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 spirit.
About Calgary Culture Days
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A Calgary tradition
Calgary Culture Days has been recognized since 2014. Each year, more people participate and discover something new about our city, our stories and each other. It’s an opportunity to showcase creatives, community groups and cultural organizations from all backgrounds, sharing diverse expressions of arts and culture in Calgary.
Calgary Culture Days also includes moments of remembrance. We commemorate Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by highlighting events that honour residential school victims, survivors and their families, while encouraging meaningful learning and dialogue.
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Why it matters
Arts and culture are at the heart of what makes Calgary a vibrant, welcoming city. They spark creativity, connect communities and breathe life into our neighbourhoods. From murals and music to film, festivals, and food — culture is everywhere.
Arts and culture creates jobs, attracts visitors and helps grow our local economy. Most importantly, arts and culture help us feel like we belong by sharing our stories and celebrating what makes each of us unique.
Featured events
Week of Sep. 15
Event calendar
New events added weekly.
Influential: Celebrating Katie Ohe
INFLUENTIAL features work by Herringer Kiss Gallery Artists who have been taught, mentored or inspired by the work and life of Katie Ohe.
Unity in Diversity: Decade of Art & Healing Art Exhibition
A decade of art and healing hybrid art exhibition of emerging and professional artists.
Unity in Diversity: A Month of Cultural Celebration
Unity in Diversity is a weekly September festival celebrating the cultures of Hong Kong, China, Korea and South Asia with food tastings, traditional performances, live music and hands-on art activities.
When: Sep. 6, 13, 20, 27
Sacred Defenders of the Universe - Digital Immersion Experience
Sacred Defenders of the Universe is a graphic novel adventure that comes to life as a sensory experience for all ages.
Opening Night: Katie Ohe Public Art Exhibition
Come celebrate Katie Ohe's art and the preservation of one of her beloved sculptures in a rare Devonian Gardens exhibition.
Cirque Du Soleil - The Science of Cirque
Join Spark in partnership with Cirque du Soleil for The Science of Cirque - learn the science of juggling and contortionists!
The People and the Lodge Art Exhibition
This exhibition brings together artists from across First Nations whose works are rooted in tradition, cultural identity and connection to the land. The People and the Lodge re-asserts cultural symbols of dance and the lodge, often misused in mass‑produced art and restores them through authentic cultural specificity and fresh perspectives.
When: Sep. 18 to Dec. 16
Calgary International Film Festival
The Calgary International Film Festival is a celebration of the finest local, national and international cinema.
Celebration of Indigenous Culture & Community
Celebrate Indigenous culture and community with an art market, open house, food trucks and traditional dancing, drumming and singing.
Past events
Aug. 29 to 31 events
- Fiesta Filipino (Aug. 29 to Sep. 1): A vibrant celebration of Filipino culture, diversity and unity through music, food, art, performances and storytelling.
- Music on the Ave (Aug. 30): The City of Calgary invites you to kick off Culture Days by enjoying the sounds of local live music on Stephen Ave starting at noon. Featuring performances by Amy Hef, Stephen Fletcher, Tayo G and Robert Adam.
- Alberta Day at Heritage Park (Aug. 31): Celebrate Alberta Day with Heritage Park and the Government of Alberta! Enjoy family-friendly entertainment, live music, activities and more in celebration of Alberta’s community, culture and heritage.
Sep. 1 to 7 events
- First Free Thursday - Contemporary Calgary (Sep. 4): Join Contemporary Calgary for Free First Thursday: Brazilian Night! Enjoy an night of live entertainment and art!
- SYNTHONY: EDM Meets Orchestra (Sep. 5): Get your rave on in an orchestral show like no other! Your Calgary Phil brings its grand sound to the Big Four as the Orchestra — plus DJs, vocalists and immersive visuals.
- Afro Caribbean Festival YYC (Sep. 6 & 7): Celebrate African & Caribbean culture with music, dance, art, food & more. Unity and diversity in Calgary’s inclusive festival!
- LOOP&PARALLEL - KOAC 4th Annual Fall Fundraiser (Sep. 6): Experience an evening of vibrant contemporary art and community at KOAC’s annual fall fundraiser and exhibition - featuring art, auction and celebration in the sculpture park.
- Summer Series: The School's Back Party (Sep. 6): The Summer Series School's Back Party is free one-day festival in Capitol Hill featuring an array of all-ages entertainment.
- Calgary Harmony: Traditional Chinese Art & Craft Showcase (Sep. 7): Experience the timeless beauty of Chinese culture through a captivating display of traditional antique paintings, intricate origami and handcrafted cultural art.
- Heritage for Harmony (Sep. 7): Presented by the Hindu Heritage Society, enjoy face painting, mehandi, a Garba dance workshop and more!
- Hoy Sun Best Voice Singing Competition (Sep. 7): Experience Chinese Hoy Sun culure through a singing competition, cooking workshop and board games from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Joyland Film Screening + Panel Discussion (Sep. 7): A community led screening and panel discussion of the award-winning Pakistani film Joyland about queer love. An exploration of identity, desire and family expectations.
- Ovarian Cancer Canada's Walk of Hope (Sep. 7): The Walk of Hope is the only walk in the country dedicated to working towards a future in which ovarian cancer is eradicated.
- Phil in the Park (Sep. 7): Enjoy a free community concert with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Resident Conductor Juliane Gallant, featuring classical favourites, show tunes, pops and local food trucks to bid farewell to summer.
- Taste of Italy (Sep. 7): Celebrate Italian culture with food, music, dance and contests! Taste of Italy showcases local Italian businesses and brings a true taste of Italy to Calgary.
Sep. 8 to 14 events
- FascinAsian Film Festival and CBC Asian Changemaker Presentation (Sep. 10): Enjoy an evening with 2025 CBC Asian Changemakers and a free film screening of Nice Indian Boy.
- A House of Story: Pop-Up Exhibit & Speaker Series (Sep. 11): Join us for a pop-up exhibit and speaker series centred around housing and the meaning of home!
- TapTalks | Want to Live on Mars? What Martian Rocks Tell Us About Life in Space (Sep. 11): TapTalks is a speaker series that brings Calgary’s brightest minds together. Join us for a fascinating talk on what Martian rocks reveal about the Red Planet’s habitability and what it means for the future of life beyond Earth.
- Alberta Culture Days & Mid-Autumn Festival (Sep. 12 & 13): Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Enjoy a vibrant vendor market, Chinese and international foods, live performances and festive lanterns for all to enjoy!
- Chinatown Lantern Festival (Sep. 12): An unforgettable Mid-Autumn Festival evening with stunning lantern displays, vibrant local vendors and delicious eats from the best food trucks.
- Cinema on 17th (Sep. 12 – 14): Cinema on 17th is a one-of-a-kind, interactive outdoor movie experience featuring 10 blockbusters.
- Emí Laará: Little stories to dream (Sep. 13): Emí Laará is a film & storytelling journey where gods, rituals and magical creatures come alive Celebrating Afro-Cuban culture & dreams.
- Greatest Nigerian Classics Orchestra Concert (Sep. 13): Greatest Nigerian Classics is a jazz orchestral performance to celebrate the music of Nigeria’s music legends.
- Kiitaamoko O’passkaan Powwow (Sep. 13): Inn from the Cold is proud to host their third annual Kiitaamoko O’passkaan Powwow. This high-energy event and community celebration showcases vibrant Indigenous culture, song and dance.
- Mahogany Culturefest (Sep. 13): Celebrate diversity at Mahogany Culturefest! This family-friendly event will feature cultural performances, live music, food trucks, artisan vendors, crafts and more.
- Run for Life (Sep. 13): Join Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta and Centre for Suicide Prevention on a journey from darkness into light to remember loved ones lost to suicide and raise awareness for prevention.
- Rust and Bone (2012) Film Screening (Sep. 14): Enjoy a screening of Rust and Bone (2012) as part of the Perspective Film Series, directed by Jacques Audiard, where the dramatic story of a former boxer who forms an unexpected bond with a killer whale trainer after a life-altering accident unfolds.
Calgary Culture Days funding
This year, we introduced the Calgary Culture Days Microgrant to support community-led initiatives that help activate Calgary’s greater downtown through free or low-cost arts and culture programming during the month of September.
With a total of $100,000 in available funding for 2025, the Calgary Culture Days Microgrant supported new small-scale initiatives or the enhancement of existing ones, offering up to $5,000 per initiative.
Applications are now closed
Thank you to everyone who applied. You can see the supported initiatives in our events calendar.
Do you have a larger initiative in mind? Check other funding opportunities here.