10 Tips for a Warm and Fun Winter

With the recent snowfalls, winter is top of mind. Keeping warm and enjoying the season is what Calgarians do best, so now is the perfect time to pull those skates and toques out of storage and mark down your holiday agenda for December. Resist the urge to hibernate by looking forward to these winter activities uniquely available during the colder months of the year.

1. Check out Plaza Palooza until December 22

Calgarians are invited to come down to Olympic Plaza for free festival fun starting Friday, November 29. The event series will include music, games, entertainment, roving buskers, ice sculpture carving, light art displays, photo opportunities, warming fire pits, a busker competition and more. Plaza Palooza will run Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 4 pm to 9 pm for four weekends from November 29 ending on December 22. More information is available on Calgary.ca/plazapalooza 

2. Skate like no one is watching 

There are so many options for getting your skate on in Calgary. We have nine outdoor, natural ice skating rinks,  over 60 volunteer-run Adopt-a-Rinks and indoor skating at 12 arenas with 19 rinks. Keep in mind that the building of outdoor natural ice rinks can only start once temperatures are consistently between -7 and -12. As a result, our outdoor rinks are typically available around mid-to-late December.

Unfortunately, Olympic Plaza will look a bit different this winter with no skating or Christmas tree due to the upcoming closure of the plaza at the beginning of January 2025 as part of the Arts Commons Transformation (ACT) project. Instead, skaters can enjoy other downtown skating options including Barb Scott Park, Prince’s Island Park lagoon—and a new Pop-Up Rink located at Lot 6. Visit Calgary.ca/rinks to check the status of rinks near you throughout the season.

3. Plan a cozy downtown adventure 
Chill downtown this winter and create your own adventure! From November to March, enjoy new Downtown Itineraries that will help you embrace the winter months in the heart of our city. As the cold settles in, enjoy a day chock full of cozy activities that will leave you feeling warm and toasty on the inside. Your itinerary could include a warm cup of coffee, a peaceful bookstore, a hearty meal, a thought-provoking film or a magical cocktail. Build your own day out by visiting Choose Your Own Downtown Adventure: Cozy Itinerary. 

4. These boots are made for…playing Crokicurl
Try out this fun winter activity suitable for all ages — no prior experience required! All you need to do is travel to either Bowness Park or North Glenmore Park, bring your mitts, boots and a friend or two and you are set. Crokicurl is a large-scale version of the Crokinole board game combined with curling. The only equipment needed is the curling stones which are provided at the site during the rink’s opening hours. Bowness Park has four full-sized Crokicurl rinks — three with a firepit in the middle — and a junior Crokicurl rink. North Glenmore’s two full-sized Crokicurl rinks are located near the scenic ice trails.  

5. Experience the beauty of illuminated enchanting ice trails
Calgary’s answer to the Rideau Canal is our ice trails. Take a trip out to North Glenmore and Bowness parks this winter to enjoy a skate along an illuminated natural ice pathway. At Bowness Park you skate past trees wrapped with hundreds of lights and North Glenmore Park’s trails are lit by draped strings of lights. The opening of these trails is eagerly awaited by Calgarians who have experienced them before.

No skates, no problem! Just grab a warm drink and go for an evening walk through these parks to enjoy the lights on foot.  

6. Try a bicycle built for…skating?! 
Does the thought of gliding across ice on two thin blades make you queasy? Try an ice bike instead. Ice bikes can be rented at Bowness Park and offer a safe, stable alternative for all ages and skill levels. If you are not a strong skater, you can still join in and have fun on the ice. The front wheel of an ice bike has been replaced by skates and the back wheel moves on the ice and is surrounded by skates. It has a wide base, so you don’t even have to balance, you just pedal and steer as if you’re riding a normal bike. 

7.  Glide or hike through the snow on cross-country skies or snowshoes
Plan an afternoon at your local community park snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. For easier skiing, visit a park or golf course that has groomed cross-country tracks. Tracks are set once there is sufficient snow. Find out which trails are closest to you and their status throughout the season at calgary.ca/crosscountryskiing.

8. Watch for warm day opportunities to get out and golf this winter
Back by popular demand this year is winter golf! When warm temperatures and lack of snow allow, a few select courses will open some tee times. If you want to keep your skills up over the colder months you’ll want to watch the City of Calgary’s golf social channels and Calgary.ca for updates. 

9. Book a winter fire pit in a park space
Did you know that there are bookable winter fire pits located in park spaces throughout Calgary? Pack your own firewood, warm drinks and marshmallows and you have yourself a wonderfully cozy afternoon enjoying one of Calgary’s many park spaces. Winter bookings are available between November to the last Sunday in March. You can also use available fire pits on a first-come, first-served basis. 

10.  Participate in Chinook Blast, Calgary’s Winter Festival starting January 31
Now in it’s fifth year, Chinook Blast 2025 is shaping up to be the most expansive and diverse edition yet. The exciting lineup and increased programming will offer even more opportunities than before for cultural engagement and activities. More details available soon at chinookblast.ca.

Looking for more ideas on how to fall in love with winter? Visit Calgary.ca/LoveWinter