Sunridge Mall: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

When it comes to Boxing Day, Marlborough and Sunridge malls open at 9 a.m., while the remainder will open at 8 a.m.

The Core closes at 5 p.m. on the day after Christmas, Marlborough Mall closes at 7 p.m., and the rest close at 9 p.m.

Movie theatres

You’ll be able to catch a movie on Christmas Day morning as all Landmark Cinemas and Cineplex Odeon theatres will be open.

City-operated facilities

All indoor pools and fitness centres, arenas, the Maxwell Soccer Centre, North Mount Pleasant Centre, Wildflower Arts Centre, and the Animal Services Centre will be closed on Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day. This excludes facilities offering free skates.

The Glenmore Aquatic Centre will close from Dec. 22 until Jan. 1, while the Acadia Aquatic and Fitness, Shouldice, and Inglewood aquatic centres will remain closed until Jan. 4.

North Mount Pleasant Art Centre and the Wildflower Arts Centre, which closed on Friday, will remain closed until Jan. 4.

The city landfill and Eco Centre locations (East Calgary, Spyhill, and Shepherd) will be closed on Dec. 25.

Additionally, there will be no cart pickup on Christmas Day, a Thursday. Instead, the pickup of blue, black and/or green carts happened on Dec. 22. However, service remains unchanged on Christmas Eve.

Lastly, all swimming lessons and most registered programs aren’t available until Jan. 1.

Restaurants and grocery stores

Most grocery stores and pharmacies close on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, but some may open on Boxing Day. Schedules will vary outside of those three days.

Meanwhile, if you want to dine out, restaurants and bars typically close across the country on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day; however, with some Calgarians planning on shopping on Boxing Day, you’ll find some restaurants open.

Bank hours

Banks are closed across Canada on all three days; however, banking machines typically remain accessible.