What to do this winter in Calgary? Your options are many. There is ample opportunity to get outside and enjoy the fresh winter air not only in the city but also with the help of the nearby Rockies.
Keep yourself busy this winter by snow tubing, ice biking, snowshoeing, or brush up on older skills like skating, skiing, or snowboarding. You can do many of these winter activities in Calgary and the nearby foothill/mountain areas.
But it isn’t all snow, ice, and outdoor recreation for things to do in Calgary this winter; you can also mark your calendar for a few different winter-themed festivals in the city. Many happen downtown or in part with other winter festivals around Calgary.
I. Outdoor Winter Recreation in Calgary
1. King Penguin Walk
Watch as many as 12 king penguins waddle the Calgary Zoo grounds as part of their daily enrichment walk. The activity is weather dependent so you should check Calgary Zoo’s website before visiting.
When: Jann 13 to Mid March 2024
Where: Calgary Zoo, 210 St. George’s Drive NE, Calgary
How much: Zoo Admission
2. Calgary Polar Dips
Don quirky costumes and brave icy waters in the Calgary Icebreaker Polar Dip and Calgary Polar Plunge. The events raise funds and awareness for the SA Foundation’s fight against human trafficking and the Special Olympics.
When:
Calgary Icebreaker Polar Dip – Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 1p.m.
Calgary Polar Plunge – February 24, 2024 at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Mahogany Home Owner’s Beach Club, 29 Masters Park Southeast, Calgary
Calgary Polar Plunge — Arbour Lake, 12 Arbour Lake Dr. NW, Calgary
How much: $50 to $150
3. Ice Biking
Skating around Bowness Park is a popular winter activity in Calgary for all ages- and now you can rent Ice Bikes to take out on the city pond! These devices get you to pedal while sitting, like on a regular bike, with the front being two skate blades and the rear sitting on a bike tire. You can rent them for the whole family or have a few people try them while others skate around.
Where: Bowness Park
How much: $30 min $12/1hr $20
4. Winter Walks with a Warm Drink
It is a colder winter so far in Calgary, but if you’re still looking to get out for some exercise, all you need is a warm drink! Take a winter walk through some of these Calgary neighbourhoods for winter scenery, hot/cozy drinks, and photo ops:
- Baya Rica Café (204 7a St NE, Calgary) and Tom Campbell’s Hill (25 St Georges Dr NE, Calgary)
- Hutch Café (795 1 Ave SW, Calgary) and Eau Claire/Prince’s Island Park
- Monogram Coffee (4814 16 St SW, Calgary) and Sandy Beach Park (4500 14a St SW, Calgary)
- Friends Cappuccino Bar & Bake Shop (45 Edenwold Dr NW #104, Calgary) and Nose Hill Park (5620 14 St NW, Calgary)
5. Outdoor Skating
Calgary has many outdoor skating options from which to choose, and all of them provide a bit of a different skating experience. Bonus: all of them are free to use, too! You can skate under the downtown lights at Olympic Plaza; you can skate along the trail created in Glenmore Park; or you can skate the many frozen and city-maintained ponds around Calgary.
When: all winter
How Much: free
6. WinSport/Canada Olympic Park
There are several ways to have fun this winter with WinSport: you can brush up on ski or snowboard skills before hitting the mountains, slide down their Tube Park, and relax at the end of your day with a drink and meal at the restaurant and cafe.
When: hill open for the winter
Where: WinSport at Canada Olympic Park – 88 Canada Olympic Rd SW, Calgary
How much: Tube Park – Regular ticket: $29
Servus Tube Park Friday : $18
Ski hill – $79 per full day per adult; $69 per four hour per adult
7. Cross-country Skiing
The groomed cross-country skiing trails in Calgary extend to all different corners of the city. These include both sections of Glenmore Park, and Bowness Park, where you could also go for a skate. The other trails are on some of Calgary’s golf courses. Are you new to the sport? You can rent cross-country skis and poles from the University of Calgary’s pro shop.
Trails
- Bowness Park
- Confederation Golf Course
- Lakeview Golf Course
- Maple Ridge Golf Course
- North & South Glenmore Park
- Shaganappi Point Golf Course
- EV Nordic Loop
8. Fat Biking
Cycle around Calgary this winter with ease! Fat biking is one of the easiest ways to get some exercise over winter, and rentals are available if you don’t have your bike with fat tires. You can typically bike around the trails normally open in summer for biking. But with these tires, you can also venture out onto frozen ponds and rinks, when permitted.
9. Sledding and Tobogganing
A family-friendly, fun afternoon is free and easy with Calgary’s many wicked toboggan hills. Some of the runs on the hills are smaller and better suited to younger kids, while others are a bit steeper and better for older kids. There are several hills in each city quadrant, including popular ones like Confederation Park, Marlborough Park, Stanley Park, and Mackenzie Towne.
10. Snowshoeing
Anywhere you can go for a hike in Calgary, you can also go for a winter snowshoe hike. You may even be able to explore more than usual with a pair of snowshoes on, as they can traverse deep snow a lot better than winter boots can. There are even a few different places in Calgary for renting snowshoes.
Rentals:
- Sports Rent, 4424 16th Ave NW, Calgary
- AQ Outdoors, 5063 11st Street SE, Calgary
- U of C Outdoor Centre
II. Winter Festivals
50+ Events & Festivals to Attend During Winter 2024 in Calgary
1. High Performance Rodeo
One Yellow Rabbit presents the High Performance Rodeo, an international festival of live art. It’s a chance for Calgarians to watch touring performances from across Canada, acclaimed international shows and new and experimental work from artists here at home. The programming is bold, cutting-edge, funny, frank and full of heart. From theatre to dance, music to film, free lunchtime concerts and last-night cabarets, there’s something for everyone.
When: January 15 to February 4, 2024
Where: Various Venues, Calgary
How much: Mostly free
2. BIG Winter Classic
Music Festival. Lineup: Vundabar / Geese / Battles / Debby Friday / Sunny War / Meule / DJ Nu Mark / Waahli / Napolean Skywalker / Bry Webb / Hot Garbage / Dave Hill (Comedy) / Alex Nicol / The Jins / Barry Paquin Roberge / Making Movies / B.A Johnston / Vox Rea / Sunglaciers / The Hi-Tops / Nyssa and many more!
When: January 24 to 28, 2024
Where: Various Venues, Calgary
How much: $27 – $112
3. YYC Hot Chocolate Fest
Throughout the month of February, participating cafes and restaurants will feature signature hot chocolate drinks created especially for this friendly competition. Proceeds from each drink will benefit Calgary Meals on Wheels, and customer online votes will decide which vendor will win the coveted title of Calgary’s “Best Hot Chocolate.”
When: February 1-29, 2024
Where: Various Venues, Calgary
How much: Varies
4. Chinook Blast
A good part of winter can be spent in downtown Calgary under the Chinook Blast. The month-long festival celebrates everything winter with skating, live music, and interactive art installations. There are various shows at various nearby venues to which you can get tickets in advance.
When: February 2 to 19, 2024
Where: Across Calgary
How much: Mostly free
5. Nitrocross: Calgary
Cars will battle on snow and ice, creating dramatic moments and compelling visuals that will resonate both in the stands and on screen. With its unique open paddock layout, located inside the adjacent Nutrien Western Event Centre, Nitro Rallycross will offer fans an immersive atmosphere where they can get a behind-the-scenes look at the teams, drivers and cars.
When: February 2 & 3, 2024
Where: GMC Stadium, 1410 Olympic Way SE, Calgary
How much: $17.5 – $150 & up
6. YYC Hot Chocolate Fest
February in Calgary is when all the local cafes and restaurants get together to compete for the title of Calgary’s best hot chocolate. Part of the proceeds of all hot chocolate sales during the event go to Meals on Wheels, providing even more motivation to get out and taste. There are tons of places where you can try hot chocolate, with possibly more to come.
When: February 1-28, 2023
Where: various locations
How much: free
7. Winefest Calgary
With hundreds of wines, of varying styles and flavours, and a range of delicious hors d’oeuvres, there is something for everyone at Winefest. Enjoy a variety of red, white, port, sparkling, and dessert wines (and more) from the world’s most celebrated wine regions, and pair them with a selection of sweet and savoury decadent bites.
When: March 1 & 2, 2024
Where: BMO Centre, 20 Roundup Way SE, Calgary
How much: $110 & up
III. The Rocky Mountains in a Day
1. A Mountain Soak
There are two locations where you can head for a day trip and an outdoor soak in the Rockies: the Banff Upper Hot Springs and the Kananaskis Nordic Spa. To visit the Nordic Spa, book your spot in advance online. Entry in Banff is first-come first-served.
Where: Banff Upper Hot Springs
2. Skiing and Snowboarding
Lucky for Calgary, world-class downhill skiing and snowboarding is just short drive west. Between Kananaskis, Canmore, and Banff, there are several options for mountain rides this winter and a fun day trip/escape from the city.
- Nakiska, Canmore
- Sunshine Village
- Mount Norquay Ski Resort
- Lake Louise Ski Resort
3. Ice Climbing and Ice Walk Tours
Take in a unique winter adventure west of Calgary through the various guided ice walks and canyon tours. White Mountain offers guided hikes through Johnston Canyon, Grotto Canyon, and a snowshoe tour through Sunshine Meadows. The Bow Valley Canyon tours are a bit more in-depth of an adventure and take you down a slot canyon frozen mid-stream.
4. Dogsledding Tours
See the Rocky Mountain vistas from views you can only access with a dogsled! These popular tours are offered by a few different dogsled operators in Banff and Canmore, and you can choose from 1.5 hour, half-day, full-day, and multi-day adventures.
5. Ride the Banff Gondola/Nightrise
You can choose to ride the Banff Gondola as normal this winter, and cruise up to the mountain top under blue skies. Or you can purchase tickets to their Nightrise Event which includes an impressive nigh time light display. There are also a few dining options at the summit site, and the top site.
When: all winter
Where: Regular Admission
How much: the end of Mountain Avenue (accessed from Banff Avenue), Banff
6. Banff Snow Days
Banff and Lake Louise come alive with the annual Snowdays celebration. The streets of downtown Banff transform into larger-than-life winter galleries with giant snow sculptures to be found throughout; the Snowdays Play Zone comes alive in the heart of Banff, and specialty cocktails and menus can be found at an array of restaurants for the Tribute Craft Spirits Festival.
When: January 19 – February 4, 2024
Where: Various Venues, Banff
IV. Winter Date Ideas Calgary
1. Mirror Mirror by Moment Factory
Explore ‘Mirror Mirror’ on a date, a mesmerizing world by Moment Factory at CF Chinook Centre. Wander through interactive art, from the memory-illuminated ‘Memory Storage’ to the reflective maze of ‘Forest of Echoes.’ Dance across the musical ‘River of Now’ and unveil your future in ‘Mirrors of Tomorrow.’ A perfect blend of light, sound, and shared discovery.
When: February 2 – March 31 2024
Where: CF Chinook Centre, 6455 Macleod Trail, Calgary
2. Romantic Staycation
A romantic getaway doesn’t actually have to be away; you can get away for an overnight date in Calgary with the help of these hotel deals. These are date night and romance packages which include some bubbly and strawberries, food credits for hotel restaurants, and other enhancements.
- Le Germain Hotel
- Ramada Plaza
- Grey Eagle Resort & Casino
- 25 Alberta Hotels & Resorts Offering Valentine’s Day Staycation Packages
- 15 Short Term Rentals For a Romantic Winter Getaway in Alberta
3. Visit the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary
An overly adorable date can be made from the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary where you get to be interactive and close with the cuties. There are three experiences you can book with the wolfdogs, including a Sanctuary Walk, and Intro Tour, and an Interactive Tour.
When: all winter
Where: 263156 Range Rd 53, Rocky View County
How much: Walk: General: $29 per person
Youth (6-11yrs): $18 per person
Interactive Tour $69 per person
4. Get Cozy Around a Fire
Several fire pits and picnic areas are available for reservation this winter through the City of Calgary. You can pick a spot nice and close to a public rink or hill and set up a warm place to relax after skating, sledding, skiing, or ice biking. All you need is an online reservation at one of many parks, and your own firewood!
5. Shop the Year-Round Markets
Thankfully, farmer’s markets still operate during the colder months in Calgary. You can kill an afternoon together at any of these markets. Browse handmade goods, stock up on fresh groceries, and taste the various food trucks and vendors. Calgary’s year-round markets include the Calgary Farmer’s Market, the Crossroads Market, Hillhurst Sunnyside Farmer’s Market, and the Symons Valley Ranch Market Store.