Featured Events

Pictures with Santa

It’s that time of year again. Gather your kids for some photos with Santa at various locations across Calgary.

• Southcentre Mall ($50) Until December 24

• Chinook Centre ($15) Until December 24

• Market Mall ($15) Until December 24

• Deerfoot City ($25+) Until December 24

• Sunridge Mall ($30+) Until December 24

• Glow Gardens ($23+) Until December 31

• CORE Downtown (Free) Until December 17

• Spruce it Up Garden Centre ($44+) December 9-10.

• Bass Pro Shop at Cross Iron Mills (Free) Until December 24

More Things to Do

• Gingerbread Cheers and Craft Beers! (Dec 13) Gingerbread house party! Join us for our festive and fun-filled Gingerbread Cheers and Craft Beers night.

• French Macarons Pairing (Dec 13) Join us to taste four of our Ollia signature macarons with your choice of tea or French wine: learn about the region of production, what makes these drinks unique, & become an expert at pairing. 

• Gingerbread Cheers and Craft Beers House Party - At Shoe & Canoe (Dec 13) 'Tis the season to unleash your creativity and indulge in delicious craft beer, all while crafting your very own gingerbread masterpiece. 

• Gingerbread House Making at Cold Garden (Dec 13) Make and decorate a Gingerbread House.

• Under $100 Art Show weekend 2 (Dec 14, 15, 17) Annual event is back for the 16th year! Over 100 artists per weekend, nearly 20,000 sq feet of exhibition space, 1000s of pieces of art- ALL UNDER $100!

• Wine Battles: Grower Champagne vs The Big Houses (Dec 14) At this event you'll learn about Champagne's grower revolution while comparing some of the region's most pedigreed wines against its biggest up-and-comers. 

• Snow Angel @ Festival Hall (Dec 14) Get ready to experience the enchantment of SNOW ANGEL with a 9-piece band playing Christmas hits by Ariana Grande, Norah Jones, Sia, Jamie Cullum, Jeremy Lister & more!

• The Andy Kim Christmas (Dec 15) The holiday benefit concert in support of the National Music Centre. 

• Market Collective Holiday (Dec 15-17) A place for local creative entrepreneurs to grow and build their brand, develop relationships with fellow creatives, interact with their clients and sell their work. 

• Spark After Dark: Adults Only Night (Dec 15) Filled with evenings of science-tastic programming! Spark After Dark is here with the food, the drinks, the ice cream, the music, and science!

• Beary Merry Holiday Party At Calgary Zoo (Dec 15) Enjoy the live music and dance or head outside for an evening stroll and take in all of the magical sights that ZOOLIGHTS has to offer. It’s a holiday party to remember.

• Queerly Festive Dinner & Show (Dec 15) Queerly Festival - A sober, all-ages, free-to-attend holiday dinner with local entertainment, giveaways, and a hot chocolate bar.

• Countess Cabaret at Grey Eagle (Dec 15) No matter where Countess Cabaret, starring Luann de Lesseps, plays across this country, the audience leaves feeling lifted, elated, and impressed.

• A Chrismoose Case (Dec 15) A brand new Chrismoose Carol story where Sherlock Holmes, assisted by Ebenezer Scrooge, investigates the death of Jacob Marley. 

• I LOVE THE 90S PARTY at Mister M's (Dec 15) A Strictly 90s night. Special Guest: DJ Starting from scratch (Toronto).

• Calgary Flames Vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (Dec 16) Hockey game at Scotiabank Saddledome. 

• Corks & Cookies at Market Wines (Dec 16) For this festive tasting, we will be pairing some classic festive cookies with wine and discovering what favourite sweet treats go with your favourite sips!

• DIY Holiday Trendy Centerpiece (Dec 16) This centrepiece will be done in the container with fresh winter greenery, candles and various holiday decor. 

• DIY Grinch Tree (Dec 16) Use fresh winter evergreens, decorations and lights to let your creativity fly. All materials, instructions and tools are provided.

• Very Merry Stripmas 11 at The Back Alley (Dec 16) This is our most festive Burlesque extravaganza of the year - including performances by Burlesque Burn's student roster, plus a fantastic variety of local gems to jingle your bells.

• Reindeer Games Holiday Party (Dec 16) Craft Beer + Team Games + Burlesque Show = The Best Way to Stay Warm.

• Stay Warm for the Holidays Drag Show at Unicorn (Dec 16) Join us for a good cause and an even better time. 

• Gluten-Free Holiday Market by Lokal (Dec 17) Indulge in a fantastic array of gluten-free products and treats, all in one place, designed to cater to both celiac sufferers and those with gluten intolerance.

• Christmas Tea At Lougheed House (Dec 17) Enjoy Afternoon Tea with holiday-themed sweets and savouries including Victorian traditional treats such as minced pies and Christmas pudding. 

• Christmas Whobilation at Hyatt Regency Calgary (Dec 17) Step into a whimsical wonderland where the spirit of the Grinch and the charm of Whoville come to life. Open to all ages.

• Devilled Legs Drag Brunch at The Attic Bar & Stage (Dec 17) Get ready for a rowdy drag brunch by Calgary's most-loved drag queen: Carly York Jones. 

• Fireside Storytelling at Fort Calgary (Dec 17) Gather around the fire at the confluence for an afternoon of fascinating stories told by Indigenous storytellers from Treaty 7.

• Dark Sky Country Art Exhibition and Winter Celebration (Dec 17) Join us for a wintery afternoon reception as we celebrate the artwork of Deborah Millward. This art exhibit brings to light our unique perspectives and interpretations of Alberta.

• Christmas at Highline Brewery (Dec 17)  Join Calgary's King of Cringe Crooning, Irving Bestanke, and his Wild Man Musical Director, Darian Pichochi, for a night of Classic Holiday Entertainment.

• Calgary Flames Vs. Florida Panthers (Dec 18) Hockey game at Scotiabank Saddledome. 

• Dinner and a Movie: White Christmas at Heritage Park (Dec 19)  Grab a date and enjoy a delicious gourmet meal inspired by this iconic film and then settle in with some popcorn to watch the movie.

• Cork and Cuisine Sparkling Edition (Dec 19) Enjoy an exquisite 4-course dinner by Chef Bern Glatz and 4 wine pairings led by expert Chelsey Coulson from Pacific Wines & Spirits.

• ELF TRIVIA at The Canadian Brewhouse University (Dec 19) Your knowledge will be tested by five rounds of Elf-related trivia questions, including an opening activity, a visual round, and fun mini-games in between.

• Jann Arden Christmas Concert (Dec 19, 20) Celebrate the holidays with Calgary’s own Jann Arden as she puts her unique spin on the classics you know and love, plus her own tried and true hits.

Ongoing…

• Evolution of the Greatest Boy Bands at Stage West Theatre (Nov 7 - Feb 4) This show will recreate music history from the Beatles to The Bee Gees to the New Kids on the Block and finally on to NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.

• Snow Globes at Zoo starts (Nov 17 - Jan 7) This year’s ZOOLIGHTS is welcoming brand-new rentable Snow Globes to make your next romantic date night, girls’ night out, family celebration or other occasion extra special.

• Zoo Lights kicks off (Nov 17 - Jan 7) ZOOLIGHTS is even brighter this year with over one million lights, close to 250 light figures, and an exciting new arctic aurora theme.

• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Musical at Beddington Theatre Arts Centre (Nov 24- Dec 30)  Musical adventure with an out-of-this-world car that flies through the air and sails the seas.

• Once Upon A Christmas at Heritage Park (Nov 25 - Dec 17) Enjoy classic indoor and outdoor Christmas activities with the whole family like horse-drawn wagon rides, visits with Santa, crafts, music, entertainment and more.

• A Christmas to Remember at Granary Road (Nov 25 - Dec 17) Enchanting celebration of the holidays starts in our stunning Market with 40-foot vaulted ceilings, exposed trusses, and lighting.

• Lions Festival of Lights opens (Nov 25 - Jan 8) Brighten lights, hot Chocolate, Ice Sculptures, and Fireworks.

• Polar Express opens (Stettler) (Nov 28 - Dec 23) Each ticket includes a THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride and each passenger is served hot chocolate and a cookie treat by Polar Express Chefs and adults receive a ceramic souvenir Polar Express mug.

• Sleuth opens at Vertigo (Nov 28 - Dec 23) Famed mystery novelist Andrew Wyke lures his wife’s lover to his country home and convinces him to stage a robbery of her jewelry.

• A Christmas Carol at Theatre Calgary (Nov 30 - Dec 31)  A miser with a heart of stone, is visited by three ghosts who confront him with the consequences of his actions.

• University District Holiday Night Market (Nov 30 - Dec 7) The event is free. Entertainment, a chance to shop and support over 35 local vendors.

• Legacy Lights kick-off (Dec 1 - Jan 14) Drive through the community, tour a decorated show home or bundle up and take a walk along the many lit-up streets, parks and through tunnels of lights.

• Santa Visits The CORE at TD SQUARE (Dec 2 - 17) Free photos with Santa. Photos can be taken on your phone for easy sharing with family and friends.

• Glow YYC (Dec 7 - 31) Immerse yourself in the festive ambiance created by over 90,000 square feet of illuminated splendour, with a million twinkling lights illuminating your way.

• Market Collective Holiday (Dec 8 - 17) is a place for local creative entrepreneurs to grow and build their brands.

• The Grinch Visits - The CORE - TD SQUARE (Dec 8 - 15) Free Grinch Photos can be taken on your phone for easy sharing with family and friends.

Where to Eat

If you like eating, this is for you.

• Cinnaholic: Those craving cinnamon buns with all the fixings won’t want to miss out on Cinnaholic. Not only do they have many locations around Calgary but they recently opened a shop in Airdrie as well. Customize your bun with more than 40 toppings!
  

• Sinatras Pizza: Craving New York-style pizza? Look no further. This new and popular pizza joint is located in Killarney and serves up lots of mouth-watering pizza such as the classic pepperoni as well as unique options like Mac Daddy and The Calgarian.

• Village Ice Cream: Craving ice cream with a taste of Christmas? Village Ice Cream has created a bunch of Xmas flavours such as Ferrero Rocher, Bourbon Eggnog, and Apple Cider.

Photo of the Week