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

  • 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.

  • 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.

Lonny Balbi, Founder of Taste of Italy and a 2025 Calgary Culture Days Ambassador, shares why learning about different cultures matters and how the Taste of Italy connects Calgarians to Italian heritage.

Featured events

Week of Sep. 1

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!

Taste of Italy Calgary

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.

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.

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.

Event calendar

Planning an event in September that celebrate local arts, culture and community spirit?
 
Submit your Calgary Culture Days event


New events added weekly.

Chinatown Lantern Festival

An unforgettable Mid-Autumn Festival evening with stunning lantern displays, vibrant local vendors and delicious eats from the best food trucks.

When: Sep. 12
Where: West side of Chinese Cultural Centre (2nd Ave. S.W. and Daqing Square)

Chinatown Lantern Festival

Cinema on 17th

Cinema on 17th is a one-of-a-kind, interactive outdoor movie experience featuring 10 blockbusters.

When: Sep. 12 to 14
Where: Tomkins Park

Cinema on 17th

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.

Greatest Nigerian Classics Orchestra Concert

Greatest Nigerian Classics is a jazz orchestral performance to celebrate the music of Nigeria’s music legends.

Kiitaamoko O’passkaan Powwow

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.

Run for Life

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.

When: Sep. 13
Where: Edworthy Park

Run for Life

Rust and Bone (2012) Film Screening

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.

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!

Past events

Aug. 29 to Sep. 1 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. 

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.

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