Calgary's Culture Days
About Calgary Culture Days
-
A Calgary tradition
Calgary Culture Days has been celebrated since 2014. Each year, more people participate and discover something new about our city, our stories and each other.
Culture Days showcases creatives, community groups and cultural organizations from all backgrounds in celebration of arts and culture in Calgary.
-
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.
-
When it happens
Calgary Culture Days begins on Sept. 1, the same day as Alberta Day, which marks the anniversary of Alberta becoming a province in 1905. Events continue throughout September alongside Alberta Culture Days and line up with national Culture Days, which run from Sept. 19 to Oct. 12.
Funding available for Culture Days initiatives
New for 2025
The Culture Days Microgrant supports 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, the Culture Days Microgrant supports new small-scale initiatives or the enhancement of existing initiatives, offering up to $5,000 per initiative.
Eligible applicants include registered non-profits, charities, Community Associations and Business Improvement Areas.
Applications are now closed
Thank you to everyone who applied. Check back soon to see which initiatives will be supported through this year's microgrant!
Do you have a larger initiative in mind? Check other funding opportunities here.
Initiative ideas
- Adding an extra day or a new initiative to existing programming
- Expanding the footprint of your existing event
- Pop ups (concert, performance, gallery or exhibition, art walk, backstage tour of creative space, etc.)
- Cultural workshops
- Cultural festivals
- Temporary interactive artwork or installation
- Cultural film screening
- and many more!
Highlights from Calgary Culture Days 2024
Enjoy these snapshots of live performances from the 2024 Culture Days Kickoff where Amy Hef, Stephen Fletcher, Daniil and Sashaé brought the street to life with incredible energy and sound.
Culture Days Collaboration
Calgary Culture Days 2024 introduced an exciting partnership between Calgary Opera and two of Calgary’s popular cultural festivals: Taste of Italy and Fiesta Filipino.
This collaboration explored new opportunities for cultural exchange and helped raise awareness of Calgary Opera’s underutilized services. The City of Calgary’s Arts and Culture team facilitated the connection, provided funding to support event delivery, and helped create a more cohesive cultural experience.
The partnership drew more than 87,000 attendees over four days of performances and laid a strong foundation for future collaborations. It demonstrated the power of diverse engagement in shaping a vibrant and inclusive city.
2024 events
Check out what happened in 2024 and get ready — 2025 Culture Days events are just around the corner!
-
Parkdale Petfest
Sep. 7Parkdale Community Association - 3512 5 Ave. N.W.
Free event
-
Rattle the Bones in Dino Park
Sep. 7Capitol Hill Community Association - 1531 21 Ave. N.W.
Free event
-
Ovarian Cancer Walk of Hope
Sep. 8North Glenmore Park - 7305 Crowchild Trail S.W.
Free event
-
Phil in the Park
Sep. 8Prince's Island Park - 698 Eau Claire Ave. S.W.
Paid event
-
Stroll of Poets Festival
Sep. 8Various locations in Inglewood
Free and paid events
-
Taste of Italy
Sep. 8Bridgeland Riverside Community Association - 917 Centre Ave. N.E.
Free event
-
Metis Calgary Family Services Annual Picnic
Sep. 9Elliston Park - 1827 68 St. S.E.
Free event
-
Calgary Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Sep. 10Municipal Building - 800 Macleod Trail S.E.
Free event