Calgary
Credit: Heritage Park Calgary
Victoria Day/ May long Weekend activities in and around Calgary including free, fun family & kids’ activities, live music, theatre & performing arts, sports and exhibitions: May 17 to 20, 2019
You may like:
I. Family Fun Activities
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers™
ACADEMY AWARD®-winning Composer Howard Shore’s score to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring introduced audiences to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth and its resident cultures. In the saga’s second chapter, The Two Towers, the world has darkened, cloaked beneath the advancing shadow of Mordor and the threat of the evil One Ring.
May 17-19, 2019
Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary
$25 to $100 + Applicable charges
Calgary Serbian Fest
Join the Calgary-Serbian community as they entertain, feed and wow you with fantastic cultural and sports events during the May long weekend. This spectacular event will feature a broad entertaining program showcasing some of the best cultural dances, cuisine, sports and displays that the Serbian community has to offer. Details
May 18 & 19, 2019 | 11AM – 5PM
16025 243 Ave E, De Winton
$5; Under 10: free
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High River Little Britches Weekend
Round up your cow pokes and come-on-down to enjoy one of Canada’s most unique rodeos, plus a jam-packed roster of events including the 61st Annual Little Britches parade. The Little Britches rodeo is one of the main attractions, where kids can practice their cowboy moves in challenges such as calf roping, sheep riding and barrel busting. A music festival, and “A taste of High River” event for food lovers rounds out the weekend’s festivities! Details
May 17 to 18, 2019
High River Rodeo Grounds, Foothills No. 31
Free
Science Odyssey
Science Odyssey is a ten-day national campaign that celebrates Canadian achievements in science, technology, engineering and math. Every year in May, hundreds of science outreach leaders deliver fun, engaging and inspiring activities to Canadians of all ages. Details
May 10 to 19, 2019
Various Venues, Calgary
Free & Ticketed events
Baby Animal Festival
Spring is the perfect time to meet our new baby animals and explore all the great attractions at the Calgary Corn Maze & Fun Farm. During this event you can interact with all of our baby barnyard animals, including miniature horses, donkeys, lambs, goats, rabbits, piglets, ducklings, chicks, calves, and kittens, plus get to meet our Spring babies (now all grown up) from previous years too! Details
May 18 to 20 | 10 AM to 4:30 PM
Calgary Corn Maze, 284022 Township Road 224, Calgary
$16.95 to $18.95
Calaway Park Opening Weekend
This will be a weekend at Calaway Park you do not want to miss! Calaway Park will be kicking off its 38th season of family fun! Experience Bumble Blast, Calaway Park’s New Ride! Journey along a figure- eight track as this family fun ride spins. Bumble Blast seats passengers back-to-back in their own cars and can easily accommodate adults as well as children. Details
May 18th to 20th | 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Calaway Park
245033 Range Rd. 33, Calgary
Regular Admission
Meet the Baby Roos!
Welcome the newest members of the Cobb’s Bennett’s Wallabies mob. Be the first to meet, pet and hold our brand new baby kangaroos and wallabies! They are adorable and can hardly wait to meet you!
May 18 to 20 | 11 AM to 5 PM
Cobb’s Corn Maze & Family Fun Park
1500 84 Street N.E., Calgary
$18.00
Opening Weekend Heritage Park
Celebrate the long weekend by stepping back in time. Enjoy a different experience every day. Take a tour back in time on a horse-drawn wagon ride, play traditional Aboriginal games in the First Nations’ Encampment and pick up a freshly baked cheese bun from the Alberta Bakery. Details
May 18 to 20 | 10:00 Am to 05:00 PM
Heritage Park Historic Village, Calgary
Regular Admission
Spring Festival
Join us to Welcome Spring through Activities, Games & Farm Friends Details
Saturday, May 18, 2019 | 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Sunday, May 19, 2019 | 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Granary Road
226066 112th St W MD of Foothills, Calgary
Regular Admission
Iron Horse Park Opening
Come and experience an interpretive journey on the 1.6 km of track which is currently operational. Another 0.5 km of track was also completed in 2016 and will occasionally be available on public run days. Details
Sunday, May 19, 2019 | 11:00AM to 4:00PM
Iron Horse Park
820 Railway Gate SW Airdrie
$3.00
Monday Mornings on the Moyie
Take in a spectacular view with a continental breakfast on the S.S. Moyie dock, then set sail on the first cruise of the day. Details
Monday, May 20, 2019 | 9:15 AM to 11:00 AM
Heritage Park Historic Village, Calgary
Adults: $15.95
Children (ages 3 – 11): $11.95
The Three Little Pigs and B.B. Wolfe
Since the dawn of time, audiences have agreed that the Three Little Pigs were totally right to refuse entrance to the wolf in order to keep the hairs on their chinny chin chins intact. But in this timely environmental twist on the classic tale, the huffing and puffing threatening houses isn’t coming from a wolf. And the wolf is neither big nor bad, but rather brainy and bashful.
A slapstick musical theatre romp for young audiences by award-winning Alberta playwright, Jana O’Connor. Details
Monday, May 20, 2019 | 1:00 PM & 03:00 PM
Evergreen Community SPACES#2, 1709 8 Avenue Northeast, Calgary
Free
You may like:
Other Activities
1. Movies
Family Favourites Cineplex: Visit participating Cineplex theatres near you and watch a family favourite film each week for only $2.99. | Saturdays at 11:00 AM
2. Circus! Science Under the Big Top
Come one, come all and discover the science behind circus!
Relive those fond circus memories from the smell of sweet cotton candy to the talented sideshow performers! Get ready to discover the scientific secrets behind this nostalgic experience for fascinated kids of all ages. February 2 – June 9, 2019 @ Telus Spark, 220 St. George’s Drive NE, calgary
3. The Frog Prince
Hector the frog is the royal court jester for the evil Queen Helga. When Queen Helga’s daughter Joy finds out that Hector used to be a Prince, until an evil witch cast a spell on him, she reaches out to him to find a way to change him back! A family friendly musical adventure about love, finding yourself, friendship and dreaming big. Saturdays, May 4 to June 8, 2019 | 11:00 AM @ Stage West Theatre Restaurants, 727 – 42 Avenue SE
II. Live Music
EDM/Concert Tours
- Divas – A Night at the Opera on Monday May 13, 2019 | 07:30 PM – 09:30 PM @ Calgary Central Library Patricia A. Whelan Perfromance Hall, 800 3 St SE, Calgary
- Twenty One Pilots on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 | 7:00 PM @ Scotiabank Saddledome
- Karl Hirzer with Allyson Hop on Thursday, May 16 | 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm @ Studio Bell
- Harrison Kennedy on Friday, May 17, 2019 | 08:00 PM @ King Eddy
- Field Trip With Guests TKO + Marc Thomas on Friday, May 17, 2019 | 09:30 PM @ The Hifi Club
- Jenn Grant on Saturday, May 18 | 8:00 PM @ Studio Bell
- Lost Frequencies on Sunday, May 19, 2019 | 9:00 PM @ Commonwealth Bar
- Souls in Rhythm, The Rondel Roberts Band, Vincelin, Kate Stevens on Sunday, May 19, 2019 | 8:00 PM @ The Palace Theatre
- NEEDTOBREATHE: Acoustic Live Tour on Monday, May 20, 2019 | 7:00 PM @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Dos Cantaores ~ Una Guitarra
Spanish Flamenco Singer Celedonio Garrido will be performing alongside vocalist Silvia Temis and guitarist Tosh Hayashi . The combination of two flamenco voices is a rare and wonderful treat. Come experience Andalucian singer Celedonio Garrido, Mexican singer Silvia Temis, and Andalucia-trained Canadian flamenco guitarist Tosh Hayashi as they take you on an intimate journey through some of Spain’s most beautiful flamenco song forms. Details
May 16 & 17 | 8:00 PM
Loft 112
112, 535 8 Ave. SE, Calgary
$25
Canadian Bandurist Capella
Ukrainian Canadians have a story to tell. Like storytelling minstrels of old, the Canadian Bandurist Capella lets its voices and the strings of the bandura bring the rich musical story of Ukrainian Canadians to life. “Crossroads,” conceived and arranged by the Capella’s new artistic director Julian Kytasty, is a story of journeys, a story of roads that brought us here, roads leading into the future and connecting to the past, of crossroads that form the lattice of a culture spanning centuries and continents. Details
Saturday, May 18, 2019 | 07:00 PM – 09:00 PM
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall,206 University Ct NW, Calgary
$24.30-$35.20
Stampede City Sessions
The Royal Foundry performs at the Webber Academy as part of the Stampede City Sessions Live Music Broadcast Series. Stampede City Sessions offer live music fans an intimate performance with artists on the rise, and it offers the artists the chance to play a full-length concert and have a one-hour TV music special. The series airs on KSPS Public Television, East Tennessee PBS and WKNO Memphis PBS. Each event includes two live performances and broadcast tapings. Details
Saturday, May 18, 2019 | 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Webber Academy Performing Arts Centre – 1515 93 St SW, Calgary
$15-$20
III. Theatre & Performing Arts
- Theatre Guide
- Professor Brian Cox – Universal on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 | 8:00 PM @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
- Sin & Gin Soiree Cabaret — Queens, Kings & Jokers / BHOF Judith Stein on Sunday, May 19, 2019 | 07:30 PM-09:30 PM @ Mikey’s on 12th
Hamlet Frequency
Hamlet has never ceased pacing his way through time towards our 21st Century imagination and we follow him still, one step after another to the inexorable end and all that blood. Meet Hamlet and the rest of the family; mysterious, and mystified, murderous and murdered, still wandering the halls of the theatres that play them.
May 16 to 25, 2019
Studio – Vertigo Theatre, 115 9 Ave SE, Calgary
$25 to $35
The Invisible- Agents of Ungentlemanly Warfare
Europe, 1939. Adolf Hitler’s armies are conquering nation after nation, and in the face of the Nazi threat, Canadian millionaire William Stephenson convinces Churchill and Roosevelt to combine forces in a joint covert effort. Stephenson assembles an elite team of spies, including the unlikeliest of agents: six irrepressible young women. THE INVISIBLE- AGENTS OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE is their story
May 11 – June 9, 2019
Vertigo Theatre, 115 9 Ave SE, Calgary
$29 to $62 + charges
Common Ground
Join us at the Pumphouse Theatre and see the most exciting new works from the freshest emerging artists the city has to offer!! Every night has three different shows and no two nights are the same!
May 17th to 25th, 2019
Pumphouse Theatre
2140 Pumphouse Ave SW
$15 – $40
SISTER ACT: The Musical
When disco diva, Deloris Van Cartier, witnesses a murder, she is put in protective custody in the one place the cops are sure she won’t be a found: a convent! Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with both the rigid lifestyle and uptight Mother Superior. Using her unique disco moves and singing talent to inspire the choir, Deloris breathes new life into the church and community but, in doing so, blows her cover.
May 17 to June 8, 2019
Beddington Heights Theatre, 375 Bermuda Drive NW, Calgary
$24 – $29
YYComedy Festival 2019
With Steve Patterson, Jann Arden, Naomi Snieckus, James Mullinger, Eman El-Husseini, Jess Salomon, Charles Demers, Derek Seguin and more.
May 20 to 25, 2019
THE GRAND
608 1st St. SW, Calgary
$25
Menopause The Musical
Laugh Out Loud comedy staged to 25 classic hits of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.Come see what millions of women have been laughing, cheering and raving about for years! Set in a department store, four women with nothing in common but a black lace bra… come to realize they have more to share than ever imagined. The All-Star Canadian cast makes fun of their hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, wrinkle, not enough sex, too much sex, chocolate binges and a whole lot more!
May 16 to 18, 2019
Martha Cohen Theatre, Arts Commons, Calgary
$55.50 – $87.00
IV. Sports & Related Events
Cavalry FC
vs. FC Edmonton. Join us for the third home game of the inaugural season of Cavalry FC.
Saturday, May 18, 2019 | 4:00 PM
Spruce Meadows — 18011 Spruce Meadows Way SW, Calgary
Bow Valley Classic I
EC and Wild Rose AEF Sanctioned Tournament.
Visitors of all ages are welcome to come out and enjoy all that the park has to offer. Take a stroll around the grounds and watch riders as they compete at each level of the sport.
May 17 to 19, 2019
Rocky Mountain Show Jumping, 1405 226 Ave, Foothills No 31
Victoria Day Tweed Ride
What the tweed ride is, is a casual, ~10-15km ride around Calgary’s inner city where participants are encouraged to dress in tweed or vintage and by doing so may even win a prize, like a Brooks saddle
Monday, May 20, 2019 | 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Lougheed House, 707 13th Avenue SW Calgary
V. Exhibitions, Festivals & Other Events
Otafest 2019
Otafest is a 3-day Japanese Cultural and Animation Festival. Check out over 100 hours of programming facilitated by fans, members of our community, special guests, and staff, our huge Exhibitor Hall and Artist Alley for amazing art and merchandise, autograph signings, guest meet & greets, concerts, photo booth, videos and more!
May 17 – 19, 2019
Calgary Telus Convention Centre
120 9 Ave SE, Calgary
$25 to $35
Happenings Adult Late Night
This late night art-party takes its cues from the Surrealist and Dadaist events of the 1940’s and is tailored to adults with an appetite for the unusual. A combination of performances, music, and art-activations transform the Engineered Air Theatre into an all-night party. Audiences are encouraged to take-in the buffet of art-offerings until they’re ready to burst. Details
Friday, May 17, 2019 | 08:00 PM – 11:59 PM
Engineered Air Theatre
234 9 Ave SE, Calgar
Free
Stephen Ave Omatsuri
Catch live music & J-Pop Idol dance performances in the sun, or drive like Luigi in live action Mario Kart races! Otafest is also pleased to offer a variety of complimentary family friendly entertainment, including children’s crafts, games, face-painting and a photo booth! Starting at 5pm we’ll be hosting an open-air Japanese Festival style omatsuri! Dance the night away to the drums of the Rocky Mountain Taiko Ensemble, or catch Yosakoi Soran Calgary Yosoca 夜奏華! Details
Saturday, May 18 | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Stephen Avenue Walk
Free
Authentically Indigenous Spring-time Craft Show & Market
Authentically Indigenous – features 30+ unique Indigenous Artist Vendors from the Calgary and Treaty 7 area of Southern Alberta. Handmade Crafts, Art, Jewelry, Prepared Food & More.
Saturday, May 18, 2019 | 10 AM to 5 PM
Kerby Centre Gym 1133 7 Ave. SW Calgary
$2
Community Cleanup
Get ready for summer and spruce up your home.
There are few community cleanups scheduled by City of Calgary in select communities this long weekend.
The organized Community Cleanup events save residents a trip to the landfill for items that do not fit in their waste and recycling carts or for residents who do not have cart service. This service is free of charge to all Calgarians.
May 18 & 19, 2019
Various Communities
Free
Soirée in The Valley
Enjoy the night sky and the beauty of your surroundings, while we serve you and your closest loved ones an elegant 4 course meal, wine and/or champagne. Our weather protective Garden Domes comfortably sit 4-6 guests! Culinary experience expertly crafted by Chef Daryl Kerr alongside Chef Jenny Kang of Bow Valley Ranche Restaurant.
May 1 to May 31 | 3 seatings nightly 5PM, 7PM or 9PM.
Bow Valley Ranche Restaurant
Fish Creek Provincial Park, Calgary
$147 & up
YYC Vegan Week
Hosted by VegFest Calgary, YYC Vegan Week is a chance for restaurants and patrons alike to experience the rapidly growing plant-based global movement.
May 19 to 25, 2019
Various Restaurants, Calgary
Varies; Free Admission
Pint of Science
What are dreams and memory made of? What do scientists use to “listen” to the oceans and the marine life? Why citizen science is essential to conservation biology? These are some of the questions that researchers will try to answer during the different events of Pint of Science Canada 2019. During 3 consecutive days, scientists are invited to present their latest discoveries while the public learn and enjoy a drink in their favorite pub.
Monday May 20 to Wednesday, May 22, 2019 | Varies
Various Pubs, Calgary
Free
Launch Party for the Calgary Clown Festival
The stage is swept, the acts are booked and we are ready get this clown car on the road! Join us for a once in a lifetime opportunity as we announce our lineup for the inaugural Calgary Clown Festival festival line up! This fun Clown Festival teaser will include performances by Kelly Malcolm, Swill & Lavy and many more! It will also be your first opportunity to purchase tickets for the September Festival and find out where we’ll be clowning around over the summer!
Saturday, May 18 2019 | 07:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Pumphouse Theatre, 2140 Pumphouse Ave SW, Calgary
Party like Gatsby
Party like Gatsby presents the “Spectacle Extraordinaire”. Dress in your finest attire and feel the vibrant pulse of the Golden Twenties. A world aimed to amaze, amuse and entertain you. Become part of Jay Gatsby’s inner circle, while dancing the night away with your friends, creating everlasting memories. Jay Gatsby was a visionary – a dreamer and a showman with a clear mission. For the busy people of Calgary, this should be the greatest party of the year. The entire city magically united in happiness and euphoria.
Saturday, May 18 2019 | 9 PM – 2:30 AM
The Palace Theatre, Calgary
$35 & up
You may like:
Back To The Future Trilogy on Saturday May 18, 2019 | 12:30 PM & 04:00 PM @ Globe Cinema
Game Of Thrones Season Finale Viewing Party on Sunday, May 19 · 5:30 PM @ Deerfoot Inn & Casino
Good Times – Old School Party on Sunday, May 19 | 9:30 PM @ The Ace Nightclub
Marvel Trivia on Monday, May 20, 2019 | 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM @ Hudsons Canadas Pub – Shawnessey
Annual White Party!
Twisted Element’s 15th Annual White Party starring Ariel Versace!
Ariel Versace is the self-proclaimed New Jersey’s life sized BRATZ Doll. Well known for her impersonation of Ariel from The Little Mermaid, she is a drag queen competitor on the 11th Season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and placed top 3 in Philly Drag Wars Cycle 4 before winning Philly Drag Wars All Stars 2.
Sunday, May 19, 2019 | 10 PM to 03:00 PM
The Twisted Element, Calgary
$15 to $20
Glass Blowing Classes
Just in time for for Mother’s Day and to set yourselves up for a beautiful summer, our Spring Market is coming back! Join us at Mount Royal University to shop from incredible local Etsy Sellers. Take a break with one of our “Mom-osa” drinks, or pick up a snack from our food vendors while you wander the market.
Saturdays & Sundays,May 15-26, 2019
cSPACE King Edward in Mardaloop
1721-29th Ave SW
$60 & up
CHROMA – Public Art Installation
Southcentre Mall will unveil CHROMA, an innovative public art installation featuring original concepts from local Calgary artists. Inspired by the colours of spring, the installation will be located in Southcentre’s Centre Court and will be home to innovative displays that range from multidimensional, to interactive, to thought provoking in nature.
May 3 to June 16, 2019
Southcentre Mall
100 Anderson Road SE
FREE
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Coffee Business and Barista Training Course – May 17 to 20 @ Calgary Campus, 629 36 Ave NE, Calgary
Complete Barista Training Course – May 18 to 21 @ Calgary Campus, 629 36 Ave NE, Calgary
Exhibitions
Exhibit Opening. Outliers: Queer History in Calgary:
Outliers: Queer History in Calgary, you will be the first to see this new exhibit’s fascinating exploration – through artifacts, ephemera, video, newspaper clippings, photographs and more – of more than 50 years of queer culture and activism in Calgary. @ Lougheed House
Latin American Art Festival
Tu Espacio at @cSpace is proud to present the Latin American Art Exhibition 2019 showcasing the talent and artistic work of Latin America. The Exhibition includes paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs from local and international artists who are presenting their most recent pieces of arts.
May 4 to May 18, 2019 @ cSpace King Edward at 1721 29th Ave. S.W., Calgary
SPOTLIGHT – Dianne Hove
Deriving inspiration from nature’s intimate moments – the softness of pussy willows in March, the budding poplar leaves beginning to unfurl – Dianne Hove translates her passion through the art of atmospheric soda firing into ceramic masterpieces.
May 9, 2019 – June 8, 2019 @ Alberta Craft Gallery – Calgary
The Trifecta
Various ceramic pieces by Robin Lambert, Brenda Malkinson and Giselle Peters.
April 6 – May 25, 2019 @ Alberta Craft Gallery – Calgary
Christian Dior Exhibition
Drawn largely from the extensive fashion and textile collection of the Royal Ontario Museum, the exhibition includes exquisite gowns and smart daytime apparel, perfumes and accessories – all from the first ten years of the House of Dior (1947 – 1957), when Christian Dior himself designed the pieces.
Feb 3 – June 2, 2019 @ Glenbow Museum – 130 – 9th Avenue SE, Calgary
Christy Wade: Corvidae – A Family of Birds: Christy Wade’s art jewellery explores the relationship between narrative and humour using the imagery of wild animals as a catalyst. She is inspired by Canadian wildlife, specifically traditional game animals, and forms them into fun, wearable pieces of art. Details
May 4 – June 29, 2019 @ cSPACE King Edward
MAY LONG WEEKEND GETAWAY – DAY TRIP IDEAS
For more – Alberta Vacation Ideas, Getaways & Itineraries
We do try to make the listings as accurate as possible, but there may be oversight errors or events may get postponed/cancelled without notice. Verify all details from concerned Event Websites/officials before travelling.