Calgary's Culture Days
Discover. Experience. Celebrate. Calgary Culture Days
Calgary Culture Days takes place every September 1 – 30 and is a celebration of local arts, culture and community.
About Calgary Culture Days
Every September, Calgary Culture Days invites people across the city to experience arts and culture in new ways. From attending events to hosting your own, it’s a city‑wide opportunity to celebrate creativity, connection and community — while also making space for reflection and remembrance on Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Arts and culture play an important role in Calgary by bringing people together, supporting local talent and creating spaces where everyone belongs. This adds vibrancy to Calgary and contributes to our local economy.
2026 Cultural Ambassadors
Event calendar
Brightness Shining Forward: Indigenous Futurisms
Celebrate the opening of Brightness Shining Forward: Indigenous Futurisms.
Limber Hollow Open Mic
Join us for open mic! We have an acoustic guitar for anyone to use, an upright piano and a PA system you can plug in to.
Nickle at Noon - Amanda McCavour: From Line to Thread
Amanda McCavour is a Toronto-based artist who works with stitch to create large-scale embroidered installations. Image: Amanda McCavour, Ode to a Prairie (detail), 2019-2022. Image courtesy the artist.
Opening Reception: Bookends exhibition by Elaine Cameron-Weir
Opening reception for the solo-exhibition
When: Sep. 17
Opening Reception - Held. Together.
Features the artwork of Glenna Cardinal, seth cardinal dodginghorse, Dwayne Martineau, Amanda McCavour, and Holly Anghel. Image: Glenna Cardinal, Untitled (detail), 2026. Courtesy the artist.
Contemporary Connections: Punjabi Tour
Contemporary Connections is a guided tour series designed to make art accessible and engaging for diverse communities.
Past events
Sept. 1 to 6 events
- Alberta Day Celebration in Calgary (Aug. 30): Event will feature a kids zone, marketplace vendors, performances on two stages, headliner Kyle McKearney and a drone show.
- Calgary Pride 2026 (Aug. 31 to Sept. 6): Celebrate Pride Week 2026 with a week of events, community gatherings, performances and opportunities to connect across Calgary.
- Contemporary Calgary: Free First Thursday (Sept. 3): Join us for Free First Thursday! Enjoy free admission to the gallery and all-ages art activities from 5-9 p.m.
- Reading with Royalty with Ella Va Nuff & Jeanine Williams (Sept. 3): Join Ella Va Nuff & Jeanine Williams for Reading with Royalty, featuring live readings followed by performances from the queens.
- Fiesta Filipino (Sept. 4 to 7): A vibrant celebration of Filipino culture, diversity and unity through music, food, art, performances and storytelling.
- How To Train Your Dragon 2 in Concert (Sept. 4 and 5): How To Train Your Dragon 2 In Concert features John Powell’s thrilling score performed live to picture by your Calgary Phil.
- Radiance: Queer Joy Screening & Performances (Sept. 4 and 5): EMMEDIA will present short films and performances that highlight the creativity and resilience of our local queer community.
- THE JOCHI'S EXPERIENCE: A LATINX LGBTQ+ CULTURAL EVENT: with Colores Del Alma (Sept. 4): Join Colores del Alma for The Jochi's Experience, a celebration of Latinx LGBTQ+ culture, community and Pride!
- Afro Caribbean Festival (Sept. 5 and 6): Celebrate African & Caribbean culture with music, dance, art, food and more. Unity and diversity in Calgary’s inclusive festival!
- Calgary VegFest (Sept. 5): There will be educational speakers, interactive booths, live music, family-friendly fun and plant-based vendors!
- DRAG ME TO RIVER HALL AGAIN! Hosted by Ofelia Vidal & Crystal Guyser (Sept. 5): We're bringing drag back to the Bow for another night of Pride celebrations + a DJ set from Beyonix!
- Utsav Cultural Fest (Sept. 5): Join the Indian Society of Calgary for one of Calgary’s biggest celebrations — a vibrant afternoon filled with art, culture, music, food and more.
- Wilddogs International Screendance Festival (Sept. 5 and 6): The 7th edition of Wilddogs is celebration of cinema and dance with works from 12 countries.
- Black Pride Festival (Sept. 6): Black Pride Festival celebrates Black queer culture, creativity and community with family fun and an evening celebration.
- Night of Icons hosted by Outcasts Showcase (Sept. 6): All welcome Pride Celebration featuring drag performances, live music, dance and free workshops, plus Easy Days Market!
- Young Hearts, Old Souls: The Vibrant Heart (Sept. 6): Enjoy an open-air Tai Chi workshop designed to promote mental and physical wellness, this session welcomes Calgarians of all ages and mobility levels.
Sept. 7 to 13 events
- Run for Life 2026 (Sept. 6 to 13): Raise awareness for suicide prevention and join us in a journey from darkness into light.
- FascinAsian Film Festival (Sept. 9): Celebrate Culture Days with FascinAsian Film Festival and join us for a screening of The Wedding Banquet, a fresh and heartfelt reimagining of Ang Lee’s beloved classic.
- Chinatown Lantern Festival (Sept. 11): Stroll beneath hundreds of beautiful lanterns hanging throughout the neighbourhood and experience Chinatown transformed into a vibrant celebration of light!
- Cinema on 17th (Sept. 11 to 13): Cinema on 17th returns with 11 free outdoor movies, live entertainment & NEW Saturday Morning Cartoons!
- Dolly Parton's Threads: My Songs in Symphony (Sept. 11): Features Dolly on screen. Celebrate Dolly's greatest hits with your Calgary Phil joined by guest vocalists and musicians.
- Franco Festival Calgary (Sept. 11 and 12): Come celebrate Francophone culture with an open air movie night, music, food, art and more!
- Indonesian X Moonlight Cultural Festival (Sept. 11): A free cultural celebration in Calgary Chinatown featuring Mid-Autumn traditions, food, arts and community experiences.
- 5K Bark-A-Thon 2026 (Sept. 12): 5K run or walk and festival to support Pawsitive Match Rescue Foundation!
- Believe in the Gold — Run for Childhood Cancer (Sept. 12): Join the Run for Childhood Cancer with 1K, 5K and 10K options. Enjoy family fun with bouncy castles, face painting, craftsand more as we come together to support kids fighting cancer.
- East Meets the West: A Unique Fusion of Indigenous and Tribal Art (Sept. 12 and 13): Join the Hindu Heritage Society and enjoy hands-on cultural workshops where you will step into the role of the artist to create your own dream catcher and Warli tribal painting.
- Hong Kong Culture Day 2026 (Sept. 12): Indulge authentic Hong Kong eats and hands-on activities. Bring friends and family for a day by the Bow and Elbow.
- Skyview Ranch Multicultural Summer Festival 2026 (Sept. 12): A vibrant community celebration showcasing the rich cultural diversity.
- Stop Motion Animation Showcase (Sept. 12): A selection of international stop motion shorts, presented by Quickdraw Animation and Eternal Family.
- Zen Garden Festival (Sept. 12): An end-of-summer celebration of music and arts. Join us as we we transform Waterfront Park into 3 lush garden dance floors.
- Art Walk (Sept. 13): An outdoor art gallery and open learning opportunity for artists to share with the community and explore new art skills.
- Cultural Senses of Calgary 2026 (Sept. 13): Free family-friendly multicultural festival filled with educational cultural booths, music, dance, arts, food and performances.
- METIS DOT ART WORKSHOP with Jamie Rozema-Stinson of Michifous Creations (Sept. 13): Get ready to dive into some cool dot art techniques and create your own Metis-inspired masterpiece!
- Phil in the Park (Sept. 13): The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra is pleased to present a free outdoor concert for audiences of all ages and backgrounds!
- Taste of Italy Calgary (Sept. 13): Celebrate Italian culture with authentic food, live music, family fun, contests, local vendors and more at Taste of Italy!
- Young Hearts, Old Souls: The Artistic Soul (Sept. 13): Experience a co-curated exhibition where senior "Old Souls" partner with youth "Young Hearts" to share visual storytelling, traditional artistic techniques and collaborative artwork.
Discover public art in Calgary
Exhibitions, conservation projects and self-guided tours that showcase public art in Calgary.
Calgary Culture Days funding
The Calgary Culture Days Microgrant supports initiatives that activate Calgary’s greater downtown through arts and culture programming during Calgary Culture Days. With $100,000 available, the microgrant supports new small-scale initiatives or helps existing ones grow and add value, offering up to $5,000 per initiative.
Applications for 2026 are now closed.
If you received a microgrant, please submit your final report by Oct. 8, 2026.
Marketing toolkit
Whether you’re a microgrant recipient or hosting an arts and culture event in September, using the Calgary Culture Days logo and promotional tools below helps connect you to the larger celebration and marketing campaign.
Explore how to use these tools: Download the partner promotion guide
