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 event
Music on the Avenue: Aug. 30
Join us as we kick off Culture Days by enjoying the sounds of local live music on Stephen Ave outside The Palace Theatre starting at noon.
Schedule:
- Noon – Amy Hef
- 12:25 p.m. – Stephen Fletcher
- 12:50 p.m. – Tayo G
- 1:15 p.m. – Robert Adam
Event calendar
New events added weekly.
Fiesta Filipino
A vibrant celebration of Filipino culture, diversity and unity through music, food, art, performances and storytelling.
Music on the Ave
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.
When: Aug. 30
Alberta Day at Heritage Park
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.
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.
Afro Caribbean Festival YYC
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
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
The Summer Series School's Back Party is free one-day festival in Capitol Hill featuring an array of all-ages entertainment.
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
Calgary Harmony: Traditional Chinese Art & Craft Showcase
Experience the timeless beauty of Chinese culture through a captivating display of traditional antique paintings, intricate origami and handcrafted cultural art.
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.
Calgary 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.